The Young Conqueror
by His Lordship Havoc
Summary: A biography of sorts about Sun Ce, and what it would have been like if he had realized his ambitions. Lots of action, lots of huge battles, lots of bizarre humour and romantic subplots. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Prologue**

A peal of thunder and a flash of lightning lit the night sky. In the large and sumptuous bedchamber, the newlywed wife squeaked and buried her face in her husband's chest. The young man chuckled and put an arm around her.

"C'mon, Da, Lei Kung's just hammering down on some troublemaker. He's not coming after us."

"It frightens me, my lord," the young woman said, looking at him, her eyes wide. "You know how I hate loud noises."

"Well, it's our wedding night and he's not interested. Tonight, Chu Jung and Lady P'an are watching over us, not to mention Kuan Yin…"

The young bride nodded, reassured by her husband's confidence. Ce was always so calm and unafraid. Indeed, the patron deity of his clan was Chu Jung, the great god fire. Her own family's divine patron was P'an Chin-Lien, the goddess of courtesans.

Da Qiao came from a long line of courtesans. She and her sister had been raised from birth to be married to a mighty lord or prince. She came to her husband, Prince Sun Ce, as a virgin, but she was fully trained in all the arts of love. No man had ever shared her bed until now.

Indeed this night had been heralded by great celebrations across Jion Dong. The eldest son of Lord Sun Jian had married. Surely this heralded great things for the future of the illustrious Sun family.

The thunder seemed now far away and the only light in the room was from the oil-burning braziers in the corners. This whole pavilion, nicknamed "Bai Fu" (White Tiger") for the colour of the wooden frame, had been built to house Da Qiao once she was wed to Ce.

It was a beautiful structure- three stories, crafted of ornate, gilded wood with a view toward each of the four great ways. On each side the pavilion was guarded by a carven image of its protector deity- Dragon for the East, Phoenix for the South, Tiger for the West and Tortoise for the North. With the pavilion at the center, the Five Cardinal Points were made and good fortune was assured.

Today had been everything she'd hoped. She had sung, she had danced for her new family and she had shared warm bowls of wine with the young Lord Ce. Looking back on it now, even this thunder could not dampen her joy. How happy she was that this marriage meant she would be able to love!

A week hence another wedding was to happen, that of her younger sister Xiao to Lord Zhou Yu, Sun Ce's childhood friend and staunchest supporter. She reflected on the differences between these two men- Ce, a man of decisive action, unwavering and unafraid. He was friendly and genial, a natural leader of men. He was adored by all the people of the realm. He had a keen intellect, although he took care not to let it show through too frequently. He retained a common touch and manner of speaking that endeared him to the common folk and his soldiers. He was very masculine and handsome, his skin tan and his muscles pronounced. A paragon of male virtue he seemed.

Zhou Yu, on the other hand, was renowned as a man of refined intellect. His love of poetry and the arts, coupled with his boyish attractiveness earned him the moniker "Beautiful Warrior Zhou".

The two men were inseparable, a formidable duo for any to reckon with. Sun Ce loved to be in the thick of battle, pummeling his foes into submission with his tonfa. Zhou Yu was every bit as formidable in combat, but as the Sun family's strategist would hang back and direct a battle, only charging in to the fray when a critical juncture had been reached. He wielded an ancient curved blade that no enemy could seem to resist.

Da Qiao rested her head against Ce's chest, listening to his heart beat- a strong, steady rhythm. The family's totem animal was the Tiger, and indeed the great patriarch of the Sun clan, Jian, was called the "Tiger of Jiang Dong". Da Qiao adored her new father-in-law. He considered her a member of the family even before his son was wed to her. Never had she met a more loving or devoted father; and his children, Ce, younger brother Quan and sister, Shang Xiang, returned that love with all their hearts. The bonds of this family were stronger than any she had ever known, matching that of her sister and herself.

She, Da Qiao of the southlands, married to one of the most illustrious families in China. And she loved her husband, she loved him deeply. Everything about him appealed to her- his honesty, his loyalty, his charisma and his unwavering belief in his destiny.

No woman alive was luckier than she. And now was the time to say so.

"I love you, my lord."

Ce smiled and cuddled her close. "You too, Da Qiao."

The young prince rose and made his way to the window. He stood in the moonlight, which gleamed on his naked skin. Da Qiao rolled onto her stomach and rested her head on her arms, watching him. Never had she known such contentment.

She thought then of what lay ahead, a mere eight days away.

"I am distraught that you must leave so soon, my lord."

"What can I say?" replied Ce, shrugging as he looked out the window at the river to the west. The land held a deep shade of blue in the moonlight. "These Yellow Scarves have become a real threat to the stability of the Han. They must be eliminated."

"But surely others out there can handle this?" she reasoned, trying to keep the pleading tone out of her voice. "Is not China full of great warriors who can bring down these fanatics?"

Ce turned and smiled. "I gotta go, Da. It's my destiny. We married before this campaign precisely because it was so dangerous. Should anything happen to me, well, at least we had our time together, as husband and wife. I don't think we should'a held off, do you?"

"No, my lord." Da Qiao said quietly. "It just seems… unfair."

He smiled and shrugged again. "Hey, there's nothin' to worry about. I'm not gonna die or anything. I'm gonna rip through these Yellow Scarves like a tiger through silk. Don't feel sorry for us, feel sorry for any who get in my way."

Da Qiao left the bed and joined Ce at the window. He took her hands in his and gazed down at her. How small, pale, beautiful and perfect she seemed to him. Naked in the moonlight, he found her wholly enchanting.

"Trust me, Da, I'll be fine. Pop, Quan, Shang Xiang and I'll be back before you know it."

An hour later, having consummated their marriage again, Da Qiao looked up at the ceiling. Beside her, the young lord slept deeply, having succumbed to her technique and training.

"_I cannot bear to be parted from you, my lord…" _she thought to herself. _"So be it. If war beckons, then I shall rise to this challenge. I shall find the strength. For the sake of my new lord…_

Ce sat astride his horse, looking out over the host of Jiang Dong. A great army it seemed to him, with tall and proud warriors, all wearing the red uniforms and carrying the tiger banners of the Sun family. The blades of their halberds, spears and swords gleamed in the midday sun.

"Quite an impressive display, eh, bro?" he said to his younger brother, Quan, who stood beside him. Quan merely nodded; he spoke little, unless what he had to say was important. He was not gregarious or outgoing like his older brother or their sister. He was quiet and intense, always seeming to strive for mastery of himself.

Ce smiled at Shang Xiang, who sat on his other side, astride a white horse. Shang Xiang was very much a tomboy, with a love of things military. She was a formidable martial artist with her twin chakrams, circular blades that she wielded with lethal acrobatic efficiency.

She was held by many to be supremely beautiful, although Ce could rarely see it. She wore her auburn hair short and her clothing was form-fitting and practical, meant for combat. She eschewed formal gowns and robes whenever possible, saving such dress for formal occasions.

She saw him looking at her and smiled, patting the handle of her chakram as it sat in its fastening on the saddle. "Today's the big day!" she said brightly, her eyes bright with eagerness for the fray.

Ce laughed. "Try to leave some foes for Quan and I, okay, Shang Xiang?" he teased.

"Eat less and practice running more. Then maybe you'll get the enemy first for a change!" she replied in a challenging voice.

"You're on, shorty!" was his reply.

Trumpets sounded and drums rolled, announcing the arrival of the Lord of Jiang Dong. The palace doors opened and out rode Sun Jian, resplendent in his red and gold battle gear. His tall, peaked helmet nodded on his noble brow and his renowned sword, the Savage Tiger, sat at his hip. He rode down the palace steps and toward his children, while the host of Jion dong cheered loudly.

Ce, Quan and Shang Xiang all nodded respectfully as he approached. Ce looked up and smiled.

"All set, pop?" he asked in the jovial, light-hearted tone he was famous for. "We're ready to ride out whenever you are."

Sun Jian smiled and nodded. "Excellent. Ce, I am going in overall command, but you will lead us in this battle- it is time for the world to hear your name."

Ce nodded confidently. "Trust me, these Yellow Scarves'll be sorry they ever heard of the Sun family."

He then spurred his horse and rode back and forth in front of the troops, calling out in his loud, clear voice.

"Soldiers of Jiang Dong! Today you follow the Sun family into battle! Fight hard and fight well! Anyone who spills his blood with me today will be like a brother to me! These Yellow Scarves want to overthrow the Han! We're gonna show them that won't happen! Not as long as Sun Jian is around to stop them!"

The troops cheered with enthusiasm, raising their weapons in salute.

Ce's horse reared and he punched his fist into the air.

"Alright! Let's move out! Glory to Jiang Dong and the Sun family!"

The troops were filing out of the palace grounds, following behind Sun Jian and his family. Zhou Yu rode beside Sun Ce, brushing a strand of his long, silken black hair away from his face.

"You certainly have the common touch, Ce." Zhou Yu said softly. "These men would follow you through the Eighteen Hells if you called for them to do so."

Ce laughed. "They'll experience that sooner than they think if Shang Xiang's preparing any of the camp's meals!"

A chorus of laughter came from the vanguard. Shang Xiang scowled at her brother and threw a peach from her pack at him.

Ce looked around at the company they traveled with. Many great warriors followed the Sun family's banner. Foremost among them was Zhou Yu, but also riding in the van were others such as Ling Cao and his young son, Ling Tong. Tong seemed almost too young to go to battle, but Ce had heard from reliable sources that his prowess with his flails was remarkable.

Lu Meng, a doughty warrior renowned for his tenacity on the battlefield, also rode in Ce's company. His fighting style was once best described as a brawler's, but he was working hard to learn technique and strategy, a path Sun Jian had encouraged him to follow.

Old Huang Gai was also present. This was the third generation of the Sun family he had served. Bald, burly and as tough as old shield leather, he carried his great iron club on one shoulder, regaling those nearby with tales of serving Lord Jian's father.

Zhou Tai rode along silently, not speaking, as was his wont. A scar crossed his dark face, lending him an even more menacing demeanor. His great curved sword was at his side, waiting to be released on the enemies of the Sun.

Fully ten-thousand soldiers marched behind Sun Jian and his family. The ground shook beneath their precision marching. They sang martial songs, the air ringing with their voices.

Deep in the throng, one soldier looked at another and winked.

"Remember, Xiao…" Da Qiao said quietly to her younger sister. "Don't do anything to blow our cover. This was the only way we could stay with Ce and Zhou Yu."

Da Qiao's younger sister nodded and kept marching.

"Da?"

"What is it, Xiao?"

"I've gotta pee."

"…"


	2. Chapter 2

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the old Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 1**

The march had been a long one for the host of Jion Dong- but the emperor had called for all loyal citizens of the Han to march against the menace of the Yellow Turbans, and the Sun family was known for its loyalty. The Yellow Turbans were to be defeated. Led by three brothers, the eldest of whom was Zhang Jiao, these rebels were fomenting discontent wherever they appeared.

Zhang Jiao claimed to be a prophet of heaven and an agent of the Way of Peace, and yet, in spite of this seemingly noble calling, violence and bloodshed erupted wherever the yellow Turbans made their presence felt.

Peasants across the land, incensed by Zhang Jiao and his brothers, rebelled against the Han, daring to don the imperial yellow and fight to overthrow the emperor. This threat to stability of realm had to be ended. Zhang Jiao would die, and his followers showed the error of the ways.

"Do you believe what they say, pop?" asked Ce as he rode alongside Sun Jian. "Do you think this guy Zhang Jiao is really a master of sorcery and the dark arts?"

"I don't know, Ce..." replied the Sun family patriarch, shaking his head. "It could be lies spread by the Yellow Turbans to discourage resistance and intimidate us; it could be rumours spread by the imperial court to frighten the populace and make them fear the rebels."

"Yeah, but what if it's true?" Ce pressed, always intent on getting to the heart of any matter.

Sun Jian drew a breath as he considered. "I don't know. I have never faced, fought or even seen a sorcerer, my son. I find the court astrologers and Tao priests strange enough- but a full-blown sorcerer, that's another thing entirely."

Ce nodded. "Maybe. But a stiff blow across the head from one of these'll take the wind outta Zhang Jiao's sails." He patted the haft of one of his ornate tonfas.

"Do not be rash, Ce. We do not know what to expect. If Zhang Jiao truly knows the dark arts, then the heavens alone can guess what he is capable of. We must not rush headlong into battle against this foe. The risks are too great."

Ce laughed. "Y'know, pop, I heard a legend about a great warrior-king from the lands beyond the western mountains. The dark-skinned Vedics called him "Iskander" or something. Anyway, the legend says that he always rode into the thick of any battle at the head of his elite warriors. He was a brilliant tactician and strategist, but he led from the front. Better yet, in all his years of campaigning, he never lost a single engagement. It seems that he conquered the entire outside world. What do you think?"

Sun Jian looked pensive. "I too have heard this legend. Perhaps that's all it is, a legend."

"I don't believe it." Quan said, scowling. "No one can conquer the world, much less some barbarian chieftain from beyond the barrier mountains could certainly never do so. Only a realm as civilized as the Han could attempt ever such a thing."

Ce smirked at his younger brother. "Always the skeptic, eh, bro? I'm just sayin' that if this Iskander guy could do it, maybe I can too, right?"

Sun Jian rolled his eyes. "So you know the legends of foreign kings by wrote, but can I compel you to study poetry or master the abacus? Certainly not."

Shang Xiang snickered. Sun Jian shot her a look. "Oh, let's not forget who cannot recite the first verse of the _Spring And Autumn Annals_, shall we?"

Shang Xiang cleared her throat and returned her attention to the road.

"We will reach Grand Commander He Jin's encampment by sunset." Sun Jian stated, bringing their attention back to the present issue. This man is a great general, appointed by the emperor himself to quell this rebellion. Please acquit yourselves accordingly. Ce, try a little formality. Quan, speak once in a while. And Shang Xiang, please remember, women warriors are rare- do not pick a fight with people just because they stare at you."

"In other words, everyone behave like Zhou Yu." Ce quipped.

Zhou Yu, riding just behind the Sun family, sighed and shook his head.

Silence ensued for a while, much to Sun Jian's satisfaction. Ce contemplated the battles ahead and the new wife he had left behind. He wouldn't show it, but his heart ached for Da Qiao.

_How long will these Yellow Turbans keep us apart! Da Qiao was right, this wasn't fair, they had only just married! To hell with doing this for the Han, I'm doing this to get back to my wife! Zhang Jiao's going down and China's gonna know the Sun family by the time this is over…_

He Jin sat in the pavilion his troops had constructed, facing his numerous sub-commanders. They were men of talent and ambition, some already renowned, others yet to be recognized. But they had come from far and wide, bringing their armies, which meant the devotion to the Han could not be questioned. The variety of troops they provided lent great operational strength to He Jin's army. But that same versatility was also a kind of weakness- the regional lords were fiercely independent and could not necessarily be counted on to work together. The Yellow Turban armies, though comprised mainly of peasants, were bound by a shared fanaticism and hatred of the enemy and a common methodology of tactics- they simply swarmed over their foe, wave after wave of men howling for Han blood.

He Jin was a loyal servant of the imperial house, but he could not help feeling some sympathy for these rebels. Peasants, condemned to poverty as their birthright, destined to break their backs with hard labour and being taxed to death to keep the privileged few in a life of comfort. What crime had they committed, aside from not being fortunate enough to receive the teachings of the Tao or the wisdom of Lao Tzu? Was this outpouring of resentment and rage not inevitable?

And then one day a man appeared, offering them freedom from the yoke of four centuries of Han tyranny and oppression; freedom at last from the petty wars of ambitious, uncaring regional lords. Wherever Zhang Jiao appeared, the anger of the masses exploded in an orgy of violence and destruction.

But however much he felt for the plight of the peasants, this rebellion had to be quashed, right away. If the imperial house fell, the lords of China would bleed themselves to death in brutal wars to dominate the land. And once they had destroyed each other, who would be left to protect China from the savage Jurchens and the murderous steppe nomads?

For the sake of Mother China, Zhang Jiao and his Yellow Turbans would be completely and utterly destroyed.

He Jin assessed his commanders. Foremost among them were Cao Cao and Sun Jian. The former was a man of burning ambition and incredible talent. While He Jin fully appreciated his abilities, he feared what kind of power Cao Cao could seize with them given the opportunity.

Sun Jian sat quietly, accompanied by his eldest child, Ce. Sun Jian was famous as a remarkable warrior, a descendant of the martial sage Sun Tzu and called the 'Tiger of Jiang Dong'. One of the great noble families of China, their lineage pre-dated even the Han.

But it was the son that held He Jin's attention. Behind the aloof and careless confidence, he sensed a keen mind and deep sense of justice. The eyes glinted with intelligence and passion. Despite his years, had this young man guessed the great secret of the Tao?

Great would be the future of the Sun family when Ce finally came to power.

He Jin then explained the situation to those assembled and assigned them each a theatre of operations. Several bodies of Yellow Turban troops had been sighted in the region, plenty to go around. Rather than remain as a single, large force that would waste time and manpower tracking down these individual rebel groups, He Jin would gamble on superior discipline and quality of arms- he divided his forces up and sent the generals out in different directions. They were to find the enemy commanders and kill them. Left leaderless, it was his hope that the Yellow Turban troops would simply surrender or melt away. The sooner local resistance collapsed, the swifter they could move against Zhang Jiao.

He Jin stood tall and bowed. "You have your assignments. Move out and crush these enemies of the Han! Report back to me when your regions are pacified and your missions accomplished! Dismissed!"

The commanders kow-towed and exited the pavilion. There was much work to be done.

Sun Jian and Zhou Yu sat around the fire inside the command tent with Shang Xiang. With all the patience of a good father, Jian soothed his irritated daughter and explained yet again.

"There is no great difficulty in this mystery, Shang Xiang…" he said softly. "It will one day suddenly make sense to you, but only if you are diligent in practicing."

"What place has the Tao on the battlefield anyway?" she huffed, slapping her hands against her thighs in frustration. Am I not already a match for just about any man in Jiang Dong?"

"Our common soldiers, yes," Sun Jian said readily, knowing the truth of it. "But until you master the inner forces and tame the tiger that drives you, several of our commanders will always exceed your abilities. Are you willing to settle for that?"

Shang Xiang did not answer but scowled at the fire.

"Discipline, Shang Xiang. True mastery of arms is achieved not only through constant practice of form and strength of body, but steeling the mind and listening to the harmony within. Quan works hard to achieve this, though he has yet to feel it."

"What about Ce?" she snapped. "He is reckless and undisciplined, more so than anyone! I don't see you riding him like this and he's your heir!"

"Do not be so sure, Shang Xiang…" Zhou Yu said quietly, just loud enough for her and Jian to hear. He was, perhaps, the only person outside of their family who was allowed to address her so informally. It was a right he had earned many times over in the course of his life as the Sun family's most loyal vassal and friend.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

Zhou Yu looked at her steadily. "Do not be so sure that Ce is undisciplined. His incredible talent alone would not carry him as far as he has gotten. He portrays whatever image he thinks will serve him best. You own ancestor, the great sage Tzu, said that being unknowable is true invulnerability. Do not take your brother at face value. He has studied and worked hard as long as I have known him, and that is my whole life. Answer this question for me- have you ever truly come close to beating him in a sparring match?"

Shang Xiang shifted uncomfortably, not wanting to answer. "No…"

"That is the first step you have taken towards your mastery, daughter." Sun Jian said, letting his pride in her admission show through. "You and Quan both have your brother's physical talent for battle and his ambition. What you need now is to understand how to master yourselves. Ce is quite comfortable with who he is… when will you be?"  
Shang Xiang sighed. "Not until I know myself."

"Exactly. Shall we resume?"

"Yes, father."  
"Excellent. Now follow Zhou Yu's instructions. Don't worry, understanding will come when Heaven ordains. For now, just do the work."

Shang Xiang faced Zhou Yu again and relaxed, her hands resting in her lap. The young commander nodded to her.

"The Nine Levels of Power are manifested through a circle of energy in our body. We knot our hands in various positions to regulate that flow as we meditate."

He held up his hands and linked his fingers together in a lock that represented strength. "This is called 'Chu'."

Shang Xiang imitated him. "Chu."

Zhou Yu made another gesture, fingers entwined. "This is the direction of energy, 'Shen'."

Shang Xiang nodded and did likewise. "Shen."

"This represents 'Tai', or harmony."

"Tai."

"The mystic, alchemical healing of the body, known as 'Sha'."

"Sha."

"One can sense danger through a sense of 'Kai'. Threats are revealed."

"Kai."

"To be truly invincible, you must know the thoughts of others. 'Jen'."

"Knowing the thoughts of others. Jen."

"This one is really deep, but control of oneself is impossible without the mastery of time and space. 'Tung'."

"Tung."

"In mastering oneself, one learns to master the elements and forces of nature within our body. 'Hua'."

"Hua."

"And finally, when all of the previous eight levels of power have been mastered, one becomes unassailable, because you have achieved the Tao, enlightenment."

"Tao."

Zhou Yu smiled and placed his hands on his lap. "Deep meditation, coupled with practicing how to direct the flow of energy with these gestures, will one day allow you to transcend the limitations of today. How do you feel?"

Shang Xiang smiled. "My hands hurt."

Zhou Yu laughed. "That is a good sign."

Standing nearby at the entrance to the tent, a rather small soldier stood guard. Nobody seemed to notice the person watching the proceedings intently and mimicking what she saw with her small, delicate hands…

Ce was kneeling in the middle of his own tent, in front of a shrine to the fire god, fingers knotted in a bond of harmony. His eyes were squeezed shut as he pushed away all external stimuli and focused deep within.

"You are very close, Ce, I can feel it," said a clear, ringing tenor from the tent flap. "You practice in front of no one, not even your father or myself. But you're very close, aren't you? You're about to break the barrier that ties men down. I envy you."

Ce paused in his meditation and took a deep, cleansing breath. He turned and smiled at Zhou Yu. "You wish. Whatever it is, it's million years beyond me. How's sis doing?"

"Today was a big day." Zhou Yu replied, his satisfaction obvious. "She admitted that she had some growing up to do and just about broke her fingers into a thousand pieces practicing."

"She an' Quan are the future of this clan, you know?" Ce said plainly. "You and I, well, we're gonna pave the way for them, but they're the ones who'll make the Sun family great."

"Thanks, but I'm not ready to hand over the reins just yet…" Zhou Yu mused, kneeling next to Ce and genuflecting to the shrine. Their families held the same deity as patron.

"Well, maybe…" Ce mused quietly. "For now, I just wanna get back to Da Qiao."

Zhou Yu laughed. "Miss her that much already, do you? What happened to the young man who lived only for adventure and glory?"

Ce smiled evilly. "She's a demon in bed."

Zhou Yu nodded. "That bodes well for my wedding to Xiao, I suppose."

"Yeah, that'd be my guess."

They both meditated silently in front of the shrine for several minutes. They were the best of friends and did not need words to fill dead air. Sometimes words were a nuisance.

They were the two most revered men in Jiang Dong. Young, strong, intelligent and charismatic, they were determined to lead the people to a bright and glorious future.

Ce was good-natured, strong and amiable, a natural leader who feared no challenge. Zhou Yu was refined, cultured and stoic, a perfect foil for his best friend and liege lord. Ce went nowhere that Zhou Yu wasn't beside him, doling out wisdom and advice in good measure.

"Are you worried about the outcome of this campaign?" Zhou Yu asked.

"Nah…" Sun Ce said with his characteristic cockiness. But Zhou Yu knew this was not bravado. If Ce said he wasn't worried, then he wasn't worried.

"Not even for Quan or Shang Xiang?"

"They can handle themselves, even if they're a little undisciplined," Ce explained, smiling at how ironic that sounded coming from him. "Zhou Tai'll be around Quan and Shang Xiang'll never manage to ditch Huang Gai. If I didn't know better I'd say the old fella had a crush on her."

"Thank you for that lovely image." Zhou Yu said dryly.

"My pleasure, buddy. Like I said, I'm not worried about those two."

"Your father, then?"

Ce made a wry face. "I dunno… maybe a little, but I don't know why. He's more than capable of handling himself, even if this Zhang Jiao turns out to be a sorcerer. Maybe I'm just feeling his age. Y'don't like to think about your folks being mortal, yanno?"

Zhou Yu shook his head. "There are times I cannot wait for mine to die, Ce. You are singularly blessed with a great and loving family, even if Quan cannot always express it."

Ce laughed. "I've wanted your old man dead too on occasion. But that's not what you came to discuss, is it?"

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what is it I have come to discuss?"

Ce looked at his friend levelly. "The impending Yellow Turban attack."

Zhou Yu's eyes went wide.

"Yeah, they're comin'…" Ce said, looking into the small fire, a grim light in his eyes. "I don't know how I know, but they're coming soon and they're coming hard."  
"It is bad for us, then, that you chose to make camp in this valley." Zhou Yu said, his voice grave.

"No, that's it, I don't think so…" replied Ce. "I know it's hard to explain, but… He Jin said to get this done as quickly as possible. Instead of chasing these guys down, they're coming to us now. All of 'em. They see us in this valley and think we're sitting ducks."

"We _are _sitting ducks, Ce." Zhou Yu stated. "We could be surrounded as we speak."

"Yeah, I'm counting on it. Here's what you're gonna do…"

Kong Su watched as dozens of campfires were extinguished in the camp below. Obviously these men of Jion Dong did not fear attack, so soon after arriving in the region.

"The fools…" he said quietly to the man standing beside him, looking down over the invader's position. "We will make them pay for their arrogance. They shall feel the wrath of the Yellow Turbans and any we allow to survive shall carry the message back to their homelands- the Han will fall, and the Era of Peace shall begin."

The soldier bowed his head.

Kong Su took up his bow and knocked an arrow. He pulled back on the string and released the missile high into the air. The hollow wooden head of the arrow shrieked as it passed over the camp, clearly heard throughout the valley. Wild cries sprang up from the slopes surrounding the camp. Torches flared as thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers poured down towards the unsuspecting men of Jion Dong. ..

Da Qiao awoke with a start, hearing the blare of horns and the wild shouts of men. She shook her head for a moment, trying to make sure she wasn't asleep. The noise grew louder. Something inside her turned to ice as she realized the camp was under attack.

She looked down at her sister, who was curled up on her side, sleeping happily. She began nudging her with increasing urgency.

"Xiao! Xiao! Get up! We're being attacked! Get up!"

The younger girl merely murmured and shifted position. "Mmmmmmmmmmm, no more, Zhou Yu…"

Da Qiao sighed in exasperation. "Get up, you little twit! We're going to die!"

No response.

Da Qiao shook her head and leaned in to whisper in her sister's ear. "Zhou Yu loves only Sun Ce…"

Xiao awoke with a start, bolting upright on the mattress, eyes wide. She snapped her head around to look at her sister, obviously angry.

"Not funny, Da!"

"That may be, but you wouldn't wake up and we're under attack!"

Xiao paused and then let the cacophony of sound around them filter through. She looked up at her sister, seemingly confused.

"Oh… does this mean we have to fight?"

"Yes, o great sage, we must fight."

"Oh… okay!" said the younger girl, rising from her straw mattress. She didn't seem at all bothered by this notion. She smiled down at her sister and nodded. "I'll just jump into my soldier disguise and we'll take it to 'em, okay?

The flap of the tent was ripped wide by a blade and in burst a burly soldier wearing yellow. He roared as he shoved Xiao out of the way and lunged straight at Da Qiao. Not yet on her feet, the older sister scrambled backwards on all fours, her eyes wide.

The Yellow Turban soldier slashed at her, a savage, clumsy stroke. She rolled out of the way, putting a table between herself and the crazed man. He slashed at her again and she ducked. Her heart was pounding in her ears, she could barely think, she was so terrified.

_Ce! Where are you!_

The man kicked the table out of the way and lunged at her again. He stood over her, sword held high for the decisive strike…

There was a loud ringing sound and a bellow of rage. Da Qiao saw that Xiao had snuck up behind the soldier and slammed him across the back of the head with a bronze water basin. He whirled around on her and advanced. Xiao stepped backward, looking very meek. Hoping not to grab his attention, Da Qiao's hands fumbled for a weapon, anything…

The man towered over Xiao Qiao. With his sword he knocked the basin from her hands and pulled back the blade for a strike. Xiao winced and squeezed her eyes shut…

There was a sickening "thunk!" and the enemy soldier when rigid. Xiao opened her eyes and saw the man staring blankly ahead, eyes wide. Blood was trickling from the corner of his mouth and he dropped his sword. Slowly he turned and goggled down at Da Qiao, who was holding one of the large, ornate fans their mother had given them. The edges were red with blood.

The soldier's knees collapsed and he grappled on to Da Qiao's shoulders, attempting to hold himself up. She tried to back away, revolted by his body pressed to her. As the life seeped from him, he slipped slowly to the ground, his blood smearing the front of her clothes. He crumpled to the floor and was still.

Da Qiao, trembling with nervous energy and fear, looked at her younger sister. She then gazed at the bloody fan she was holding and dropped it. "Ew."

Xiao blinked and walked over to her sister. Da Qiao swept her into her arms and hugged her. They held each other tight, letting the terror of the moment pass. Xiao let go of her sister finally and looked down at the discarded fan. She picked it up and examined it.

"Wow. I always thought mom was kidding about these things being more valuable than we could imagine."

"I can't believe I killed him." Da Qiao whispered to no one in particular.

"Yeah… with a fan." Xiao added.

Da Qiao gave her sister a wry look. "Thanks for pointing that out. And here I thought maybe your sharp wit had done it."

"Nope!" said the younger sister happily, the effects of their ordeal obviously wearing off.

Da Qiao sighed as the chaos outside the tent reached her again. "We're still being attacked."

"Yeah, we should go out and help, right? I mean, isn't that what we came to do?" Xiao asked.

Da Qiao bit her lip. "I… maybe we should stay here, Xiao. We might just get in the way. Let's face it- neither of us really knows anything at all about fighting."

"That's not true!" Xiao protested, taking her sister's hands. "Mother made us take martial arts for years! She said it would be good to know in case our homes were ever attacked by bandits or something!"

"It was probably more of a formality in her mind, Xiao. It rounded off our courtesan training, after all. And mother may have been an accomplished martial artist, but she was taller and stronger than you and I. Remember how you complained the whole way here about how heavy your sword and bow were?"

"We don't need a sword and bow anymore, Da!" squeaked the girl, running over to a corner and rummaging for something. When she stood up she was holding to more of the great fans like the one Da Qiao had killed their assailant with. She opened them with a flourish and whirled about, sweeping them in front of her with great, dramatic strokes.

"We've got these! They're light, they obviously punch through leather armour, and they'd be a lot of fun to use!"

"You are out of your mind!" Da Qiao said, trying to sound authoritative. "We will stay here and hide until our husbands come to get us!"

"They don't know we're here, remember?" Xiao countered. "We came in disguise, so that we could be near and fight alongside our men! Well, what if they need our help?"

Da Qiao smiled at the notion of either Zhou Yu or Sun Ce needing help on the battlefield.

"I don't know, Xiao. I just think that-"

"Are you two gonna hide in here all night and miss the fun?" came a clear, lyrical voice from the tent entrance. The two sisters looked over and gaped as Sun Shang Xiang winked at them. Already she was a tattered mess, with the front of her blouse ripped and her chakrams dripping gore.

"How… how did you know we were here, my lady?" Da Qiao asked, bewildered, her voice little more than a whisper.

Shang Xiang laughed. "Oh please. No warriors in Jiang Dong are _that_ short. And somehow the two midget soldiers I couldn't identify always found a way to be near Sun Ce or Zhou Yu, pulling guard duty when none was required. What am I, an idiot?"

"So… why didn't you tell on us or send us home?"

Shang Xiang shrugged. "Why should I be the only woman here? And who says women have to be weak and stay at home? I don't but it. Now let's go save the men already!"

Da Qiao sighed. "Could I at least put some clothes on first?"

Ce's plan was working. The Yellow Turbans had been tricked into thinking that the Sun camp was completely unprepared for an attack. True, Ce would have preferred to do the attacking, on grounds of his own choice, but given how close the enemy had been this seemed like the best option.

He allowed the enemy to think that a minimal guard was posted while the rest of the army slept for the following day, which promised gruelling fighting. The Yellow Turbans had descended _en masse_, intent on wiping out the Jiang Dong army in one blow.

But as soon as Ce had heard the whistling of the signal arrow, he rushed fully-armed and prepared troops holding back in the dark of the camp to the perimeter. When the peasant soldiers burst into the camp, the Sun warriors fell on them like wolves.

Ce had let only a quarter of the soldiers know of the impending attack and his plan. The others really had been sent to rest. Zhou Yu had instantly understood this logic and implemented the orders. There was no way every soldier in the camp could keep this ruse a secret, their actions would tip off any Yellow Turban spies in the area that the camp was on alert and the attack would not materialize.

Ce had informed only the most elite and disciplined units know. They could be counted on to keep the camp from being overrun while the rest of the troops awoke and made ready.

Already the rebels to the camp's south were put to flight, Sun Quan having struck down their leader in a furious exchange. They were ordered not to pursue too far, lest they fall into a trap themselves. Hopefully these peasant soldiers, stunned by the total defeat, would simply slink home and not return.

Sun Jian was fighting in the east, where a large body of Yellow Turbans had attacked. From what Ce could see, the soldiers of Jiang Dong had things well in hand as reinforcements raced to relieve the defenders.

Shang Xiang was fighting at the western gate, the appearance of a beautiful woman warrior no doubt taking many of the enemy by surprise.

That left Ce here at the north gate, and he had no doubt that the enemy would appear before long. He gazed into the night, his keen eyes searching for signs of the Yellow Turbans.

"_But what if they use fire?_" Zhou Yu had asked. _"Even if we beat them in pitched battle, will our camp not be destroyed? We could not continue to campaign then."_

Ce just laughed. _"They won't use fire. They're a big army made up of peasants. They'll wanna loot everything they can. First, they can't be well-supplied, so anything they can get their hands on is a bonus for them. Second, they're takin' out all this anger on the Han nobility that's kept 'em oppressed all these years. So they'll want trophies to show the world."_

"Well, you're gonna have to get through me if you want any trophies, guys. And I don't think you can." Ce said to the night that stretched out beyond the camp.

Silence answered him.

Ce had positioned soldiers nearby, in case there were too many foes for him to deal with at once and they slipped past. Visible at the gate were only ten guards and himself.

"Remember what I said", Ce whispered to his men. "They'll attack in an overwhelming wave, trying to get by us. Just stand your ground and let 'em go. Defend yourself and each other first. Remember, once they get inside they're not getting' out anyway, so don't worry."

The men nodded silently.

Not more than thirty seconds later, the hair on the back of Ce's neck rose.

_Kai, the premonition of danger! They're coming!_

There was a hissing whistle in the darkness.

"Shields up!" he yelled, as arrows came speeding towards their position. The soldiers all hunkered down behind their stout shields, dozens of arrows embedding themselves in the metal-bound wood.

Ce leapt aside, his tonfa whirling as he deflected any arrows that threatened to harm him.

There was a chorus of loud shouts from the darkness and the enemy swarmed forward. There were hundreds of them, howling and waving their blades in the air. Some carried shields and Ce recognized on many them emblems and devices of regions and provinces that had been overrun by the Yellow turbans.

"_You won't be going home with any from Jiang Dong..."_ he thought to himself as they approached.

Seconds later the Yellow Turbans were on them. They swarmed over the gate, hacking madly and almost randomly at anything within reach.

"Keep your formation!" yelled Sun Ce as he struck and parried with his tonfa. "If they want by, let 'em by! Fight the ones who wanna mix it up!"

A large peasant with glazed eyes and carrying a wood-chopping axe hurled himself at Ce, swinging for all he was worth in a great arc. Ce deftly avoided the strike, ducked and lunged in, burying the iron haft of his tonfa in the man's sternum. There was a sickening crack and the man exhaled violently before crashing to the ground, dead.

Another soldier thrust at Ce, this time a spear, pointed at the young lord's head. Ce parried with crossed tonfas, catching the spear shaft and thrusting the weapon upwards, leaving his opponent wide open. Ce pivoted on his hips and kicked the man in the head, snapping his neck backward and sending him sprawling. Without pausing, Ce whirled and swept low with his foot, ducking another strike and throwing a man carrying a sword to the ground. Ce slammed the butt of his tonfa into the man's face, silencing him. He sprang up and met another assault, dispatching the attacker with ease.

A wild shout from Ce's left indicated another foe. The sword swung at Ce's neck, intent of separating his head from his shoulders. With practiced ease, Ce raised his tonfa and stopped the blade dead. The sword rang as it encountered the iron bar and snapped. Ce shoulder-blocked his stunned opponent while he thrust the other tonfa forward into the midriff of another man.

As many Yellow Scarves as were staying to fight, more still were pouring through the gate and into the camp. Ce hoped this plan would work.

Finally, a man more ornately dressed than the common peasant soldiers charged in. His battle dress was ornate and bright, obviously new, a reward, no doubt for distinguished service to Zhang Jiao. He carried a keen blade in each hand. He flew right at Ce, no trace of fear in his gaze.

Ce met the man head-on. The Yellow Turban swung both blades down in a lethal arc. Ce caught the swords on his own weapons and the two strained against each other, vying for dominance. The Yellow Turban commander's eyes were wild.

"I, Kong Su, shall destroy you in the name of heaven!" he snarled.

Ce smirked. "Yeah? Well my name is Sun Ce and I don't think so."

Ce gathered himself and surged up and out, his body almost blazing with concentrated energy. He felt fire coursing through himself as he began a whirling dance of destruction, his body consumed by what amounted to a battle frenzy. Kong Su, whose weapons had spun out of his grip, seemed almost to melt away before Ce's furious assault, so total and inevitable was his death.

Time seemed to stop for the young warlord of Jiang Dong. Everyone else's movement were painfully slow. He avoided strikes with ridiculous ease, weaving between the weapons of his foes, slaying with each strike he made. So powerful were his blows that in several cases, more than one enemy went down to a single attack.

He could see his own men surrounded, their flanks exposed. He leapt, high into the air, spinning and twisting over the confused melee. He no longer needed to think, he was merely _doing_. And whatever it was he was doing, it was pretty darn good.

He landed next to his men and began exterminating their assailants. Most of the Yellow Turbans had died before Ce's men even realized he was there.

And then it was over.

There were no foes left at the gate. They were all dead or inside the camp. The next phase was to begin.

Reality came swimming back around Ce. He stood unsteadily for a moment and shook his head to clear it. The screeching cacophony of battle, so blurred and indistinct moments ago, seemed piercing and unnatural. Gone too were the bright colours and the crisp distinct outlines of everything around him. Just the confused blurred shapes on combatants struggling in near total dark.

Ce leapt up onto the wall by the gate and grabbed a horn.

"NOW! CLOSE THE GATES!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. He let go a blast on the horn, signalling the gates of the camp to shut, trapping the enemy inside.

The wooden doors all groaned on their hinges as they slammed shut. Archers lined the palisades, ready to repel any new forces as the foot soldiers turned in to annihilate the trapped invaders.

Ce watched as Zhou Yu led the final wave of reinforcements into the enemy. He marvelled at his best friend's graceful, precise and fluid style of combat, his blade cutting down anyone it touched. Truly, Zhou Yu was poetry in motion.

Ce leapt down and charged into the fray, not interested in being left out. He struck left and hammered right, battering his enemies into submission. When possible, he left them alive, but didn't think too much about it, since victory preceded clemency in his estimation. If he could kill or spare a foe with equal ease, he would spare them. That was enough for now.

A knot of enemy soldiers barred his, path. They were packed tight in a defensive formation and levelled their spears, pitchforks and polearms at him.

Confronted by a foe he could not readily break apart by sheer force of arms, Ce felt the energy within him welling up. With a great cry he raised his tonfa and struck a mighty blow on the ground, his eyes flashing at the foe. The earth shook as gouts of fire sprang from the ground at their feet. The men cried out in terror, their cohesion lost. Ce was on them instantly, dispatching them before they could raise their weapons to defend themselves.

The enemy vanquished, he stood tall and looked around. He spied Zhou Yu and his father Jian staring at him, their faces incredulous. He came back to himself and frowned.

"What? Do I have something on my face?"

Sun Jian shook his head and ran off toward another cluster of Yellow Turbans. Zhou Yu bowed and waited for his friend to approach.

"So what was all that about?" Ce asked.

"I wish I could describe it, Ce…" Zhou Yu said in his mellow tenor. "But you fight like no one or nothing I have seen before. You move inhumanly fast and cause fire to spill from the earth to attack your foes. That's not exactly normal, is it?"

Ce thought about this and looked at the bodies he had left strewn on the ground.

"Oh yeah…" he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I guess it ain't exactly normal, huh? Well, go figure."

Zhou Yu pinched his eyes. "Come, I ear some fighting off to the west still. Let's wrap this up."

The two friends raced off towards the west gate. As expected, they saw Shang Xiang in the thick of the fray, whirling about with her chakrams, slicing her foes to ribbons.

Ce made a wry face. "I feel sorry for the chump we trick into marrying her."

"Let her be, she's having fun." Zhou Yu chided.

"Hey, I'm not stoppin' her…" Ce replied, his tone making it obvious he had no intention of interrupting his sister.

He then heard a cry that sounded out of place- a woman's voice and definitely not his sister's.

"Wha?" He looked around, trying to pinpoint the source.

What he saw made his jaw drop. He gazed in a stupor as he watched Da Qiao, wearing a short, diaphanous court dress, rushing about the battle, clashing with the Yellow Turbans and striking them down with a pair of ridiculously large, sturdy fans.

"Well there's something you don't see every day." Zhou Yu said, smirking.

Ce grimaced at him. "Then eyes left, pal."

Zhou Yu looked left and spied Xiao Qiao, fighting in the same manner as her sister, but occasionally tripping and falling. She would squeak, get up and rush the enemy again.

"Oh, you can't be serious…" he said, obviously annoyed.

"Ho-kay, this ends now." Ce growled as he stomped off in the direction of his blood-streaked bride.

Da Qiao spun around her opponent's strike and slammed her fan down on the man's wrist. He howled in pain as the bones broke and dropped his sword. He swung wildly with his fist, trying to connect with her head. She ducked and kicked, slamming the heel of her foot into his jaw. Dazed, the man staggered backward. Da Qiao leapt at him and with two swift strokes of her fans he fell.

Da Qiao landed lightly on her feet and pirouetted, holding the fans in front of herself coquettishly. "That's gotta hurt!" she quipped as she looked at her defeated foe.

"What… the… _hell_?" demanded a familiar voice from behind her.

Da Qiao froze for a moment, going pale. Meekly she turned her head and looked behind her. Ce stood there, tonfas resting at his side, his foot tapping as he awaited her explanation.

Da Qiao tried to smile. This seemed to have no effect on her husband.

_Damn…_ she thought to herself.

"Well? I'm waiting…" Ce said.

A Yellow Turban soldier went darting by Ce, who slammed his weapon intro the man's face as he tried to pass and laying him out flat on the ground. Paying no heed to his newest victim, Ce looked at his wife intently.

_Oooooh!_ The young bride fretted. _What I'd give for a good distraction right about now…_

A shriek peeled through the area and another enemy soldier raced by, the panic obvious on his face.

"Get her off me! Get her off me!" he wailed as he ran for his life.

Right on his heels, a cackling Xiao Qiao sped after him, swinging her fans in great arcs as she tried to overtake him.

She turned her head and beamed a smile at the group as she flashed by. "Hi, Zhou Yu-darling!" she squeaked. Realization dawned on her half-a second after, but not soon enough to keep her from running straight into the side of a tent, collapsing it on herself.

Zhou Yu sighed and shook his head. "I'll get her…" he mumbled, wandering over to the squealing and thrashing mass of felt and silk.

There was the sound of another impact and an enemy soldier landed in their midst. Standing nearby was Shang Xiang, her leg still in the air from the expertly placed kick.

"I think that's all of 'em!" she announced happily as she trotted up to Da Qiao. She put a friendly hand on the girl's shoulder. "I've gotta say, Da, you really took it to 'em. I was so impressed when you jumped into that knot of soldiers and-"

Shang Xiang paused as she saw Ce standing there looking at her, eyebrow raised. She bit her lip and stared at the ground for a moment before turning to face Da Qiao in feigned shock. "Da Qiao! What, by the goddess, are _you _doing here! You were not authorized to come along! I am shocked and appalled!"

Ce and Da Qiao both rolled their eyes.

"Beat it, sis, you're not helping." Ce said in an unusually serious voice that left no room for argument. Shang Xiang nodded and loped off.

Da Qiao faced Ce, red with embarrassment. She held the fans behind her back and twisted her toe against the ground.

It's… good to see you, my lord?" she said quietly.

Ce threw back his head and laughed. "Ahhh, who am I kidding? I can't stay mad at you, Da Qiao..."

Da Qiao sighed in relief and ran to her husband's arms. She buried herself against his chest and snuggled in tight.

"I'm sorry…" she whispered, feeling tears of relief and joy stream down her face. "I just hated the thought of being apart from you and so we disguised ourselves as soldiers and then we got attacked and I nearly got myself killed and… oh, Ce! I'm so happy to see you…"

Ce smiled as he hugged his wife gently. "I'm happy to see you too, Da Qiao. And although it's dangerous here, it's kinda nice to know that even war can't keep us apart."

She looked up at him and sniffled. "Really?"

He nodded as he looked down at her. "Really."

She buried her face against his chest again, her heart fit to burst with joy. In spite of the carnage surrounding them and several brushes with death during the battle, everything at that very moment seemed just fine.


	3. Chapter 3

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 2**

Sun Jian marched his army north, towards the last known stronghold of Zhang Jiao. Some armies had done well in their missions, like his forces and Cao Cao's, other had done less than brilliantly. There was a lesson here for all to heed, obviously- this enemy was not to be underestimated.

Credit for the success of Jiang Dong in battle had to go to Ce, of course. His unorthodox tactics has resulted in a spectacular victory over the Yellow Turbans. The lord was very proud of his eldest son. He was proud, in fact, of all three of his children. This had been their first major engagement and they had acquitted themselves admirably.

Ce was guarding the rear of their column at the moment, along with Zhou Yu. They were no doubt lecturing their women on the dangers they faced and how much trouble they had caused. Jian smiled at the thought of the girls in battle. At first he had been somewhat astonished to see them, scampering about hitting the enemy with fans nearly as large as themselves- but the more he thought about it, the more he found the situation amusing.

The patriarch had to admit to himself that he wasn't all that interested in having a normal family anyway. Where was the fun in that? If Ce was busy looking after Da Qiao, didn't it stand to reason that he would be less inclined to get in trouble himself? Especially if he was worried that his wisp of a bride would sneak into battle when he wasn't looking?

Sun Jian smiled and sighed contentedly. He was doing what he did best, campaigning, and his family was right here with him, making him proud with their exploits.

Quan rode up alongside Jian, as stoic as ever. "Father, we defeated the Yellow Turbans easily. Do you think we shall get so lucky again?"

"No, Quan, I do not." Jian replied, thinking of what lay ahead. "Our victory only looked easy. Had Ce not stuck to his plan or if someone had made a mistake in carrying out his orders, we might have been annihilated, for all of our superior training and arms. I do not think a ruse will work in such a manner again."

Quan nodded. "Also, it looks like we shall be facing Zhang Jiao himself this time, if Commander He Jin's intelligence is correct."

"Let us hope that it is," said Jian. "I do not wish to remain away from Jiang Dong any longer than necessary, whatever the glory we may win. In coming to support the Han with so large a force, our garrisons back home are spread thin. Any unscrupulous neighbours could attack in our absence and then we would have no home to return to."

Quan pursed his lips. "The lands of Wu have been good to us for many generations. I would hate to lose them."

"Then we must fight hard. We must attack swiftly and without mercy. Leave your doubts and worries with the dust on the road, son. We shall triumph, for we are the Sun family of Jiang Dong."

Quan bowed his head and clasped his fist. "Yes, father…"

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"So, what do you think?" Ce asked Zhou Yu, who was riding beside him. He was always intrigued by his friend's thoughts and opinions.

"I think they are in over their heads," the raven-haired warrior replied, looking ahead to the road. "But it is too far to send them home and if we were to take the time to prevent them from sneaking into battle, we would never see the field ourselves and this endeavor is surely doomed without your rods and my blade."

Ce laughed. "I never grow tired of your modesty, pal."

Zhou Yu ran a hand through his hair. "Someone needs to counterbalance your cockiness and self-assurance."

"Where are the girls now?"

"With your sister. I told them we were going to be discussing strategy and logistics and Xiao's eyes glazed over. They are in the pavilion, napping."

Ce shook his head. "I don't know how anyone can sleep in that thing while it's moving. Y'feel every bump in the road and hear every rock y'clatter over. It's easier to sleep on a horse."

"Count your blessings, at least they're out of the way. For now."

"Alright, so what do we do with them once we get into battle?"

Zhou Yu sighed. "They have both made it quite clear that they intend to be in the thick of the fighting, protecting us from harm. Having said that, we should probably give them orders to follow- that should cut down on the mischief they get themselves into."

"Wishful thinking," Ce stated. "Da's a natural at getting herself into trouble. Remember the time she got herself locked in the menagerie with the tigers?"

Zhou Yu shrugged. "At least she doesn't try to fight face down in the dirt- Xiao can barely lift those fans of hers and keeps falling."

"She's a very graceful woman, until she stops dancing." Ce remarked, smirking.

"Maybe we should train them how to fight. Mostly they're just getting lucky with those fans." Zhou Yu suggested.

Ce considered. "Yeah, that makes sense, but if _we _teach them then everyone is gonna see us twirling around with those fans. Not interested."

"Agreed. Shang Xiang, then?"

Ce brightened up at the notion. "Yeah, that works! Let's do that. Her fighting style is very circular anyways, it won't be much of a stretch for her to teach them."

"I'm sure she'll thank you no end for this lovely opportunity."

Ce grinned. "Hey, she's the one who coaxed them into battle to begin with. Da says she was about to back down before sis got there. Guilt-trippin' her should be no problem."

"You, sir, are an evil, evil man." Zhou Yu observed.

"Yeah, ain't it great?" Ce said agreeably.

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The troops of Jiang Dong were among the first to arrive at the assembly point specified by He Jin. Cao Cao's forces were also there, along with some volunteer troops from various regions. He Jin was only a day or so behind, but Cao Cao was adamant that the forces assembled should begin an immediate assault on Zhang Jiao's position. Sun Jian opposed this and there was great contention between the two camps. Swords were nearly drawn before an officer named Liu Bei calmed everyone down and cooler heads prevailed.

Ce was intrigued by the new officer, Liu Bei Xuande. He was apparently related to the Imperial House but had grown up in poverty and obscurity, a mat and sandal-weaver. He seemed very honest and honourable in Ce's eyes, a trustworthy man who would make a formidable ally.

"I saw that too, my son." Jian replied when Ce commented on this to his father. "He is a charismatic man and a lover of virtue. The danger I foresee in such a man is his blind adherence to that ideal. Hopefully he will surround himself with good, sensible men of strong character. I suggest we cultivate him as an ally. We will need them in the years to come."

"You are worried by Cao Cao too, then, father?" Ce asked, already knowing the answer.

"He is a powerful man, my son. Not only is he ambitious, but he is a natural schemer. He did not seek to rush into battle to end this war quickly, but to usurp Commander He Jin's glory. Such men are not to be trifled with or dismissed. Always beware of their schemes, for they do not perceive or think about matters as normal men do."

Ce nodded. "I don't fear him, father. I shall always be suspicious of him, but he will never cause me to fear."

Jian smiled. "Good. Fear itself is a killer. Overcome fear and you overcome death. Cao Cao cannot rule those who do not fear him. And you fear nothing, Ce, as far as I can tell."

"I believe in prudence and caution, father. If I exercise them, what need do I have of fear?"

"True enough. Very well, let us get to the task of organizing our forces. Commander Marshal He Jin will no doubt wish for the assault to begin soon after his arrival.

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Commander He Jin arrived two days later and found his armies ready and waiting. The warriors of Jiang Dong, who have triumphed so handily over their foes a week earlier, we given the honour of leading the assault on Zhang Jiao.

"Alright!" Ce said, thumping his fist into his palm, obviously pleased. "Now we'll really show 'em!"

"We should still exercise caution," Quan warned. "I have not seen magic yet, but I am willing to give this 'Zhang Jiao is a sorcerer' rumour the benefit of the doubt."

"But I can't get you to believe in Iskander, eh?" Ce quipped. "How about we play it both ways? Cautious _and _bold."

"What did you have in mind, Ce?" Zhou Yu asked, intrigued.

"Father, Quan and Shang Xiang'll take the main body and head for Zhang Jiao's position. They'll make a strong drive up the right…" he indicated the route on the map they were consulting. "Meanwhile, Zhou Yu and I will head for this large altar they've constructed… here… that's where Zhang Liang's supposed to be. If there's magic in the air, it'll be emanating from that locale. We'll take him out and strike from the flank, rolling them up."

"It sounds risky." Quan remarked, grimacing.

"I imagine fighting a sorcerer always is," Ce agreed, nodding. "But if he's a sorcerer, what's so safe about holding back? We should do the unexpected and hit 'em hard where their advantage lies. Since theirstrong pointis magic, we'll cut 'em off from it. After that, they're just a mob of angry peasants and an egomaniac, right?"

"A large army of He Jin's attacked this fortress a fortnight ago…" Sun Jian said. "The survivors spoke of horrific winds and vast armies of spirit warriors attacking from a black sky, tearing them apart. Thousands pledged themselves to Zhang Jiao after that display of strength."

"Well, there's your answer," Sun Ce concluded. "You guys make a drive at his stronghold with a force large enough to grab their attention. Pretty Boy and I will take out Zhang Liang while they're not expecting it."

"How many men will you take?" his father asked. "The altar will no doubt be well-guarded."

"This'll be a lightning-fast stroke, so too many troops will slow us down. I'll take five-hundred flying cavalry. That should do it."

"Are you sure that's enough?" Sun Jian asked, uncertain of this boast.

"Trust me, pop, it'll be fine. Besides, there's bound to be allies nearby, right?"

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The army of Jiang Dong had begun its assault. The terrain they negotiated was hilly, bordering on mountainous. Under the leadership of Sun Jian, the troops had started driving up the east road, towards Zhang Jiao's stronghold atop a tall hill. They began to encounter strong resistance soon after entering the foothills, bands of Yellow Turbans charging them and yelling wildly.

Determined to provide the distraction Ce had ordered, the troops swiftly brushed these foes aside as they raced toward Zhang Jiao's stronghold. More and more Yellow Turban forces appeared, determined to halt the enemy's advance toward their leader. A large force blocked the way and a brutal melee ensued, with the Wu troops assuming defensive formations as the enemies they'd thrust aside earlier caught up with them.

The soldiers of Jiang Dong fought with a cold ferocity that would have given the armies of the Eight Hells pause; refusing to bend or break, they repulsed wave after wave of attacks. The earth ran red with blood and the enemy's bodies were piled high around them. Finally, a savage counter-charge led by Shang Xiang broke the Yellow Turbans, sending them fleeing in all directions after she struck down their leader in a violent encounter.

The Wu forces shouted in triumph and continued their headlong charge towards Zhang Jiao. They were less than ten miles from the fortress when the sky mysteriously darkened and thunder boomed overhead. A shrieking wind blew in, strong enough to impede their march. Lightning then split the sky and the troops cried out in fear as they pointed with trembling hands at a new foe.

Black, roiling clouds descended from the heavens with strange, demon-eyed warriors on horseback in their midst. The hell-warriors stampeded down toward the prey, their inhuman cries mingling with the howling wind and unmanning the nerve of the troops below.

"Stand fast!" yelled Sun Jian, standing tall in his saddle so his men could see him. "This is a trick of the enemy. These foul apparitions cannot harm you! Stand your ground and fear no darkness!"

To his relief, few of his soldiers broke formation and fled. Few, however, remained calm enough to not begin striking in terror at the enemy swirling around them. They fought madly with an enemy they could not harm. Fear itself would triumph over the men of Wu before long.

"Father!" Quan said, riding up and reining in his horse. "The men cannot endure this nightmare for long! And I doubt we have much time before the true enemy rallies to attack us again!"

"I know," Sun Jian replied grimly. "We have no choice but to hold! In this damned darkness we would not even know which way to retreat! Return to your position!"

Quan nodded and rode off.

"_Come on, Ce…" _Jian thought to himself, trying not to let his worry show. "_Your confidence and bravery may be boundless, but the men's won't last forever…"_

"This is no natural storm, Ce." Zhou Yu observed, glancing at the sky as they rode hard for their objective. He sensed a great evil at work here.

"Tell me something I don't know!" the young lord said, spurring his horse to greater speed. Behind them rode a small host of elite cavalry, men of great martial skill and iron nerves. They would need those nerves in the hours ahead.

Zhou Yu spared a glance back at Da and Xiao Qiao, who rode not far behind, amongst the men. Both girls looked nervous and flinched at the peals of thunder.

"Was it a good idea to bring them?" he asked.

"I figure they'll be safer with us." Ce replied. "The main host of the Yellow Turbans and any real potent sorcery they conjure will be directed against my father's battle group. No one will be able to protect them there. If Zhang Liang isn't expecting our attack it'll be easier on the girls."

"Well, there's no arguing that particular logic…" Zhou Yu mused. "Do you hear that horrible shrieking? The assault on our decoy seems to have begun. Let us end this, then."

"Forward!" cried Ce to his troops. "For the Han! For Wu! For your families! The threat of the Yellow Turbans must end!"

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Zhang Liang's brow was furrowed, his face shining with sweat as he chanted his spell over and over. His hands were clasped, channeling his _chi_ to manipulate the great powers of nature and the elements.

"_**Gu Shen Bu Si,  
Shi Wei Xuan Pin.  
Xuan Pin Zhi Men,  
Shi Wei Tian Di Gen.  
Mian Mian Ruo Cun,  
Yong Zhi Bu Qin.**"_

He felt the wind and thunder coursing through him, the murderous intent of the sky towards his enemy. He had become a living vessel of divine power, the wrath of Heaven given form. The beads he rubbed between his palms fairly pulsed with energy, straining for release, for the chance to rain destruction on the foe.

"_**Gu Shen Bu Si,  
Shi Wei Xuan Pin.  
Xuan Pin Zhi Men,  
Shi Wei Tian Di Gen.  
Mian Mian Ruo Cun,  
Yong Zhi Bu Qin.**"_

He could feel the terror of the enemy, their despair and confusion. He willed their annihilation, picturing in his mind their ghastly deaths at the hands of his phantom army.

Such was the fate of any who opposed the will of Heaven. Did not the sacred scrolls his eldest brother possessed speak in detail of this? Were not all those who opposed the coming of the Era of Peace doomed to perish? They had all been given the chance to submit, and had chosen to stand with the rotting corpse of the Han. Now they would be buried with it.

A cry of fear distracted him, followed by a rumble that broke his concentration. He looked up, searching for the cause of this unwelcome disturbance. His confusion turned to shock as he spied a band of cavalry bursting through his troops into the moraine, scattering the Yellow Turbans with the speed of their assault. At their head rode a young warrior, obviously of noble birth, in whom he sensed a blazing, mighty fighting spirit. He had to be killed before he ruined everything.

"Destroy them!" he shouted loudly. "Do not let them near the altar!"

With a shout, the Yellow Turban troops dashed toward Sun Ce and his cavaliers. Hundreds upon hundreds of soldiers charged in, their wild cries ululating throughout the valley.

At the head of his deadly wedge, Ce raised his weapons and let out a great warcry. The men of Jiang Dong returned his call and pressed on. They burst through the wall of men that attempted to block their advance, trampling the hapless rebels into the dust. The sound of the impact overcame the thunder, so great was Ce's momentum.

A sea of foes swirled around the men of Wu, threatening to pin them in as their momentum slowed. Ce leapt from horseback and began to attack on foot, his furious assault irresistible. He whirled about like an engine of destruction, a grim dance of death that none escaped.

Zhou Yu remained mounted and slashed left and right, cutting down the enemy wherever he went. Blood flew from his blade as he savaged any foe within reach.

Intimidated by the notion of charging spearmen on horseback, Da and Xiao Qiao had dismounted and dashed toward the enemy, battle-fans ready for action.

Ce whirled and struck, parrying the wild attacks of the Yellow Turban soldiers. They swarmed thickly around him, cutting him off from support. The roar of battle became blurred, a background din that he pushed from his conscious mind. He had to break through and reach Zhang Liang.

"That one!" yelled the priest, pointing at Sun Ce. "There is their leader! Kill him at once!"

"_Oh, great…"_ Ce thought darkly. _"Better wrap this up quickly!"_

He drew deep from within and exploded in a new flurry of blinding movement and violence. He let his body fight as he concentrated his mind's energy, focusing it into a single, powerful source. His eyes blazed, revealing the power within.

A whirlwind of coruscating lightning surrounded him. "Let's have some fun!" he shouted. The throng of men around him tried to back away, but their own numbers impeded them. Dozens cried out in terror, knowing their doom was upon them.

Ce released the tiger within, his tonfa crackling with energy. Men perished in droves as he lashed out. A hellblaze of fire erupted from him, sending bodies flying in all directions for a wide radius. The fury and joy of battle was upon him. He felt invincible.

The way was open. Not stopping to steady himself, Ce sped towards the altar, standing on which was Zhang Liang and his elite guard. These heavily armed and armoured men stood squarely in his path, halberds leveled, determined not to let this interloper near their charge.

Zhang Liang had returned to the giant brazier in the middle of the platform and was praying fervently. The entire altar had taken on an eerie glow, the men guarding it enshrouded in its energy.

Ce collided with the guards, who refused to break formation but thrust at him furiously with their weapons, forcing him back each time he charged in. His movements felt slower than usual, the closer he got to the mystical barrier. He fought the sapping energy, forcing himself to strike harder and faster. The enemy was pushed back by his assault but then surged forward again, forcing him down the steps of the dais. Dimly he was aware of Zhou Yu attacking the guards from horseback, his blade little more than a blur of light to Ce's hampered vision.

"My lord!" he heard a small voice cry distantly. Da Qiao was beside him then, pummeling madly against the Yellow Turban guards with her weapons. Her battle-fans clanged and rang against their metal armour, scoring and denting it, but failing to break through.

Ce fought with all his might, now desperate to protect his bride from harm. He hammered repeatedly against one guard, his tonfa denting, denting and finally cracking open the breastplate with a shriek of steel. The man went down and Ce surged into the breach in the defenders' wall.

He leapt up the steps, determined to close with the sorcerer and end this threat to his troops. His legs felt like lead, his armour and weapons weighed him down, his breathing was laboured and painful. This magic had to be stopped. He fought with all his might. He would let no one near Da Qiao.

He staggered forward, feeling as if he was fighting against the strong current of a great river. He tried to focus his eyes. He saw Zhang Laing, not far away, with his arms spread wide as he stood tall and chanted. In his hand he held a sword and he seemed to be surrounded by a ring of fire.

"I… will not… give in… to your foul sorcery…" Ce said through gritted teeth. His head swam as he fought with all his strength to see his foe clearly.

He broke though. He had breached the mystical barrier. His eyes went wide as everything around him became stunningly clear. Magnificent colours dazzled him everywhere he looked. The emerald green of the lush grass, the peaceful blue of the sky, the singing of the birds in nearby graceful trees; he became instantly enchanted and enamoured of this, his land, in a way he had never felt before. Standing before him was Zhang Liang, smiling and radiant in his wondrous yellow robes. He looked benevolently down upon Ce and nodded.

"_Well done, my friend," came the sage's soothing voice. "You have passed a great test. Your will is indomitable, your sight is keen. Look upon me as I truly am. With your vision finally clear, take now your place at our side. Let us bring about the Era of Peace that China so longs for."_

_Ce walked forward slowly, feeling the great weight of his burdens lifting as he approached Zhang Liang. With the Zhang brothers he could help spread peace and love throughout the land. And when the great teaching was finally spread, there would be all the time in the world for he and Da Qiao…_

Da Qiao…

Ce's head felt as if it had been hit with a thunderbolt. His mind reeled as his senses came back to him. He was surrounded by the gale and howling of war. He looked upon Zhang Liang and now saw not a great and merciful sage, but a bloodthirsty man who wished to seize control of the people and the land. Zhang Liang gazed at him in shock, realizing his spell had somehow been broken.

Rage welled up within Ce, a burning desire for revenge on the man who had ensorcelled him. He gripped the hafts of his tonfa tightly and smiled at Liang, a flash of lightning making him look almost demoniac in the darkness.

"Alright, pal…" he said menacingly as he advanced on his foe. "I've had just about enough of your tricks. Now you get to fight me for real. This is gonna hurt you a lot more than it hurts me."

Zhang Liang's face twisted in anger. "Insolent boy!" he shouted, the wicked blade flashing in his hand. "I need no mentalist tricks to defeat you!"

Ce sprang forward as Zhang Liang made a rapid gesture, thrusting his palm forward with a shout. A dazzling purple light assaulted Ce, accompanied by a violent wind that halted his momentum. He strained against the gale-like gust, his tonfa crossed in front of himself as he pushed back.

"_Think! Don't forget to think! This isn't just a physical struggle! He's pinned you… he'll be coming…focus yourself… reach out…"_

He felt his mind calming, even as his body pushed back with all its might. He found his center and sat quietly, letting instinct take over.

Danger…

Zhang Liang had rushed in, slashing down with his sword in a lethal arc. Ce had not even opened his eyes when he caught the blade with one of his weapons, deflecting his foe's attack. Zhang Liang cried out in shock as the wind disappeared.

Ce gathered his remaining strength and channeled it all into one blow. His arm surged forward, the butt of his tonfa smashing into Zhang Liang's sternum. The impact sounded like a thunderclap in Ce's ears. Dimly he was aware of the sorcerer's body flying backwards, crashing heavily against the guardrails on the far side of the dais. Zhang Liang's eyes were wide as his broken body crumpled down, leaving him sitting awkwardly against the shelf. His mouth, trickling blood, gibbered in disbelief.

"No… I… we… can't… brother…"

His eyes fluttered and glazed over as his soul winged its way from his body.

Exhaustion overcame Sun Ce and he slumped to one knee, breathing heavily. Reality washed by him, the only sound he readily recognized being the strumming of his heart as it fought to keep him alive.

"Well, that was impressive, even for you, Ce," came a familiar, mellow tenor. He felt a gentle hand on his shoulder and looked around wearily. Zhou Yu smiled down at him, his face a mixture of admiration and relief. "You never cease to amaze me."

"Huh… I'da gladly switched with you…" replied the young lord, trying to find the strength to rise. He stood up about halfway before collapsing to his knees. Zhou Yu made to help him, but Ce stayed his friend with a stern gesture of his hand. He tried again, but felt even weaker.

Then a warm, delicate and loving pair of hands gently rested on his other arm. He made no attempt to remove them as Da Qiao slowly and with great care helped him rise to his feet. He stood tall, took a deep breath and looked down at her. Her eyes shone as she saw the gratitude in his face.

"Oh, my lord…" she whispered.

"Thanks, Da." Ce said, smiling at her. "It was because of your strength that I won that fight."

She looked secretly pleased and confused all at once. "How… how so, my lord?"

"When Zhang Liang had me… when he had nearly turned me against all of you… I heard your voice and felt your spirit with me. It broke the spell and I was able to defeat him."

"I… I was nowhere near you, my lord…" Da Qiao stammered, suddenly upset that she hadn't been closer to her husband to render the aid he described.

"Trust me, Da, you were there." Ce said with confidence. "Thank you."

Ce turned around and looked at out at the scene beyond the altar. His men were chasing the remnants of Zhang Liang's army hither and yon, slaying those who would not stop and surrender. Already, hundreds of Yellow Turbans had thrown themselves at the mercy of the Wu troops, having watched their leader die in utter defeat, his sorcery not able to save him.

"What shall we do with them?" Zhou Yu asked, nodding his head toward the bound prisoners.

"Pretty simple…" replied Ce. "We're gonna leave a small guard detail and escort them back to the borders of this land. Once there they'll be set free to return to their homes."

"Won't they just come back and fight us again?" Xiao Qiao asked as she bounded up. She suddenly remembered her manners and bowed to Sun Ce.

"Nah…" Ce said dismissively. "I don't think so. After that little rout I'm sure they've had enough of playin' soldier. When we get back to Jiang Dong I'm gonna ask father to send an envoy to the emperor, requesting amnesty for the peasants and common folk who took part in this rebellion."

"On what grounds?" asked Zhou Yu. "The imperial court is not known for being its clemency or magnanimity."

"They nearly ensorcelled me, didn't they? I imagine most of these guys were acting under the same kinda compulsions."

"That could be," Zhou Yu said, nodding. "Very well, we shall make this our objective. Perhaps being shown mercy by the emperor will convince them to not rebel again."

Ce took a good look down at Da Qiao and laughed. "Look at you, you're a mess!"

Da flushed with embarrassment, looking down at her torn and muddy clothing. "Fighting… is quite a dirty business, my lord…"

Ce nodded, smirking. "You spent a lot of time getting knocked on your behind, didn't you?"

"She did! She did!" squeaked Xiao Qiao gaily. "She fell down even more than I did, because she kept looking over to see what was happening with you!"

Ce sighed. "You're never gonna get good at this fighting stuff if you keep worrying about what everyone else is doing, y'know."

"I know, my lord."

"Have we set up a healer's tent yet?" Ce asked.

Zhou Yu pointed to a group of small tents the soldiers were erecting as they spoke.

"Great…" the young lord of Wu said. "I'm gonna take Da and get her bruises checked…" He suddenly scooped her up and slung her over her shoulder. She squealed in protest as he carted her off.

"And maybe check out a few other things on her. Don't wait up!" Ce said, winking back at his friends.


	4. Chapter 4

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Part 3**

Sun Jian faced the wind, his face grim. The phantom warriors stormed about him, howling and shrieking with disembodied voices that chilled the soul. Close by him a soldier cried out in terror and collapsed to his knees, holding his hands over his eyes. Huang Gai, the old veteran commander, came over and raised the man to his feet, speaking encouraging words. The soldier nodded slowly and remained in position.

"_Even Huang Gai and Zhou Tai cannot keep this forever. The men are on the verge of breaking."_

A shadow swept up behind him. Instinct kicked in and he whirled around, lashing out with his sword. The blade passed through the spirit and struck the pole of his battle banner. He scowled at the sword bit deep and nearly buckled the standard.

The wind and the unholy screams reached a nearly intolerable pitch. Sun Jian clenched his jaw and squeezed his eyes shut, trying to focus past the pain when all of a sudden there was a nearly deafening silence.

He opened his eyes and they went wide in amazement. It seemed to be raining. But this was no rain anyone could ever predict or expect to see, for from the sky fell paper horses and men made of straw. They fluttered and collapsed to the earth, the evil demon-warriors undone.

The unnatural darkness had lifted and the sky was clear. The Jiang Dong troops blinked in confusion and then cheered in relief. The enemy's spells had been broken!

Not far away, various bands of Yellow Turban soldiers had been sneaking forward, converging on the beleaguered Wu army. With the darkness gone and their supernatural allies dispelled, they were at a loss. They had halted and gazed at their foe in disbelief.

Sun Jian blew a great blast upon his war horn and his men shouted and drove forward, intent on destroying the enemy. The Yellow Turbans' morale shattered and they fled, scattered like leaves before the wind. The lord of Jiang Dong rode hard, hewing down many a fleeing foe as they attempted to escape the wrath of the southerners.

"Ce did it, father!" shouted Quan as he rode alongside Jian. "He broke their spell and undid their leader!"

"And not a moment too soon!" came the gruff voice of Huang Gai from nearby, slaying with his mighty club as he rode. "We could not have taken much more of that sorcery."

The rebels were defeated. Thousands were slain or captured, the rest having fled, their fighting spirit gone. Leaving a small guard detail with the wounded and the prisoners, Sun Jian rallied his men and continued his drive towards Zhang Jiao's position. They had won a hard fight, but he was certain that the toughest battle was yet to come…

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"We defeated their sorcery, so they'll know we're coming." Zhou Yu said to Ce as they crested a hill, heading for the rebel stronghold.

"Yeah, that'd be my guess." Ce said, nodding. "But whether they turn to face us or my father, they're still gonna get flanked. Not to mention the other regional lords will be converging on Zhang Jiao now. He's boxed in. Once we kill him, it's over."

"Indeed. And then we may return home. I have a new bride to attend to, after all…"

Riding nearby, Xiao Qiao blushed.

Nearly four hundred riders remained of the five hundred he had attacked Zhang Liang with. Seventy had been killed, another thirty or so wounded. Ce was somewhat surprised but definitely relieved by the low casualties they had incurred. He himself still felt much more fatigued than he let on.

"_These are some of our toughest troops,"_ Ce said to himself. _"Even if we're only four hundred, we'll prove a significant threat."_

"My lord?" came Da Qiao's voice from beside him. "If this Zhang Jiao is an even greater sorcerer than his brother, what can we possibly do to defeat him?"

"I don't knowyet, Da…" he replied, searching for an answer. "We'll probably make it up as we go along. They're using sorcery and fear against us. We've got no sorcery, so we'll use fear and whatever else comes to mind."

"We could set fire to their fortress…" suggested Zhou Yu. "Fire certainly inspires terror."

Ce made a wry face. "What is it with you and fire?"

Zhou Yu sighed. "Besides, Cao Mengde will no doubt have that in mind. He's a crafty old owl."

"Let him hang back and play with fire then." Ce said firmly. "The glory of defeating Zhang Jiao will be ours."

"Do you foresee trouble with Cao Cao in the future?" Zhou Yu queried, looking at his friend.

"Yeah, that's inevitable, I'm sure. It may take a long time, though, I'm sure he's not one to rush where his own ambitions are concerned."

"Then we really should cultivate allies such as Yuan Shao and Liu Xuande. They will prove most useful in keeping Mengde at-"

Their discourse was interrupted by the sounds of battle not far ahead. Ce shouted and spurred his horse, leading his men to the aid of their allies, whoever they were.

They sighted a small army of imperial soldiers surrounded by Yellow Turbans. The imperial forces were trapped and on the verge of annihilation. Standing at the center of their formation and bellowing angrily was a large, fat man wearing purple and holding aloft a dreadful toothed blade. Ce found the very sight of the man repugnant, disliking and distrusting him instantly.

However, an ally was an ally.

The Wu cavalry smashed into the Yellow Turbans, bursting apart the steel ring they had formed around the imperial troops. Though they still heavily outnumbered their foe, the rebels were unprepared for such a devastating onslaught and broke. The rescued troops surged forward, bent on revenge. As the cavalry chased away the Yellow Turbans, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu rode up to the commander, saluting as they did so. He scowled at them in irritation.

"Could you have ridden any slower!" he demanded in a haughty voice. "What manner of ally dawdles so when their friends need aid?"

Ce frowned. "Commander, we rode as hard as we-"

"Who are you, boy? Where is your commanding officer? Are you part of Cao Mengde's forces?"

"Most certainly not." Zhou Yu said coolly. "We are from Jiang Dong and this is Lord Sun Ce, commander of our expeditionary force."

"This boy?" spat the imperial commander. "This is the leader of the vaunted Sun family? Have they no men in Jiang Dong to lead their troops?"

Ce's face coloured, but checked his hand as it gripped his tonfa tightly. "Consider yourself rescued, commander. If you have need of assistance again, please just scream."

He whirled his horse about and rode off before he did something rash. Zhou Yu cantered along beside, looking pensive.

"You know who that was, of course." The raven-haired warrior said.

"Couldn't care less…" Ce said gruffly. "Okay, who was it?"

"That was imperial precinct overseer Dong Zhuo."

"You don't say. What's his big fat story?"

"He's commander of the garrison for the Imperial City."

"What's he doing here, getting in our way?"

"I don't know, but the sooner we finish off Zhang Jiao the sooner we can be away from him, yes?"

"Agreed. Let's move!"

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An all-out assault had begun on Zhang Jiao's stronghold. Tens of thousands of Yellow Turbans were positioned around the fortress, resolutely awaiting the allied force's assault. Cao Cao was swinging around from the north, Sun Jian was attacking from the east, Ce rampaged in from the west and a force of volunteers closed the net from the south.

"Well, we have them pinned," Zhou Yu observed as he and Ce looked down from a high hill on the Yellow Turban positions. "Now all we have to do is defeat them."

"Yeah, this'll be tough." Ce agreed, nodding slowly. "They're gonna fight to the death, they've got nothing to lose. This'll be a bloodbath."

"Unfortunately, yes."

Ce sighed. "Well, if we're gonna go home any time soon, we have to get this over with. Get the men in formation, we're hitting that group in front of the main gate."

"Very well. What about all those groups of soldiers in front of that group?"

"They're not there. We're going right through them." Ce replied, his eyes hard as he looked at his quarry.

Zhou Yu sighed. "Well, there's no disputing that logic…"

The two commanders rode back to their men and brandished their weapons. The men looked grim and fell, their keen spears glinting in the sun. The red and gold banners of Jiang Dong fluttered in the afternoon breeze.

"Alright, this is it!" Ce called loudly, riding back and forth in front of his horsemen. "We've got Zhang Jiao cornered! The fight ends here, but this'll be the toughest one yet! If you want to go home to Jiang Dong, then give everything you've got today. If we kill Zhang Jiao, Yellow Turban resistance across the land will dry up and die! No mercy! Run down anyone in your path!"

The men raised their spears and cheered loudly.

"Forward, for honour and the Han!" bellowed Ce as he spurred his horse into a gallop, heading down into the valley.

The men shouted and raced on behind him. Zhou Yu rode at his side, his blade unsheathed.

"Here we go, Xiao!" yelled Da Qiao over the thunder of hooves. "We win today and we go home with our men!"

"Then let's do it!" squeaked the younger sister, her brow furrowed in determination.

"_I hope we know what we're doing…" _Da Qiao thought to herself, feeling her heart begin to pound. _"Our biggest battle yet and even though the enemy's cornered that just means they'll sell their lives even more dearly. Lord Ce, please be careful. Without you my life is meaningless. I'll fight my hardest so that we may return home together and live in the peace we deserve. Watch over me, my love. I know I'll make you proud…"_

The Yellow Turban defenders stood their ground. They knew they were surrounded, but Zhang Jiao had assured them that heaven would prevail and they would bathe in the blood of their enemies. He told them not to worry about the defeat of Zhang Liang, his younger brother had been weak. He, on the other hand, wise and benevolent teacher, holder of the sacred book _Essential Arts for the Millennium, _suffered no such lack of faith or inherent weakness.

They stood resolutely, their weapons leveled, waiting for the oncoming cavalry. Their numbers were vastly superior to those that sought to assail them.

"How many do you think there are?" one peasant soldier said nervously to his commander, a man who stood tall, his sword resting at his side.

"Around four-hundred," the man said simply, his eyes never leaving the enemy. "We outnumber them at least ten-to-one. They'll hit us and try to use their momentum to break through. But we shall not be moved. Great teacher Zhang has made it apparent what the rewards are for success; and what the price is for failure…"

"They're coming in awfully fast, aren't they?" the peasant asked, trying to keep his hands from shaking as he gripped his pitchfork.

"What will that matter when they impale themselves on your weapon? They stand against heaven and shall taste divine wrath. Steady yourself. Fear not the enemy, they are ours!"

But it didn't look that way to Cai Ru, a farmer from Yizhou, who had followed Zhang Jiao here and wasn't at all certain if he would ever see his mulberry orchards again…

"Weapons ready!" yelled Sun Ce and Zhou Yu in unison. The steel heads of hundreds of spears came down, leveling at their foe while the riders looked beyond, intent on the host behind. See beyond the obstacle and you can break any barrier. Dispel resistance within the mind and no force will resist you.

The enemy was nothing. They would snap like a reed in a hurricane.

His eyes gleaming with deadly intent, Ce could see the growing apprehension on the faces of the Yellow Turban soldiers that blocked their way. Their spearheads bobbed and trembled, they shifted back and forth from foot to foot nervously. Even the commander, standing boldly in front of his men, was beginning to grow pale as the Wu cavalry closed the distance.

"Archers!" shouted Zhou Yu as rank upon rank of men with recurve bows lined up behind the Yellow Turban spearmen, knocked arrows and took aim. "We must close now, Ce!"

"I had a feeling they might try something like this!" Ce replied. This was a matter of precise timing to minimize the casualties these archers could inflict. He watched the commander raise his sword in the air, gauging the enemy's distance…

"CHARGE!" Ce yelled at the top of his lungs, spurring his horse to a burst of speed. His men did likewise, thundering towards the foe.

"Fire!" called out the commander, but even as he did so and watched the cloud of arrows sail out, he realized he had miscalculated. At the last moment, the cavalry commander had sped up his unit, which would allow them to pass under the missiles with little damage.

Ce spurred his horse into a gallop, hearing the hiss of arrows behind him, along with a few telltale thuds, cries and crashes. The arrow barrage had landed in the rear ranks of the formation. There would be no time for them to fire another volley.

The Yellow Turban commander stood still, grim and defiant as the enemy bore down upon him. He could hear his men whispering nervously and shuffling. They were about to break and there was little he could do for them.

"Stand your ground and die like men!" he called loudly, trying to steel them. "For the Era of Peace, we must stand! Steady your weapons and-"

His cry was lost in a trample of hooves as the enemy made contact. As his mind darkened he could feel nothing, just an empty coldness- nothing like the hallowed peace Zhang Jiao had promised them…

The bristling hedge of spearmen burst apart, thrown aside with almost contemptuous ease by the Jiang Dong cavalry. The horsemen tore deep into the Yellow Turban formation, driving a wedge in the ring of defenders. Ce hammered about with his tonfa, battering any within reach. Enemy soldiers scattered and fled before his onslaught, unable to blunt the velocity of the attack.

Riding deep within the formation, Da and Xiao Qiao were not in direct contact with the enemy. This did little to assure Da Qiao, who found the maddening pace and all the noise harrowing. She clenched her jaw, willing herself not to squeeze her eyes shut or clap her hands over her ears. She would see this through and fight when the time came.

Zhou Yu slashed and hacked with his blade, helping Ce force the formation's way forward. He knew well enough that their momentum would not last forever; he simply hoped that they would succeed in gaining the gates before they were surrounded. They had to break through and threaten Zhang Jiao's position. He was fully aware of how precarious their situation was, even if the men fought like demons, seemingly invincible in this, the first moments of their assault…

Ce had angled their charge toward the gate and kept forcing his way forward, stampeding over any who got in their way. But even as he felt soft human flesh giving before his charge, he could feel the press of the enemy, slowly blunting his speed. Men rushed forward to present another wall of spears, trying to prevent his approach. It was obvious now to the enemy what the Wu cavalry's objective had been and they were closing in a ring around the horsemen.

"Even if we reach the gate, what then?" shouted Zhou Yu, laying about with his sword. "It will not magically open, simply because we kill the guards and their captain!"

"The foe is numerous but the gate itself is weak!" replied Ce, mauling a crossbowman with a blinding strike. "It is the gate that was assaulted some weeks ago by the He Jin's forces! You can see it was damaged and has not been fully repaired! If we reach that gate I can get us in!"

"Your confidence in yourself can be quite unnerving at times!" yelled Zhou Yu, always amazed by Ce's revelations. "Do you not worry that some day it will steer you wrong!"

"All the time!" laughed Ce. "So I might as well get it over with, right?"

"Then get us to the gate already!"

They were not more than fifty yards from the target. Arrows from the gatehouse and wall were beginning to rain down on them, heedless of the Yellow Turbans that were slain as well. Ce heard a Wu soldier cry out as a missile embedded itself in his eye, sending him tumbling from his mount. Ce spurred his horse again, gripping his feet intoits flanksand leaning forward, trying to present as small a target as possible for the archers on the wall.

Forty yards… thirty… twenty… fifteen… ten…

Ce leapt from his horse and plowed into the defenders bodily. The press of bodies had brought his horse almost to a standstill. Had the beast been injured while he was still mounted, he might have been thrown. He decided to take his chances on the ground, where he seriously doubted any of these peasant warriors were his equal.

"For Jiang Dong!" he bellowed as he whirled about, kicking, smashing and slaying any foe within reach. He would reach the gate and get his men inside or die trying. Success was all that mattered.

Da Qiao remained mounted but found herself near the edge of the formation. She squeaked in surprise as a spear tip jabbed within inches of her face. She struck out reflexively with her fan, feeling it connect. The unseen enemy gave way, seemingly defeated by her panicked counterattack.

"_These fans... mother, what magic do they possess that allows them to vanquish my foe? Are they truly blessed with an enchantment that protects Xiao and I?"_

She trusted to her mother's spirit and gave herself to the fight. She struck again with the fan, slashing a foe across the back and sending him to the ground. The fan, for all its ornamental weight, felt light as a feather in her hand. She struck again and again, almost awestruck as she watched her so-called weapon lay men low.

Her horse reared suddenly as a group of spearmen got within range and thrust their weapons at it. She gripped the reins desperately, trying not to be thrown. Her mount swung around, trying to avoid the spearmen but getting itself hopelessly entangled with Da Qiao's fellow cavalry. Da swung left and right, trying to face the enemy she now knew was right behind her. If she did not manage to turn about quickly, she stood a good chance of being speared in the back.

"_It's no use! My horse is stuck and that makes me just a big, sweaty-flanked target! What would Ce do if he were trapped?"_

She stole a frantic glance at her husband and noted that he had leapt from his mount and was taking the fight to the enemy on foot. She sighed and steeled herself…

"_This is never going to work…" _she said to herself as she vaulted gracefully backward off her mount and what she hoped was behind the enemy. _"You're going to land on your head, break your pretty little neck and then Xiao will have been the smarter one. Talk about a disgraceful end…"_

She landed behind the knot of soldiers that had been pressing her. As she rose from her crouch she blinked in amazement. The enemy turned and stared at her in disbelief, as if what they had just seen did not happen. Their weapons hung loose in their grips as they gaped at her.

"_Go!"_ she screamed to herself as she darted in, her fans whirling about her in a deadly arc. One halberdier went down as one of her weapons sliced across his neck, nearly severing his head from his body. She spun about and jabbed forward, the keen edges of her fan smashing into another foe's ribcage and sending him flying. She sensed movement behind her and whirled around, slicing down forcefully. The spearman screamed in shock as his arm was sheared off at the elbow. A swift thrusting kick snapped his neck and ended his pain.

Da Qiao was finding it difficult to breathe. The frenzied whirlwind of bodies, so close together made her feel claustrophobic. She could smell the sweat and fear of countless men, the sharp tang of blood and the foul scent of gore. She wanted to scream in panic or terror, even though she seemed to be winning. This was all too much for her. She was no warrior! How could she deal with this!

"_Be strong! Be stronger than you are now! Your husband needs you! If you give in here you will die and he will be lost to you forever! There will be no afterlife for the two of you if he ascends to the Heavens as a hero while you languish as a coward in Hell!"_

The thought of Ce and eternity without him drove the fear from her mind. A grim determination she had never known before took hold. Her limbs lost their jelly-like timidity and became iron. Her quaking breath was replaced by the unstoppable bellows of a forge. Anger exploded deep within her as she realized that life or death were to be decided here and now.

She found that she had almost curled up into a tiny ball, sitting on her heels as she fought this horrific inner battle. She sprang up and expanded her limbs, feeling the raw energy busting in all directions. She became acutely aware of her foes flying in all directions as she manifested her battle aura, fire wreathing her body, her eyes blazing with an inner power.

She lunged forward, slashing gracefully in one great, continuous motion with her fans, deftly avoiding her allies while never failing to slay her foes. Her weapons clove through metal, leather, wood, bone and flesh with an ease she didn't believe was possible. Shrieks of terror from nearby enemies told her of their shock at her transformation.

_Grace… beauty… the mark of the Qiaos, now and forever…_

Her mother's voice echoed in her head as she observed the battle in what seemed like a dream-state. She almost felt apart from the proceedings, as if they had no effect on her. The cacophony of battle was little more than a great droning of unidentified sound, indistinguishable and unmelodic.

She spun and whirled about, Yellow Turbans dying before her onslaught. Was this what battle felt like for her lord and husband? She could almost identify it as euphoria. Her foes could not seem to resist her, no matter how they tried to defend themselves; they were too slow or too weak.

And then the area was clear.

Da Qiao gazed around the battlefield, panting heavily as the battle-frenzy passed. Her body felt heavy as stone, her strength sapped by an exhaustion she had never known before. She could barely lift her fans, which sagged at her side, stained with the blood of her foes. She dropped to her knees, too fatigued to even stand. Reality was almost swimming by her.

"_Wonderful," _she thought to herself. _"If anyone finds me in this condition I'm helpless. Whatever it was that I did, I hope I got them all…"_

"Most impressive, my lady…" said a mellow voice behind her. She turned her head and nodded wearily. "Thank you, Zhou Yu. That means a lot to me, coming from a warrior such as yourself."

The Wu strategist strode up and helped his future sister-in-law to her feet. She stood up with all the grace and agility of the old hag Huang P'o, grimacing as she did so.

"What… happened to me?" she asked, struggling to move.

Zhou Yu smiled. "If I had to hazard a guess, I'd say you made a choice- a very deep and critical one. Ce and I felt something happening and he sent me back to check on you."

"He didn't… he didn't see me, did he?" she murmured, suddenly worried. The mere notion of Lord Sun Ce seeing her in the grip of a battle-frenzy froze her heart. Could a great man like her husband ever love a woman capable of such atrocities?

Zhou Yu laughed. "Let's hope he did, it would be one less thing for him to worry about; you being able to defend yourself, that is."

Da Qiao looked at Zhou Yu in surprise. "You mean… he would not be repulsed?"

Zhou Yu shook his head, now understanding her apprehension. "No, my lady. Truly, to a warrior's eye your display was a thing of beauty. I found myself captivated by your speed, grace and precision. So much so that I nearly lost my life as I stood in a stupor watching. Why, I ask you, would the mighty Sun Ce object to having a warrior-queen by his side? Do you think he considers you merely a pretty bauble to adorn himself with?"

Da Qiao flushed. Her concern did sound rather silly once he'd explained it that way. If Lord Sun Ce was impressed with her, she would simply have to trust to that.

Zhou Yu looked around, assessing the situation. "We have gained the gate and secured this area, at least temporarily. Thanks to you, in no small part."

"To me?"

"Indeed. If we inspect the enemy casualties, I would not be surprised find that at least a hundred of them fell to your fans."

Da Qiao was struck dumb. "A hundred…" she whispered to himself. Inwardly she felt almost sick. She was no scholar but did not the Tao prohibit killing? It begged the question of wanton slaughter, such as she had engaged in.

Once again, Zhou Yu read her heart. "The Tao says many things, my lady. If killing your foe is a divine offense, then you are condemned to the Nine Hells, certainly. But you will have your sister and I for company, not to mention Lord Sun Ce, who, in my best estimation, has slain over a thousand men so far during this campaign."

"Your logic, as always, is annoying in its succinct correctness, my lord." Da Qiao answered finally. If I am condemned to Hell when I die then I guess I must prolong that fateful day for as long as possible, yes?"

Zhou Yu smiled. "That's more like it. We'll make a Sun out of you yet. Can you walk?"

She drew a deep breath. "If I must."

"Then let us go," he said, pointing toward the gate with his sword. "We are exposed this far out and the walls will soon be crawling with archers again."

Da Qiao followed Zhou Yu, running as quickly as her legs would carry her. She willed herself to ignore the pain and fatigue she felt.

"_Lord Sun Ce would not give in, he would fight harder than ever, giving his all until the battle was won! I will be that strong! Until we have triumphed I will not falter! Neither the enemy nor exhaustion will stop me! My lord, wait for me, I'm coming to you!"_

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

The fighting at the gate raged on, a whirling melee of savagery and death. As more of Ce's men rode up and joined the fray, so too did enemy units, determined to prevent their entry. Warriors fell in droves and the earth was empurpled with blood.

Ce caught a sword on his tonfa and struck back at his assailant, hard. The man died, merely to be replaced by another foe. This new attacker thrust at him with a spear, seeking to pin Ce to the gate door. The Wu general spun deftly around the blade and smashed the butt of his weapon into the man's helm, buckling metal, bone and brain, sending the rebel to meet his ancestors.

Ce whirled about, his tonfa lashing at the enemy, never failing to find their mark; and still they kept coming. No matter how many he slew their numbers seemed to increase steadily.

"_Being here at the gate is no use if we can't get through it!" _he cursed to himself. _"They have to be ready to break! They can't have much left to give! What evil force is drivin' these guys!"_

His next attack sent his immediate foes flying back, so violent was the blow. Momentarily clear of foes, he looked around to assess his situation. He was besieged by a sea of yellow. He gripped his weapons tight, determined to sell his life as dearly as possible. He could see his own men, some mounted and others unhorsed, fighting madly to preserve their lives. Their superior skills would soon give way to the enemy's numbers. Distantly he spied Zhou Yu, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, loping towards the gate, attacking any within reach. He praised the Heavens, delighted that his wife was unharmed.

He fought with renewed vigour, determined to hold out until aid reached him. He sensed presences overhead and once again, rocks and arrows began to rain down from the wall. He backed himself up against the gate, hopefully out of sight of the assailants above and their deadly missiles.

A halberdier and a spearman charged him, thrusting with the weapons. He avoided the halberd blade by ducking but the spear missed his neck by less than a span, tearing the fabric of his tunic and pinning it to the wood of the gate. He dropped one of his tonfa and grabbed the spear haft and his foe's hand, preventing their escape. He surged up with both feet, slamming his heels into the man's chin. He vaulted and twisted in the air, striking down with his remaining tonfa in a wide, fiery arc and dashing his enemies to the hard earth. He landed like a cat, and recovered his fallen weapon, glaring suddenly at his shoulder, feeling the burning pain and the warm, sticky wetness of flowing blood. The cut was not deep, but it would bleed a lot.

"Of all the dumb, amateur moves…" he muttered darkly. "You're not gonna get out of this if you're not careful."

Another opponent rushed in, both hands clasped around the handle of his sword as he prepared to strike. Ce was quicker though, slamming his fist into the man's sternum, doubling him over. Ce grabbed the man and threw him bodily into his fellow rebels, knocking them over. Ce picked up the discarded sword and jabbed out, allowing another Yellow Turban to impale himself on the blade as he charged in. Ce kicked the man off the blade and slashed again, shearing another foe's arm off below the shoulder. A burly peasant wielding a brutish club leapt at him, swinging. Ce leaned back, avoiding the weapon's lethal trajectory and thrust his open palm into the man's solar plexus, doubling him over. Ce rolled over the man's back, delivering a lethal elbow-jab to the base of his skull as he did so. He kicked another man in the head with his boot as he dismounted the peasant. He flung the sword into an onrushing crowd of Yellow Turbans and snapped up a long-hafted spear with his foot. He waited for his foes like a great tiger, his eyes blazing with the fury of battle.

Sun Ce gave not an inch before the assault, whirling, spinning, thrusting and slashing with blinding speed and consummate skill. No threat was ignored, no attack was not countered, and no weakness in the foes formation was not exploited. His defense was masterful, but always executed with offense and counterattack in mind, in beating down and breaking the enemy. Huge, lashing, circular sweeps with the spear kept his foes at bay until he saw an opening; then he would rush in and fell a foe with the keen tip of the spear or a well-placed blow from his fist, knee or boot. The Yellow Turbans began to waver, disheartened by so spirited a warrior and so unstoppable a counter-assault.

Ce could feel the fire again, the savage tiger within guiding him, rending the enemy with the ease of a war-spirit. He let out a deafening battlecry and the foe broke, fleeing in terror before this nightmare, stampeding over each other in their desperation to escape.

He sensed someone behind him, someone he didn't know. He whirled around, the blade spinning in a lethal arc…

The spear stopped dead against the haft of some mighty weapon with a deadening clang. Ce shuddered in shock, his battle aura blunted by this unexpected resistance. He gazed into flashing eyes that reminded him of the gaze of a phoenix. The massive warrior in green battle armour looked back at Ce, holding his polearm firmly in his mighty grip. His long black beard flowed almost hypnotically in the wind.

"I am Guan Yu, serving under Liu Bei of Zhou," the man said in a thundering bass voice. "We are your allies."

Ce stepped back and exhaled deeply, cleansing himself. "I am Ce, son of Sun Jian of Jiang Dong. Thank you for joining us."

The giant man nodded. Ce, though of slightly above average height, barely came to Guan Yu's shoulders. Surely even Huang Gai or Zhou Tai would have been dwarfed by this behemoth. Never had Ce seen anyone so tall.

"Your reputation precedes you, young lord." Guan Yu said, standing and looking around at the grim scene. "Your victories at the Jiang Dong camp and against Zhang Liang have made you the talk of the Coalition. We saw you were surrounded and Elder Brother Liu Bei sent us to assist you. It seems now that a rescue was not necessary, for truly, you fight like a demon.

"And you stopped this demon dead in his tracks." Ce replied, dropping the spear and recovering his tonfa. "Now matter how things might have appeared, your help is appreciated."

"Come," Guan Yu boomed, gesturing back to the gate with a massive hand. "Our archers have suppressed the bowmen on the walls. Now is the time to strike! Rally your men, lord, and we shall force the gate!"

Ce called loudly to his forces and sped back toward the gate while Guan Yu strode off to gather his own men. Zhou Yu, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao joined Ce at the gate. Zhou Yu seemed none the worse for wear, but the girls both looked like they had spent the night in Hell. Their outfits were ragged and tattered while Da Qiao's even had scorch marks. She blushed and looked at the ground when she spied Ce looking at her.

"I felt it, Da," he said quietly, smiling. "I wish I could have seen it."

"She was great!" squeaked Xiao gaily, almost bouncing. "She made 'em all look like rag dolls the way she was throwing them around! And she was on fire and she-"

"My lord!" Da Qiao said suddenly, spying the slowly spreading crimson stain of Ce's left shoulder. "You are injured!"

"It's nothing, Da," Ce said dismissively. "I'll be fine, really."

Da Qiao rushed up and pressed down on his shoulder, forcing him to lower himself. He rolled his eyes and complied, waiting patiently while she fussed over him, muttering to herself. She staunched the wound with a blot of cloth, lecturing him as she did so.

"Lord Sun Ce, Jiang Dong has no future without you, at least none I want to be a part of! You must be more careful in battle! This is why Xiao Qiao and I came along, to protect-"

"Lord Sun, I have returned with my men." Guan Yu thundered as he returned, followed by nearly three hundred men in green. Xiao squealed in fright and ducked behind Zhou Yu. Da Qiao was rooted to the spot.

"Eep…" she murmured, hoping everyone would confuse her not moving with bravery rather than paralyzing fear.

"I bring my oath-brother, Zhang Fei, and many of our soldiers, to help force passage into the castle." Guan Yu stated, gesturing to those accompanying him. His companion, the one called Zhang Fei, though not as tall as Guan Yu, was even wider, built like a bear and with bristling whiskers beneath fierce eyes. Ce sensed in these two great spirit and indomitable will. All doubt of victory disappeared from his mind.

"I am certain that between the three of us it will be easy enough to get inside." Ce said while looking back at the assembled troops. Between his own forces and Liu Bei's, he would enter Zhang Jiao's stronghold with nearly six-hundred men. That should be more than enough to get their attention and make life easier for the other Coalition members.

"Do we know how the battle goes elsewhere?" he asked.

"Guan Yu nodded. "Elder Brother has remained atop a great hill to the south and is raining arrows down on the archers on the wall to pin them. Your father's forces are at the east gate while Cao Cao's descend from the north. Commander He Jin is trying to force the southern gate. If we strike now, the honour of entering the fortress first shall belong to us!"

"Good enough for me," Ce replied, grinning. "This'll be fun." He beckoned for Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to join him in front of the gate. Zhou Yu stood at the head of the troops, Da and Xiao Qiao on either side. The two sisters locked eyes and nodded to one another.

"Remember," Ce called out to the troops gathered behind. "They know we're coming! They'll hit us with everything that can find! If you thought they were fanatic before, get ready to be shocked!"

All three men gathered themselves quietly, focusing inward. Ce could feel the fire building, energy coursing through him, concentrating into a single point of intense heat. He sensed great surges of power from his new allies as they prepared to strike. His shoulder throbbed and began bleeding again, but he ignored it.

"There'll be archers, lots of archers…" rumbled Zhang Fei.

"Protect the men, then." Guan Yu replied, glaring through the gate to some point only he imagined.

"I doubt they'll be expecting this…" Ce said, feeling himself fairly bursting with energy. "On three! One… two…"

"_Here we go… the final push…"_

"Three!"

The chi of all three men was directed at the gate through their weapons, There was a screech of metal and a loud crack as the barrier sagged beneath their strike, bursting suddenly in a gout of swirling fire.

They heard the tell-tale hiss of hundreds of incoming arrows. Ce braced himself.

Two small forms vaulted gracefully overhead, twisting in the air and descending like angels with outspread wings. Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao landed gracefully, their fans spinning and whirling as they deflected the vast majority of the missile barrage. The immediate threat ended, they sped off in opposite directions, intent on decimating the Yellow Turban archers.

His jaw almost slack, Ce looked back at Zhou Yu, who shrugged helplessly. He seemed to be as surprised as anybody.

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had already surged in, colliding with the rebel soldiers who sought to intercept them. Ce sprinted in and tackled a group of spearmen bodily, bearing several to the ground. He leapt up and burst into a run, searching for Da Qiao. He pummeled and struck mercilessly, his tonfa flailing.

Bands of rebels converged on the unwelcome intruders, who poured through the gate, led by a remounted Zhou Yu. The fighting became desperate as the Coalition warriors sought to break through the rebel lines. Scores on men fell on both sides, wild battle cries mingling with the anguished wails of the mutilated and dying.

Ce heard the telltale splintering of wood as another gate gave way. Sun Jian's forces poured in from the east, Shang Xiang and Quan in the van. Hundreds of Jiang Dong soldiers flooded in, overwhelming the defenders.

"Lord Sun Ce!" called Da Qiao from nearby. He spied her and raced to where she was standing, facing down over a dozen Yellow Turbans. He assumed a defensive stance beside his wife, his smile grim. Their foes eyed the couple warily, obviously not convinced that their superior numbers would prevail. They fanned out slowly, attempting to enclose their foes in a ring of steel.

"That was quite a flashy display back at the gate," Ce said to Da Qiao as he watched the enemy encircle them. "Where the heck did that come from?"

"I told you, my lord- I came here to protect you. I would say that situation qualified, wouldn't you?" she asked, settling into a low, deep stance, her fans spread wide to conceal her foot movement.

"Well, I'm not gonna speak on Guan Yu's behalf, but thanks for the rescue."

"Let's find Zhang Jiao and finish this! I want to go home!" Da Qiao announced with unusual intensity in her voice.

"Deal." Ce replied, leaping into the foe. Da Qiao joined him, enthralled with the notion of fighting alongside her mighty husband.

The Yellow Turbans stood no chance, overmatched by Ce skill and power, dazzled by Da Qiao's deadly grace and beauty. They simply melted before the couple, unable to resist.

"C'mon, Da!" shouted Ce, pointing toward the walls of the inner compound. "Zhang Jiao'll be that way!"

They sprinted toward their goal, cutting down any who dared to oppose them. Ce spotted a column of smoke from behind the walls, ascending skyward. The sickly sweet smell of incense and strange herbs assaulted his nostrils.

"We're gettin' close, Da! I'm not sure whether that's a good thing or not, so be careful!" Ce grimaced as they rounded a corner. A squad of swordsmen came rushing up but stopped short at the sight of these unexpected intruders. The Yellow Turbans did little to slow Ce and Da down as they plowed through them, weapons dispatching the rebels with an almost casual indifference.

"There he is!" Da Qiao declared as they entered a large courtyard. Toward the back was a huge dais, constructed on which was an enormous altar. Atop this dais was a bearded man wearing ornate yellow robes and carrying a staff that seemed to be topped with an orb of swirling fire. He swayed back and forth almost drunkenly, chanting with his priests in a trembling and resonant voice.

Between them and the dais stood rank upon rank of heavily armed warriors, waiting silently. Ce and Da's sudden appearance did nothing to move them from their stone-like vigil.

Zhang Jiao continued praying and chanting, surrounded by his sorcerers. The flames that leapt from the giant brazier twisted and writhed in response to his voice.

Ce blinked as more Yellow Turbans seemed to mystically appear, standing resolutely before the dais. Da Qiao looked confused and stared hard, trying to ascertain the nature of this new devilry.

"Be careful Da," Ce warned quietly. "These new foes may be phantoms, but they're probably real enough to do us harm."

"Can even you defeat such numbers, my lord?" she asked, looking behind herself warily to see if any allies had joined them yet. Hesitation seeped into her, cracking her steely resolve as the enemy's numbers began to sink in.

"We can't wait," the young commander said, assessing their situation and finding it not at all to his liking. "Best we can do is engaging them and try to keep them busy until Zhou Yu and the others show up. Do you understand? Engage to delay, as long as our strength holds out."

"I love you, Lord Sun Ce." Da Qiao said softly, putting a hand on his arm and looking at him, her eyes shining.

"I know, Da. It's what keeps me going. I love you too." Ce said, nodding slowly.

Da Qiao blushed.

"You ready?"

"Yes, my lord. Today I die, but I am happy, for it will be by your side. Never could I ask for more."

Ce was about to charge when there was a deafening boom and a series of howl's and cries. Looking over to their right they saw Yellow Turban bodies flying backward into the courtyard. What looked like a swirling dragon of pure power swept into the courtyard. His mighty polearm in hand, Guan Yu had entered the fray. With him were Zhang Fei and the men of Zhou. "Zhang Jiao, you heretic!" thundered the giant, pointing to the altar. "Your rebellion ends here! Your head is mine!"

Da! Go!" shouted Sun Ce, dashing forward when he realized that Zhang Jiao and his guard were focused on the new arrivals. Da Qiao leapt into the air, fans ready for action.

"_Just one more push…"_ he said to himself as he called deep within, the battle rage filling him. He felt light, swift and unstoppable, his tonfa the claws of the mighty tiger spirit his family had adopted as their totem and symbol.

To the Yellow Turbans, it must have seemed as if the celestials themselves had come to do battle. From one direction a great and terrible dragon bore down upon them, swirling around the leviathan warrior in green. From the other direction they were beset by a great tiger wreathed in fire. Past the flames they could sense the deadly intent of the brawny young warrior who rushed in to slay them.

"Go, my children!" cried Zhang Jiao loudly. "Heaven has called for the creation of a new world! Those who oppose us shall know naught but oblivion!"

The rebels felt Zhang Jiao's power envelop them. Fear and doubt vanished as their sense of purpose renewed itself. They shouted their devotion to the heavens with one voice and surged forward to destroy the enemy.

The ground shook and the sky railed in fury as the foes collided. Ce whirled about with blinding speed and terrible fury. He perceived only threat and opportunity, responding to each instinctively and with overwhelming force. His enemies seemed like little more than endless flickers of light, each one extinguished as he bent his will to their annihilation. Not far away, atop the dais, he sensed a great and terrible flame, a coruscating, corrupting fire that seemed poised to destroy the entire world.

He sensed Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, unstoppable engines of war that none could resist. The dragon and tiger roared in unison as they hammered at the foe.

And yet the Yellow Turbans would not give way, succored by Zhang Jiao's unholy magic. They held out, fighting with inhuman ferocity.

"Brother!" came a distant call. Shang Xiang, Quan and Jian burst into the courtyard, at the head of the men of Jiang Dong. Zhou Yu and the cavaliers rode in alongside, charging straight for the enemy. The troops of Cao Cao and He Jin also streamed in, eager for the fray.

Ce redoubled his efforts, fighting with every fiber of his being. He pushed on toward the dais, knocking aside foes in order to get at Zhang Jiao. With his own men close behind, his only concern was to reach the arch-heretic and put an end to his foul sorcery before he could do more harm. He would wipe Zhang Jiao from the face of the earth.

A battle aura… sweeping, fleet and graceful, like a crane…

Da Qiao. She was up ahead, on the dais.

Ce fought savagely, throwing caution to the wind. Now more than ever, Zhang Jiao had to die, before he could harm Ce's bride. Her safety came first, all other considerations be damned…

She landed easily, having vaulted over the last ranks of soldiers. Instantly she sensed she was in great danger. Though Zhang Jiao had ignored her, several of his elite guards had not. Hulking, iron-clad and halberd-armed, the six nearest converged on her. She decided to attack, leaping at the closest, her fans striking swiftly. He caught her blow on the haft of his halberd, countering with a violent shove meant to knock her off her feet. She somersaulted backward, away from a follow-up stroke that surely would have split her in two.

Crouching low, she swept out a foot as Shang Xiang had shown her, catching another halberdier behind the knee. The back of the joint was unarmoured and gave way. The man lost his balance and staggered. She spun up and around, slamming her fan down on the back of the guard's neck, which snapped loudly as he pitched to the wooden platform of the dais.

She barely dodged a blade on her left, collapsing and rolling away from the danger. She came to her feet, finding herself facing the remaining five guards, who advanced menacingly. She felt that not far behind herself was the edge of the dais and hundreds of enemy soldiers below.

"_My lord Sun Ce would not retreat and neither will I…"_ she said to herself. _"I will find a way to win!"_

She cross-stepped to her left, giving her fans a flourish. As the closest halberdier threw up his guard reflexively, the other four moved to attack. Her feint had been successful so she stepped back and swung her fans at the foe on her right. He barely parried the blow, the fan edges mere inches from his jugular. Her gambit to open a hole in their ring failed, she shuffled back, avoiding the deadly thrust of a keen spear tip.

"_They're boxing me in, acting as a team!" _she fretted. _"They coordinate their attack and defense! If I let them get behind me, I'm dead!"_

Two of the guards rushed her from either side, thrusting. She knew they were trying to force her forward, into the strike zone of the waiting fifth. She had little choice but to avoid their attacks by moving forward. Unless…

She moved toward the weapon on her farthest right, away from the incoming halberds on the left. She gently put her hand on the cool metal of the weapon head and pressed down, springing lightly over the haft. Her legs shot out and slammed into the guard's face, propelling him backward. As she came down she grabbed hold of the weapon he had released and spun quickly, swinging the blade in a wide arc. Her remaining foes stepped back, avoiding the deadly blade.

Da Qiao hurled the halberd at the foe nearest to her fans. As they blocked the improvised projectile she rolled in and righted herself, fans spread and ready. The Yellow Turban she had kicked in the head was trying to rise, blood pouring from his smashed nose and broken mouth.

He was isolated and vulnerable. Would she gain some sort of psychological advantage over them if she could slay him?

No. Magic was at work here. His fellow guards would not be affected by his death and she would have become nothing but a cold-blooded killer if she executed him so.

She lunged toward the downed man, drawing her remaining foes in behind to attack her from the rear. She spun suddenly, leaping backwards and hurling her fans at the closest pursuer. He ducked the first fan but failed to totally avoid the second, which sliced a long gash in his brow. It wasn't a deep wound but it bled profusely, blinding him temporarily.

Da Qiao crouched defensively upon landing. Perhaps throwing her weapons away hadn't been the smartest thing she'd ever done, but she was running out of ideas. She had killed one foe and incapacitated two. Three remained and she had no weapons handy.

So she would just have to take one.

She feinted right, drawing in the foe on her left. She stepped back and laid hold of his weapon, dropping down and swinging under. Her foot lashed out and caught the man in the groin. He howled in pain, his knees weakening. She pulled fiercely on the halberd, trying to wrestle it away from him, but he would not relinquish the weapon. He was still too strong for her, in spite of his injury.

A blade flashed down at her face. She squeaked and scrambled wildly, the halberd blade burying itself in the dais where her head had been. She emerged beneath and behind her foe, rolling as another attempted to bisect her with a downward stroke. She stumbled to her feet, racing to retrieve one of her fans. She dove for it and rolled onto her back, holding the folded weapon above herself. It was well that she had done so, for it caught a halberd blade that surely would have killed her. Even so, her arms flexed under the brutal blow, going numb in shock.

She kicked wildly, the blade of her foot, impacting the side of her opponent's knee. He fell, clutching his leg. She rolled backwards and up, her arms hanging nearly useless at her side. She glared at the remaining Yellow Turbans.

"_Two to go; and I have no weapons and no arms…"_

A great weariness washed over her, a bone-deep fatigue that set in suddenly, darkening her vision and threatened to smother her.

"_No! Not now! Is this my body or Zhang Jiao's sorcery? Either way, unless I overcome it I'll die very quickly!"_

Dimly she sensed one of the guards charging in. To her amazement she avoided the attack and thrust a spearhand into his throat, collapsing his larynx. Her assailant toppled backwards, choking on his own blood. She grabbed his weapon and turned to face her remaining foe. The halberd weighed her down like a great stone, nearly beyond her ability to lift.

"You are finished, woman," the man said harshly, advancing on her. "Submit to the judgment of Heaven."

Da Qiao took a deep breath and swung with all her might, letting out a great cry. The Yellow Turban raised his weapon to block.

The girl spun to her knees, her strength gone, no longer able to hold her weapon. Behind, her foe stood still for a moment, his face blank. He trembled and then his weapon broke apart and his head slid from his body. The decapitated corpse crumpled to the dais, blood pumping from its neck.

"_You did it… that's all six of them… somehow you found the strength…"_

She rose wearily and looked across the dais to where Zhang Jiao was standing, chanting in his sing-song and waving his staff around in strange patterns. The great crystal orb on the staff's head pulsed and throbbed in time with the leaping magic fires of the brazier. The sorcerous power around the heretic priest burned so bright it hurt her eyes to look at him. She fought the weariness she felt, fighting to stand straight and take a weapon. This was it. Once Zhang Jiao was vanquished she would be returning home with Ce and their life together could resume.

_Pain… sharp, flashing, roiling pain…_

She came back to her body suddenly, blinded by searing agony. The deadly heat changed to an icy cold she identified a blade biting into her side. Reality swirled sickeningly around her and she felt ill. Never before had her body been subjected to such violence and it recoiled accordingly.

She felt herself slump to the ground, still completely unaware of her assailant's position. She realized that her body, spent by its battle frenzy, would not survive the impending strike. Agony gave way to despair and a deep regret…

"_Lord Sun Ce… never forget that I will always love you… no matter where I am…"_

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Sun Ce had broken through. The seemingly endless hordes of Yellow Turban soldiers in his way had perished before the furious onslaught of Coalition forces. Guan Yu mowed down the rebels with great, sweeping arcs of his Green Dragon blade. Beside him, Zhang Fei was pummeling and ripping through foes without mercy, his huge viper-headed spear felling anyone foolish enough to oppose him.

Fighting alongside these sworn brothers were the forces of Zhou, Jiang Dong, Cao Cao and He Jin. Ce's sister fought with a skill and determination that most male warriors would envy. His father and brother, along with Zhou Tai and Huang Gai, slashed and battered their way forward, never giving the Yellow Turbans a moment to regroup. The rebels' numbers could not stem the sheer ferocity of the attack.

The path to Zhang Jiao was open. Ce leapt onto the dais and made for the priest. A group of his personal guards rushed forward, halberd blades flashing as they moved to protect their master. There were twelve of them and Ce knew that he had a tough fight on his hands if he hoped to get to Zhang Jiao.

Guan Yu was on them instantly. Like a god of war he sprang in front of Ce and swung his blade in a mighty arc, sending the rebels scrambling back out of reach of his weapon. He glared at them balefully, spinning his polearm in front of himself in challenge to his foes, daring them to approach.

"Go!" he thundered as he faced the rebels. "Get to Zhang Jiao! We must end this!"

Ce nodded and raced by. The guards moved to intercept him but Guan Yu slashed one in half with a swift blow. The others returned their attention to the giant warrior, understanding now that to look away for even a second meant death. They let Ce go. Doubtless other guards would deal with him.

In this assessment they were correct, but Ce was so fleet afoot that he posed an immediate threat to Zhang Jiao as well, who turned to face him. The priest's eyes burned with passion and intensity, a madness that struck through to one's soul. But Ce would not let the same trick work twice. No matter how fair, benevolent or righteous Zhang Jiao could make himself seem, Ce would end his rebellion- for Da Qiao's sake.

"Foolish heathen!" cried the sorcerer, pointing his staff at Sun Ce. "You dare to contest the will of Heaven! Let the divine wrath fall upon you!"

Ce struck forward, concentrating all his energy into a single strike through his tonfa, willing Zhang Jiao's death.

There was a flash of light and Ce felt himself falling… or flying… the flash had blinded him and he only regained his vision after slamming into something with a brutal thump. He shook his head and realized he was now at the rear of the dais, lying on his back. Dazedly he got to his feet, noticing that several guards were advancing on him. He braced himself and awaited their assault, not certain of his footing yet.

He fought with the fury of a tiger, determined to bash through these minions and get back to Zhang Jiao. He would not let anything stand in his way. He became aware of Da Qiao on a distant corner of the platform, fighting madly against half a dozen guards. She seemed to be handling herself well for now, so he returned his attention to his immediate problem.

He fought defensively, always looking for an opening. They were seemingly well-trained and presented few opportunities to exploit. He began concentrating on one particular man, defending himself from the others but striking at this guard a little harder, wearing him down, targeting his joints.

The man's strength gave out and he sagged to one knee finally. Ce lunged low and drove his tonfa through the man's skull. He made to burst through the ring of rebels when the nearby brazier tower flared and shook the dais. A blast of heat caused Ce and the guards to all recoil, so intense were the flames and the waves of magic that emanated from above.

Sun Jian and Cao Cao had both reached the dais and were surging toward Zhang Jiao. To Ce's amazement the priest stood there calmly. Both men and their attendants raised their weapons to strike. The heretic priest held out his hand and chanted loudly. Sun Jian, Cao Cao and their men stopped suddenly and stood there, as if in a stupor.

"Praise be to Heaven!" warbled Zhang Jiao grandly. "Let your rebellion fall away! Let your rebellion against divine will be cast aside! Serve now the gods and receive your mandate!"

Sun Jian and Cao Cao swayed, unable to lift their weapons. Their eyes were strangely glazed, their expressions confused.

"_Damn, he got them!" _Ce cursed to himself. _"Gotta find a way to snap them out of it!"_

He suddenly realized how correct his assessment was. Sun Jian and Cao Cao whirled about and began attacking their own men. Their movements were clumsy and almost involuntary, still, their men recoiled, baffled by this sudden turn of events.

Guan Yu noticed the change in Sun Jian's behavior and gazed over at the warlord of Jiang Dong. He gripped the haft of his Green Dragon tightly, obviously deciding what to do. Eventually he drew himself to his full height and began to stride towards Sun Jian.

"_Oh hell, we can't let that happen!"_ Sun Ce's mind raced, trying to find a way to save his father from certain death.

Zhang Jiao chanted on, the magical flames of the brazier swirling and leaping hypnotically.

Ce dashed himself against the column supporting the brazier, pushing with all his might. His assailants paused, wondering what he was doing. The column creaked and began to lean ever so slightly. Ce felt a shift in the energies about him, as if the sorceries had been disrupted. He strained, willing every muscle in his body to push this pillar of evil over.

His shoulder screamed in agony as he wrestled with the column. He squeezed an eye open, surprised to see that his assailants were staring at him in horror. They seemed unable or unwilling to move against him.

Zhang Jiao's gaze was upon him. Sun Ce couldn't see it but he could feel it, a burning, furious glare.

"_Well, that got his attention! Time to finish this!"_

Ce gave a great shout and final push. The column wavered and then began to fall. The brazier, suspended some twenty feet above the ground, flared and roiled as its magic foundered. Troops on both sides fled in terror as the burning tower crashed and broke, the contents of the huge brazier bowl washing forth in a torrent of chromatic flame. Several rebels were too slow and screeched in agony as the fiery contents consumed them.

There was a thunderous and ethereal roar as the mighty spell surrounding the dais was broken. Men dropped to their knees in terror and put their hands over their ears to keep the infernal, hell-torn screams out.

Sun Jian and Cao Cao both stumbled and fell to their hands and knees, coughing and retching, a vile, viscous green ichor exuding from their mouths, earsand noses. Sun Jian, with the aid of his men, rose to his feet and turned to face the dais. His hand clenched his sword tight as he glared at Zhang Jiao, intent on revenge.

Ce righted himself wearily and looked around. The fighting had not ended, but the oppressive magic and the geas that drove the rebel troops seemed to be dispelled. He laughed as Zhang Jiao gazed at him, his hands trembling in rage.

"Fool! Heaven will never succumb to villains such as you!" the priest howled before charging Ce. His eyes blazed and his lips were flecked with foam, a fanatic who sought to order things as he saw fit or end the world for not obeying.

His staff pointed at Sun Ce as he charged and great gouts of flame erupted from the tip. Ce rolled aside, trying to conceal his shock. He hadn't been expecting that.

"Die, whelp!" snarled Zhang Jiao, closing with him. "You think your youth or martial skill can save you! I bear the wrath of Heaven within me!"

The priest swung at Ce with his staff. Ce caught the blow with a tonfa but was staggered by how strong Zhang Jiao seemed. The priest hammed again and again, with a speed and power belying his bony, almost withered frame.

"For your arrogance, child, you shall be sent to Hell!" he raged, striking Ce across the shoulder, spinning him. He slammed his staff down on Ce's back, driving him to one knee. Ce felt not only the force of the blow but a jarring burst of fire course through his system each time the priest struck. He was indeed a powerful sorcerer and his staff a weapon of mighty magic.

"Then how about I send you to pave the way for me!" Ce roared, whirling around and thrusting the butt of his tonfa into Zhang Jiao's chest. The priest exhaled violently and staggered back. He stood tall and raised his staff overhead. The sky darkened almost instantly and flashed, a bolt of jagged lightning crackling down and enveloping the priest. He laughed as he was surrounded by a corona of pure power, his eyes white with the absorbed energy.

Zhang Jiao laughed maniacally. "Behold, wretches! Behold the power of he who mastered the Essential Arts For The Millennium! No power under Heaven can match me! Receive now your doom since you chose to spurn salvation!"

The monstrous priest advanced on Sun Ce, knocking any out of the way who opposed him.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Da Qiao sank into the dark. She could see nothing and hear little. She felt consciousness and possibly her life slipping away. Above her the halberdier with the broken nose and smashed mouth whirled his weapon and prepared to pin her to the dais.

"I don't think so!" shouted Xiao Qiao as she dove in to defend her sister. She had sensed something happening and was terrified to see that Da Qiao had expended all of her strength fighting these terrible foes and was now at the mercy of the enemy

Xiao landed in front of the prostrate girl and glared fiercely at the halberdier who had wounded her. She assumed a protective stance, her fans spread wide and concealing her foot position as Sun Shang Xiang had shown her.

"That was low, even for a snake like you!" she hissed. "Striking from behind… at a girl! You… coward!"

"Die!" spat the man as he rushed at her, not at all intimidated by this wisp of a child. His halberd blade gleamed as he swung it about in a great circle at her head.

Consumed with anxiety for her sister's plight and raw fury at her foe, Xiao ducked the blow and swept her fans in a criss-cross counter-strike, bisecting the man and his weapon. She was dashing to Da Qiao's side before the parts of him had even hit the ground.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ce stood defiantly as Zhang Jiao approached, his body still cracking and blazing with energy. He indeed looked like a god, perhaps old Lei Kung himself, mighty god of thunder and lightning. But Ce knew this was no god, it was a man who had somehow mastered the alchemical arts and was able to use them.

"_He can call upon the forces of nature, Hua… but I will not let him master me! I shall destroy his inner balance! He cannot destroy what he cannot hit… Tung!"_

Zhang Jiao's strike was fast but Sun Ce was faster. Deep within he found a part of himself that saw things almost as if they were not going to happen or would not happen until he had already reacted. Zhang Jiao's strike was already known to Ce before the priest had raised his hand. Ce moved to one side as the priest brought the staff down when his head had been. In movement that seemed almost painfully slow, the staff's orb bounced against the wood of the dais. Ce saw rather than felt himself lash out with a foot and stamp on the glowing orb, which flashed brightly and shattered into thousands of pieces. A flare of blinding light arose and Zhang Jiao staggered back, howling in outrage. His body glowed and blazed fitfully as he tried to recover from the energy imbalance suddenly thrust upon him.

Ce's battle cry shook the courtyard as he drove his tonfa home, the deadly weapons striking Zhang Jiao in the chest together. They stopped with a thud and the priest paused, his eyes wide. The terrifying aura stopped, seemingly to crawl or recede back into his body.

Zhang Jiao gaped at himself in horror, his hands quivering. He looked at Sun Ce and then screamed wildly, collapsing to his knees, an arm outstretched as if to supplicate the Heavens. A deadly, whirling glow surrounded the arch-heretic, gathering strength and taking on ghastly shapes. Ce was shocked to see what looked like faces in the whirlwind of power, the shades of all those this madman had slain in his quest for the Era of Peace. Perhaps now they would know rest.

An inhuman, demonic wind howled up as the energy surrounding Zhang Jiao gathered speed and began bursting into the sky. The din was terrible and men covered their ears again to shut out the hateful sound. Sun Ce watched coldly, determined to make sure this was Zhang Jiao's end.

The priest's feature's paled and withered, almost as if the life force was being sucked out of him by his own uncontrolled energies. He wailed piteously as his body was consumed, pulled piece by piece into the sky to await Heaven's vengeance.

The vortex spun dizzily into the clouds, which swallowed it up. What followed was silence; a silence so loud that the survivors were almost deafened by it.

No one, Yellow Turban or Coalition soldier, moved. Only one voice could be heard, a small, panicked woman's voice begging for her sister to not die…

"Sis!" Xiao Qiao cried out in panic as she knelt by Da Qiao's side and cradled her. There was so much blood…

"Sis! Da! Wake up!" she pleaded, shaking her sister. Da's eyes remained closed.

Tears welled up in Xiao's eyes, stinging them. "No! Wake up! You can't die! We're gonna be married together! We're gonna have the kids who rule Wu! Da, wake up! _I DON'T WANNA BE THE SMART ONE!"_

Da Qiao winced and her eyes fluttered open, obviously annoyed. "Must you be so loud, Xiao? I'm in real pain here, you know…"

Xiao's face brightened immediately. She squealed in relief and delight, squashing her sister's face into her chest. In spite of her injury, Da Qiao struggled wildly, unable to breathe.

"You're alright! You're alright! You're gonna live!"

"Not if you suffocate her, she's not…" came a stern voice from behind them. Xiao looked around and saw Zhou Yu walking briskly toward them, his concern obvious. Xiao put Da Qiao down gently and sat back while her fiancée knelt down and examined her sister.

"She'll be fine," he said eventually. "The wound is not deep but it bleeds a lot. We must staunch it promptly."

Xiao Qiao pressed some fabric against the wound while Zhou Yu used his sword to cut a long strip of material from the hem of his battle-robe. He bound the wound firmly and sighed almost wearily.

Da Qiao craned her head slightly to look around. The battle was over but a slaughter was commencing. The Yellow Turbans, devoid of a leader, had collapsed and we taking to flight. Those who could not flee cast themselves on the earth and begged for mercy. The Coalition commanders had a hard time keeping their troops from killing those who surrendered in cold blood.

"Ce has done it. He has defeated Zhang Jiao." Zhou Yu stated factually. "He nearly got himself killed in doing so, but that's not really the issue. He was attempting to reach you, I think, Da."

"Awww, that's so sweet!" chirped the younger sister, looking down at her wounded sibling.

"Lord Sun Ce… is always looking out for me…" Da Qiao said somewhat weakly.

"It would seem so. For what it's worth, Da, you fought masterfully today. Even I was impressed."

"A lot of good it did me…" Da moped. "That Yellow Turban would have killed me if not for my sister."

Zhou Yu nodded. "A sure thing. Your body was spent from its rage and you stood there, swaying almost drunkenly. The halberdier came up behind you and sliced your side open- a cowards attack, to be sure. Yeng-Wang-Yeh will surely judge him with disfavour for such a crime."

"I… don't remember stopping fighting." Da Qiao said uncertainly.

"Trust me, you did. I tried to reach you but there were too many foes between us. I'm just glad you're safe. I would not want to explain to our lord about his new bride being killed."

"Are we safe? Is this battle truly over?" Da asked. "Except for you two, everything seems very distant right now."

"Indeed. Zhang Jiao is gone. Yellow Turban resistance across the land will surely crumble with their great teacher slain. Sanity shall now return to the land"

"Da Qiao! You alright!" called out a familiar voice.

"Then again, maybe not…" Zhou Yu sighed.

Sun Ce rushed up and knelt next to his wife, the concern obvious in his pale face. "Da! Are you okay? Is she okay? Zhou Yu, what happened? Is she alright?"

"She's fine, or at least she will be if people quit harassing her and let me get her to a healer." Zhou Yu replied somewhat impatiently.

Da Qiao smiled and reached up to put a hand on Ce's cheek. "I am sorry… my lord… I am such a bother and a burden to you…"

Ce shook his head vigourously. "No you're not, don't be silly. I belong here, with you."

"But… what about the remaining rebels?" she asked, somewhat confused.

"They're being taken care of." Ce said dismissively. "Remember what I said about allies? I thnk they can do the rest of the work. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei by themselves oughta be enough."

Da Qiao nodded. "Good."

Ce nodded. "I'm thinking that Liu Bei is someone we're gonna want as an ally if he commands men like that."

Da Qiao smiled. "I think that would be wise, my lord. Anyone who deserves such compliments from you must be great indeed.."

Ce gently lifted Da Qiao and carried her in his arms. "I saw what happened, y'know- you takin' on those halberdiers and all that."

In spite of the blood loss, Da Qiao blushed.

"Don't worry, it was a good thing." Ce said in an assuring tone. "If you keep that sort of thing up I won't even need to take the field after a while, I'll be able to just send you…"

Da Qiao sighed and closed her eyes. The healer's tent waited. No matter how serious her wound, she would heal and return home. Peace finally awaited the land. She had no intention of dying just yet.


	5. Chapter 5

**The Young Conqueror**

**SD Omake Theatre 1**

_Author's Note: My apologies to the anime Blue Seed and my fellow Cursed Fanboys for this opening…_

(Cue the cutesy rainbow bridging toward the reader. Over it come marching kawaii li'l SD versions of the Sun family members, along with Zhou Yu, Huang Gai, Zhou Tai and the Qiao sister)s

**All: **"Wumake! Wumake! Wumake! Wumake!"

**Chibi Sun Quan: **Oo; "Waitwaitwaitwait! What the heck is a 'Wumake', anyway? I thought this was supposed to be an omake theatre."

**Chibi Sun Ce:** "Dude, it IS an omake theatre, but since we're the Wu family, we thought 'Wumake' would be a really great pun…"

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"Ohhhhh… I don't get it."

**Zhou Yu: **--;; "No wonder you're not married in the video games, Quan- you've got all the humour of a Pokemon on a meat hook."

**Xiao Qiao: (**bouncing up and down and giggling) "It's true, it's true! Sun Quan's about as much fun as… as… he's as fun… as…"

**Chibi Da Qiao:** (sigh!) "Could you get any dumber? Ce, darling, why isn't Xiao super-deformed like the rest of us? She looks the same as ever."

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (shrug ) "Her personality's pretty SD in any event, I guess there was no point in forcing the issue."

**Xiao Qiao:** (bounce! bounce!) "Besides, it's nice to be as tall as all of you for once!"

**Chibi Sun Quan:** (eyebrow twitch) "Zhou Yu, what are you feeding that girl? Ovaltine? Liquid crack?"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"No, I'm afraid not. That's just the way she is. I'm beginning to think that crack might calm her down, actually…"

**Xiao Qiao:** (picking up Zhou Yu and spinning him) "Zhou Yu, honey! You are just SO uber-kawaii when you're super-deformed! I wish I could grow a whole field of you!"

**Chibi Zhou Yu:** Oo;; "Ack! Help! Too much spinning! I get sea sick! Help!"

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"Xiao, put him down before he-"

_UUUURRRRRRRRRRRRPPPPP!_

**Chibi Da Qiao: **--;; "Never mind. I'll get the Wet-Vac…"

**Chibi Sun Quan:** (rolling eyes) "Can we get on with this Omake-Wumake thing, please? I'm wasting good brooding time here… brother?"

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (looking at his chibi hands) "I've got no fingers when I'm chibi- how am I supposed to do stuff with no fingers? I can't practice _kuji-kiri _or anything."

**Chibi Sun Jian:** (walking up) "The Nine Symbols of Power don't work when you're super-deformed, Ce. You have to harness and cultivate the power of the Chibi."

**Chibi Cao Cao:** (popping out of nowhere, eyes wide) "Who said Chi Bi?"

**Xiao Qiao:** (bounce bounce giggle giggle!) "Cao Cao! Moo!"

**Chibi Cao Cao:** (flushing angrily) "Don't moo at me, you little bubblehead! Can I help it if Koei's English translators can't pronounce my name! It should be pronounced 'Tsao Tsao'!"

**Xiao Qiao: **"Sow Sow? That… doesn't really sound any better, if you ask me."

**Chibi Sow- er, Cao Cao:** (grrrrr!) "I didn't ask you, now did I?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Get lost, you creepy old lecher! You're scaring away my wife."

(Chibi Cao Cao is unceremoniously booted from the Omake)

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"Good riddance to bad midgets. That guy's going to be trouble, you can just tell."

**Chibi Shang Xiang:** (twirling with her chakrams) "Don't worry about him, Dad! If he tries anything with any of us beautiful Wu women…"

**Chibi Zhou Yu:** (leaning in and whispering to Ce) "And by 'us beautiful Wu women' she no doubt means Da and Xiao."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **XD "snerk!"

(Shang Xiang glares are her brother and Zhou Yu. They both cough and look at the sky with interest.)

**Chibi Shang Xiang:** (resuming whirly-twirly kata) "As I was saying. If Moo-boy tries anything, my chakrams'll do the talking. And he'll be singing soprano!"

(Shang Xiang flourishes her chakrams and they fly out of her hands. Sun Jian yelps and ducks as they embed themselves in the wall behind his head. He looks at his daughter in shock.)

**Chibi Shang Xiang:** (blushing furiously) "Erm… sorry. I forgot I have no fingers when I'm chibi."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"No brain, either."

(Shang Xiang flips tries to flip Ce the bird, forgetting once again that she has no fingers, much less a middle one)

**Chibi Shang Xiang: > **;; "Dammit!"

**Chibi Da Qiao:** (dragging Wet-Vac across floor) "Well, even if fighting makes me scared, I have to admit it's more fun than this."

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (going over to Da) "Aw, you don't need to do that, sweetie- that's why we keep _him_ around now…"

(Ce points over at a chibi Zhang Jiao, leading a detail of Yellow Turbans in cleaning up various messes created during the fic)

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"But… won't they get mad and rebel again if we enslave them like this?"

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (laughing) "No worries, babe, they're not slaves, they have to do this stuff if they wanna appear in the Omake, that's all."

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"Ooooooooh, clever."

**Chibi Zhang Jiao:** (shoveling horse crap) "Yes, my glorious children! We shall prevail! Our efforts shall be noticed by the Heavens and eternal fame and recognition shall be ours!"

**Random Chibi Yellow Turban:** (raising hand) "Uh, who is it in Heaven that's gonna notice us, sir?"

**Chibi Zhang Jiao:** (spreading arms wide, holding shovel like he held his staff) "Why, the glorious and eternal readers, of course!"

**Chibi Yellow Turban:** (throwing his rake away) "That's it, I'm outta here…"

**Xiao Qiao:** (holding up hand to ask a question) "Hey, I got a question! What does 'chibi' mean, anyway?"

**Chibi Zhou Yu:** (crossing his arms and nodding sagely, eyes closed) "It's a Japanese word that essentially refers to 'super-deformed' and so on. The manga-anime style is very popular and I guess this fic's author decided to exploit this."

**Xiao Qiao:** (clapping hands) "Oh, Zhou Yu, you are sooo _smart_!"

**Chibi Zhou Yu:** (attempting to run hand through hair and look bishonen) "Yes, I know, it's a gift."

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (laughing) "That hair thing'd work better if you actually hand fingers, buddy. Right now it looks like you're trying to club yourself to death real slowly."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **--;; "At least I know to try and make an effort in this regard- to make my fangirls happy."

**Xiao Qiao: **Oo;; "FANGIRLS! WHAT'S A FANGIRL, ZHOU YU?"

**Chibi Da Qiao: (**whispering in Xiao's ear) "Oh, you know… those screaming, drooling teenie-bopper fans who always write fics about Ce and Yu being a yaoi couple."

**Xiao Qiao: **Oo;; "THEY WHAT!"

(Xiao suddenly has her fans out and is rampaging around the fic, hunting for fangirls)

**Xiao Qiao: **"WHERE ARE THEY! WHERE ARE THESE FANGIRLS! I KNOW YOU'RE HERE SOMEWHERE! I'LL TEACH YOU TO GAY UP MY BELOVED ZHOU YU!"

(Xiao grabs someone by the collar and snarls in their face)

**Chibi Huang Gai: **Oo;; "Mistress, I think it's pretty obvious I'm not a fangirl…"

**Chibi Da Qiao:** (slinking up to Sun Ce and purring in his ear)

**Chibi Sun Jian:** (aside to the reader) "How do you slink while you're chibi?"

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"So, my lord, even when you're chibi are you still… gifted?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Awww, you know it babe; the Ce-man's always got it happening where it counts."

**Chibi Zhou Yu:** (eyeroll) "I wouldn't be so sure of that if I were you, Ce."

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (confused) "Huh? Whaddya mean?"

(Ce looks down the front of his pants)

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (ack!) Oo;; "WHAT THE HELL! WHAT HAPPENED TO THE OVERLORD!"

**Chibi Sun Jian:** (shaking head in fatherly shame) "Chibis are not anatomically correct, Ce; that would just be… disgusting."

**Chibi Da Qiao:** (exasperated) "Great! Where am I supposed to get satisfaction now?"

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (holding his crotch and crimson with humiliation) "Whatsit matter, Da! You're chibi too!"

**Chibi Da Qiao:** (looking down blouse) Oo;; "KYAAAAA!"

(Da Qiao bends over in the middle and looks up her skirt)

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"Buddha H Shang-ti! I'm a Barbie Doll!"

**Chibi Shang Xiang:** (smirking and jutting her chest out) "I've still got my knockers."

**Chibi Sun Quan:** (scowl) "Oh, you do not, sis- I saw you stuffing your bra this morning!"

(Shang Xiang goes wide-eyed and red in embarrassment)

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **"That's not true! You're lying! I would never- waaaaaiiiiitaminit…"

(Shang Xiang suddenly explodes in rage, going into oversized demon-head mode)

**Chibi Demon-Head Shang Xiang: **roaring at Quan "WHY THE HELL WERE YOU WATCHING ME CHANGE, YOU PERVERT!"

**Chibi Sun Quan:** (yeek!) "I… I… it was a mistake! Honest! I thought it was Xiao Qiao's room!"

**Xiao Qiao: **Oo;; "WHAT!"

**Chibi Shang Xiang:** (angrier and more irate still) "YOU MISTOOK ME FOR THAT TWINK XIAO QIAO! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU REPRESSED LITTLE MONSTER!"

)Shang Xiang and Xiao Qiao begin chasing Quan around the fic, trying to kill him… a lot)

**Chibi Demon-Head Shang Xiang:** (GRAHHHHHHH!) "GET BACK HERE, QUAN! GET YOUR ASS BACK HERE SO I CAN KICK IT!"

**Xiao Qiao:** (grahhhhhh!) "How dare you mistake me for the 80's rock chick! She looks like a refugee from a Def Lepard video!"

**Chibi Sun Quan:** (Faster! Must run faster!) "KYAAAAAA! TASUKETE!"

(Sun Quan digs in his pockets as he runs and throwsloosechange on the ground. Xiao Qiao screeches to a halt and picks up some dimes and quarters)

**Xiao Qiao:** (sparkly eyes) "Oooooh, shiny…"

**Chibi Demon-Head Shang Xiang:** (closing in on Quan) "THAT WON'T WORK ON ME, QUAN! I'VE GOT A BRAIN!"

(Quan banks left, hard and keeps running. Shang Xiang tries to follow, but her oversized demon-head is too big for her chibi body to stop. With a screech she loses her balance and staggers off the side of the fic)

**Chibi Demon-Head Shang Xiang: **"I'LL GET YOU FOR THIS!"

_KRASHHHHHHHHHHHH!_

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (wince!) "Well, so much the next chapter's special effects and props budget."

**Chibi Sun Quan:** (panting as he comes up to the rest of the group) "Okay… okay… I think I've lost her… now I just need to worry about Xiao Qiao…"

(Quan looks over at Xiao Qiao warily, who's still looking at the pretty silver change in her hands. She notices him looking at her and smiles and waves)

**Xiao Qiao: **"Hi, Quan! Long time no see!"

**Chibi Sun Quan:** (looking at Zhou Yu) "She rides in the short chariot, doesn't she?"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **--;; "I keep hoping she'll be a demon in the sack, like her sister."

**Chibi Da Qiao: **Oo;; "WHAT!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **--;; "Thanks, buddy."

**Chibi Da Qiao:** (Demon-head mode) "WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN TELLING YOUR DRINKING PALS ABOUT US, MISTER!"

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"Children, I hate to pull rank, but we need to get on with this omake, so everybody sit down and shut up already."

(Sun Ce, Quan, Shang Xiang, Zhou Yu, Da Qiao, Xiao, Huang Gai and Zhou Tai all sit down in front of Sun Jian and look attentive.)

**Chibi Sun Jian: **--;; "Honestly, it's like trying to refreree a leprechaun battle. Okay, boys and girls, the purpose of this omake is to recap everything that's happened so far in the fic."

**Zhou Yu:** (aside to Sun Ce) "That should take about three sentences."

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"Can it, girly-boy. Now, to begin- Zhou Tai, would you begin, please?"

**Chibi Zhou Tai: **"…"

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"Well?"

**Chibi Zhou Tai: **"Uh… we killed some guys…"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"China is the birthplace of ginseng and you've never even tasted it, have you, Zhou Tai?"

**Chibi Sun Quan:** (putting up hand) "Father, Shang Xiang keeps kicking me!"

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"Do I have to separate you two!"

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"Would you, please?"

**Chibi Sun Jian:** (with great restraint) "Can… I… _please…_ get on with this?"

(Chibi Guan Yu strides into the fic, accompanied by Chibi Zhang Fei)

**Chibi Guan Yu: **"Lord Sun Jian, could I be of service and do this recap for you?"

**Chibi Sun Jian:** (Finally!) "Would you please, Guan Yu? It's nice to see another sane person in this omake."

**Chibi Guan Yu:** (thumping the butt of his halberd against the floor with a boom) "Right! Allow me to begin!"

(Everyone looks attentive)

**Chibi Guan Yu: **"…"

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"Well?"

**Chibi Guan Yu: **"It just occurred to me… I do not actually know what happened in this fic before Chapter 4…"

**Chibi Sun Jian:** (ARRRRRGH!) "IT SHOULDN'T BE THIS DIFFICULT! DAMMIT! I JUST WANT TO SURVIVE THIS SD THEATRE OMAKE AND DO THE READERS A SERVICE!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"I dunno, pop… chances are most of these fans would settle for plain ol' fanservice."

**Chibi Da Qiao:** (offended) "Hey, now! This isn'tsome sort of cheescakelemonfic, buster!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: >**.O;; "Y'know, you're a lot nicer and more demure in the actual fic."

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"I'm a method actor, okay? If it makes you feel better, you're the same as ever, except... well, for… you know…"

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (evil grin) "No, I don't know what you mean, Da."

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"Yes you do! You're just trying to make me say it! You want me to talk about… down there! You're little conqueror!"

**Chibi Sun Ce:** (grinning at Zhou Yu) "See? I told you I could get her to do it…"

**Chibi Zhou Yu:** (grumping and handing Ce fifty bucks) "It still took you a whole omakefic."

**Chibi Da Qiao: **Oo;; "You… you mean… all this… this… omake… all just… an excuse… to…"

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"Brother, that's just… wow… evil."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"Ce, one of these days, the bastards of the world are going to get together and build a statue of you."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"As long as it's not a chibi statue."

**Xiao Qiao:** (waving her hands in Da's face) "Sis? Da? Helloooooooo… Lord Ce, I think you broke her."

**Chibi Da Qiao:** (eyebrow twitch) "…"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"Well, Xiao darling… it looks like you're going to be the smart one for now; at least until we unsnap her mind…"

**Xiao Qiao:** (jumping up and down and clapping gleefully) "Alright! I know just what I'm gonna do! I'm gonna open up my own line of food for cute little doggies!"

**Chibi Huang Gai:** (did somebody say food?) "Oh? And what will you call it?"

**Xiao Qiao:** "Puppy Qiao, of course!"

(cue the facefaults)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Author's Notes: **Okay, I knew I was going to do some SD Theatre, but I had no idea where to go with it. Ultimately, after much vacillating, I decided to just go for some chibi mayhem. Hopefully it made you laugh.

There'll be more SD Theatre every few chapters, I promise. After years of writing 'Curse of the Fanboys' with Chaos, I'm pretty much addicted. 'til next time! Hang loose!


	6. Chapter 6

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Part 4**

The warm Jiang Dong night infiltrated Baifu Pavilion, a gentle breeze fluttering through the sheer muslin curtains that separated the bedchamber from the balcony that surrounded the second level. Da Qiao sat in the large marble basin in a corner of the room, looking wistfully out at the moon. Sleepy and slightly drunk on the heady perfumes of the herbs in the water, she smiled as her husband and lord entered the room. Dressed in a tiger-patterned robe, he strode over to the tub and knelt besides it. His finger traced over her ear and delicate jaw. She smiled and looked up into his eyes.

"These few weeks since we've come back from the campaign against the Yellow Turbans have been wonderful, my lord. Never have I known such bliss. Nothing to do but spend my time by your side, as a devoted wife should."

"I noticed you've been practicing, though…" he said, plucking a pin from her hair, allowing the dark tresses to tumble down her back in luxurious waves. "Sis says your technique with those fans of yours has improved remarkably. You anticipating needing them again?"

"The Yellow Turbans were but a sign of the troubles that plague the land, my lord, they were not the cause of it. We have been granted a respite, but surely other challenges await us. And if I am to fight alongside you as you pacify the land and bring it under your rule, then I should at least make a concerted effort to become an effective fighter."

Sun Ce smiled. "I'd say you did a pretty good job during the fight against Zhang Jiao, wouldn't you?"

Da Qiao blushed. "I got lucky, my lord. Had my sister not saved me from that halberdier's cowardly attack I would surely have died."

"Well I'm pleased to see you taking such an active interest in improving your martial skills since you intend to traipse around on the battlefield after me."

She sighed and relaxed her head back against a pillow on the edge of the basin. The herbs and exotic oils floating in the water soothed her skin and weary mind. However much she was improving in martial arts, she still found it unnatural and tedious. Despite every one's proclamation of her 'talent', she did not feel it. Being a warrior demanded more than she knew herself to be, but she would fake it as best she could, in order to protect her beloved lord and husband.

Sun Ce took a seat on a low stool next to the basin and gazed out the window. "I think you're right, y'know, when you say that the peace will not last. There may be rumblings in the Imperial Capital now. Imperial Protector Dong Zhuo… do you remember him, the fat, obnoxious guy we saved outside of Zhang Jiao's fortress? Well, it seems like he's at war with the eunuchs. Both sides are claiming to be the emperor's only true and loyal protectors."

"And you believe neither group is loyal, yes?" Da Qiao asked.

"Exactly. We already know the eunuchs aren't and I don't exactly trust the Imperial Overseer either. He could very well be the next threat to the realm, if and when he triumphs over Zhao Zhong and his lot. It bothers me that it will fall to us, warriors of the Han, to save the Imperial House form its own follies."

"How long do you think we have before events come to a head?" Da Qiao asked, not liking Sun Ce's mood.

The young lord shrugged. "Hopefully Imperial Regent He Jin will be able to restore order before matters get out of hand. But if not, I imagine that we will be campaigning again by autumn."

Da Qiao looked out at the dark night. "And until then?"

Sun Ce smiled. "I intend to enjoy my life with you, of course. The Sun family has much to celebrate, after all. We were enfeoffed by the Imperial House and your sister has married Zhou Yu. Not to mention you and I have this great pavilion to live in. I think even the emperor would be a little jealous of it, don't you?"

"It is very nice." Da Qiao agreed, looking around. The room was sumptuous, dimly lit by the ochre flames of the braziers along the walls. Scarlet and gold were the predominant colour themes, with silks and pearls strewn almost carelessly about. Lord Sun Ce was aware of Da Qiao's passion for pearls and seemed to never tire of finding new ones that he would leave for her to discover. It was a clever ploy, since she always inevitably made it worth his while later.

He helped her out of the marble basin and covered her in a delicate silk robe of blue and white. He led her out to the balcony and together they watched the moon. She gasped in delight as a flock of cranes flew past the great silver orb, graceful and eternal.

"Ch'ang-O is truly a benevolent mistress, is she not?" Da Qiao said quietly, enchanted. "To share such a beautiful moon with us, I will have to burn many sticks of incense to her tonight."

Ce nodded and put his arm around her shoulder. "Yeah, it's a good night. Let's enjoy it before your sister and Zhou Yu get here…"

The attendants had left the four sitting around a low gilded and lacquered table, laughing and drinking tea. All four had desired different types, based on their personalities. Da Qiao had wanted the soothing and flowery hibiscus tea her father had always made, whereas Xiao Qiao had made a case for Silver Needle, a white tea said to be the favourite of the Imperial House. Sun Ce, with his penchant for simple and bold, was in favour of a strong green tea. Zhou Yu argued for Smokey Black Dragon, a pungent and ill-tasting black tea from the far western mountains that supposedly enhanced one's mental faculties.

Xiao Qiao eventually won out and Silver Pine Needle was served. Da Qiao had to admit that the tea was soothing and aromatic, exactly what she needed. She smiled and asked Lord Zhou Yu about his honeymoon. He had taken Xiao Qiao to the south to hunt tigers and find cute animals to put in her menagerie. He had brought back several magnificent skins, most of which he had presented to Lord Sun Jian. Xiao Qiao had found several exotic monkeys and birds, all of which now had names. She gleefully regaled Ce and her sister with the story behind each name. After a while Da Qiao found herself wishing the tea had been fermented, to help her deal with her sister's prattling. Ce, on the other hand, was quite content to entertain Xiao's enthusiasm, asking her questions about each pet, the most exotic of which was a nearly full-grown salamander.

"Don't… don't they breathe fire and eat people?" Da Qiao asked nervously.

"Yeah, but he's safe in the menagerie where no one can get him!" Xiao squeaked, missing her sister's point altogether. "He's dark green with red and golden stripes along his back! His eyes are dark red, like embers!"

"Speaking of presents, I have one for you, Ce…" Zhou Yu said, bowing his head. He clapped his hands and several attendants came in, carrying a large package, carefully wrapped. They presented it to Ce, bowed low and left. Ce turned and kneeled to face his gift. Zhou Yu bowed low, his head touching the floor. Xiao Qiao squeaked and clapped her hands together with excitement. Obviously she couldn't wait to see Ce's reaction.

He undid the wrapping and held up an incredible gift that took Da Qiao's breath away. The skin of an immense snow-white tiger gleamed in the dim light.

Zhou Yu bowed low again. "I am rightly proud of the skins I gave your father and the ones I kept for myself, but this one I had to give to you. It is surely the most magnificent of the lot and the dearest bought. He fought well. He reminded me of you, fierce beyond mortal ken and unconquerable. Hence I was convinced only you should wear such a skin."

Sun Ce looked at the skin in wonder. Zhou Yu's kill had been flawless, obviously, since no mark remained.

"Amazing…" Ce said quietly. "You've really outdone yourself, pal."

"Thank you. I believe several vestments can be created from this hide. I look forward to seeing you rampaging across the battlefield one day in them."

Ce nodded, acknowledging the hint his friend has dropped. He put down the tiger skin and looked at the girls. "I don't know about you girls, but I'm kinda hungry. Would you go and see how close dinner is to being prepared? Tell the cooks to not spare the spices. My oath-brother has returned with his wife and I would celebrate."

The sisters bowed low and exited the room, giggling and talking about the honeymoon and what Xiao Qiao saw. Ce turned back to Zhou Yu and looked serious.

"Whatever it is you've heard, have you discussed it with my father yet?"

"No," Zhou Yu said quietly. "I have written a report and we should discuss this with him once you and I have examined our options."

"I take it this is about Dong Zhou and the eunuchs?" Ce asked, concerned by his friend's tone.

"Aye. Matters shall come to a head within the season. The divine emperor Shao is not long for this world and I believe the Imperial Overseer intends to do away with him, placing a puppet on the throne, if not taking it for himself."

"What sort of proof do we have?"

"None as yet."

"Not much to go on." Ce said with a trace of irony.

"Your father is a great man, Ce, but the future of the Sun family and possibly the Han lies with you and your actions. You must always have this foremost in mind when these events transpire. The logical or expedient solution isn't always the correct one."

"You still want to see me as the emperor, don't you? Not just Lord of Jiang Dong or even Wu, but the empire."

"I fear far lesser men than yourself have their eyes on the Dragon Throne. Dong Zhuo is but one example. We must be prepared to save the empire from itself, if necessary. You and I must be committed to that principal before all else."

"Except our wives." Ce pointed out.

Zhou Yu shrugged. "Granted, but have you tried to keep them off the battlefield recently? You might as well attempt to move Mount Taishan."

Ce laughed. "On that point we agree, for sure."

"In any event," Zhou Yu continued. "We should make subtle preparations with the army. It is one thing to convince the men to attack Yellow turban rebels, but it will be another thing entirely for them to march on the capital and overthrow the Imperial Protector, no matter how corrupt or evil he is."

Ce scowled as he thought of Dong Zhuo. "He shouldn't be too hard to handle. What if you, my father and I went to Yong'an to reason with him? See if we can avert a crisis?"

"It will be harder than you think if he decides to resist. He has managed to draw many warriors of renown to his cause, not the least of whom are Hua Xiong and Lu Bu."

Ce was silent for several seconds. "That is trouble. Hua Xiong is bad enough, but Lu Bu is a monster."

Zhou Yu nodded. "I'm not sure even you could beat him in a duel. Dong Zhuo plied him with untold riches and enfoeffed him. He is now known as the 'Flying General'."

Ce pondered. "I do not know what father will want to do, but we should advice him to head to Yong'an and see what we can do to solve matters."

"As the new, imperially appointed lord of Jiang Dong, your father has legitimate standing in the empire now. Even if Dong Zhuo and the eunuchs are at war, Jian can speak to the emperor and counsel him. He will also have He Jin's ear, as will you, the man who slew Zhang Jiao and almost single-handedly ended the Yellow Turban rebellion."

Ce waved dismissively. "Lots of people were valiant during that campaign. And lots of people suffered worse than I did."

Zhou Yu nodded. "How is Da Qiao?"

Ce nodded. "She's fine. The healer took good care of her and there isn't even a scar. Near as we can tell, she might as well have never been wounded. The only effect it seemed to have was to convince her that she should learn to use her fans more effectively."

Zhou Yu laughed. "Well, that's a good thing anyway, one less matter for you to worry about."

Ce sighed, "We'll talk to father after dinner."

"What does Da Qiao have planned for dinner?" asked Zhou Yu, sensing that Ce had learned everything he needed for now and was getting hungry.

Ce smirked. "Hopefully not salamander. I believe that she has the cooks preparing several ducks and fish, along with curd and some other delicacies."

Zhou Yu looked around. "It's a nice pavilion."

"Tell me about it. Great view of the moon and cranes."

"Worth fighting for?"

"Yeah. Whatever it takes…"

Sun Ce, Zhou Yu and Sun Quan sat facing Sun Jian, who was settled upon a slightly elevated dais on thin cushions. The great lord of Jiang Dong read Zhou Yu's report in silence. Finally, he put down the assembled sticks and looked at the three of them, lost in thought. Eventually, Quan could no longer bear the scrutiny and bowed.

"Father, what should we do?"

"I am not sure," Sun Jian said finally. "To move too early may tip our hand. Whatever we do must not seem out of the ordinary. Training our army is the easy part; not arousing suspicion shall prove difficult. Ce, what do you think of Zhou Yu's report?"

Ce bowed respectfully. "I think war is inevitable, father. I think Zhou Yu is right that we have two seasons at most before either the eunuchs or Dong Zhuo are overthrown and then China shall be plunged into war again. Do we simply wait for war and behave like the worthy soldiers we have always been or do we attempt to do something about it beforehand?"

"Perhaps we should start seeking out allies, father." Quan said. "Did we not express interest in cultivating an alliance with Liu Bei?"

Sun Jian nodded. "Indeed. But as yet he is a man of little power or rank. He and his followers are wandering the realm, looking for a home. It is rumoured he is related to the Imperial House. If so and if he comes into his own it would be well for us to be among his friends."

Zhou Yu nodded. "The Imperial House of Liu is teetering on the brink of destruction. This Liu Bei has sworn to uphold the Han at all cost. However, as you said, sire, he has ambition but no means. We must look also to the influential families of the empire."

"Cao Cao?" snorted Quan. "Since the Yellow Turban rebellion, Mengde has managed to get himself several imperial appointments and is a minister of some standing. But he is nothing more than a snake. We speak of Dong Zhuo's desire to overthrow the Son of Heaven, but I believe Cao Cao would be no better. I did not like the ambition I saw burning in his eyes."

"Nor did I." Jian said. "But he may be an important ally. I shall also seek out Yuan Shao of Jizhou. There is a man of great standing. His family predates the Han, like our own. If we must move against the eunuchs or Dong Zhuo, it would be wise to have his vast armies and wealth on our side."

"Especially if Dong Zhuo does indeed have Hua Xiong and Lu Bu at his command," Quan added.

There was silence as the men thought of the implications of this statement. Ce finally thumped his fist into his hand. "If this is true then we will definitely need Liu Bei on our side. If Lu Bu is going to be our enemy then only Zhang Fei, Guan Yu or I can take him. Lu Bu by himself can take out an army."

Sun Jian sighed. "I am inclined to try and resolve this issue before it becomes a crisis that consumes us in war. I desire peace for Jiang Dong. In two weeks I, Ce and Zhou Yu shall ride to Yong'an and petition for audiences with the parties involved. The part we played in the Yellow Turban campaign should get us that much at least."

Ce nodded and looked at his brother. "Quan, that means you're in charge while we're gone. I know if anything happens you'll do us proud."

The stern younger son nodded.

"But let us all agree on something here." Sun Jian said. "We are going to go and attempt negotiation. If this does not work I do not, repeat, _do not_ want anyone attempting to assassinate anyone." He looked at Zhou Yu and Sun Ce pointedly.

Ce nodded and smiled. "Got it, pop- no killing."

"I'll believe it when I see it…" said the patriarch grimly.

Da Qiao gasped and shuddered, falling forward and lying still. Her heart pounded in her chest as she attempted to recover. She heard a chuckle beneath herself and pouted.

"You always do that, my lord. It's not fair."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Ce said, smirking. He put his arms behind his head and smiled smugly down at his wife as she sprawled across his muscular, bare chest. She shivered again and drew the silk sheet over herself, attempting to hide her blush.

"Embarrassed again?" he asked.

His only response was a small, petulant noise from beneath the sheet. He sighed and gently massaged the back of the lump that straddled him.

"You only do that whenever you've got something on your mind that you think I'm going to be unhappy about. What is it?" came the little voice finally.

Ce took a deep breath. He hadn't been looking forward to this moment. "We're going to Yong'an."

There was silence for close to a minute.

"So… you think war is coming and this is our only chance to prevent it?"

"_My_ only chance, Da. I hate to say it, but you're not coming."

Da Qiao's face poked out from the folds of silk. "Why not? You'll let me on the battlefield but I can't come to the imperial capital with you?"

"I didn't want you on the battlefield either, you might recall." Ce said, holding up a finger. "Dong Zhuo and the eunuchs are treacherous, Da. They would think nothing of having someone murdered if they could get away with it."

"I am not afraid to die, my lord," she said resolutely, sitting up tall, the silk sheet falling and pooling at her waist. Her back was straight and her breasts jutted out defiantly. She looked almost scolding. "I can't believe you think I'd be afraid to go because of something like that. If our destiny is to die in Yong'an, then we die together!"

"No, Da, that's not it at all…" Ce said, shaking his head. "They might murder someone but dead people can't be coerced either. They could take you hostage to keep me from acting against their interests, you see? And then what did we travel all the way to Yong'an for?"

Da Qiao deflated somewhat. "I see."

"You need to stay back here and help my brother and sister run Jiang Dong. The army needs to be ready, because we're not likely to succeed. It's a big risk we're taking with this plan and the chances of it working are slim to none."

She pouted and traced a finger along his chest. "I will miss you, my lord. Do you promise to not fall in love with any other girls while you're gone?"

Ce laughed. "How could I? I'm married to the most beautiful girl in the land already."

She smiled. "The empire is a big place and the women countless. And my mighty husband is a prize any woman would aspire to."

"Too bad, I'm happily taken." Ce said simply. "Thanks, I'm flattered, but not interested."

Da Qiao smiled and blushed again. She knew Ce meant what he said. She loved hearing it, though. Was that so wrong? She lay back down and sighed as she snuggled herself to him.

"So when do you leave?" she asked, purring

"Two weeks."

She was silent for a few seconds. "We will have to spend a lot of time here in our bedchamber to make up for that. Why is fate always conspiring to tear us apart?"

"I dunno, Da, but you can't stow away this time. Your presence would be an actual liability, do you understand that?"

"Yes, my lord. I will obey, of course."

"I got something for you…" Ce said, changing the subject. He gently moved her aside and stood up, heading over to a chest and opening it. He rummaged around, muttering to himself and then turned to face her, something in his hands.

"I talked to sis about this and I asked one of her best- what are you snickering about?"

Da Qiao was indeed tittering into her hand, looking at Ce and blushing. He frowned and followed her gaze down his body. He gave her a wry look. "Oh, grow up. Honestly."

She tried to stop herself. "I am sorry, my lord. I guess with you gone for an indeterminate length of time I thought I should memorize what you look like."

"Very funny," he said, walking back to the bed. "As I was saying, I commissioned some of Shang Xiang's best weavers to make this for you…"

Da Qiao took the proffered package and unfolded it. Her eyes went wide and she squeaked in delight. The robe was midnight blue silk, richly embroidered with silver motifs of the moon and graceful cranes. It was singularly beautiful.

"My lord… I don't know what to say…" she whispered, gazing at it in wonder as she held it up.

"Say you'll be wearing it when I get back." Ce said, smiling.

She launched herself off the bed and into his arms, crushing herself to him. "Of course I will!" she said, tears trickling down her cheeks. "I'll miss you so much, my lord!"

"Hey, I'm not leaving just yet," Ce said, patting her back as he held her. He walked her over to the bath basin and stepped into the hot water, letting her down gently. He relaxed next to her, his arm slung around her and holding her close. She nuzzled against his chest as they looked out at the moon. Two weeks was not a long time but for the moment it was eternity.

Ce rode with Zhou Yu, not far behind his father and Huang Gai. The entourage his father had decided to bring was not large but it was impressive enough. Two hundred elite cavalry accompanied the lord of Jiang Dong, silken banners of crimson and gold fluttering behind them. Sun Jian sought to impress not with numbers but with the quality of his retainers. The lord of Wu would happily and confidently have matched these men against any other warriors in the land. They'd been marching for a week and morale was still good, a sure sign of the elite status of their soldiers.

"Your opinion of our chances of succeeding?" Zhou Yu asked quietly.

"Not good." Ce replied, looking forward. "I would've thought Dong Zhuo'd be the easier person to reason with, at least compared to the damn eunuchs… but now he has Hua Xiong and Lu Bu on his side. He may feel he doesn't have to listen to anybody."

"And yet you feel we must at least try."

"If there is even a remote possibility of peace that'll keep Da out of battle, I'm gonna take it." Ce said, nodding his head grimly.

"At least we managed to convince those two to remain behind this time." Zhou Yu sighed, unhappy about being separated from his new bride. "It will take us one month to reach Yong'an. We have no idea yet how long we will be there and then another month back."

"We may be gone for two months and a day, then." Ce remarked. "We have no guarantee that Dong Zhuo, the eunuchs or the emperor will consent to seeing us. No way of knowing."

"Or we may spend two or more months as guests of his august majesty and still accomplish nothing." Zhou Yu added, obviously not pleased with any of the likely prospects.

Huang Gai was laughing with his father. Obviously Sun Jian was either confident of success or determined not to worry about matters until they arrived. Either way, he probably had the right idea. Ce cast the issue from his mind and began discussing logistics and tactics with Zhou Yu. His sworn-bother's grasp of strategic matters never ceased to impress Ce. Zhou Yu's foresight often bordered on prescience. He was constantly nagging Ce about not applying himself more to such matters, but the young lord merely replied by saying that was exactly why he kept Zhou Yu around- so that he wouldn't have to.

Zhou Yu was not fooled. He knew that Ce understood far more than he let on. The Wu strategist just wished his liege would show off his skills more often. He would have to make his puissance known to the world if he was ever to rule.

Up ahead, Sun Jian held up his hand, calling for the small army to halt. They pulled off to the side of the road and made camp. Sunset was nearly upon them and the troops began lighting fires to make their dinner. Ce stared at the fire while Zhou Yu began playing a water flute. The camp seemed to be in high spirits, not yet wearied by a long journey.

Ce stared deep into the fire, feeling an unease no one else seemed to share. He had no tangible reason for the way he felt, but something was nagging him, gnawing at his mind. And still he stared into the fire, chin resting on his steepled hands.

"_Why am I so uneasy? It's not like me to feel this way, especially when no one else does. This is hardly an auspicious start to our little expedition…"_

Men laughed, sang and danced as Zhou Yu played. The shadows created by the fires flickered against the trees, giving the ancient boughs the illusion of movement. Wine was heated and passed around, the men regaling each other with tales of their bravery during the campaign against the Yellow Turbans. Several men called for old Huang Gai to tell them some stories of serving Jian's father. At first he declined but several cups of warm wine eventually loosened his tongue. Only the sentries and Ce himself were not held rapt by the venerable warrior's account of days gone by.

Ce listened with half an ear, still lost in his own thoughts. He could not determine if his unease was based on the unlikelihood of their mission's success or whether there was another factor at play, something he could not articulate. The flickering shadows among the trees made him think of the dimly lit bedchamber he shared with Da Qiao back in Baifu. Sometimes he would tease his wife, pointing out fleeting shadow movements on the wall, whispering in her ear that her father had sent assassins to take her back…

"Father, get down!" he roared, surging to his feet. Sun Jian's surprise lasted less than a second and he ducked and covered himself. Zhou Yu had also leapt to his feet, his curved blade in hand. Arrows and deadly darts hissed out of the woods, aimed at the lord of Jiang Dong and his subordinates. Ce vaulted backwards, barely dodging several deadly spikes embedding themselves in the log he had been sitting on. Instantly he had his tonfa in hand, eyes searching for foes as wild cries sprung up around them.

Amidst the hail of arrows, bolts and darts, men dressed in swathes of black surged out of the tree line and hurled themselves at Sun Jian. The lord of Jiang Dong was not to be cowed by an ambush, however, and sprang at his assailants, sword in hand. Beside him, old Huang Gai bellowed loudly and swung his mighty club in a wide arc.

Several assassins converged on Ce but he was ready for them. As the first closed in, he pivoted on the ball of his foot and spun around the foe, blindingly fast. Momentum carried the butt of his tonfa into the back of the assassin's neck, snapping it and sending him crashing to the ground. Ce jumped and spun, his leg lashing out and the edge of his foot catching another across the chin, knocking him aside. A third thrust at him with a wicked knife, the blade flashing back and forth, forcing him to parry and step back.

Ce was not about to be forced back into whatever trap awaited him and swung backwards with his weapon. A dull, mushy thud indicated he had interrupted the planned ambush. The body behind him crumpled and he stood firm, facing his attacker to the fore.

If the man was at all intimidated by Ce's sudden stand he did not show it. His voluminous black sleeve flung out and a cloud of almost red gas sprayed forth. Ce shut his eyes and held his breath, determined to not be undone by this trick. He felt the knife tear at his shirt, missing his skin by the merest of margins. He swung wide and low in a great arc, hoping to either make contact with his foe or at least force him to step back.

Despite having his eyes squeezed shut he could feel them begin to sting. Whatever the agent was, it would begin to affect him before long. He sensed movement to his right and dodged, feeling the blade hiss by his ear.

"_He's measuring me! Calculating his strikes! If he were so determined to kill me he'd be attacking more frequently, meaning his intent is to delay!"_

He had to reach his father!

Da Qiao sat quietly in a chair, drawing her bristle-haired brush across the delicate grass paper. Her strokes were slow and deliberate, the calligraphy she was attempting complex and demanding. She was, of course, trained in poetry, but to create a poem worthy of her husband was not a task to be undertaken lightly.

Should it be a standard poem in design? Or perhaps a sutra? The Sun family was one of the few noble families in the empire as yet actively practicing Buddhism. However, she knew little of the proper form for a sutra and decided against it. A heroic poem suited him best, but she did not believe she had the epic nature that would allow such grandiose words to flow from her brush.

"_They'll be gone at least two months, it's only been a week. You have plenty of time to get this right."_

She sighed and replaced the grass paper with a fresh sheet. She thanked the gods for her innate patience, because this was bordering on frustrating.

"Is there anything I can get for you, my lady?" came a now familiar voice from the door of the room. Da Qiao turned and saw Fang Yu waiting for her, her stunning red hair and green eyes complimented by the emerald dress she wore.

The girl had been awarded to the Sun family as part of their enfeoffment. She was a former servant of the imperial family, her domestic skills beyond compare. Sun Jian had given her to Ce as a reward for his pivotal role in the defeat of Zhang Jiao. Ce, having no need of such a domestic, assigned her to look after his wife.

"I… I'm fine, thank you, Fang Yu." Da Qiao said finally, forcing a smile.

Fang Yu smiled in return. "Worry not, my lady, the young lord will be safe and shall return from his mission in triumph, as he always does."

Da Qiao pushed herself away from the table she was working at and walked over to where Fang Yu stood. She was taller than Da Qiao, her eyes intense and penetrating. Some may have been intimidated by Fang Yu's unusual green eyes, but Da Qiao was aware of the legend that green eyes indicated that the person was a descendant of the dragon-king and possessed of superlative talent and intelligence.

"You seem tired, my lady." The redhead said gently. "Perhaps you should turn in?"

Da Qiao nodded. She felt listless and uneasy, but nothing seemed to help, so bed was where she was least likely to get in trouble. She ascended to the bedchamber and disrobed. She stepped into the bath and allowed Fang Yu to wash her and scent her body with the exotic herbs Ce had acquired for her. The heady aromas made her drowsy and she started to drift off. Fang Yu helped her from the water and clad her loosely in a sleeping robe before putting her on the bed. She waited until she was sure her mistress was asleep before exiting the room, dousing the lights as she did so.

Fang Yu walked down the hallway, confident in her ability to keep up this pretense until the signal was given. She had not been told what the signal was, nor when it would happen, only that she would certainly recognize it. And when it happened, the thin, wicked blade that she carried against her inner thigh would become the weapon that toppled one of the most ancient families in China…


	7. Chapter 7

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 5**

Da Qiao stared at the ceiling of her bedchamber. Sleep eluded her, in spite of how tired she felt. Something was vaguely bothering her, something she could not put her finger on.

She sighed and turned onto her stomach, staring now at the wall. She did not feel ill, just out of sorts, like something she should be aware of was preying on the edge of her consciousness.

"_Ce… I hope you're alright. I think I'm worried about you, but I don't know why. Please, my lord, be safe…"_

There was a knock at her door. Xiao Qiao peeked in.

"Sis? You awake?"

"I am now," Da Qiao said, sitting up. "Come in already."

The young sister moved quietly into the room and sat in a chair not far from Da. She shifted around uncomfortably, as if something was bothering her as well.

"Do… do you think they're okay?" she asked.

"I would hope so, they've only been gone a week." Da Qiao responded, trying to sound encouraging. She was relatively certain that Xiao would detect the placating tone in her voice, but she felt the need to hear herself say these things.

"We should've gone with them." Xiao suggested, fidgeting.

"No, Ce was right this time- we would've been a liability if we'd gone. If someone had taken us hostage the boys would be in a bind, wouldn't they?"

Xiao looked petulant. "I just get worried. I think something has happened."

Da Qiao sat up and shook her head. "There's no sense worrying about things we can't possibly know, right? Would you like one of the sleeping teas?"

Xiao shook her head. "Can I just stay here you with you, sis? I don't wanna be alone."

Da Qiao relented, thinking she might actually be glad for the company. Xiao climbed onto the bed next to her sister and clung to her. Da stroked the younger girl's hair and spoke soothingly, hoping she would eventually drift off. Eventually she heard Xiao Qiao snoring and laid her aside gently. She lay a while longer beside the sleeping girl before admitting defeat. She rose and prepared some tea for herself. The scent of the exotic leaves soothed her senses. A few cups later she felt sleep finally taking hold. She crawled back into bed next to her sister and allowed herself to slip into a deep sleep, dreaming of her husband. His powerful arms were wrapped around her and she knew bliss, even if it was only in the confines of her dreams.

Ce drove the butts of his twin tonfa forward, feeling them impact and cave in the chest of his foe. Knowing the enemy was slain, he spun fast and low, sweeping the feet from an assassin who hard surged up behind. Before the man had hit the ground, the Wu prince was driving the tonfa down, crushing his opponent's sternum. He blocked a lethal strike from his left and struck back, forcing the foe to scramble away from certain death.

Ce had gained his stride during the battle, no longer worrying about his personal safety. These assassins, in spite of their skill, could no longer present a serious threat to him personally. His concern was for his father and the men. He focused his attention on finding the lord of Jiang Dong. He heard Huang Gai roaring in anger, doubtless throwing himself into grave peril to protect Sun Jian. Ce leapt in the direction of the old warrior's fury.

Sun Jian was indeed in the thick of the fighting. His tiger blade flashed and thrust with unerring skill, laying an opponent low. He was ringed by foes, all of whom were looking for openings, a chance to dart in and slay the enemy commander. Despite Sun Jian's skill and ferocity, sooner or later their guile would catch up with him. They had separated Huang Gai from the Wu lord, keeping the grizzled veteran busy while they cornered Sun Jian.

Ce met up with Zhou Yu, who has cleaving foes in twain as he fought his way to his liege's side. His blade was running dark with blood as he whirled and slashed at the enemy. A nod from Ce was all it took to know what the plan was.

The assassins found themselves trapped between two unrelenting warriors, attacked even as they hounded Sun Jian. Rather than fleeing, however, they pressed their assault harder than ever, knowing that life meant nothing if they did not succeed, and death was a small price to pay for success.

"_These guys are good…"_ Ce thought as he fought his way forward. _"Well-trained and professional- they're not going anywhere until they finish their mission…"_

He saw his father fall to one knee as a foe's blade caught him across the back of the thigh. Sun Jian shouted in fury and surged back to his feet, slashing in wide arcs to keep the assassins away. Nearby, Huang Gai was covered in dozens of wounds but showed no signs of abating in his frenzied attempts to reach his lord. Several warriors of Jiang Dong had fallen, protecting Sun Jian from harm with their bodies. Ce swore angrily and surged forward again, leaving himself open to attack in order to reach his father sooner.

An assassin had finally managed to get behind Sun Jian and lunged in for the kill. The lord of Jiang Dong sensed the man and thrust his blade backward, driving it through the man's chest, but not before a wicked blade had plunged down into his shoulder. Sun Jian staggered and threw the foe away, roaring in pain and anger. He staggered as the blade's poison began to take hold. His eyes swirled in his head, everything he could see viewed through a milky haze.

With a wild cry, Huang Gai slammed his mighty club down onto the head of a foe that stood between himself and Sun Jian. The man's body was destroyed almost instantly, so great was the force of the blow. Ce was already there as the old veteran lumbered up, his eyes blazing. Zhou Yu was hard on his friend's heels, his keen blade keeping the enemy at a respectful distance.

"Zhou Yu, do something!" Ce shouted as he sat his father down and then turned to face the incoming assassins. Huang Gai roared in defiance as he squared off with another knot of foes. The men in black were not prepared for this complication. They were acutely aware of how deadly Sun Ce and Huang Gai were- getting past them to reach their quarry would take effort indeed.

A high whistle sounded and the assassins began to leap or bound away, retreating into the shadows. Ce struck and lashed out at the stragglers, taking several down. Huang Gai threw one of his crude thunderbombs after them, staggering or stunning another three. They were made short work of by the warriors of Jiang Dong.

The fight seemed to be over, for now, at least. Ce harboured no doubt that the assassins would be back, however. They were too professional to leave a job undone, no matter how threatening the foe might be. They had simply retreated to regroup and think up a new strategy.

Ce should these thoughts from his mind and returned to his father's side, while Huang Gai arranged a guard detail. Sun Jian was sitting quietly, looking pale, but his eyes were shining with defiance. Zhou Yu had removed his liege lord's shoulder armour and was sucking the poison from his wound, spitting the tainted blood out on the ground. Sun Jian winced occasionally but allowed him to continue.

"You're gonna be fine, pop." Ce said, his face a grim smile. "It takes a lot more than a poisoned knife to kill a Sun."

"That is my hope too." Sun Jian said wearily, nodding his head. "The only question is who sent them? Dong Zhuo or the Eunuchs?"

"I dunno. We'll find out when we get there, I guess." Ce said, scowling. This had certainly been a coward's attack. Reports indicated that if anything, Dong Zhuo was getting more brazen and bellicose in his actions since adopting Lu Bu and conquering vast swathes of territory to the northwest. He had destroyed an imposing Yellow Turbans force at Xi Liang and then defeated the regional lords of Han Zhong. Obviously he felt he could act with impunity and no one could stop him. While he could in theory have sent a force of assassins to intercept and destroy Sun Jian, it seemed incongruent with his current method of operation.

The Eunuchs, on the other hand, were famous for their insidious tactics and subterfuge. With no direct command over an army such as Dong Zhuo or He Jin had, they were forced to resort to other means of achieving their goals. Any worthy army officer would have refused to march and directly attack the heroic Sun Jian of Jiang Dong- the man was renowned across the land for his valiant performance in the Yellow Turban campaign. He was no threat to China's stability, he was indeed a pillar of strength the Han Dynasty could rely on for support in its hour of need.

It was the Eunuchs, then. In all likelihood, they were behind this brutal attack.

"He'll be fine, Ce…" Zhou Yu said finally, standing and letting doctors lay Sun Jian on his back. "I've removed the poison from his system and we have herbs that will help with his wounds."

Ce looked unconvinced. "How can you be sure that you got it all?"

Zhou Yu shrugged. "His blood started tasting like blood, instead of having a noxious taint to it. It seems pretty elementary to me."

Ce laughed, relieved. There was no arguing with that logic. Zhou Yu was standing there, unharmed by the ordeal, so chances are his gambit had worked. "Good enough for me, then."

Sun Jin looked up at his eldest son, obviously in a great deal of pain, even if his life was no longer threatened. "Ce…" he said, his breathing laboured. "I shall continue on, but I do not know if I will be well enough to conduct these meetings. I am relying… on you… to act in my stead until I have… recovered…"

The look in his father's eye chilled Ce. More than ever, now he had to be the Lord of Jiang Dong. He nodded and clasped his right fist in his left hand.

"I will not fail you, father."

Sun Jian smiled weakly. "I know you won't… you are the strongest of my children… it is you… who shall lay the foundation… of our mighty kingdom. Pave the way for us, my son. It is… your… des…"

He closed his eyes and slept, the narcotic herbs the healers had given him taking hold.

Ce turned and looked out at the darkness. His blue eyes were hard and cold as ice.

"Zhou Yu…" he said quietly. "How dangerous was your tiger hunt in the far south?"

"Very, I dare say." Zhou Yu replied simply. "Let me guess, you're going to move the troops on while you and I go and hunt our enemies alone."

Ce nodded solemnly. "Can you think of a better solution?"

Zhou Yu lowered his head and smiled. "They'll never see it coming. I am glad to be here with you, my friend. We shall make the Empire tremble in fear at our names."

Ce clenched his fists at his side, the decision made. "Let's go…"

The host of Jiang Dong moved out, Sun Jian's litter surrounded by a construct of shields and hide. Huang Gai was in command and until Sun Ce and Zhou Yu returned. His orders were to make his way to the capital as quickly as possible and they would catch up with him. Ever dutiful and obedient, the old veteran began the march immediately.

Huang Gai spoke with Sun Jian briefly as the troops began their forced march toward the capital. The Wu ruler seemed in good spirits, in spite of his weakened condition.

"My lord, Lord Ce, your son, has given us our orders and we will execute them fully, unless you intend to tell us otherwise. My loyalty to Lord Ce is unquestionable, but you are my liege lord first. Do you have anything you wish to say?"

Sun Jian nodded. "Ce, did not tell me what he had planned. You will please tell me."

The old warrior looked uncertain, giving the matter some thought. "He did not say exactly, my lord, but he and Lord Zhou Yu have disappeared into the woods. We are to head with all speed toward the capital and they will find us."

Sun Jiang chuckled and then winced, his breath catching in his throat. "I see. For your peace of mind, old friend, I will tell you what he has planned… he and Zhou Yu suspect, and rightfully so, that we have not seen the last of our foes. They have gone to hunt them down and end their threat, away from our army, where they cannot reach me."

The veteran's eyes went wide as he let his lords words sink in. "But… that is madness! It took the frantic efforts of our entire host the first time to fend off their attack! How can two men, even men such as Lords Ce and Yu hope to fight such a numerically superior force?"

Sun Jian smiled. "Because Zhou Yu and Ce are warriors like no other. As formidable as you and I are, they are a breed apart. If they hunt these assassins alone, they have no one or nothing else to worry about- no injured liege lords or fathers to guard, no men to protect… they may act as they please, their only concern being the death of the enemy."

Huang Gai looked incredulous.

"Warriors such as my son, Zhou Yu, Guan Yu and Lu Bu… they are the men who shall shape China's future. If they come to blows, the earth will shake under the blows of such titans… but only warriors of such peerless strength can hope to end the chaos and bring peace to land."

Sun Jian lay back and waved a weary hand. "Follow my son's orders exactly. Get us to the capital and stay on guard for further threats. The eunuchs must fear us if they're trying so hard to prevent our embassy."

Huang Gai nodded. "It shall be as you wish, my lord." He nodded and strode off.

Sun Jian sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "No, my old friend… it shall be a Ce wishes. That is the way it must be. For the good of us all…"

The woods were dark, the canopy overhead only occasionally pierced by splinters of moonlight. In spite of the blackness, the two figures bounded the through the trees with remarkable speed and grace, making almost no sound and leaving no sign of their passage.

They came to a clearing and stopped, looking around. The raven-haired warrior looked at the ground and grimaced.

"Their tracks split up from here…" he said softly. "Do we go separate ways and hunt down our foes individually?"

Ce pursed his lips as he looked at the tracks. He was silent for several seconds before speaking. "It's a ruse," he said finally, nodding to himself. "They were worried we might follow them and are making it look like they split up, trying to discourage pursuit."

He knelt and placed a hand flat against the ground. He cleared his mind and listened to the earth, the physical world melting away as he reached out with senses beyond the mundane and began hunting his foe.

Less than two hours away, he sensed tension and deadly intent. The forest almost cried out at the vitriolic hostility of those hiding under its ancient boughs.

Zhou Yu waited patiently, watching his friends. Several minutes passed before Ce rose and wiped his brow, drawing a deep breath. He pointed casually with his tonfa to the north and west.

"That way…" he said simply. "About two hours. We've got 'em."

Zhou Yu smiled. "Remarkable…" he stated, turning to face the direction Ce had indicated. "Very well, let us be going."

Ce nodded and the two of them sped off into the night, merciless hunters intent on a prey that did not know what was coming…

The acting commander of the assassins sat staring into the fire. His superior had been slain by Sun Jian even as he managed to bury his blade into his target. The intervention of the damned boy and his friend had meant the mission was compromised. The retreat had been so quick there was no way to determine if Sun Jian had been killed or not. Certainly the poison he had been stabbed with was fatal, but they couldn't take any chances.

What if Sun Jian had died, however? What the host of Jiang Dong did next would be up to the boy, Ce. If he continued the embassy, they would have to strike again, for those were their orders- to prevent Sun Jian's embassy from arriving in the capital. The Eunuch Zhang Ren had made this very clear. Failure was not an option.

Another man swathed in black knelt in front of him and bowed. "What are your plans, sir?"

"We must return and finish the job," he said simply, fingering the haft of his knife. "We have never failed in a mission, I have no intention of failing now."

"Our numbers are considerably weakened, sir. Have we the strength to attack again?"

"It doesn't matter," the commander said firmly. "We slew many of their men as well. "They may be expecting us, but we must simply create an advantage for ourselves and exploit it. We will begin by targeting their leaders individually. We kill one and fade back. Our mistake was a concerted attack. If we whittle away at their command structure, the regular soldiers shall lose heart and become less effective each time."

The kneeling assassin nodded.

"We will find out if Sun Jian is still alive. If he is not, we shall kill the old warhorse Huang Gai next. He is the pillar of their morale. If we remove him, they may very well crumble. And those two young lords may fight like demons but they cannot defend the host of Jiang Dong alone…"

"Those're gonna the last thoughts you ever have, pal…" Sun Ce said quietly, smiling to himself as he watched the group of assassins gathered around their fires. Hidden in the edge of the small clearing, he made a gesture to Zhou Yu, whose fingers had drawn the deadly bow taut and suddenly released the keen arrow aimed at the man's throat…

The commander had risen to his feet and was giving his orders but the words died in his throat. He pitched backward, blood gurgling from his mouth as he grasped feebly at the red-plumed arrow lodged deep in his neck. His larynx, pierced by the cruel steel and engorging with blood, pressed against his windpipe and his last conscious moments were despairing ones, wondering whether he was going to suffocate before he bled to death.

Shouts of confusion rang across the makeshift camp, men darting about, wondering how their foes could have tracked them down so quickly. As they attempted to organize themselves for a defence, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu sprang among them like tigers, their weapons lashing out and striking down any within reach. Those nearby sought to defend themselves while others further out made ready to repel an attack. As they organized and waited, the two young lords of Jiang Dong massacred any who opposed them.

Astonishment spread throughout the camp as they assassins finally realized that they were being attacked by merely two men. How was this possible? Was it a suicide mission? It could not have been, for it was the heir of Sun Jian and his comrade who were attacking.

What manner of devilry was this?

The assassins rallied and sprang forward, determined to end this ludicrous game. What did these impudent whelps think they were doing! The assassins had seen them fight before, and while they were impressive, they were nothing these trained killers couldn't handle…

They were wrong. Relieved of the burden of protecting Sun Jian and the warriors of Jiang Dong, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were focused entirely on offence, the destruction of every available foe their only objective. The merciless hammering of Ce's tonfas and the relentless edge of Zhou Yu's blade crushed any defence, blunted every attack and left no foe alive. They moved with inhuman quickness, terrifying battle auras of flame surrounding them as they drove into the largest knots of men they could find and attacking entire squads with great, sweeping blows none could seem to avoid.

Ce laughed as he felt the joy of pitched battle course through him. His limbs felt as light as air, his reaction time bordering on prescient. In his opponent's eyes he could see their intent before they even acted. He easily swatted aside attacks and broke through the most determined guards, felling foe after foe. Nearby, Zhou Yu's blade ran crimson as he whirled about, his sword kata almost ballet-like in its application. A parry would turn into a counter-stroke, followed up by another strike at a different foe, a weakness in their defence found with unerring skill.

The assassins finally realized that the two men were near invincible in close quarters and were backing away, beginning to hurl darts and stars at their foes. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu made this as difficult as possible by never staying still and remaining amongst their foes. One man could not be certain, but he would have sworn that he saw the warrior wielding the tonfas actually blocked a spike with his weapon and send it hurtling into another man's eye.

Was it possible to defeat such opponents?

The two of them had been separated finally and they could be individually surrounded. The one wielding the tonfas had terrifying speed and power. The raven-haired warrior, while formidable, seemed to be not quite as fast and under observation his movements were becoming predictable. The assassins began to concentrate their efforts on Zhou Yu, perceived as the weaker of the two. Before long they were forcing him onto the defensive.

Zhou Yu blocked and counter-attacked, but he could feel their sheer numbers overwhelming his strength. Sweat poured from his brow as he fought to keep them from gaining the initiative. They closed around him, presenting fewer and fewer chinks in their defences.

Sun Ce laughed from nearby as he leapt against the trunk of a tree and kick off, his foot slamming against the jaw of his target. The man crumbled in a heap and Ce landed, already pummelling another foe into oblivion.

"Hey, Zhou Yu! Now is _not_ the time to be caught slacking! What would Xiao say if she saw you like this?"

Zhou Yu's eyes flared, a fire blazing deep within them. As he gathered himself he spun and thrust his palm forward. He felt the surge of power and a great blast of flame erupted from his outstretched hand. He was almost blinded by the brilliant flash as dozens of men were thrown back fro him, their bodies scorched and immolated by the elemental fury of his attack.

The young warrior stared at his hand in wonder, as if he couldn't believe what had just happened. He gazed around, seeing men fleeing in all directions, determined to get away from him. His sword was loose in his grip, the fight forgotten. For all intents and purposes, it was over anyway.

The survivors had fled deep into the woods, their mission forgotten in favour of survival. Sun Ce walked up to Zhou Yu, his characteristic cocky grin in place. He clapped his friend on the shoulder.

"Some fight, huh?" the heir of the Sun family mused cheerfully.

Zhou Yu looked from his hand to Sun Ce. "Was it… is it really that easy?"

"Pretty much, yeah…" Ce said simply, as if such displays of power were commonplace. "You just had to get around to it, that's all. Now it'll happen without you even thinkin' about it. It's all instinct, pal."

Zhou Yu looked around the clearing at the ruins of the assassin's camp, the fitful light of the guttering fire revealing a scene of appalling carnage. Bodies lay strewn about, nearly a hundred of them. Not a soul remained alive within the vicinity. They were dead, every one of them.

Zhou Yu's knees buckled Ce grabbed him to lower him gently. Zhou Yu's breath came in gasps as he felt a great exhaustion flood over him.

"Yeah, the fatigue's the worst…" Ce said, unconcerned. "It'll pass soon enough. You're gonna feel unsteady and kinda shaky for a while, but once your body adapts you'll be fine."

As Zhou Yu supported himself on his hands and knees and caught his breath, Ce looked around and nodded to himself in satisfaction.

"Yep, that oughta do it. We got around fifty back at the camp and this was another hundred or so… can't be too many left. We'll keep huntin', but I'd say we've ended their threat. Next, it'll be time to make the Eunuchs pay for their treachery."

Zhou Yu rose slowly and stood next to Ce, having gained his breath and composure. He smiled as he ran a hand through his midnight locks.

"Hm… the threat is contained but our work is not done. There is an empire to save, after all."

Ce made ready to leave when Zhou Yu put a hand on his shoulder. Ce turned his head to look at his childhood friend. Zhou Yu's face was smiling but behind the smile Ce could see earnestness.

"Thank you, Ce…" Zhou Yu said quietly. "Without you, I would never have known."

"Hey, my pleasure!" Ce said cheerfully, nodding. "Let's finish this and get back to our wives, huh? I mean, you're pretty and all, but Da's more my speed, y'know?"

Zhou Yu nodded as Ce leapt away, suddenly high up in the trees, loping along the great branches of the ancient forest. Zhou Yu laughed and followed. The curse of interesting times didn't seem all that bad when you were young ad invincible…"

Da Qiao was looking out into the sultry night, searching for the cranes that she and her husband had seen that magical evening. She closed her eyes and listened, hoping to hear their graceful voices. Instead, all she heard was the whisper of the wind over the grass and the distant hissing-croaking-coughing calls of Xiao's salamander in the menagerie.

She opened her eyes and sighed, thinking about the vile beast. It was growing like a weed, already longer than Da was tall and weighing more than the two sisters combined, twice. There was nothing it wouldn't eat, including Da's beloved peacocks. A separate compound had been built for it within the menagerie and it complained constantly about its displacement and involuntary severance from its food sources.

"Keep squawking, you fat bastard…" she muttered darkly to herself before blushing at her unladylike language.

"_Goddess, why did I say that?"_ she gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth, as if she were afraid some other obscenity were going to escape her lips without her consent. _"That was not like me at all!"_

She chastised herself thoroughly for such base behaviour. _"There is no excuse for such language, young lady! If you want to swear like a barracks trooper, put on a suit of armour and go learn from the men in the mess hall! Otherwise, behave yourself!"_

She walked over to a chair and sat down, trying to compose herself and figure out what she was so edgy and grumpy about. The obvious reason was her husband's absence, but that in itself would not account for such irritability… would it?

She wondered what Shang Xiang would have to say about it. Shang Xiang had many masculine qualities, but she was still a woman and quite knowledgeable about such issues, including men. It was no secret to Da Qiao that she entertained several lovers, both male and female, whichever suited her tastes at that moment.

"_It's quite simple, Da, really…"_ Shang Xiang would say. _"It's more than just missing the man you love; it's missing the love from your man. Do you understand?"_

Da Qiao flushed as she thought about that explanation, embarrassed that Shang Xiang had not actually been there to tell her such a thing- she'd arrived at the answer on her own.

Her thoughts turned to Ce and the possible truth of 'Shang Xiang's' words. More than just his love, she found herself missing the feel of his body next to hers, the strength of his muscular arms and shoulders, his firm grip as he would pin her to the bed and take her… the power of his hips as he thrust himself into her, sending waves of pleasure through her until she would cry out and…

She shook herself from her reverie. She was sitting at the table still, but she had crossed her legs and squeezed them tight, bouncing one leg on top of the other. She flushed crimson. Was that really it? She missed lovemaking? Her big problem was that she was horny?

_Dear gods... how ridiculous…_

"Sis?" said a familiar squeak from the door. Da Qiao rolled her eyes and turned to look at her sister.

"Yes?"

Xiao Qiao looked embarrassed as she stepped into the room sheepishly. "Um, hi… first of all, _not_ my fault..."

"What did your lizard eat now, Xiao?" Da asked, her annoyance at the interruption showing through.

Xiao blushed and looked at the floor. "Just… just two peacocks…"

Da Qiao made a disgust sound and stood up suddenly from the table, flouncing over to the window and scowling out, her arms folded over her chest.

"I'm sorry, sis!" Xiao said, running to her sister's side, almost in tears. "I don't know how he got them, there's no hole in the partition or anything! I mean, do peacocks fly? I don't know if they do, but I can't-"

"It's fine, Xiao…" Da said finally, taking a deep breath and sighing. "I'm not angry about the peacocks, I'll just get more. I'm just generally irritable right now."

"Oh…" Xiao said quietly, pondering. "That time of the month?"

"No, Xiao…" Da said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, I know…" the younger sister said, smiling slyly. "You're horny."

Da Qiao gasped and looked at her sister in shock. "Xiao Qiao! If mother could hear you…"

"Oh, am I wrong?" the girl teased, winking at her sister. "What's so wrong about it? We women have needs, don't we?"

"Could we _not_ talk about this, please?" Da begged. "It's kind of creepy."

Xiao giggled. "Oh, it is not… you and I used to talk about boys all the time before we met Sun Ce and Zhou Yu! We even got mother to tell us things. It's part of being a courtesan, right?"

"Well, yes, I suppose…" Da Qiao admitted, not pleased about having to relinquish a logical point to her sister of all people.

"So you're horny… do something about it, then…"

"I'm sure I can control myself until my lord's return." Da replied. "After all… I was a virgin until I'd married him, right?"

"And you could get pretty cranky back then too, as I recall." Xiao countered. "I'll leave you to it, I've gotta find a returning present for Zhou Yu…"

Xiao waves happily and skipped out of the room, leaving Da to her private concerns. The older Qiao went out on to her balcony and took deep breaths, trying to calm herself. She found that she was uncomfortably aroused and not really sure what to do about it. Whenever Sun Ce had been gone before, she was usually too busy being worried about him to assess her own physical needs.

This no longer seemed to be the case.

_Please, my lord, come back soon…_ she prayed, folding her hands and closing her eyes. _To be without you is hard enough, but to be missing your sensual touch so acutely is worse than death…_

She drew a deep breath and headed out of the pavilion and over to the parade grounds to practice with her fans. Maybe some combat training would take her mind off these urges…

Zhou Yu ducked under a panicked blow and swiped backward with his sword. He felt the soft flesh of his foe give way easily before the blade bit into the bone of the man's spine. There was an agonized cry and then the man was silent as he fell to the ground. Zhou Yu withdrew the blade and flung the blood from it with a deft flick of his wrist. As he sheathed the weapon, Sun Ce landed lightly next to him, having taken into the trees after some assassins who attempted to flee.

"That's another twelve." Ce said, dusting off his sleeves. "The last one made a real run for it. I really gave it to him for making me chase him that hard."

Zhou Yu made a wry face, as something occurred to him. "Ce, I am worried… we have established that the Eunuchs are the one's who sent these assassins after us, yes?"

Ce nodded. "Yeah, so?"

"And we agree that the Eunuchs are treacherous and underhanded enough to try such a thing, right?"

Ce thought about what his friend was saying. "But they wouldn't be this blunt, would they? This can't be it, there's gotta be more. If this attack on us failed, we'd be arriving in Chang'an with lots of evidence against them."

"There's something we're missing." Zhou mused, his brow furrowing with concern. "If we have uncovered one part of their plot…"

Ce's eyes went wide. "The girls…"

Zhou Yu looked at his friend, his eyes bright with worry. "What do we do?"

Ce thought hard. "They already know we're coming. If one of us turns back they'll know we're onto them. Who knows what they'll do then?"

"But… to leave the girls unprotected…" Zhou Yu protested.

"It's out of our hands, pal. The girls are more competent than we give 'em credit for. Aside from that, my sis and Zhou Tai are still around. If the palace is attacked, there are plenty of capable warriors left to make sure nothing bad happens."

Zhou Yu seemed unconvinced. "I cannot help but think there is something we're missing, Ce."

"I know," the young prince said grimly. "But there's nothing we can do about it right now. We go to Chang'an, we complete our mission and we hurry home. That's really all we can do."

The dark-haired warrior sighed. "I am afraid you are right. Come, let us dispense with the rest of these thugs and get back to your father. Chang'an still lies some distance away…"

The two of them broke into a run, determined to finish what the Eunuchs had started.


	8. Chapter 8

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 8**

"Well, there it is… Yong'an." Sun Ce said, giving out from the hill the host of Jiang Dong had paused on once the capital had come into view. Everyone stared out at the mighty walls and soaring towers, determined to not show their awe. Their own capital city of Wuchang seemed puny in comparison.

The walls surrounding the city were tall and constructed of great blocks of stone, crowned with battlements that could protect entire regiments of archers, which could send deadly waves of arrows over any enemy foolish enough to attempt an assault. The gates that controlled access to the city lofty and strong, the thick wooden doors bound with bronze bands. Any siege engines that managed to navigate the killing fields surrounding the city would have their work cut out for them breaking through such an imposing barrier.

Colourful and magnificent banners flew from the towers and buildings. Barely visible over the walls were the elegant buildings and temples of the Imperial capital. Even from a distance of several _li_, one could smell the exotic scents of the city- spices, animals, thousands upon thousands of people and soldiers.

Sun Jian drew in a deep breath. He had recovered admirably from his wound, although everyone knew it still pained him. He showed no sign of his discomfort, however, and was his usual cheerful and inspiring self.

"Very well," he said finally, his voice firm. "We have none of us been to such a city before, but we are the men of Wu. They shall admire us for our poise, dignity and splendour. Never doubt your deservedness to walk in the hallowed places we may visit here. None except the Son of Heaven himself has the right to look down upon us. We are the men of Wu. There are none greater."

With a snap of his reins, Sun Jian led his entourage down the hill and toward the city. As they rode, Sun Ce turned to Zhou Yu.

"So, what do you think of all this?" he asked.

"I'm not sure…" Zhou Yu said warily, looking at the distant city as if he distrusted it. "There is a tension lying beneath the surface of this place. It may not be visually obvious, but I can feel it. It gnaws at the edge of my perception. It is unsettling. A war is brewing."

"Yeah," Ce said, nodding his agreement. "I know what you mean. Danger is everywhere. Even if we are welcomed, you can feel the city's hostility. We are not wanted."

"Be that as it may, we must go on." Zhou Yu said, his voice grim. He and Sun Ce had only caught up with the Wu embassy a few days earlier. Their hunt of the assassins had taken many days but they had been thorough in their revenge for the assault on Sun Jian.

"I do not like it," Huang Gai growled in his gruff bass. "We know we are walking into a trap."

"Yes, and that is why we must go on," Sun Jian replied. "I would know the nature of the threat against us. Not all threats can be resolved by pitched battle, my friend. I daresay some of the most dangerous are not resolved on the field of conflict."

"_Know your enemy and you will be his master_." Ce said quietly, quoting the Sun family's ancestor, the Taoist scholar Tzu. "Whatever is happening, our answer lies within the walls of that city. Keep your wits about you but don't begin swinging until my father gives the word."

The scale of the city began to weigh on them as they got closer. The walls were truly massive, impregnable to all but the strongest siege weapons. Horns sounded as they approached, alerting the guards within to the approach of an armed force.

Slowly, the great gates opened and out marched an entire regiment of soldiers, their armour, helmets and shields emblazoned with the Yellow symbols of the Imperial family of Liu. They each carried a stout polearm, the blades keen and heavy enough to shear through the barding that protected a horse. Above them, rows of archers lined the walls, bows ready for action.

Undaunted, Sun Jian continued his approach. Eventually a man rode forth, obviously the detail's commander. He held up a hand, indicating the approaching force should stop.

"Please state your business!" he called, once the Lord of Wu had stayed his advance.

"I am Sun Jian, Lord of Jiang Dong and the southlands of Wu. I fought against the Yellow Turbans under the command of Grand Marshall He Jin. I have come to Yong'an to speak with the Exalted Ten, the Imperial Preceptor or even the Son of Heaven himself. Lord He Jin will vouch for my lineage and right to speak."

"A dark day this is for you, then…" the commander replied, his face stern. "Imperial Marshall He Jin has been murdered. Yong'an is under the control of the Ten or the Preceptor, depending on whom you ask."

Sun Jian was silent. He had not counted on He Jin being dead. With the Imperial Marshall's demise, the lord of Wu had lost the only contact he had in Yong'an that he considered trustworthy. Who now would verify his legitimacy or his trustworthiness?

"We would then speak with the Preceptor, Dong Zhuo!" Ce called out, his voice carrying across the distance easily. "I am Lord Sun Jian's son, Ce, and I fought alongside the Preceptor. My men and I saved him from certain doom at the hands of the rebels on the plains outside Zhang Jiao's fortress!"

"The Imperial Overseer made no mention of such an event," replied the garrison commander, casting a doubtful eye over Ce. "Had you merited such attention, I am sure he would have made this plain in his report to the Son of Heaven."

"There's a surprise, he didn't mention our rescue of him." Zhou Yu said quietly to Ce.

"Reports in the provinces are that Emperor Xian tires of living amongst mortals, and may soon return to the Celestial Palaces of his ancestors." Sun Jian said. "In these sad autumn days, is His Imperial Majesty receiving visits or tributes from his loyal subjects?"

"Such visitations are arranged through the Exalted Ten or the Preceptor, of course," the man called back. "Do you have such an appointment?"

"We do not," Sun Jian replied. "But we have come on a mission we deem necessary to the welfare of the Han. Someone hostile to our intent knew of this, because we were attacked on the road, ambushed in a manner most cowardly. This is why I come before the Imperial City with a reduced retinue."

The commander did not react, but Ce noticed something in the man's countenance change at the mention of the ambush. He obviously was aware of it.

"We are loyal servants of the House of Liu," Sun Jian continued. "Anyone who sought to hinder our embassy obviously wishes to keep something from the Emperor. That means the enemy is within the city, not before you."

The garrison commander flushed. "You dare to suggest that anyone within the Imperial City is disloyal?"

"I ask only for a chance to prove their equal in such loyalty," the lord of Wu said calmly. "The Emperor called for the lords of the realm to fight against the Yellow Turbans and we were the first to respond. We bore the brunt of the fighting and my eldest son was the one who slew Zhang Jiao. Rather than rest on such accomplishment, we have come to Yong'an to find out in what measure we can continue to show such fidelity."

"If the Son of Heaven requires such displays of loyalty, you will no doubt be summoned," the commander said coldly. "We do not allow just anyone into the Imperial City, no matter how grand or legitimate they believe their claim to be."

"I will not abide by this heinous treatment of your name any longer, father!" Ce said angrily, his horse rearing as he brandished his tonfas. He glared accusingly at the garrison commander, pointing with the butt of his weapon.

"I do not remember seeing your face at the great battle against the Yellow Turbans!" he said harshly. "You dare to take that tone with the Tiger of Jiang Dong, just because one of your ancestors happened to be able to read the words of Confucius!"

The garrison commander coloured angrily and leveled his spear, urging his mouth forward. Before Sun Jian could stop his son, Ce had galloped forward to meet the man's charge. They sped toward one another and the clash of their weapons was loud and harsh. The men of Jiang Dong swore oaths and drew their weapons while the garrison troops did likewise, the hundreds of archers on the wall bending their bows and waiting for the order to let fly.

Ce blocked a thrust from the spear point and then a follow-up strike from the weapon's butt as the commander lashed at him furiously. The keen head turned aside on Ce's tonfa and he struck back, causing the commander to dodge, pulling himself off balance. In the close quarters, Ce's weapons had an advantage.

The young Wu commander was about to deliver a lethal blow when conch shells sounded from the wall, loud enough for everyone to hear. The two warriors ceased their duel and stood down, the garrison commander riding back to his own side while Ce returned to his.

"Well, that got their attention, I'd say." Zhou Yu observed as his friend rode up beside and turned around.

Ce shrugged. "We had to force their hand, that jerk wasn't gonna let us in. At least now something will happen."

Something indeed happened. Once again the great gates of the city opened slowly and out rode Imperial Overseer Dong Zhuo, lavishly arrayed in purple and gold. On either side of him were two huge warriors, both resplendent in their finery. Ce's eyes narrowed, recognizing them without being told…

Hua Xiong and Lu Bu.

Hua Xiong was of above average height and strongly built, his face radiating cruelty and confidence. Lu Bu towered over everyone, his expression one of cocky indifference. He had to be as tall as Guan Yu, if not a little more, his magnificent armour decorated with gold dragons and vermillion phoenixes. Two long plumes trailed from his battle cap and in his hand he held a massive halberd. The chi he radiated was truly terrifying. Everyone except Ce felt the need to take a step back.

Dong Zhuo rode forward, gazing at his unexpected guests with arrogance. He stopped maybe ten paces away, accompanied by only his two generals. It was more than enough.

"Ah, the men of Wu," he said, not trying to hide his amusement or contempt. "What do the lords of the far and untamed south wish of us?"

Sun Jian bowed his head in respect. "Lord, we have come to discuss matters of concern. News of the strife in the capital has reached every corner of the land and the people are worried. As the governor of Jiang Dong, I wished to come and make myself available in any capacity you deemed necessary to help end the chaos."

Dong Zhuo laughed, but it was not a pleasant sound- it was cruel and derisive, a mocking guffaw. "I see," he said finally. "So the Lord of Wu possesses a deep wisdom that none here in the capital, our empire's center of knowledge and scholarship, could hope to match, is that it?"

Jian nodded in respect, but Ce could see his father was bristling with anger. "I claim no such wisdom, Lord, only the Son of Heaven could do so. I merely wish to be a dutiful servant and aid in any manner I can, summoned or unexpected."

The Imperial Preceptor regarded Sun Jian for a moment before looking at his entourage. His eyes fell on Ce and Zhou Yu and his lip curled. "Were you not the two I met on the battlefield?"

Ce and Zhou Yu nodded.

"I trust you were quicker to your lord's side than you were to mine." Dong Zhuo sneered. "Very well, Lord of Wu, I invite you into my city. Once we have returned to my palace, we shall see if there is some trifling way you can be of assistance to me."

Dong Zhuo then turned and rode back toward the town, Lu Bu and Hua Xiong beside him. With a wave, Sun Jian beckoned his men to begin following.

"That's about as well as things could have gone and they're a far sight better than I had expected." Zhou Yu said to Ce quietly. "I was quite prepared to end up a corpse on the field here, my eyes being picked at by crows."

Ce smiled. "Hey, we're in, that's what counts. Now at least we're a step closer to the objective."

"And that would be what, exactly?" Zhou Yu asked.

Ce shrugged. "I dunno, my father wasn't exactly clear with the details, was he?"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

They sat in the opulent personal chambers of Dong Zhuo, mighty Imperial Overseer and guardian of the Imperial City. He was seated on a great pile of cushions, no doubt because any chair would surely bend under his great bulk.

Despite his fat, however, Sun Ce was not fooled- he see the power of the Preceptor's body beneath his purple robes. His arms were thick and sturdy, no doubt a necessity for wielding the fearsome toothed blade that sat at his side. Behind him, standing with their hands supporting their weapons, were Hua Xiong and Lu Bu. The said nothing but stared ahead.

Sun Jian looked down into his wine, reflecting on what was likely to happen here. It was quite clear he could trust the Imperial Overseer no more than the eunuchs, but the former had yet to show his hand, whereas the latter had already tried to kill him. He hoped he was not forced to compromise to much, he dreaded having Dong Zhuo as an 'ally', especially since the fat man would no doubt see the arrangement as nothing more than using a disposable vassal.

"So, Lord Sun Jian of Wu…" Dong Zhuo began, the address carrying an undertone of sarcasm. "I have broken with convention in letting you enter the city without appointment; I hope you make this worth my while. It is no secret, as you say, that the Eunuchs and I do not see eye to eye on many issues, and they are sure to make my difficult for this breach of convention."

Sun Jian nodded. "All true servants of the Son of Heaven understand that our duties must sometimes transcend convention and earthly strictures."

He wished that Ce and Zhou Yu were with him, to give him advice. They both had uncanny insight into issues. However, Dong Zhuo had been quite firm, his business was with the Lord of Wu alone. Only Huang Gai stood by Sun Jian's side, acting as escort. The father had no doubt that Ce hand Zhou Yu had not been permitted because Dong Zhuo sensed in them this keen perception, not to mention it was a personal snub to spite them for their actions on the battlefield. Sun Jian was going to have to do this alone.

Dong Zhuo stirred, his face darkening. "Surely, man of the south, you do not mean to imply that I do not know my duty to the Emperor."

Sun Jian shook his head. "Not at all, my lord; in fact I thank you for this breach of convention, since it shows that you are a man of wisdom, not hide-bound by rules and strictures. I doubt I would have received so generous an offer from the Ten, who are generally perceived about the realm as little more than power-hungry bureaucrats."

Dong Zhuo's eyes glinted, even as he frowned disapprovingly. "The Eunuchs and I, as I said, are often at odds, but they are men of wisdom and loyalty, in their own way. The peoples of the realm should be reminded of this when you return to Wu."

Sun Jian studied Dong Zhuo casually. The Imperial Overseer was sizing him up, seeing if he could be used or if he should just be disposed of. If he decided on the latter, it would be bad for Sun Jian, for even with Huang Gai by his side, he did not hold out much hope for defeating Dong Zhuo, Lu Bu and Hua Xiong all at once.

"Well, to the crux of the matter, then…" Dong Zhuo said casually, leaning back and waving a dismissive hand. "I would like to hear the specifics of why you have come to Yong'an."

Sun Jian sat up straight, knowing he had to make a good case here. He had been hoping to see the Son of Heaven, but this was obviously denied him. Now he had to appease Dong Zhuo without ending up in his camp.

"My lord, as you know, the land is still not at peace. The Yellow Turbans may be gone, but they were just a symptom of the unrest, not its source. The regional lords are uneasy, since we have not received direction from Yong'an as to what should be done. We have no imperial policy, seemingly."

"You are saying that the regional lords cannot handle their own affairs without the Imperial City taking them by the hand and guiding them?" Dong Zhuo asked, smirking. He seemed to be enjoying himself immensely.

"I am sure that they are perfectly capable of addressing regional issues, my lord," Sun Jian said, not letting himself get baited. "But these issues are universal and stem from policies that are unsatisfactory- Empire-wide policies that the lords can do nothing about."

"Be careful whom you accuse of such villainy, Lord of Wu." Dong Zhuo said, his tone menacing.

"I was not about to imply that you were in any way responsible, my lord," Sun Jian replied levelly. "We all know that you are Imperial Preceptor and Overseer to the Emperor, that such administration is none of your concern. If a finger had to be pointed, it would most certainly not be at yourself."

Dong Zhuo seemed to bristle a little bit when Sun Jian told him he was the Preceptor and Overseer. "I think we both know that my function within the realm is far beyond the role of Overseer and Preceptor, Lord Sun."

"Of course," Sun Jian said, nodding. "But by that token, I also say that you would never be so mean as to impose such cruel taxes and strictures on daily life as are now suffered by the people of the realm. Once again, I say that the fault for such injustice lies elsewhere."

"So then you come on behalf of a coalition of regional lords who wish to see this so-called injustice end?" Dong Zhuo asked.

"No, my lord, this is strictly my own initiative." Sun Jian replied, seeing that perhaps he was making some headway. He'd struck a nerve by playing on Dong Zhuo's ego, the preceptor wanting to hear the flattery he craved. "If the Son of Heaven cannot find time to see me, surely there is only one other man in the realm to whom one can turn about such issues."

"And why would I deign to battle with the Eunuchs on _yet_ another issue?" Dong Zhuo demanded.

"For justice," Sun Jian said, bowing his head. "The regional lords cannot pacify their realms forever against such tyranny. The people will rise up in rebellion again, and they will not distinguish between those responsible for the cruelty and those who were not."

Lu Bu snorted in contempt. "Hah! Let them come! With me by your side, father, you have no need to worry. If they bring the largest army ever seen, I will destroy it for you with a single blow."

A chill went down Sun Jian's spine. Hearing Lu Bu refer to Dong Zhuo as 'father' was terrifying. He could not begin to imagine what Dong Zhuo had bribed this mighty warrior with to bend him to such paternal allegiance. Dong Zhuo was a man of greed and cruelty, whereas Lu Bu was a warrior without peer who lived as he pleased, ethics be damned.

"I do not doubt your personal safety with men such as Generals Hua Xiong and Lu Bu by your side, my lord," Sun Jian said. "But it still remains that the people _will _rebel and the Emperor will want to know why. What was he told of the Yellow Turban Rebellion?"

"Nothing," Dong Zhuo said gruffly. "The Eunuchs told him only that a trifling insurrection was afoot. They have addled him and left him feeble and weak. That is why he will soon leave us."

"Can nothing be done?" Sun Jian asked. "Surely this must not stand. If the Son of Heaven dies and they retain power, they will put a puppet in his place and do as they please. Things shall become worse than ever."

"It is arrogant of you to assume nothing _is_ being done, Lord of the Southlands." Dong Zhuo replied. "Such matters have long been known to me. Are you here to tell me how to deal with it?"

"I would never presume, Lord Preceptor, to tell you your business." Sun Jian said calmly. "I came as a loyal servant of the Han, to find out what I might do in these troubled times. To sit and wait for instructions the Ten might never send seemed disloyal."

"And if you were to somehow profit from such loyalty, this would not be a bad thing either, I assume?" Dong Zhuo queried, a mocking glint in his eye.

"I seek no such boon, my lord. I know it is within your power to grant immense status and power to those you favour…" He stared beyond Dong Zhuo to Lu Bu and Hua Xiong. "But I believe loyalty to be its own reward."

Dong Zhuo laughed, an ugly, pitiless sound. "You are an anachronism, then, Lord of the South, for surely not all lords see things in such an antiquated light. I somehow doubt Cao Cao would let fealty stand in the way of his ambitions."

"And Heaven shall judge such people accordingly." Sun Jian replied, nodding. "For those who put their personal well-being before the greater good are sure to be punished.

Dong Zhuo was silent for moment, trying to decide if Sun Jian was threatening him. He smiled finally, his eyes hard. "It seems to me that perhaps you are the one needing protection, Lord Sun, for surely these quaint notions shall leave you defenseless before your fellow lords. They are wolves, one and all, who would just as soon destroy you and eat your lands as assist you."

"I believe in Wu, my lord, and its strength and righteousness. Those who make enemies of us shall know our wrath. I believe our contributions to the Yellow Turban campaign are proof of this contention."

Hua Xiong scowled. "You attempt to aggrandize yourself before the Overseer? Were you not already rewarded handsomely enough?"

Sun Jian looked at Hua Xiong calmly. "I do not recall seeing you on the battlefield, general; and standing at its center, I had a fairly extensive view."

Dong Zhuo laughed as Hua Xiong flushed angrily. "Well said, Lord of Wu! You seem to have a spine after all. I was worried you were a yellow-livered pacifist, afraid of true strength and the glory of pitched battle."

"The men of Wu do not shirk combat, my lord. We are warlike when called upon to be, but we do not glory in death and force of arms for their own sake. The glory of battle should sing of duty and honour, not heads taken and peasants quelled."

Dong Zhuo nodded pensively. "I will tell you what, Lord of Wu… you may stay here as my guest while I ponder what you say. If I divine some method in which you can assist me in my labours, I shall inform you at once."

He then settled back further and waved dismissively, indicating that the audience was ended. Sun Jian bowed low and rose. "I am at your disposal, Lord Preceptor."

"One last thought for you, lord of the Southlands," Dong Zhuo said, holding up a pudgy finger. "It is I who admitted you into the Imperial City. You will be perceived as being in my camp now."

Sun Jian nodded. "I appreciate the honour you have showed me, my lord, but I know nothing of sides or camps. As you said, everyone here in Yong'an is loyal in their own way."

"Yes yes yes," Dong Zhuo replied. "But the fact remains that others may now see you as a threat to their interests. Even with my leave to stay, you are not always safe. Beware of agents that may seek to sway you or confuse you."

Sun Jian bowed. "Of course, my lord. Thank you for your concern. I shall exercise all due caution."

He then turned and was admitted out of the chamber.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sun Ce sat back and sighed. "Well, that might have gone worse, I guess."

Sun Jian nodded. "At least we are not dead in the fields outside the city or expelled in disgrace. However, we must remain on guard. Dong Zhuo was truthful about one thing, however- we must be careful. Enemies are all around us, the Lord Preceptor not least."

"It sounds to me like he would reward you quite handsomely if you were to bend your knee to his will." Zhou Yu said quietly, his eyes closed in thought as he knelt with his vassal and son in a circle around a brazier containing incense.

Sun Jian looked at his young advisor in shock. "Surely you are not suggesting…"

"Not at all, lord," Zhou Yu said, shaking his head. "But we must take into consideration how other people will perceive such offers, and what Dong Zhuo will do when you turn him down, as you must."

Ce laughed. "You have me worried for moment there," he said. "But yeah, this is sticky. We have no one to trust, except ourselves, and everyone's going to be making offers and threats. We're gonna have to remain focused or we'll lose sight of why we came in the first place."

"And that was…" Zhou Yu prompted.

"To find out who the real enemy was," Ce said simply. "This little war between Dong Zhuo and the Eunuchs is gonna end soon. The survivor is the one we'll have to oust from power."

Sun Jian pinched his eyes. "I have no head for these matters. You two already have this whole thing figured out and I am still grasping at straws."

"You did very well in the audience chamber, from what I hear, lord." Zhou Yu stated. "As you said, we might have been summarily executed for our audacity."

"There's plenty of time for that still," Sun Jian said grimly. "Dong Zhuo will no doubt make his offer soon, and then the Eunuchs will make their countermove. We must stand firm."

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu clasped their fists in their hands, bowing their heads. "It shall be as you say, lord. We are your unswerving servants."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Be careful, Ce," Zhou Yu said quietly as they walked down the hallway. "They may attempt to entice your father, perhaps intimidate him; but you they will coerce at any cost."

"Who're you kiddin'?" Ce replied. "I'll be amazed if they don't just try to off me. I'm worried about father. He's a warrior, a diplomat and a great ruler, but he's not a politician. We'll have to look out for him."

Zhou Yu smirked. "As I recall, it was _you_, and not your father, who got into a fight outside the gates yesterday, sir. It was not his temper flaring."

"You know full damn well, I didn't lose my temper. I just forced their hand. How would it look if the man in charge of the Imperial City's gates fell in combat? They had to call that one off, just to keep me from humiliating him."

"Maybe we should be thankful Lu Bu is not in charge of the city's defense, then."

"No argument there." Ce agreed. "I had no idea. I mean, I'd heard of him and how big he was… but to actually see him. He's as big as Guan Yu; who knew that was possible?"

"Just watch yourself, Ce." Zhou Yu pressed. "If they assassinate me, it is no particular loss to Wu. But if you are slain, then all is lost."

Ce nodded and clapped Zhou Yu on the shoulder. "Don't worry, buddy, I'll be careful. Aren't I always?"

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Sun Ce lay in his chamber, surrounded by dozens of rich pillows, trimmed and tasseled with gold. The heady scent of the incense made him sleepy and he lolled between slumber and consciousness, his mind adrift with weird images.

Great clouds roiled and flashed with thunder and lightning, black as the pits of hell. A great gold tiger with flashing red eyes rampaged through the sky, fiercely attacking demons with hideous purple bodies. The demons mauled and savaged the tiger, which fought back with unearthly ferocity, destroying one foe after another. Terrible flames licked and cascaded about the tiger's body, its scything claws dealing swift death, its great maw rending and devouring all who stood before it.

There was a piercing scream and a great phoenix swooped from the sky, talons lashing out at the tiger's face. The long plumes on the phoenix's head danced and bobbed as it mocked the tiger, which roared and bellowed, daring it to fight.

The duel they fought was horrible and primeval, unlike anything seen under Heaven. The phoenix, larger than the tiger, had unconquerable strength and skill, its piercing call announcing its arrogance to the world. The tiger fought bought with heart and determination, proud king of a mighty tribe of tigers who looked upon him as leader and protector. The two wounded each other many times, but were unwilling and unable to back down- the phoenix could not leave the duel, mastered by its pride; the tiger would not back down from any foe, for too much was at stake. To its last breath it would fight.

Ce awoke with a start, his heart pounding. The room was dark but he sensed someone with him. A gentle finger rested on his lips, silencing him.

"Be at ease, Lord of Wu…" said a soft female voice. "You were having some manner of nightmare and I did not want you to attract the guards by shouting out…"

Her voice was more lyrical than anything he had ever heard. It was the sound of thousands of rain droplets in a pool; it was a gentle wind whispering through tall grass; it was the singing of divinities from Heaven, a chorus of angelic voices, reaching out to him and calming him. With her words, he knew all was well and he was safe.

"Who… who are you?" he asked, still unfocused. "What are you doing in my room?"

"I am Diao Chan, my lord," said the mysterious visitor. "And I am yours…"

He felt her lean in and embrace him, her body to his. Her soft skin was warm and inviting, scented with oils and herbs that tickled his senses, enticing him. Her breasts pressed against his chest, her heart beating in time with his. He tried to focus again, his eyes gradually adjusting to the dim light.

"Let me see you…" he said quietly.

"Of course, Lord Sun." Diao Chan whispered. Her face came just in front of his, her eyes catching the light of the braziers finally. They were wholly enchanting, not seeming to be any one colour but shifting and malleable. If he perceived them to be green, they were green. If he saw brown, they were brown. Her face was flawless as white jade, her silken dark hair spilling over her alabaster shoulders. Her smile was enchanting, her lips begging for his tender kiss.

His hands came to rest on her hips. Her softness was unreal to him. How could such a lovely creature exist?

"You… are the concubine of Dong Zhuo…" he murmured.

"I am." Diao Chan said quietly. "But tonight I belong to the greatest man in the realm."

She pressed her lips to his neck and shoulders, kissing him gently. The touch of her lips was intoxicating, an almost excruciating pleasure.

"Lord Sun, your body…" she cooed, running her delicate hands over his hard chest. "Your muscles are so large and strong."

Ce head dropped back into the pillows, staring into the blackness of the ceiling. Diao Chan's hands caressed him, exploring his form. She kissed his pecs and his rippling abdomen. Her nails made his skin tingle as they grazed gently over him.

"My master remembers your service to him outside the fortress of the sorcerer, and he always rewards such valour and loyalty." Diao Chan whispered, her lips against his skin as she spoke. "It is, therefore, my duty and pleasure to treat the lord of Wu to a night of divine bliss…"

Sun Ce's mind was submerged beneath a flood of unreal delight. He felt his body alight with ecstasy as she fondled and explored him. Her voice wrapped around him like silken chains, holding him spellbound.

"I… I am not the lord of Wu…" he protested, his voice muddled.

Diao Chan smiled wickedly. "Your father rules in title only, young lord. You are the great warlord of the Southlands, the glories of battle are yours. It is you who travels the countryside, talking to the people, while your father sits in contemplation in your capital of Wuchang, like a great and glorious statue of heroes of old. I do not speak of the past, though, I see the future…"

Sun Ce breathed deeply, inhaling her perfumes. The heady aroma rushed through him. Her words rang in his ears. He could see Wu's future, greatest of the Han's dominions, gold and red banners flying from every tower; thousands of men bedecked in symbol of the tiger, a forest of shining spears marching by as he stood on the balcony of the palace, his fist punched into the air as the soldiers of Wu shouted his name.

"Men such as yourself are born only once in a thousand years, lord…" Diao Chan murmured, gently rubbing herself against him, feeling his ardour growing. "My destiny is to find and serve such men. Never did I think I would have such an honour…"

she crawled up his body and settled down on top of him. Her soft, yielding lips pressed to his, his hands almost involuntarily reaching up to hold her. The kiss seemed to last an age as her spirit spoke to him of secret desires and whims, a realm of bliss beyond what any mortal could know…

Sun Ce rolled her over, his weight now on top of the girl, his arms pinning hers. He looked down into her eyes and his voice was firm but gentle.

"There is no need for this, Diao Chan…" he said quietly. "You know full well of my marriage to Da Qiao, and no man was ever happier because of this. I see the enchanted bliss you offer, and you nearly enslaved me- but enchantment was all it was. My love for Da Qiao is as real as she is, and nothing can possibly supplant it."

Diao Chan's eyes widened in surprise- no man had ever resisted her before, not Dong Zhuo, not Lu Bu. Had this man actually resisted her?

"Dong Zhuo sent you to enslave me," Ce said, seeing the truth of it in her eyes. "I am not safe here, am I? If you do not seduce me, someone will come with some other leverage. Do not lie to me."

Diao Chan, as shocked as she was, knew when to admit defeat. She had overestimated Sun Ce's ego, always her greatest ally in the seduction of men. Even now, with this Wu warrior's involvement, she knew she was but a pawn, sent to sow discord between Dong Zhuo and his adopted son, Lu Bu. She was the key to the Preceptor's fall.

Wheels within wheels…

Her eyes glistened and a tear ran down her cheek as she looked up at him. She was indeed the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, but she was still mortal, once her glamour was broken.

"I am sorry, lord Ce," she said, her voice trembling. Her hand reached up to caress his cheek. "I only play a part in this great farce, a simple pawn in the great maneuvers of politics in the Imperial Capital. Forgive me…"

"I indeed forgive you," Ce read readily. "But tell me now… do we need to leave the capital? Am I right in assuming that Dong Zhuo will never let us leave unless we become his lapdogs."

Diao Chan nodded. "It is so, my lord. You will be destroyed. Whereas the Eunuchs struck against you back in Wuchang, Dong Zhuo's arrogance allowed you to walk right into his lair."

Ce eyes hardened. "That bastard…"

Diao Chan's eyes widened. "My lord, no! You must not even _think_ of attempting anything so foolish! Even if he were not a masterful warrior himself, even if he were not protected by hundreds of _Huben_ guards, he is secure behind Lords Lu and Hua. Even you cannot defeat such odds. Please, master your anger…"

Ce stared into her eyes. "You fear you have feelings for Lu Bu… Diao Chan, I have spared your life for this treachery of others, but know this… if I see that man on the battlefield, I _will_ kill him. Anyone who stands for Dong Zhuo's evil must be destroyed."

Diao Chan looked away, tears trickling down her face. "I hear you, lord, but I fear for you. Lu Bu cannot be bested in arms. You may be the greatest of mortal warriors, but Lu Bu is something else. Please, do not destroy yourself in such folly; if not for yourself, then for your beloved Da Qiao, who I see is the most blessed of all women…"

Ce rose and helped her to her feet. Diao Chan seemed small and miserable, her assignment thwarted. Dong Zhuo would surely be furious. Ce's heart hurt for her. He hugged her close, his hand stroking her hair.

"I think we understand each other now, Diao Chan…" he said quietly in her ear. "I see in you great things, a strong spirit that you yourself cannot seem to recognize. If you are miserable as a pawn, choose to be otherwise, even if it involves running away Lu Bu…"

She shuddered slightly and looked up at him. He brushed a stray hair from her face and smiled warmly. "I guess I should be flattered. I guess dong Zhuo figured he'd better send in his best troops. You nearly had me, I will admit."

She smiled weakly. "My lord, please be careful. Have your father make his excuses and return to Wuchang… the capital is about to explode, and there is nothing you can do about it. I daresay your presence have actually accelerated it."

Ce sighed. "We came to achieve the opposite."

Diao Chan shook her head sadly. "It is beyond such remedies, my lord. The emperor will die and be replaced by a puppet of whichever side prevails. Wu must be strong, in order to fight the victor. If you and Zhou Yu perish here, all is lost for your people."

Ce nodded and wrapped her silken robe around her. "I shall talk to my father in the morning and we shall plan our escape."

"That would be best, Lord Ce." Diao Chan said, tying her robe together. "I know I am an ally of the enemy, but please, believe me- I meant you no harm."

"I know, Diao Chan." Ce said, smiling. "If I ever see you again, I shall remember your kindness."

Diao Chan bowed low. "And I yours, great Lord of Wu, for so you shall be known in the years to come…"

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The sun was still low on the horizon as the Wu entourage made its way through the streets of Yong'an, heading toward the great gates they had entered through. Guards all around watched them with varying degrees of suspicion. The soldiers of Jiang dong were solemn and silent as they rode, led by Sun Jian, Ce, Zhou Yu and Huang Gai.

As they approached the gate, they could it guarded by the garrison commander again, astride his horse, his sturdy spear in hand. He held the weapon aloft, indicating that they should stop.

"I have orders to detain you here, Lord of Wu," he said in a firm voice. "Please do not dispute my orders this time, for I shall not be so lenient as I previously proved.

"And why are we being detained?" Sun Jian asked. "If the presence of my men and I rankled so much to begin with, what purpose is served in barring our way?"

"I do as I am ordered, Lord Sun," the commander said, his tone one of respect. "I respectfully ask that you be patient and see what the Overseer plans."

They did not have to wait long. Within half an hour, conch shells sounded the arrival of the Preceptor, accompanied, as always, by Hua Xiong and Lu Bu. Dong Zhuo looked vaguely displeased, as if getting him out of bed at this hour was a crime against Heaven itself.

"Did you find my hospitality so odious, Lord of Wu?" he asked. "Did I treat you undeservedly?"

Sun Jian bowed. "Not at all, my lord. But I found that my presence here merely exacerbated the situation, as you warned. Several of my officers were approached and subjected to enticement or coercion, not least of whom was my son…"

Ce noticed Lu Bu's eyes harden and the massive warrior glared at him. Ce pretended not to notice.

"It is as I said," Dong Zhuo replied. "Matters within the capital are best left to those who know its business. While your concern is appreciated, dutiful lords must wait for orders, not anticipate the needs of their superiors."

Sun Jian bowed his head again.

Dong Zhuo snapped his fingers and several porters brought forth packs and wagons, filled with riches.

"Please accept this as a largess from the Imperial Overseer, for boundless loyalty and previous services rendered." Dong Zhuo said grandly. His smile was triumphant, know that with this act, he made it seem as if Sun Jian and Wu were now his vassals.

Sun Jian, though dismayed, knew better than to refuse. Getting home was what mattered here- politics and niceties be damned. "I thank you, Preceptor, for your generosity. The Han can always count on the undying loyalty of the Southlands."

Sun Jian was about to turn away when he saw Hua Xiong peering at him, his eyes narrowed. The lord of Wu nodded subtly, the challenge accepted. There was now a reckoning between them. He would see it through.

Dong Zhuo waved his hand and the great gate drew open. Sun Jian led his men in a salute, shouting the emperor's name before turning and riding out of the city. They were some distance away when they heard the massive gates closing.

"Well, that was quite possibly the fastest diplomatic enterprise in history." Sun Jian remarked as they traveled down the broad, paved road toward the west.

"At least we escaped with out lives, a remarkable feat, all things considered." Zhou Yu said quietly. "I admit that I was constantly worried. I got no sleep at all last night."

"You and me both, buddy." Ce said grimly. If Zhou Yu picked up on the trace of irony in his friend's voice, he said nothing about it.

"We must go back to Wu with all possible speed." Sun Jian said, holding his sword in the air. "I believe that Dong Zhuo shall emerge victorious, and we must be ready to meet that threat!"

Ce rode along silently, thinking of what was to come. Another campaign, certainly more difficult than the Yellow Turban one. Dong Zhuo was well-guarded and ruthless. His strength was not sorcery, but brutality and sheer force. Lu Bu would prove a considerable obstacle.

Scenes from his dream flashed into his mind… the savage tiger and the huge, merciless phoenix, locked in a duel to the death…

"_It doesn't matter,"_ he thought to himself._ "Da is in danger right now. If we get back and it's too late… then diao Chan was wrong. Even if I survive, Wu has no future…"_


	9. Chapter 9

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 9**

Sun Ce's dreams were troubled. Normally he could sleep like a rock, even when everyone else was uneasy, but that was because he was confident in his ability to handle anything thrown his way. Tonight, however, was different. He knew that Da Qiao was in danger and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't send a messenger ahead, since it would be just as easy to rush back himself- the problem was that in doing so he would no doubt tip off the agents that were working against him.

Da Qiao…

He sat up and sighed, looking into the embers of the small, smouldering fire that remained in the hearth. His tent was quiet, the vermillion walls cast in deep shadow. He stood and wrapped a robe about himself loosely before taking a jar of wine. He did not even bother to heat it but just drank it back, the cold liquid driving fatigue from his mind.

Dressed and armed, he exited his tent and made his way to the perimeter guards on the east side of the camp. Everyone except the guards seemed to be asleep. He put and hand on one guard's shoulder and cocked his head back toward the general sleeping area.

"Get lost and get some rest," he said, nodding and smiling. "I'll take this watch, alright?"

The guards bowed and obeyed, thankful for the relief. Ce stood and gazed out into the darkness, his eyes to the southwest. He tried to see Wuchang, silly as that sounded, for he was many hundreds of _li_ from the Sun family's capital.

His crossed his arms and stared out, lost in deep thought. Why had he not foreseen this? It was so obvious…

"The young lord Ce is very pensive tonight," said a voice from behind him. It was elderly and pleasant, full of wisdom and humour. "Perhaps something troubles you?"

Ce whirled around, his tonfa in hand and took up a defensive stance. His eyes pierced the darkness, his senses alert for any sign of a threat. Standing before him was an old man, who stroked his beard thoughtfully as he looked at Ce. His hair was long and white, standing straight up from his wizened head. His left eye bore a curious blue tattoo. His robes where pristine and white, edged with the great symbol of the Tao, the Yin and Yang. In his free hand he held a deck of long, shimmering cards, the power of which Ce could feel from where he was standing.

"Who're you, pal?" Ce demanded, his eyes hard. "Talk now or I'll beat it out of you."

The old man smiled lightly, unperturbed by the young warlord's threat. "I am Zuo Ci, a humble sage. Perhaps you have heard of me?"

Ce shook his head but his eyes never left the old man, nor did his defensive posture drop. "Nope, try harder."

The man called Zuo Ci sighed and shook his head. "It does not speak well of our times when even the most prominent know not the names of the sages. I harbour no doubt you are familiar with names such as Lu Bu, Yuan Shao or Dian Wei, warriors all."

"I don't need a history lesson, grandpa." Ce warned. "I've got a lot on my mind, so unless you wanna feel my tonfa through yours, get to the point."

Zuo Ci nodded. "Of course, please forgive an old man his sentimental ramblings. You young people of today have little or no time for niceties, after all."

"I don't have time for much of anything and the only time you have left is rapidly diminishing. Last warning- get to the point!"

Zuo Ci smiled wryly. "I have often heard of your buoyant sense of humour, young lord, but to me you just seem irascible. Does this wisp of a girl mean so much to you? Surely there are others in China you could marry to take her place."

Ce's blindingly fast lunge and the furious strike that followed would have smashed a tree trunk into splinters, but he struck emptiness. He spun and his guard was up again, his eyes scanning for Zuo Ci. He was nowhere to be found.

"I see… you have deep feelings for the girl after all." Zuo Ci said, sitting on a stout branch several feet above the ground, looking down at Ce.

"She means a lot more to me than you give me credit for," Ce growled, glaring up at the sage. "What the hell do you want? You haven't said a damn thing about that yet!"

The sage disappeared in a puff of purple smoke. Ce whirled about, knowing somehow where Zuo Ci would be. His instincts were correct, but his powerful strike was stopped dead by a glowing shield as Zuo Ci held his tarot deck in front of himself. Ce strained with all his might, but the sage merely smiled at him knowingly.

"Your instincts serve you well, lord," the sorcerer remarked, as though impressed. "You are familiar with the Tao, in all its aspects. In just a few short years, you will achieve what few men, living or dead, have ever even pondered. But if this is to be, you must survive. Is this girl worth your life and your destiny?"

"She _is_ my destiny!" Ce hissed, straining with every fibre of his being against the mystical barrier. There was a flash of light and Ce lurched forward, stumbling to one knee. Zuo Ci stepped to the side and smiled down at Ce.

"Impressive," he said, looking down at the young man, who was gasping, his eyes wide. "You broke my mystical shield. But raw strength of will is not enough, young master. If you are to fulfill your destiny, you must have strength of body, will and intellect. Of the three, you possess the first two in abundance. The third is within your grasp, I deem, if you choose to reach out and take it."

"You sound like Zhou Yu." Ce said, rotating his shoulders in wide, slow arcs to open his rib cage and catch his wind.

Zuo Ci pondered. "Ah, yes, your friend- a remarkable young man in his own right; a brilliant mind, perhaps eclipsed by only one who is yet to come. His understanding of the Tao is strictly intellectual however, whereas yours is instinctive. The two of you are a formidable team. Do you see China's future in your destiny?"

"Why won't you just tell me why you're here, already!" Ce roared, surging to his feet, ready for another round. "I can keep this up for as long as you can, but I've got other things to worry about! So just get this over with!"

Zuo Ci nodded. "I speak of the future of China, lord Ce. The Yellow Turban Rebellion was only the beginning of the chaos. The greatest battles are yet to come, and from the anguish and blood there can only rise one supreme leader."

"What's that got to do with me?" Ce asked, his eyes narrowing.

"Perhaps everything, perhaps nothing," Zuo Ci said whimsically, turning to walk in a small circle, stroking his beard. "You are one of the men who could rise to rule China."

"I am no traitor to the Han!" Ce spat, his eyes flashing. "No matter what Zhou Yu and others may wish, I will not usurp power that is not mine!"

"That has already been done, my dear boy." Zuo Ci said, shaking his head as if despairing of what he contemplated. "Even as we speak, the emperor has passed on and the war between Dong Zhuo and the Exalted Ten has begun. The winner of this horrific battle shall install a puppet emperor and rule in their stead."

"The Eunuchs cannot win," Ce said, watching Zuo Ci warily. "Dong Zhuo is too powerful militarily. With Hua Xiong and Lu Bu on his side, the Eunuchs will have to surrender or die."

"They will die," Zuo Ci concluded, nodding. "And Dong Zhuo will be the ruler of the empire. He shall bleed it dry for his own amusement and aggrandizement, his petty pleasures and cruel whims. Eventually the people will rebel and the dead will be numberless, like grains of sand on the seashore."

"This cannot be!" Ce said, aghast. "He must be stopped!"

"Then why, if I might ask, are you riding to Wuchang?" Zuo Ci asked quietly. "Does not Yong'an lie to the west, from when you came?"

Ce shook his head, as if to clear it of Zuo Ci's baffling logic. "We were there, and our presence is what started this mess. Even if we head back, we are not strong enough to overthrow Dong Zhuo or the Eunuchs by ourselves."

"If I were to tell you that he _must_ be overthrown, what would you say?" Zuo Ci inquired, stopping to look at the young lord.

Ce was quiet for a moment. "We need allies; lots of allies. We'll need another coalition in order to overthrow Dong Zhuo. But even if we do, what then? Who takes over? Another madman?"

"Quite possibly," Zuo Ci said, nodding. "But maybe not, for some scions of the Han yet live, as you well know."

"You're talking about Liu Bei," Ce said evenly. "You think he should be the emperor?"

"I have no particular loyalty to the Han, lord Ce; my loyalty is to China. I wish only to see peace prevail, happiness for the common people. Liu Bei is a man of great virtue, but he lacks the strength of will necessary to do what needs to be done. Were it not for his oath-brethren, he would not be where he is now."

"Alright, so he's not your first choice. Who else figures into your grand scheme?" Ce asked sarcastically.

"There are many great lords within the realm who would aspire to the Imperial throne… Yuan Shao, lord of a family as ancient as your own. Cao Cao, though not of a great family, certainly has the ambition, intellect and ruthlessness to become master of this land."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Ce said. "I ain't bending my knee to that guy."

"Well spoken," Zuo Ci said, smiling. "So we agree Liu Bei is unsuitable because he lacks personal strength, and Cao Cao is unpalatable because his personal ambition comes first above all other considerations… who does that leave us?"

"Why don't you spell it out for me?" Ce challenged.

Zuo Ci merely pointed at Ce, his face unreadable.

"So you think I can end the chaos and none of these other guys can?" Ce asked.

"I did not say that," Zuo Ci replied quietly. "I merely pointed out that the others either lacked the personal strength or placed their own ambition ahead of the realm's welfare. China could be pacified by any of these other men, but only at the point of a sword and with much bloodshed would the peace be kept."

"That doesn't sound like Liu Bei to me," Ce shot back.

"Liu Bei is only as strong as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei… they are his powerful arms that seek to hammer out his vision of a peaceful and virtuous land. Were anything to happen to them, where would Liu Bei be then?"

"So you want me to supplant the Han and rule China?"

"The Han is dead now, young lord, it just refuses to lie down and accept that. China needs a leader, my lord, one who cares for the common man as Liu Bei does, but is a man of action such as Cao Cao is. In you is great wisdom of the true meaning of life, even if you cannot see it yet. All that remains is for you to reach and take your destiny in hand, as the gods do the stars…"

Ce stared at Zuo Ci for what seemed like an eternity. Eventually he shook his head slowly.

"Nothin' doin'." Ce said, his voice firm. "Da means more to me now than any glory or conquest I ever dreamed of. If I have to choose between her and your vision of a peaceful empire, I choose her; no contest."

Zuo Ci smiled. "She means so much to you?"

"Why're you even askin' me to rule China if you can't figure out something that simple about me?" Ce said, glaring. "I told you earlier I had no time for this and that hasn't changed. I've gotta get back to Da before those bastards hurt her."

Zuo Ci nodded. "I see it would bode ill indeed for China were she to come to any harm. Very well, young master, if you will allow, I can help you. My powers are considerable in such trivial matters of peregrination. If I told you that I could transport you to your love, would you consent to it?"

"Yes." Ce said, his voice leaving no room for doubt.

"I merely have one small price, one I think you will willingly pay." Zuo Ci added. "I wish for you to inform the regional lords of Dong Zhuo's treachery and see to it that the coalition to stop him is formed."

"Done."

Zuo Ci nodded again. "Beware, though, young lord- many dangerous obstacles lie before you, some obvious, some hidden. You know the meaning of your dream from the other night, where the great tiger battled the invincible phoenix."

Ce nodded slowly. "Lu Bu and I are gonna have it out."

Zuo Ci bowed. "As you say. The tiger, though fierce, will need allies."

"I'll look to the green dragon, then." Ce replied, his voice resolute. "If anyone is a match for Lu Bu, aside from myself, it is him."

"Might is not always be countered with might, young lord," Zuo Ci chided. "Heed now my words with patience and an open mind, for if I agree to send you to Wuchang, I expect you to make good on your promise. Lu Bu's future is turbulent and unpredictable, as is Guan Yu's. China's fate cannot be decided- must not be decided- by sheer force of arms. If they are superior to you in physical strength, then your own strengths must count for more."

"I hear you," Ce said. "And I understand. But until Da is safe, China is second in my estimation."

"Do you have everything you need?" Zuo Ci asked. "For time is running swift apace, and you must go soon."

"Send me now; I need nothing aside from these." Ce said, holding up his tonfas.

Zuo Ci nodded and smiled. "As you wish. Young lord, we shall meet again, I assure you. Remember what I have said, not only about China's destiny, but yours. Clear your mind, my friend, and think of your beloved Wuchang…"

Ce closed his eyes and let his mind wander back to his homeland. The mighty ocean, lapping at the shores, the warm wind that caressed the fertile vales, the people, well-fed and pleasant of demeanor…

And then Ce was gone.

Zuo Ci smiled to himself and stroked his beard again thoughtfully.

"_You are indeed quite possibly he whom I have been searching for, Lord Sun Ce…"_ the sage mused to himself. _"Your strength is far beyond even your own reckoning. You do not fight for another's ambitions, like the mighty Guan Yu, nor do you fight to bend China to you will, like Cao Cao. You will fight to see that the people are happy."_

"_Little do you know that you gave me the right answer- had you not chosen your beloved Da Qiao over the grand and abstract notion of China, I would have been very disappointed. Go to her now, for time is shorter than you realize…"_

"_And you will need her at your side in the wars to come…"_

_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Da Qiao turned over in her sleep, her brow covered in sweat. Her heart fluttered as she tried not to cry out in fear. In the dark depths of her nightmare, she saw her beloved lord Ce, surrounded by purple-skinned demons , their lanky, rubbery bodies belching forth great gouts of bile and filth, threatening to drown him. Even as she cried out helplessly from the titanic and impregnable bronze tower that held her captive, she saw him fight madly to dispatch his foes.

Her eyes widened as a great, fat demon loomed before him, leering down with disgusting and vile jaws, from which tumbled and dropped thousands of corpses. The hideous demon roared out a vile laugh, the earth shaking with its malevolence. Around the demon's feet, the Imperial City fell into ruin, toppled and laid low by its excesses.

Da Qiao cried out to Ce again, but he seemed not to hear her. He strode toward the demon, undaunted by its size and horrendous nature. The horrible teeth, like great knives, clashed and champed in anticipation as the young warrior approached. The creature's repulsive tongue licked out between the teeth, slurping along the bestial jaws in lascivious hunger.

Just when Ce was about to strike, a shrieking cry tore the sky asunder and down swept a blazing phoenix, it's eyes shining with unmatchable power and fury, it's fiery plumes trailing behind, like the tail of some celestial comet.

Ce turned to face the new threat and the clash was deafening. The ground shook and broke beneath them, a battle of gods on earth. The ground roared in protest, shaking from one corner of the land to the other.

Even as Ce and the phoenix fought, the giant purple demon laughed malevolently and began to stride toward Da Qiao's bronze tower. Her eyes widened in terror at its approach. Tall as her tower was, loftier and more inaccessible than any before, the creature's eyes looked down upon her. The closer the demon got, the larger it loomed, until the sky seemed to be filled with it. The great yellow eyes goggled down at her, dancing with wicked delight as it fed on her fear. She screamed in soul-wrenching horror as the great hand reached down…

She was awake, upright in her bed. Her heart was pounding furiously, her entire body covered in a cold sweat. She tried to take deep breaths but she merely burst into tears. The sobs would not relent as she gasped and tried to breathe, throwing her face into the pillows.

No matter how many sheets she wrapped herself in or how many pillows she buried herself under, she felt exposed and horribly alone. She could not feel safe. Her skin crawled, as if she wanted to leap out of it, such was her discomfort.

Shaking with terror, she got up from her bed and tried to make some tea- but her hands were trembling so badly that she could not even get the small jar that held the leaves open. She fell to her knees, sobbing again, her palms pushed to her eyes, as if she were trying to keep her fateful visions out.

"My lord!" she choked through her sobs. "Ce, where are you! What has become of you?"

She staggered almost blindly through the room, bumping into things and stubbing her toes several times before collapsing back into bed. She wept in grief and panic, unable to catch her breath. Her head pounded furiously, the throbbing ache overwhelming her until she swooned and fell back into evil dreams from which she might never escape…

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Fang Yu smiled as she heard the cries. She was standing outside the door of her personal hut, looking at the stars. Lady Da Qiao had become more and more restless since her lord had left, and her dreams had become increasingly uneasy.

She looked toward Baifu pavilion, wondering what torture the lady had endured tonight. She felt warm as she thought of the Wu girl's discomfiture, how beautiful and desirable she must be when her eyes were red with fear and exhaustion.

She was playing a dangerous game. If she were discovered, Fang Yu was sure to be executed without mercy. But she had been in similar positions before and had never failed. The Exalted Ten had many agents, but she was the one they trusted with the most delicate and difficult of assignments.

She had to admit, though, she was beginning to suspect that the Eunuchs had overestimated these Sun warriors. Their lineage may have been ancient and illustrious, but they were a good-natured people, honest and trusting. They were warlike, rather than belligerent. They were cunning but not devious. They were men of honour, and by that she meant fair play and honesty, not the jaded concept of dignity as so many understood it. The Eunuchs themselves were the most dishonest, conniving and deceptive people in the Empire, but they had great honour, because they were powerful.

She spat as she thought of the Sun family and what it stood for. Such strength was fleeting and trivial! True power lay in ruthlessness and a single-minded devotion to power. Power was not merely control- power was a boot stamping on the face of the lesser man for all eternity.

Because it could be done. That was the true nature and attraction of power.

Fang Yu's power lay in her beauty and cruelty. She beguiled people with her striking appearance and almost inhuman grace. Her flaming red hair, which men found so exotic; her jade green eyes, like fiery emeralds that seduced men to certain doom…

They called her a child of the Dragon King, _Shenlung_, but she knew herself to be a devil, a human being without mercy. She served the Ten because in doing so she was able to do what she desired with impunity, and that was destroying lives.

She had so many methods- she was a master of poisons, ingested or injected, yet always lethal. She was a master of many forms of combat, both armed and unarmed. She could even kill her prey with sex, one of her favourite ways of completing her assignments, since her ecstasy reached inhuman heights as she watched the terror in her victim's fading eyes while they died.

She thought of little Da Qiao again.

Yes, she would bleed the life from that one. Her herbal narcotics had already taken effect, robbing the poor girl of sleep and inducing soul-wrenching nightmares that reduced her to a trembling wreck. She had not left the pavilion for days, refusing to let anyone see her, even her beloved sister, Xiao.

Only Fang Yu was allowed to attend her, and that was exactly what she had planned. The wisp of a brunette would die very slowly under Fang Yu's attentions. Fang Yu intended to enjoy the last seconds of Da Qiao's life, her own body writhing with pleasure, even as the Wu girl's soul fled into the darkness of oblivion.

She shivered as she heard the princess' sobs, her anticipation growing keen. She drew and hand along her inner thigh, trembling slightly as another cry rose from the pavilion. Her fingers gently caressed her wicked blade, a delicious sliver of agony trailing up her hand as the keen edge pierced her skin. She stared in wide-eyed delight at the crimson blood that trickled down her palm and wrist. She clenched her fist, reveling in the searing pain it caused her.

Far above, something caught her attention. A distant star flared brightly, before dropping from the sky. As she watched, the meaning of this omen dawned on her…

The Son of Heaven was dead. The war had begun. Dong Zhuo's allies were to be eliminated.

And it was to start here, in Wu.

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Darkness… unending, impenetrable darkness. It was one of Da Qiao's fears. Everyone feared at least one thing, and Da Qiao feared utter dark. Not a lack of light, she had learned long ago to deal with such things; but true, deep and oppressive dark, the kind and threatened to choke the life out of her with its stifling terror.

Alone she satin her room, huddled in the corner, clutching as many of her pillows as she could to herself. Her head swam with sickening fear, her thoughts a jumble of nonsense and unclear meanings. All she knew was that she was alone.

Lord Sun Ce was gone. He was dead or he had abandoned her. Life was now without meaning, except for the horrors of this grim night. Morning would never come, and if it did, it would find her gone, her body and soul taken to the realm of nothingness, where blackness and horror reigned.

She felt sick, a deep and wrenching illness she had never felt before. Was she already dead? Was this the eternity that awaited her? Surely utter oblivion was better than such a cruel fate.

She wanted to cry out for Ce, for there, truly was her greatest loss. Sundered for all eternity and beyond from the one she loved… it was _that_ darkness that gripped her so tight, that hammered against her chest and caused her to gasp in pain- a loss so deep and acute that it eclipsed all other fears and terrors. This indeed, was her personal Hell.

The kaleidoscopic, sickly colours that swam across her vision formed fleeting shapes of utter nonsense, describing a madness and sorrow in such measure that her mind bent under the strain. The noises in her head were the mad rantings of idiot flute players, the belching and groaning of a horrendous ocean and a deathly, deafening silence that spoke her name in blasphemous whispers.

Far away, distantly she could hear a soft voice, one that she was certain she should recognize. It seemed to call out to her, calling her name; if, indeed, she had ever had one.

"_My lady! Lady Qiao! It is I, Fang Yu! My lady, where are you!"_

Da Qiao was not certain if her response made any sense. Her lips seemed thick and heavy, the sounds ponderous and unrecognizable. A dim light appeared, the ochre glow burning her eyes, causing her to wince. She should have been glad for the light, but it hurt and she recoiled from it.

The words came again, still distant, but closer than before.

"My lady! Thank goodness I have found you! What are you doing all the way over here? Come let me help you…"

She was aware of being assisted to her feet, the world clawing at her, trying to drag her back down. In the dimness she could make out the shape of her servant, Fang Yu. The red-headed girl looked at her intently, her impossible green eyes full of concern.

"Lady, you look terrible! You have not been sleeping, I know, but this is too much! You must look after yourself or you will die!"

Da Qiao's tongue still felt lumpy and cumbersome, her words little more than a drone in her own ears. She willed herself to ask for assistance, not knowing what else to do.

Fang Yu hand disappeared behind Da Qiao, who was distantly aware of the girl's arms around her middle, gently wrapping around her and squeezing periodically. After several patient minutes, Da Qiao's head began to clear, the world coming back to her slowly and with great difficulty.

"Thank you… Fang Yu…" she said finally, feeling breath returning to her body. Her limbs felt like lead, but at least she was in control of herself again.

"Mistress, you are doing yourself great harm with this behaviour," Fang Yu said, her voice worried. "We must tend to you at once!"

Da Qiao allowed herself to be led to a small table and stool, where she sat woodenly while Fang Yu prepared tea. With the servant's help, she swallowed back several cups. The heat of the pungent tea slowly drove back the heaviness of her limbs and the sickening dullness in her mind. She still felt oppressed and afraid, but her body was once more her own.

"This tea is a special blend, my lady," Fang Yu said, pouring her another cup. "It contains trace amounts of _aconitum_, which will help to enhance your senses, at least for a while. You may find normal sensations painful for a bit, but in your current state I would rather have you discomfited but alert, as opposed to senseless and slowly dying…"

"Fang Yu, I owe you my thanks," Da Qiao said quietly. "Through all of this, you have always been at my side. Even when the others abandoned me- my sister, my friends, my family… even my husband… you have never left my side, even as I slip quietly into madness."

Fang Yu smiled. "Not so quietly, my lady."

Da Qiao's own smile was grim. "That loud, was I? I am sorry. I shall attempt keep to myself, for surely nobody deserves such disturbances."

"How do you feel?" Fang Yu asked.

Da Qiao drew a deep breath. "Miserable, as one would expect; but the night terrors are gone, at least until tomorrow evening. This tea does indeed enhance one's senses."

"Good," Fang Yu replied, knowing that Da Qiao hadn't seen the glint in her eyes. The time was rapidly approaching. She wanted Da Qiao fully awake for her demise, because Fang Yu had such delightful horrors planned. The girl's fear and illness had been little more than foreplay up to this point.

Da Qiao sighed, feeling miserable, but at least a little more like her normal self. "You are very good to me, Fang Yu. Were it not for you I might never have held out for this long."

"And for what do you hold out, my lady?" Fang Yu asked.

Da Qiao paused. "Why, for my husband's return, of course…" she replied, as if she were puzzled that her servant had to ask at all. "I know I have sunk into despair, but in heart of hearts, I know he shall return for me and all will be well."

"Do not be so certain, my lady," Fang Yu warned, beginning the last phase of her game with the girl. "News from Yong'an is that fighting has consumed the city. It was rumoured that a contingent of warriors in scarlet and gold were accidentally destroyed upon their arrival, the garrison thinking them enemies."

Da Qiao went pale, her eyes wide and incredulous. "But… no… that's impossible…"

Fang Yu nodded solemnly. "The word came back yesterday, it seems. The garrison commander has seen wearing several trophies of his victory, one of which was a blood-stained white tiger skin."

Da Qiao gasped in shock, her hands flying to her lips. "Ce…" she whispered.

Fang Yu shook her head, eyes downcast. "I am sorry, my lady. It would appear that your husband has perished, along with Zhou Yu and Lord Sun Jian. None have returned from the embassy."

Da Qiao shook her head slowly, even as her eyes glistened, still wide with disbelief. "No… it can't be… such a thing… why… why was I not told immediately?"

"You have forbad anyone to see you, my lady," Fang Yu reminded her. "Your own sister, your sister-in-law, your bother-in-law… all have wished to visit, but your guards turned them away firmly, mindful of your orders…"

Da Qiao felt the blackness swirling around her again, her head reeling in horror. She clasped her temples and started to gasp, falling to her knees.

"_Ce… my beloved… it can't be true… it can't…"_

"Please!" she said desperately, looking up at Fang Yu, who now stood over her. "Tell me it's a lie! Tell me you're an agent of my husband, sent to test my faith in his unbearable absence! You must be! Nothing else makes sense!"

Fang Yu shook her head calmly. "I am no agent of your husband."

Da Qiaowas onher hands and knees, one hand holding her throat as she gasped. She could hardly breathe. What terror was consuming her?

'This cannot be… it cannot… Ce would never…"

"You must be strong without your husband, my lady," Fang Yu said quietly. "For greater trials than you can imagine still await you."

"No trials matter to me without my husband," Da Qiao replied, her voice small and suddenly calm as she stared at the carpet beneath her. A single, crystalline tear rolled down her cheek and dropped away. It seemed to take an eternity, and as she watched it, she could see in its depths the myriad futures she and Ce might have had together.

"Nothing matters," she said softly. "The earth may swallow me up and eternal night may take me now. Nothing matters anymore."

Fang Yu pursed her lips, somewhat annoyed by the girl. She had been savouring Da Qiao's fear and angst, but now she had retreated to some corner of her mind where even death and oblivion could not move her. This was most vexing to the red-headed assassin.

Da Qiao smiled sadly as she looked at the floor, her beautiful tear being absorbed into the ornate rug, to disappear forever.

"_As shall I…"_

She closed her hands in prayer and thought of her husband, his tender caresses and his warm smile. Her hands began to lock into the intricate patterns of the nine symbols of power as she thought of him. Perhaps this was a fitting way to remember him; something he was not even aware that he had taught her.

_Chu_, the strength of body… she would have no further need of it once death had come to her.

_Shen_, the direction of energy… As a falling star might burn out, she finally saw the wisdom in this simple gesture. It would be sad, beautiful and necessary.

_Tai_, the great harmony... Nothingness was a form of harmony, wasn't it?

_Sha_, the healing of the body, restoration of balance... There were some wounds even the Tao couldn't heal, though…

_Kai_, the premonition of danger… Her death was imminent, she could feel it. She cared not how. Release from her empty life was all that mattered.

_Jen_, knowing the thoughts of others… the minds of all she would leave behind, open to hear, their dreams, ambitions and goals…

Her eyes snapped open and her head whirled up to look at Fang Yu.

The servant was standing right by her, a wicked knife in hand. Fang Yu looked surprised to see Da Qiao.

"You bitch…" Da Qiao said, her voice rising in fury. "You've done all of this! You have poisoned me, sickened my mind, caused me to shun those I love and broken my spirit by lying to me of my husband's death! I see you now! You are an agent of the Eunuchs!"

Fang Yu recovered remarkably quickly. "You are full of surprises, little girl of Wu," she said slowly, a smile spreading across her lips. "And to be honest, that pleases me, for I was not likely to enjoy killing you while you were catatonic."

Da Qiao rose to her feet, her body shaking with fury, her red-rimmed eyes blazing with wrath. "There is no forgiving what you have done…"

"Perhaps not," Fang Yu said lightly, her voice unconcerned. "But that will be little comfort to you, my lady, as my knife's kiss sends you to the darkness you craved so badly mere moments ago."

Fang Yu's strike was blindingly swift, but Da Qiao was ready. She somersaulted backwards, away from the blade, which flashed in a bright arc where her throat had been. She righted herself and glared at Fang Yu, her tiny fists held up defensively.

"Oh, by all means, please do." Fang Yu cooed as she walked forward, her gait almost sultry. "Nothing would make me happier than for you to resist. It will make your death so much more pleasurable to me…"

Da Qiao wrinkled her nose in disgust as she saw the light of lust burning in Fang Yu's eyes, her red tongue sliding out to moisten her lips. She dared not take her eyes off her opponent, but she needed a weapon to even the odds. What could she do?

She reached to her side and grabbed one of the long-necked braziers, positioning it between Fang Yu and herself. The flames licked and spilled forth from the bronze container, casting a wavering light over Fang Yu's face. She looked almost demoniac.

"Oh yes, we all know of your heroism during the Yellow Turban rebellion, my lady." Fang Yu said, seemingly unconcerned by the brazier. "But I am not some brainwashed peasant you can outsmart. This fight goes on only as long as I take pleasure in it. Then it shall end, and my true pleasure shall begin."

Da Qiao thrust forward with the brazier and Fang Yu gracefully spun aside. Her knife flashed and Da Qiao caught it on the long metal neck of her make-shift weapon. She swung the brazier again, compelling Fang Yu to step back. The redhead's eyes danced with delight.

"Ohhh, my dear…" she said, her voice almost affectionate. "I appreciate you making this interesting for me. Believe me, our final moments together shall be quite passionate and dramatic."

"You're sick!" Da Qiao hissed. "What kind of monster gets arousal and pleasure out of killing people, torturing them to death?"

Fang Yu lunged in again, swift as a snake, getting past the burning vessel atop the metal pole. "Didn't your mother ever tell you not to ask question you do not want answers to?"

Fang Yu's strikes were almost too fast to be seen. Again and again, Da Qiao somehow managed to block the knife, sparks flashing as the blade danced off the pole of the brazier. Da Qiao kept her eyes on Fang Yu for as long as she could, but the psychotic look in the assassin's eyes was more than she could bear. She winced and turned her face away, her eyes squeezed shut.

"_Do not give in… Ce is alive! He's coming back to you! He needs you to be strong! Do not let Fang Yu's sickness beat you!"_

With a great cry she whirled the brazier about and swung it in a great arc. Fang Yu ducked but Da Qiao had been ready. She was already driving her foot forward, slamming it directly into the other woman's chest.

Fang Yu wheezed and staggered back, her eyes now wild with fury. Her hand gripped her knife so tight that her knuckles whitened around it.

"You dare!" she spat, her eyes blazing. "Perhaps I might have pleasured you as you died, girl of Wu, but now it shall not be so. The ecstasy shall be all mine, I promise you!"

Da Qiao spun the brazier in front of herself, keeping Fang Yu at bay while she thought of what to do. She needed time to think and she somehow doubted Fang Yu would afford her any of that.

With uncanny intuition, Fang Yu had already timed the arc of the brazier, where its heavy ends slowed the circle Da Qiao was spinning it in. She stepped in on an oblique angle, her hand coming to rest on the pole, her iron grip stopping it dead. She thrust the knife forward, its tip aimed at Da Qiao's shoulder.

Da Qiao cried out and fell back, an icy pain springing from where the knife pierced her. The wound was not deep but it seared her mind, driving all coherent thought from her.

Fang Yu was on her in an instant, standing behind her, pinning Da Qiao's arms while her hand gripped the Wu girl's chin and pulled up, exposing her neck.

"Yes, you have been a most delightful little morsel," Fang Yu hissed in Da Qiao's ear, her eyes glinting with hideous lust. "And here is the end for you, but the beginning of another pleasure for me…"

The knife was pressed to the soft skin of Da Qiao's neck. She shook in terror, certain that the end had come. Fang Yu's breath panted in her ear.

"Oh, my lady…" she whispered, sliding her tongue up the side of Da Qiao's neck to her ear. "Oh, what bliss you give me…"

Fang Yu's free hand slid down her victim's neck and over her shoulders, the fingers caressing lightly over Da Qiao's breasts. She shuddered in revulsion as Fang Yu pressed into her from behind. The knife's keen edge never left her neck.

"_Ce… forgive me…"_

Da Qiao turned her head in and pressed her lips to Fang Yu's. The assassin's eyes widened in shock but then flared in a frenzy of lust. She responded by pushing her tongue into Da Qiao's mouth with devilish eagerness. Da Qiao squeezed her eyes shut…

Fang Yu snapped her head back, shrieking in pain, blood bubbling from her mouth. She staggered away, hands clasped to her lips, her knife clattering to the floor. Her own lips streaked with Fang Yu's blood, Da Qiao heaved a stout wooden chair and with a cry of hate slammed it across the assassin's head. Fang Yu spun about and slumped to the floor, lying on her face.

Da Qiao stood over her foe, panting heavily as she tried to gain control of herself. She felt tears stinging her eyes and she trembled with unbridled fury at her violation. Rage welled up within her and she raised the chair over her head, determined to smash Fang Yu into nothing.

"I think that's enough for now, Da…"

The chair dropped from Da Qiao's hands, even she held it over her head to strike a terrible blow. She spun around to see Ce standing in the doorway, his ever-present smile on his face.

The girl cried out and flung herself across the room and into her husband's arms, sobbing in relief. Ce held her close, stroking her hair.

"I thought you were dead…" Da Qiao choked, tears streaming down her cheeks as she buried her face in his shoulder. "She told me you… my lord, I'm so sorry…"

"It's alright, Da," Ce said quietly, trying to calm her. "I'm here now, and I'm not dead. I've told you before, I'm not going anywhere without you."

Da Qiao looked up into his face and wiped a tear away, sniffling. "I'm sorry I'm so weak, my lord. How could I have doubted you?

Ce shook his head, smiling down at her in adoration. "How did I get so lucky? You're not weak, Da, you just don't know your own strength…"

Ce now looked over at the prostrate Fang Yu and his eyes hardened. "Neither did she, apparently."

The warlord took Da Qiao and firmly set her aside. "Stay back," he said, as he strode toward Fang Yu. He looked down at her, unmoving. With his toe he rolled her onto her back. Her eyes were shut and blood was drooling from the wreck of her mouth where Da Qiao had bitten her.

Ce reached down and took her by the neck, hoisting Fang Yu to her feet. As he stared at her, the assassin's eyes fluttered open. She seemed dazed for moment, but as she became aware of her surroundings she recognized Ce and began to react. His fingers pinched into the nerve clusters at the base of her neck and Fang Yu screech and went rigid, her body paralyzed by pain.

"I should have known…" Sun Ce said, his voice cold, hard as iron. "Your plot has failed, Fang Yu. And even now, back in the capital, Dong Zhuois destroyingthe Eunuchs. Your masters are dead, as are you."

She tried to struggle, her eyes wild with hate. "No!" she gasped, her lungs screaming in agony as she forced the breath through shuddering muscles. "You are dead! I have foreseen it! I will kill you and drink your blood, before taking your wisp of a bride to Hell!"

Ce's eyes narrowed at her threat to Da Qiao. "Bad idea, lady. I might have spared you, but you had to go and threaten Da. The next few minutes of you life will be your last, because you have a date with an executioner's axe."

Ce snapped his fingers and several guards came into the room. He looked at them and his eyes flashed. Da Qiao almost took a step back in dismay- never had she seen such a deadly gleam in them before.

"This girl is a spy of the Eunuchs," Ce said roughly. "She tried to kill my wife. She is to be taken out to the execution grounds and beheaded immediately. Understood?"

The guards nodded and Ce shoved Fang Yu away roughly. As she stumbled, the Wu soldiers were on her instantly, binding her securely, her wrists behind her back and the cord around her neck lashed to her wrists. As she struggled she discovered that any movement from her hands tightened the binding around her neck. If she moved, she choked. Her eyes were wide as the shackled her legs, hampering her movement further.

Moments later, Xiao Qiao, Shang Zhang and Sun Quan came rushing in, accompanied by Zhou Tai and several more guards. They were all wide-eyed at the scene before them. Xiao rushed immediately to her sister and hugged her tight.

"Brother!" Quan said, shaking his head in disbelief. "How did you-"

"I'll tell you later," Ce replied, his tone brooking no argument. "Fang Yu is an assassin. She sent by the Eunuchs to destroy the Sun family, starting with Da. Quan, Zhou Tai, come with me. We're going to witness her execution and make sure this devil does not escape and return to plague us. Sis, stay with Da and keep her company until I get back."

Da Qiao rushed forward and put her arms on Ce shoulders, her eyes wide with fright.

"My lord! Please! Do not leave me! I just got you back!"

Ce took her gently and placed his forehead to hers. His voice was soft and filled with understanding and love.

"Da, I'm not going anywhere. But this has to be done. Will you ever sleep again, thinking there might be even a small chance this psycho is still around?"

Da Qiao clung to him. "No…" she admitted in a small voice.

"Then, let me take care of this. You handled yourself magnificently, but I am the reigning lord and dealing out justice and death are my responsibility. I'll be back when this is over. I promise…"

Da Qiao finally let go and just watched as Ce, Quan and Zhou Tai filed out of the room, following the guard detail, Fang Yu being held at spear point. Shang Xiang and Xiao both came up to the elder Qiao girl and held her, just letting her feel that she was not alone.

They led her to a chair and Shang Xiang made tea while Xiao stroked her hand and tried to occupy her mind.

Some minutes later there was a dreadful, terrified scream from outside and Da Qiao shuddered in fright. Xiao hugged her sister as tightly as she could, waiting for the dreadful noise to finally end. There was a distant 'thunk!' and Fang Yu's cries stopped abruptly. The girls all sat in silence, waiting for the men to return. Eventually, Ce could be heard returning to the pavilion.

"I want that thing locked in an iron box. I'll be by to inspect it later. And make sure there's nothing left of the body! Burn it good!"

Eventually the young lord came back into the bedchamber. He sighed and then smiled.

"Well, I'm back…"

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They lay together in the dim light, Ce having increased the illumination from the lamps and braziers in light of Da Qiao's earlier experience. The girl was laying half on his bare chest, her eyes distant.

Ce smiled down at her. "I know this is a dumb question, but what's on your mind?"

It was several seconds before Da Qiao answered. "I guess I'm just worried…"

"Why worried?"

She drew a breath. "Because… Fang Yu used narcotics to poison me, to enslave me, prepare me for her terrible plans… it's so tempting to just blame her schemes and the narcotics for my mental state, believing that you were dead and never returning, but…"

Ce was silent while she struggled with herself. Her could feel her chest trembling as she tried her hardest not to cry.

"I… I am worried that maybe it wasn't Fang Yu's poisons, my lord. Why if I _was_ convinced that you were never coming back? What does that say of me?"

He hugged her close and kisses the top of her head. "It says you're human, Da. I didn't marry some immovable goddess."

Da Qiao looked up at her husband, her eyes glistening. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Ce smiled. "What's to forgive, Da? What happened when you thought I was dead?"

Da was very still as she thought about that. "I wanted to die."

"And what make you fight back against Fang Yu?" Ce asked.

She snuggled closer to him. "I realized you were alive. I saw into her black heart and realized what she'd done."

"Then what's to forgive? You fought for us when it really counted, didn't you?"

Da Qiao nodded.

"And near as I can tell, you really did a number on her," Ce added.

His wife snuggled closer to his chest, as if embarrassed by the revelation.

"I can't believe I kissed her…" Da Qiao said, her voice barely a whisper.

Ce couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, it should've been hot, but it sounds like it wasn't."

Da Qiao grumbled and thumped him on the chest. There was a long period of silence, with Da Qiao lost in thought.

She stirred finally. "My lord, what do you do when there's a part of yourself that you hate?"

Ce looked down at her. "What do you mean?"

Da Qiao sighed. "I've seen a deep and horrible darkness in myself now, my lord. It terrified me."

Ce kissed her head gently. "I think everyone has that side to them, Da. It may be deep and it may take an ugly form, but it's there and we just have to learn to deal with it."

Da Qiao gripped her husband tightly. "I hate it."

Ce hugged her gently and her fears melted away. "It kept you strong and safe for me. That's all that matters…"


	10. Chapter 10

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 8**

**Author's Note: **Sorry about uplaoding this chapter again, guys, I forgot that doesn't like my chapter breaks and the wife says it read somewhat confusingly without them. Here it is again, hopefully legible. Enjoy, and don't forget to review!

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Nearly six months had passed since Sun Jian's return from the capital. Much had happened in that time and the crisis had come to a head. The emperor Ling had died and the capital was engulfed in conflict. The Exalted Ten Eunuchs and Imperial Preceptor Dong Zhuo fought for control of the Imperial City and eventually Dong Zhuo prevailed. He had the eunuchs beheaded and their followers slaughtered.

With none left to oppose him, Dong Zhuo declared himself prime minister and set a puppet emperor, Xian, on the throne. His cruelty and excesses became ever more outrageous. Fearing reprisals, he relocated the capital to Luoyang, a city he found much more to his liking and easily defendable. He had several thousand bronze statues melted down and turned into coin, which were flooded into the market and currency was in danger of becoming worthless.

Sun Jian had sent forth messengers to the other regional lords, warning them of Dong Zhuo's treachery and the need for action. Reaction had been slow, but as word of the so-called Prime Minister's blatant criminal conduct grew, the regional lords felt compelled to finally act. A great coalition had been mustered, greater than even the one formed against the Yellow Turbans.

And it was on a mighty plain that the great lords of the Han gathered, to confer and march against the hated Dong Zhuo.

Sun Ce looked around from the hill his tent was situated on- all about him, nearly as far as the eye could see, were tents and splendid banners in a variety of colours- the scarlet and gold of Jiang Dong, paraded by thousands of strong and proud warriors; the deep royal blue of Cao Cao's forces, tens of thousands strong; not far away could be seen a small encampment, the green tents of Lord Liu Bei, scion of the Han. His forces were among the smallest in terms of numbers, but his virtue had already won him renown, and his loyalty to the Han was beyond reproach. The symbol of the gold dragon fluttered on the banners of his forces.

Last, and by far the most numerous, were the gold tents of the great lord, Yuan Shao, headed of a noble family as ancient as Ce's own. Ce had heard tell that Yuan Shao's forces numbered into the hundreds of thousands, well over half of their assembled army. His brother's forces, Yuan Shu, stood nearby, a field of yellow tents like his older brother's.

Sun Jian came and stood next to his son, looking out over the mighty sea of tents. Ce nodded respectfully. "What news, father?"

"The great conference will commence soon, Ce." Sun Jian said, his eyes grim. "There is much to be decided. Not only the tactics we shall use, but who is to command this great expedition."

Ce folded his arms and looked out at the assembled armies. "Should you not command?" he said reasonably. "This coalition of the regional lords was _your_ idea, and you are a hero of the Yellow Turban Rebellion."

Sun Jian shook his head. "It sounds glorious, Ce, but nothing on earth could convince me to take command of these legions. The regional lords might be united by a common goal, but they shall prove fractious and contrary, vying for the honour of leading an attack or questioning why any decisions are made. No, my son, my job here is to lead the troops of Jiang Dong to victory."

"Who, then, will you stand behind?" Ce asked.

Sun Jian pursed his lips and sucked his teeth. "That is a tough question. Yuan Shao is a logical choice, since his forces are by far the largest and his lineage is ancient. The problem is that he is an arrogant sod, who expects to command, simply begin he is a Yuan. Cao Cao is devious and cunning, capable of exploiting the enemy's weaknesses, but he is also likely to erode other lords' forces to bolster his own position. Liu Bei is a scion of the Han, his command would have great symbolic meaning for our cause; the problem there is that he is untested as a commander. We do not know if he has any ability in this regard."

Ce shrugged. "He led his ragged force of volunteers to victory during the Yellow Turban campaign, not to mention he commands the loyalty of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. That would seem fairly good evidence of his qualifications."

"Yes, but you and I know these men and they are as yet obscure to the other lords." Sun Jian pointed out. "I intend to nominate Liu Bei, but I do not hold much hope."

Ce folded his arms and closed his eyes, thinking. "Well, we can make the case, but that's all we can do. Other than that, we're here to fight and we do that as well as anybody."

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The host was vast, larger than any army Ce had ever seen. As he sat atop his horse in front of the army of Jiang Dong, he looked out to see how many men there were- surely such an army would give even Lu Bu and Hua Xiong pause.

It was rumoured that the army numbered close to a million troops, if not slightly more; and aside from the outrider units sent to scout ahead, they were all assembled here, on this mighty plain. Ce could see no end to their numbers, arrayed in great blocks, rank upon rank of warriors. The field glittered with a forest of spear tips.

To the center was the mighty host of Yuan Shao, the soldiers of Qixiang, Jizhou, Hebei and Bohai, resplendent in their yellow-gold battle garb. Next to this great army stood the forces of Huai, soldiers loyal to the warlord's brother, Yuan Shu, the governor of Nanyang, arrayed in the same yellow-gold gear. Together these two hosts formed nearly two thirds of the Coalition army.

Beyond Yuan Shu's forces, Ce could make out the deep blue of Cao Cao's army from Chenliu, standing silently and awaiting orders. The men Ce could see from this distance seemed grim and defiant, not unlike their master. Ce suspected that one day he would be facing these formidable men and he promised to be ready.

To Jiang Dong's immediate left were the forces of Liu Bei, arrayed in green and marching under the banner of Gonsung Zan, the governor of Beiping. Standing at the front of this host were Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, towering over all others. Ce caught Guan Yu's eye and they nodded to one another subtly, knowing the trials that were to come. Ce found the mighty warrior's presence nearly as comforting as Zhou Yu's, although he knew not why.

Other minor lords that Ce was not immediately familiar with formed the rest of the army, numbering some tens of thousands; it was a large and potent force they had assembled, but it meant nothing if the warlords displayed no unity. Dong Zhuo's forces were not a rabble of angry peasants, but well-trained and heavily-armed professionals. This war would be quite different in terms of how it was waged.

Ce turned his horse around and looked out over his own host. The army of Jiang Dong was over sixty thousand strong, much larger than that mustered against the Yellow Turbans. But with Sun Jian's appointment as governor of Wuchang district and Lingling and Guiyang, Yuan Shu, as his immediate superior, had dubbed him 'The General Who Quells Rebels' and men from all over the new territories had flocked to his banner.

The men of Jiang Dong were arrayed into six great hosts, the royal battalion commanded by Sun Jian, and the others by Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, Huang Gai, Lu Meng and Zhou Tai. Ce's sister, Shang Xiang, rode in his host, as did his beloved wife, who galloped up to him presently. Da Qiao bowed her head and then smiled, trying to seem somewhat martial.

"Lord Sun Ce, your father is still in conference with the other regional lords and the men grow weary of waiting in the heat." Her voice conveyed her concern.

Sun Ce nodded. "Well, we can't break ranks and eat or anything, it'd look bad in front of the other armies; tell the commanders to have their men take water breaks, company by company, with the lowest-born soldiers and least-trained units going first."

Da Qiao nodded and rode off to convey her husband's orders. Ce watched as the various hosts gratefully drank from the water rations. The quartermaster would have to make sure he replenished the army's water supply, since Ce had not forced the battle-groups to use their own.

He thought about the effect this sun was having on his men and how bad it must have been for the soldiers of the other warlords; after all, the men of Jiang Dong were from the south and used to such heat. He couldn't begin to imagine what discomfort the troops from the far north were enduring. However, Yuan Shao seemed not to care. His men waited, obviously parched, but unable to do anything about it.

Two hours passed and finally the figures of the great lords appeared atop the huge platform that had been built for them. Yuan Shao, followed by his brother, then Cao Cao, Liu Bei and Sun Jian; all made their way onto the podium and waited while the commander addressed the troops.

"This villain claims to serve the emperor, but in truth he only serves himself! For this he must pay, pay with his life!"

Ce watched as Yuan Shao spoke in a lordly, noble tone, the other commanders turned in toward the center to face him.

All except Cao Cao, who remained facing the front, his arms crossed and his expression unreadable.

Yuan Shao continued, his voice carrying from the platform to the troops below. "But, everybody, follow me! The Yuan family shall lead you to victory! We must reclaim the Han, and restore it to its former glory!"

A thunderous shout was his reply, the troops of Qixiang, Jizhou, Hubei and Bohai thrusting their spears in the air. The other commanders on the platform raised their fists and their own soldiery joined in the cheer.

But even as Ce led them, he was thinking about Yuan Shao's words. Sun Ce heard the words of devotion to the Han, but did not believe the commander when he said them. If Dong Zhuo was ousted, war would not, but merely take on a new form, with different alliances and enemies.

Ce wondered exactly what it would take the bring peace to the land.

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The host of Jiang Dong marched westward, following the banners of Yuan Shu. The Nanyang army was only about twice the size of Jiang Dong's, but Yuan Shu held seniority by virtue of his relationship to the Coalition commander. Several of Sun Jian's officers were not happy with this, but the lord of Wuchang merely waved it off.

"If you wish our worth to be proven, then fight hard on the battlefield and earn glory for our people," he said reasonably. "Mere words and titles mean nothing if you do not back them up with action. These lords to do not know us now, but they will all know and respect us by the time this campaign is over."

The command of the battalions during the march west had been left to junior officers while the senior officers conferred at the front of the long column. Sun Jian's royal host marched in front while Huang Gai's tough veterans brought up the rear. Sun Jian rode along, surrounded by his advisors- Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, Huang Gai, Zhou Tai, Ling Cao and Lu Meng. Riding along with them were Sun Shang Xiang, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, who, ever though they commanded only small units, were quite insistent on not being left out of the proceedings.

"So then," Sun Jian began, looking ahead toward the horizon. "Now that the easy part is over with, what have you all to say?"

Huang Gai grunted. "This situation does not bode well with me, my lord. I do not like the way our so-called superior Yuan Shu looks at you- there is something in his glance that I am wary of."

"He fears us," Sun Jian said, nodding. "Our lineage is as old as his, and our performance during the Yellow Turban rebellion was most impressive. We may be his allies and subordinates, but he perceives a threat. Our host, though not overly large, is strong and valiant. Such strength will give even Lu Bu pause."

Zhou Yu nodded. "I agree, my lord. We must keep an eye on our commander. To begin with, we have been given no orders as yet. We march westward, but that is the extent of what we have been told to do."

Several officers grunted in agreement.

"Yeah, at least by now during the campaign against Zhang Jiao, He Jin had explicit orders for us." Sun Ce added. "Not giving us orders is one way of keeping us from looking to good, would be my guess."

Sun Jian seemed to agree. "I believe you are right, Ce. We might also be fighting bad orders or no orders from our commanders, let alone facing a strong and determined enemy."

"It won't make a difference," Ce continued. "We'll be ready. We're here to do what we do best and that's winning. Dong Zhuo can throw everything he's got at us, he'll still be running for the desert with his tail between his fat legs…"

The commanders, even Zhou Yu, laughed at the image.

The ordering of the army was discussed, both in large-scale operations and small tactical scenarios. What role was Jiang Dong likely to play when coordinating tactics with another army, Yuan Shu's in particular? The Nanyang host was larger and carried the supplies, but its soldiers were not as well-trained, many of them little more than peasant militias pressed into service. Sun Jian's host, by comparison, was professional and skilled in most forms of conflict. Generations of life along the ocean shore and the banks of mighty rivers had made them experts in the exotic field of naval warfare. Their cavalry was tough and fast, well-armed and highly motivated. Their archers were always protected by bristling hedges of spearmen as they rained bitter iron-tipped death down on the enemy. Swordsmen, armed with bright blades and stout shields would flood through the spear formation and cut down the enemy.

Nor were the commanders content to stay behind their serried ranks and just give orders; to a man, they were all courageous and fierce in battle, Sun Jian not least. His skill with his Tiger Blade was renowned in the south.

Sun Ce was now heralded as unstoppable on the battlefield. His defeat of the Zhang Jiao, not to mention his annihilation of an army of assassins had garnered him great fame and he was praised as a hero of the people, to be emulated and admired.

Zhou Yu, the young and brilliant tactician, was held in no less esteem than his childhood friend. His gleaming sword cut straight and true, his grace was like that of a tiger on the hunt. His long, raven locks, keen grey eyes and handsome face and earned him the nickname 'Beautiful Warrior Zhou'. He blushed when he heard it used, but strangely, he didn't deny it either.

Huang Gai, the old general- tough and immovable as a mountain. He feared nothing and no one. His mighty club rested on his shoulder, always ready for action. The men worshipped him and never tired of hearing the old veteran recall tales of days gone by.

Zhou Tai was, as always, silent and calm, but in his eyes was an intensity that you could not miss. His long, curved sword was always sheathed, coming out only to strike before returning. His speed with his weapon was almost inhuman. Before he had sworn allegiance to Sun Jian, he had been a pirate, raiding up and down the coast, alongside other figures such as Jaing Qin and Gan Ning.

Ling Cao rode with his son, Ling Tong. The two were inseparable and the son guarded the father closely. Whereas the father was wise and level-headed, the son proved fiery and quick to strike. His flails struck with lightning speed and he feared no foe, however large.

Finally, the officer Lu Meng brought up the rear of the little group, solemn and pensive. He was a brawler on the battlefield, but Sun Jian saw potential for a keen tactical mind and encouraged the officer to study classic treatises on the subject, not least of which was _The Art Of War_, but the warlord's own ancestor. Lu Meng had done so obediently and was beginning to show great promise.

It was agreed that Huang Gai and his veterans would anchor any defense while Sun Ce and Zhou Yu would spearhead any assaults. The other battalions would act as a tactical reserve, to be committed where Sun Jian saw the most need. Shang Xiang obviously found this much to her liking, because she would not leave Da Qiao and Xiao alone after the pronouncement.

"It's wonderful!" she said to the other two almost gleefully. "We'll be in the thick of the action and we'll show them what for!"

Da and Xiao both nodded but did not seem quite so eager. They rode to war because they refused to be parted from their husbands, not because they took any joy in battle as their sister-in-law did. Shang Xiang was quite a bit taller than the two of them, and while she was quite attractive, her bearing and demeanor were very martial. Da and Xiao, trained as courtesans, were elegant and graceful, dancers and singers without equal. Shang Xiang rode and fought like a man, heedless of such dainty considerations as entertainment. The people of Jiang Dong called her the 'Bow-hipped Princess', because of her preference for riding like a man and her ferocity in battle.

Da Qiao stole a look at the chakrams that Shang Xiang wore slung across her back. They were fearsome weapons, well-worn and showing signs of constant use. Even when the people of Jiang Dong were not at war, Shang Xiang often rode out to patrol the borders or the coast, hoping to find raiders or pirates to engage.

She also commanded her own special unit, a company of amazons; one hundred ferocious warrior-women who acted as her fanatically loyal bodyguards. Even Huang Gai and Zhou Tai thought twice of insisting on an audience when these women said Lady Sun was not to be disturbed. Only one man commanded their loyalty and that was Sun Jian. Led by their captain, Fu Chin Ran, the Tiger Orchid of Zhang, they were to prove themselves formidable on the battlefield.

Fu Chin Ran and her women actually seemed to enjoy making trouble for Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, although Da Qiao suspected that this behaviour was good-natured, for the women readily obeyed the two generals' orders when it was time to fight.

Da Qiao thought about what having her own unit of warriors might be like and quickly dismissed the thought, shaking her head. What did she know of tactics or war? True, she was learning to fight, but that was mostly so that she would not be a liability to Sun Ce on the field. She could not even recall ever perusing a tactical guide, let alone studying one.

She tried to imagine herself in such a position. What did one do? What constituted a good formation? How would she know when the time arrived to change formation? How did one give such orders and have them obeyed?

_Foolish!_ _You should leave such matters to those trained to deal with them! Even were you to become literate in the military arts, you have no head for it- your knowledge of such matters would be strictly prosaic! _

She recalled what Zhou Yu had said to her outside of Zhang Jiao's stronghold: _"Why would Sun Ce object to having a warrior-queen for a wife?"_

Da Qiao thought about this as they rode along, not really listening to Shang Xiang talking about battle or Xiao blathering about her salamander. Her life was wonderfully fulfilled in her marriage to Sun Ce, but maybe there was more to it than she might have guessed.

_Perhaps being his consort is not enough. Could it be that I am meant to be the warrior-queen Zhou Yu spoke of? I know nothing of battle and I only pretend to be a warrior. Up until now I have only been lucky. I should have died several times by now. _

_And I am afraid…_

It seemed ludicrous to her. Ever since her encounter with Fang Yu, Da Qiao refused to sleep in the dark; the braziers had to be lit and burning before she could allow herself to drift off. What sort of warrior queen was afraid of the dark?

Even Xiao Qiao was braver than her- she may have been a bubblehead, but she did not fear battle as a result. The consequences and follies of war and death rarely intruded on her younger sister's thoughts. Da Qiao feared death, most of all because she would lose Sun Ce, and that thought she could not hardly bear.

And yet that was the reason she had come along on this campaign. True, she laughingly told everyone, as Xiao did, that they were here to keep their men safe, and perhaps several people believed it, because of the sisters' performance on the battlefield; but Da Qiao knew deep down that it was a deep-rooted feat of death that compelled her to take up arms. What if, heavens forbid, Ce were to be killed? If she were sitting back in Wuchang when it happened, surely she would die of a broken heart. What if Ce were campaigning and the capital were attacked? She knew she was not skillful enough to defeat her foes and she would die, with Ce untold _li_ away.

Here on the field of conflict, where men perished in agony, if she was to die, then it would be by her husband's side. As much as the madness of pitched battle terrified her, at least she was with her beloved- and for that, she would risk anything.

Perhaps they all saw something in her she was not aware of. She did not feel like a warrior or a tactician, but if China was to know peace, Sun Ce would have to pacify it. Da Qiao would do whatever was required to bring that about, including become something she knew she was not.

So be it.

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The host of Bohai had turned and headed north, with Yuan Shu leaving Sun Jian instructions to proceed to a plain called Luyang and secure the army's flank. The men of Jiang Dong muttered in discontent, for word had spread that Dong Zhuo's forces were north of their current position. They all saw this as an attempt to rob their ruler of a chance to prove himself a mighty leader and hero. If Sun Jian agreed he gave no indication of it. He merely ordered the troops to make camp while he consulted with his commanders.

Sun Jian was in his great red and gold tent, conferring with Huang Gai, Zhou Tai, Lu Meng and Ling Tong while Ce and Zhou Yu busied themselves with making sure the camp was in order. They walked side-by-side, accompanied by their wives. The soldiers and labourers bowed as they passed by.

"So what is troubling you?" Zhou Yu finally asked. The raven-haired warrior and the two women looked at Sun Ce curiously.

Ce chuckled. "That obvious, is it?"

"Only to myself and these two, perhaps to your father and Shang Xiang," Zhou Yu replied. "But I know that look in your eyes- outwardly, you are your normal, cheerful self, but something is occupying your mind, something you do not like."

"And how do you know that?" Ce asked, his eyebrow raised.

"Listen to yourself," Zhou Yu pointed out. "Your style of speech is not so cavalier or casual. That means that you are thinking about something and not paying attention to how you speak. Your royal breeding takes over when you are preoccupied."

Xiao giggled. "It's so true, Lord Sun Ce," she said in her squeaky soprano. "You're so much more polite when you've got something on your mind!"

Da Qiao made a wry face as she looked at her sister. "Well, we'll never have to worry about _you_ being polite, then, will we?"

Xiao blushed and went silent, fidgeting with the strings of her blouse.

Ce sighed. "It's a ruse, you know. Dong Zhuo's troops are not going to head north. They're going to flank Yuan Shu and come right through here."

Zhou Yu nodded. "I had the same thought, in fact," he said quietly. "We must be ready. What do you suggest?"

Ce pondered. "We gotta keep the men's morale up. They're rather miffed because they think the action's gonna happen up north."

"Do we tell them, then, that their dearest wish shall be answered?" the strategist asked.

Ce shook his head. "Not yet. I want confirmation of the enemy's approached before I tell the troops. At leas then they'll be fresh and not stressed with expectation."

Zhou Yu nodded. "Maneuvers, then?"

Ce clapped his friend on the shoulder. "That'll keep 'em occupied, if nothing else. And if the enemy comes, we'll be ready for 'em. Time to try out some of those new formations you've been toying with…"

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"Sir, it is confirmed- Yuan Shu has taken the bait and is heading north, believing we will be there!" the soldier announced, saluting.

The general considered this information and nodded. "Excellent. In that case, we shall spear down through Luyang and strike at his underbelly. We shall isolate him and destroy him."

The soldier smiled. "It will be a glorious victory, sir, for Yuan Shu is the general in charge of the Coalition's supplies. If you defeat them their operational capacity will be crippled."

The general agreed. Lord Dong Zhuo would be very pleased. "I shall inform Commander Hua Xiong of our intent to take Luyang. Two days from now, the Coalition will be shattered and adrift. Send the word to the officers that we will be moving out within six hours!"

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The scout rode up hard, practically throwing himself from his horse and tumbling to kneel and bow at Sun Jian's feet. Beside the warlord stood Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, knowing already what news the man brought.

"Sire!" the messenger began, seemingly out of breath. "The vanguard of Hua Xiong's army approaches! They outnumber us at least four to one!"

Old Huang Gai cursed and stamped his boot against the ground. Sun Jian seemed unfazed, but Ce could tell he was worried.

"Do they know we are here?" he asked.

"I think they only just learned of our presence now, sire," the man replied, trying to sound certain. "Our scouting parties encountered one another and the fight was very confused before they pulled back. They must have had other units out sniffing around, as did we."

Sun Jian nodded and dismissed the scout, who ran off to join his troop. The warlord turned to his son and his strategist, fixing them both with a stare.

"I assume the odd maneuvers we find ourselves engaged in are no coincidence then, yes?" he asked, his politeness a little too formal for their liking.

Ce nodded. "We know Hua Xiong is garrisoned at Si Shui Gate and trying to force Tiger Trap Pass. He no doubt thought he could sneak under Yuan Shu and drive up into him, effectively cutting the rest of the army off from supply."

"And your pretty maneuvers are going to avert this _how_?" Sun Jian asked pointedly.

Ce did not reply but beckoned for his father and the others to follow. From their place on the command tent's hill, they could look out over the whole army. Ce made a gesture, encompassing the field.

"Huang Gai's troops are in the center, anchoring the force, while Zhou Tai, Lu Meng and Ling Tong's battalions are spread out and forward, like great wings. Zhou Yu and I are on the far flanks, in charge of the cavalry and your royal guard are behind Huang Gai but close enough to move up and support the line."

Sun Jian nodded. "I see it- it is like the wings of some giant crane. If they strike our center, we can attack from the flanks. If they attack our flank, we can shift support easily from one side to the other. And the whole formation can bend back on itself at need, to prevent encirclement."

Zhou Yu nodded. "More than that, the companies are arranged according to the principals of the _Tao te Ching_. Soft and hard units cover one another perfectly. Where the enemy is hard, we shall absorb him with softness and flexibility. Where he is soft, our battalions shall pummel him like mighty hammers."

Ce nodded. "It's like a _bagua_ pattern. Given their larger numbers, we keep our formation tight, balanced and on the defensive. Make them come to us."

Sun Jian looked out over the horizon. Far to the west, he could make out great lines of horsemen, with countless thousands of banner and spears. His eyes hardened. If they attacked, it would be a hard fight. He hoped Zhou Yu and Sun Ce knew what they were doing.

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Yang Yan sat atop his horse, looking out towards the army of Jiang Dong. He watched as they engaged in an intricate series of maneuvers, seemingly not caring about the presence of the foe. They must have known he was here, less than two hours away, with a force several times the size of their own.

So what was this all about?

"Sir, should we not return to the army?" one of his aides asked. "It is not wise to be so far out in front of the-"

Yang Yan's blade flashed and embedded itself in the aide's throat. The man shuddered and gagged before lurching from his horse and sprawling on the ground, his eyes goggling up at an uncaring sky. Yang Yan shook his head and sheathed his long knife.

"Let any other fools in the camp know that such disrespect shall be punished with death. I am not here to listen to your opinions, I am here to defeat the Prime Minister's foes."

As soldier's dragged the body away, he looked out again toward the enemy host. Their formation was intricate and tight, with archers and crossbowmen protected by ranks of spearmen. Swordsmen stood ready to support the spears, positioned to respond to any gaps in the line. The cavalry was grouped into powerful units behind and to the flanks.

Clearly this army was prepared for anything. Yang Yan bit his lip as he wondered what to do.

"This foe is ready for us," he said, scowling. "I expected Yuan Shu's entire to have headed north. I did expect him to leave an army behind to guard Luyang.

"We have more than enough men to overwhelm them, sir," suggested a cavalry commander. "If we rout them, we can still come up under Yuan Shu and decimate him with a flank attack."

The general turned his horse around and began riding back toward his own lines, gesturing for his men to follow.

"Come! We will see what these men of the south are made of. Pretty formations mean nothing if men have no stomach for battle."

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"Well, there they are." Sun Ce said, smiling grimly. Dong Zhuo's army had finally approached, separated from the host of Jiang Dong by only a few _li_. The Prime Minister's army spread out in a long line, curving in at the far ends to form an arc. They did not have enough troops to completely surround Sun Jian's forces, but they didn't need to, either.

You two are sure our flank and rear can be covered?" Sun Jian asked, his hand on the hilt of his great sword. He did not wish to be outflanked and destroyed.

"The scouts will warn us if they approach from any other directions we cannot see." Zhou Yu said calmly, his hands also resting on his blade, which stood in front of him. The wind caught his raven hair and it fluttered behind him like a cloak. "The formation is designed to bend backward on itself, becoming a circle if necessary. They will not find any weak point. If they break through, it is because our numbers could not hold."

Sun Jian nodded, apparently satisfied. "It is simply a question of their next move, then. Is there anything else you plan to do?"

Zhou Yu nodded, still gazing out, his grey eyes keen. "Sire, you understand that I have no wish to usurp your authority or command, but with your leave, I would retain control of the overall formation, deploying our units as I see fit from moment to moment. A series of flags shall be employed to give commands to the battalions, while horns shall be blown with no purpose but to confuse the enemy."

Sun Jian nodded. "It's your formation, Zhou Yu, you're the expert with it. You're my strategist and I trust you with our army. Do not fail me."

The lord of Jiang Dong turned and rode of. Zhou Yu sighed and shook his head. "No pressure."

Ce laughed. "Aw, don't worry, you'll do fine. We've been in worse scrapes than this and you've pulled us out."

"That was more good luck then good management, I think, not to mention your skill with your tonfa." Zhou Yu replied.

"Hey, give yourself a little credit, pal." Ce said, looking out at the approaching foe again. "They don't know what they're in for…"

Yang Yan watched, his face creased with a scowl. For two hours now he had observed the enemy formation, wondering what made him feel so uneasy. When his subordinates asked why he had not attacked yet, he had two simple answers- first, he had no intention of initiating an assault in the heat of the afternoon, where his own troops' heavy armour would exhaust them quickly; second, the enemy had responded little to the appearance of his overwhelming force, and that meant there was more to their strength than met the eye.

His officers could not deny that logic and they left Yang Yan to his contemplations, occasionally updating him or asking for orders. It was a simple horseman in his guard who pointed out one of the things that had bothered him so much but he could not put a finger on.

"It is an interesting formation, sir. It almost looks like a crane from its shape, but it's also a _bagua_ trigram. At least, that what it looks like to me."

Yang Yan's eyes went wide and he turned to look at the lowly horseman. "A trigram? How do you know that?"

The cavalier shrugged, a little uncomfortable under the scrutiny. "My grandfather was a priest of the Toa, he had such boards, symbols and trigrams everywhere. Hard symbols, soft symbols, all arranged to predict a certain outcome."

The general's eyes flashed back to the host of Jiang Dong. Horns blared, banners waved and units marched back and forth. In spite of the presence of a powerful enemy, the southerners kept strict discipline and perform their maneuvers perfectly. They showed no signs of anxiety or restlessness. Never had Yang Yan seen such immaculate drills.

He clenched his teeth, furious at not having seen such a simple thing. What manner of men commanded these troops? To have such an elegant and thorough knowledge of the Tao; it was rumoured that the ruling family were in fact descended from the martial sage, Sun Tzu. If they had inherited such principals of war, they would be most formidable indeed. He could see the royal tent, scarlet and gold, its banners waving lazily in the afternoon breeze.

_What are they hiding? What am I missing?_

He held aloft his broadsword and called out loudly. "The army will advance at half-pace! No one is to break formation on pain of death! Forward!"

Horns sounded across the great line and the army began to grind forward toward the enemy. His flanks were spread out long enough that Yang Yan had a semi-circle around the host of Jiang Dong. But such a formation, while it flanked his foes, was cumbersome and unwieldy; it would take time for orders and requests for assistance to get back and forth from the furthest troops to his command.

_There is something afoot here,_ he thought darkly. _They seem to be waiting for something or someone. Perhaps an assault before their plan comes to fruition is my only hope…_

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"Here they come," Zhou Yu said quietly. He had not moved an inch, although Ce could tell his friend was worried. Da Qiao and Xiao stood by there husbands' sides, looking out over the plain toward the slowly advancing enemy. Xiao nestled herself against Zhou Yu, her tiny fingers clenching against his shirt.

Da Qiao looked out at the approaching for, her eyes wide. There were so many of them. They looked like a giant wheel that would grind the host of Jiang Dong into the dirt. She looked up at Ce, who stood tall, his arms folded, a grim smile on her face.

"Tell me what you see, Da…" he said gently.

She turned and looked again, scanning the foe for whatever he meant for her to see. "There's… a lot of them…"

Sun Ce nodded. "That there is. What else?"

Da Qiao thought hard. Her husband was getting at something, but she did not know what. "They're moving so slowly. I do not understand why they are- that's it, they're not moving to attack!"

Ce smiled, as did Zhou Yu. "Correct," they said in unison.

"They're afraid," Da Qiao almost whispered, seeing the enemy army in a new light. "They don't know why we're staying put and not doing anything. They think we've got a trap ready for them."

"We do," Zhou Yu replied, still staring out at the enemy. "The problem is that they cannot fathom what it might be."

"They're trying to force our hand and compel us to spring the trap?" Da Qiao asked.

Ce nodded again. "Yep. But we're not gonna give it to 'em."

Zhou Yu held his battle fan high in the air, signaling the troops again. The rearward units quickly but neatly rearranged themselves, taking up defensive positions elsewhere and leaving certain avenues unprotected as the enemy flanks approached. Thousands of men executed the maneuver with precision and no sense of urgency.

Da Qiao smiled, suddenly understanding what was happening. Relief flooded through her and she watched as the massive army approached slowly.

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"Sir, they've changed their formation!" an officer said.

"I can see that, you damned fool!" Yang Yan snapped angrily as they rode forward. The defenders were now less than a single _li _away. It would not be long before the two sides were within missile range.

But what worried him were the large gaps that we now unprotected at the enemy's flanks.

Normally he would signal a charge and close in, taking advantage of such folly- but this foe had proved both clever, patient and learned, a deadly combination for an unwary general on the attack.

A scout rode up. "Sir, there are reports that Yuan Shu's advance north has stopped!"

"What! Is he returning to the south!" Yang Yan demanded.

"There is no indication of that, sir!" replied the scout. "But many of our scouts have been captured and killed, so our information may not be very accurate!"

Yang Yan glared at the enemy formation. He could see them now, waiting calmly, almost daring him to attack, their flanks left wide open…

For reinforcements to arrive once he had committed to the attack.

Their current formation was tight enough to hold him off for a considerable length of time, in spite of his superior numbers. If they held long enough, their reserve troops could sweep in from behind now and obliterate his strung-out army.

He swept his sword into the air and called out loudly for a halt. Horns blared for many lie as they entire formation ground to a stop. He made a whirling motion with the blade, indicating that they army was to execute a withdrawal.

"Keep your face to the enemy but pull back quickly, before their reinforcements arrive!"

The horns sounded again and the army began its withdrawal, the flanks pulling back quickly to avoid being left behind and attacked by the as-yet unseen reserve units. The army of Jiang Dong watched silently, not jeering or taunting, but with a cold calm, not a one breaking ranks.

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Ce nodded and smirked while Zhou Yu finally sighed. "There ya go, buddy," Ce said happily. "You did it!"

"_We_ did it, Ce," Zhou Yu replied. "If you hadn't been here with me, my nerve might have broke. It was my battle-plan, but you held it together."

"And that's why we're gonna conquer China together; because no one can beat us as a team." Ce said, still watching the retreating foe. He could see the commander now, a tall man in purple, who seemed to be waving angrily in an attempt to drive his men back. He turned to face the host of Jiang Dong and saluted his foe before riding off to join his troops.

Zhou Yu slung his sword back into his belt and seemed to relax. He put an arm around Xiao Qiao, who squeaked and giggled happily.

"We won, my lord!" she chirped, looking up at him with big, bright eyes. "What scared 'em off? I'll bet it was because you're so handsome!"

Zhou Yu smiled and hugged her close while Ce burst out laughing. "I'm afraid not, my dear," he said in his mellow tenor. "I wish it were that simple."

Da Qiao shook her head, wondering how the two of them could be related. "No, Xiao, we faked them out. We kept daring them to come closer and didn't react to their superior numbers. They were afraid we had reinforcements coming in that they couldn't see. The commander lost his nerve and retreated, because saving his army was more important than risking defeat. I don't think Dong Zhuo would take too kindly to that."

The sense of this argument dawned on Xiao Qiao. "Ooooooooh… we're good," she said.

Sun Ce smiled down at Da Qiao and nudged her. "You did good, Da, figuring out what we had planned and how the enemy would react to us."

Da Qiao blushed at the compliment and smiled. "It took me some time, my lord, and I was too frightened to think about it until you forced me to. But now I see it. It's like your ancestor's writings say: 'The perfect generals win battles without having to fight them.' I think that's what you and Zhou Yu are becoming… perfect generals."

Zhou Yu looked at Sun Ce, his eyebrow raised. "You've been teaching her the _Sunzi bingfa_?"

"Nope," Ce said, obviously pleased. "She did it all on her own…" he said, ruffling her hair. She squeaked in protest and tried to get away. She and Xiao left the boys to gloat while they mounted their horses and rode back.

"Well, that was fun!" the younger sister said happily, the tension of the past few hours obviously having fled far from her. "I learned a lot today."

"I did too," Da replied. "I have a lot of catching up to do, obviously."

Her face was bright and pleasant as she attempted to fix her hair, but inside her voice was dark.

"_But if he keeps mussing my hair like that, one day I am going to knock that boy on his ass…"_

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	11. Chapter 11

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 9 – The Battle of Tiger Trap Pass**

Hua Xiong's vanguard has withdrawn and Sun Jian set out in pursuit. Even though his forces were outnumbered, he felt confident of victory. As long as he kept the enemy off-balance, their superior numbers mattered not so much. A large army in flight was a burden to itself and a boon to the pursuers. He would have these troops lead him back to Hua Xiong.

It had been some time since Sun Ce had seen such a determined glint in his father's eyes. It was a look he did not see often, but he knew it well enough- Sun Jian was spoiling for a fight. True, he was a good and benevolent ruler, but where the patriarch shone was on the battlefield, leading men and in the thick of the action. Sun Jian never thought twice about leaping into the fray, laying about with his sword and taking on his foes hand to hand. He lived for it. Sun Jian was a warrior's warrior, a man of truth, honour, magnanimity and battle.

"Long has it been since I saw such a look of deadly earnest in your father's eye." Zhou Yu said as he rode alongside Sun Ce. "He senses imminent victory."

"Yeah, but it's something else that he's wanting," Ce said quietly, watching his father ride up ahead. "He wants Hua Xiong."

Zhou Yu was silent for a few moments, pondering what Ce said. "Your father is a greater leader, Ce, and a mighty warrior; but I am not sure we should let him take on Hua Xiong. Skilled as he may be, he is not you."

Ce mused and shrugged. "I dunno, when he gets going he's pretty hard to stop. I don't want to be the one who tells him he's not allowed to go out and play. I don't think even Huang Gai'd try to pull that one off."

Zhou Yu sighed. "I take comfort in the fact that you are his heir, Ce. If he is slain by Hua Xiong, which I fear may be the case, at least you will continue on his legacy."

Ce smiled. "Well, let's not write the old man off yet, shall we? He's only in his late thirties, after all. He'll be tougher than Huang Gai when he reaches his age."

"I pray you are right, my friend." Zhou Yu said, staring into the distance at a troubled future.

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"Sis, I've got a favour to ask." Ce said, once his sister had settled down in his tent and joined him in drinking tea. Shang Xiang looked as martial as ever, her chakrams slung to her back and her tough leather clothing stained by the journey. She looked at him with one eyebrow raised.

"What can I do for you, brother?" she asked as she sipped the strong green tea.

Ce set his cup down and sighed. "I want you to teach Da everything you know about war."

Shang Xiang pursed his lips and looked down at the floor, considering what her elder brother was asking her. "It would be no small task, Ce. She is not a warrior, nor is she a leader."

Ce nodded. "I know, but you've seen the spark of potential in her, just like I have. True, she may never conquer China, but that's not what I want. She's always coming along not just to be with me, but because she wants to do her part. I think we owe it to her to help her discover it in herself."

"Why me?" Shang Xiang asked reasonably. "Just because I'm a woman?"

"Partly, yes." Ce admitted, gesturing in agreement. "The problem is that she can't make the disconnect in her mind about war being a man's activity. She feels helpless and overwhelmed when she's surrounded by the great warriors of the realm. You saw what happened when she met Guan Yu."

"Are you saying that I'd be better because I'm not a man and therefore not one of the great warriors of the realm?" she asked, giving her brother a pointed look. "That maybe I can teach her some sissified form of battle that she as a woman can keep of with?"

"No, don't be dumb," Ce replied, shaking his head. "You know me better than that. I'm saying that she'll respond better to you because you're a woman and you'll have an easier time bringing out her true potential. She won't be worrying all the time about you being hard on her."

"She should be," Shang Xiang said. "I won't go easy on her because she's a girl and your dainty wife."

"I know you won't, but it won't feel the same coming from you. She'll spend more time focused and less time worrying. If we have to trick her into realizing her potential, I'm willing to do that."

Shang Xiang sighed. "It's a tall order."

Ce smirked. "Whatsa matter, sis? Not up to the challenge?"

Shang Xiang glared at her brother. "Very funny, tough guy. I'll take your bride and turn her into a killing machine. What qualifies as success?"

"Well, aside from the obvious criteria, that being she doesn't get herself killed on the battlefield," Sun said, pondering. "If she can beat Fu Chin Ran in a duel and competently command a battalion, I would be satisfied."

Shang Xiang sucked in her breath. "Command I can teach her easily enough, confidence she can build with time… but there are days even I have a hard time with Fu. When she's having a good day, she's a hellion."

Ce shrugged. "I've sparred with her and she's never given me a serious problem."

Shang Xiang rolled her eyes. "If you want my help, you should probably start trying to be nice to me, you know. You never pulled my hair the way Quan did, but you are so annoying when you think you're right."

Ce smiled. "If you don't want to try, I'm sure Huang Gai would be happy to teach her. He really likes Da Qiao."

Shang Xiang grimaced and nodded finally. "Alright, alright, I'll do it. She'll learn fighting from Fu Chin Ran and I and I'll teach her tactics and battlefield leadership."

"Good," Ce said finally. "I'm going to transfer her to your unit and she is under your command, alright?"

Shang Xiang's eyes went wide. "What? But… I didn't agree to that! Why are you fobbing her off on me all of a sudden?"

"Because I have to keep an eye on father," Ce replied simply. "With you, Da Qiao is safe, but I am worried about father. He's got that look in his eye again."

Shang Xiang thought about what Ce said and her expression became one of worry. "He means to fight Hua Xiong…"

"Yeah, that's my guess." Ce concluded grimly, nodding.

"Ce, you can't let him!" Shang Xiang said urgently, rising to her knees, her hand outstretched. "Father is a great warrior, but-"

"I know," Ce said, finishing her sentence. "He's probably not a match for that monster."

Shang Xiang was silent for several seconds and her eyes became glassy. She loved her father more than anything in this world. Finally she spoke.

"I… I will keep Da Qiao safe and train her for you, brother," she said, trying to keep her voice from trembling. "You need to protect father. I will do whatever it takes to help you."

Ce knelt up and leaned across the low lacquer tea table, giving his sister a gentle hug. "I know you will, sis. Thank you..."

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"Sun Jian has reached Liangdang," the officer reported, saluting smartly. The tent was dark, dimly lit as the commander sat glowering behind his table strewed wit tactical maps and reports. The man grunted and nodded slowly."

"I see… dismissed."

As the officer left, the commander turned to look at an advisor in the corner of the room. "Your thoughts?"

The man moved forward quietly, coming into the light. "Dong Zhuo is a threat, sire, as are Hua Xiong and Lu Bu… but these men lack a quality that Sun Jian possesses in great quantity- his leadership and magnanimity. He is very popular with the common folk and his soldiers. For acts of bravery on the battlefield, he rewards men with bags of gold on the spot, and later lavishes them with silks and horses. His youngest son Kuang is married to the daughter of an officer who impressed the lord with his valour."

"Very eloquent," the commander murmured. "But what does it mean?"

"I mean to say, lord, that Sun Jian shall be a threat to you in the future. He is under your command for now, but in the future you shall not be dealing with him as a subordinate, but an equal… possibly a superior."

"My own lineage is as prestigious as his!" the brooding man snapped.

"Most certainly, your Excellency, and has held the highest offices in the land for generations. But the Lord of Jiang Dong's star is ascendant, or I am no astrologer. Great houses such as yours survive by dealing with problems before they become more than nuisances."

"Your suggestion, then, for dealing with Sun Jian?"

The advisor bowed. "Sun Jian will need supplies if he is to face Hua Xiong at Liangdang. Deny him the supplies and his army will fall apart. Hua Xiong will deal him a terrible blow and his prestige among the lords will be diminished. Never shall he recover from such an embarrassment."

The commander was silent for some time before finally nodding. "See that his request is somehow lost when it comes. I do not want supplies to reach him."

The advisor bowed and turn to exit the tent, his mission established. "It shall be done, Master Yuan Shu…"

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The city of Liangdang lay to the west when Sun Jian's forces made camp. Not far ahead, the great natural rock walls of Tiger Trap Pass loomed over them, dark and foreboding.

"Say what you will about Hua Xiong's ethics and morality, there is no denying that he can pick a good defensive position." Zhou Yu commented softly as he and the other commanders stared out at the stronghold. "Hua Xiong at Tiger Trap Pass, with Lu Bu and Dong Zhuo beyond at Si Shui Gate. Let us hope the other lords finally arrive, we just might need their help for this one."

Ce nodded. "Yep, this isn't gonna be pretty. Fording that river'll be bad enough, but if they've fortified Tiger Trap Pass, it's gonna to be a big death maze."

Sun Jian was still astride his horse, looking out at the rock walls, seemingly unperturbed. "That is war, my son. Sometimes you must fight in circumstances you find less than ideal. Improbable as the task of taking Tiger Trap Pass might seem, besieging it is impossible. Between the two choices, I will always take improbable."

Huang Gai sucked on his teeth as he gazed at the Pass. "The enemy can see us even now," he rumbled in his deep bass. "We are an open scroll to them. We may not be close enough to hit with arrows, but they can account for every man in this army and its disposition."

Sun Jian nodded. "We would consider ourselves quite clever for being in their sandals. There is no sense in grumbling, we must fight hard when the time comes. We will create advantages for ourselves and strive to minimize theirs."

"A night attack, then?" Zhou Yu asked. He was scanning the Pass for access ways or hidden tunnels but spied none.

"Aye," Sun Jian confirmed. "At least by dark they will see less of us, whereas anything we encounter ahead of us will be an enemy. When the supplies arrive from Master Yuan Shu, we shall make our move. Until then, have the army make camp and send messengers to Liangdang to purchase any supplies the people will sell."

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The army had been sitting outside Tiger Trap Pass for nearly a week, with no sign of the requested supplies from Yuan Shu. Sun Jian's men purchased all the supplies they could from Liangdang and the surrounding countryside, but it was not enough. The army's food stores were dwindling and the troops were getting restless.

"I do not like it, father," Ce said, riding alongside the great lord as they looked out toward Tiger Trap Pass. "The supplies should have been here by now, easily. Yuan Shu seems to have denied your request. What now?"

Sun Jian's eyes were hard and flinty as he cast his gaze to the west. "We will do what we came to do, then… we will assault Tiger Trap Pass; no quarter asked, none given. We shall attack tonight."

Ce had serious misgivings but knew better than to argue with his father once he had set his mind to some task; and Ce had not become the man he was today by questioning or disobeying Sun Jian. He would follow his orders and fight his hardest. If he was to die at Tiger Trap Pass, so be it. He would give a good account of himself and all the enemy soldier's children would cringe in fear when their mothers threatened them with Sun Ce's terrible ghost if they did not behave.

Sun Jian turned back to the camp to find his commanders and ready the troops. Ce rode to find Da Qiao. She was sitting with her sister, entertaining a group of soldiers by playing a lute and singing prettily while Xiao did a dance with her fans. Ce waited until the impromptu performance was finished and then Da Qiao walked up to him and bowed as he dismounted.

"My lord, a rumour has started that your father intends to assault Tiger Trap Pass tonight. The supplies have arrived, yes?"

Ce shook his head. "Afraid not, we're going in anyway. My father doesn't want to wait."

Da Qiao looked confused. "But… everything I have been reading says that such an act is folly, my lord. To attack while unsupplied is beyond folly, it is foolhardy or just plain foolish."

"I know, Da," Ce said softly, taking her gently by the arms and looking down at her. "But we came to Tiger Trap Pass to fight, supplies or no. If we wait, we will starve. If we retreat, a well-fed and rested enemy will come out of the pass and obliterate us as we try to escape. There are no good choices here, unfortunately."

Da Qiao seemed unconvinced. "I am sorry, my lord, but it almost sounds like pride is overruling your father's concern for his men."

Sun Ce felt a twinge at her words, but he knew that she spoke honestly and from the heart, because she loved her father-in-law dearly. She was very devoted to Sun Jian, considering him a paragon of all the virtues a ruler should possess. For her to speak ill of him meant she was in earnest.

"The men want to fight too, Da. They know what will happen if we retreat- our army will be shamed and my father's influence among the lords broken. We were chosen to lead the assault on this stronghold; not Cao Cao, not Liu Bei, _we _were. It is a singular honour that everyone bid for and my father's leadership and ferocity carried the day for us."

"So many men will die tonight, my lord," Da Qiao said quietly, looking at the ground. "So many women and children in Jiang Dong will weep."

Ce hugged her close, not caring who was watching. "It can't be helped, Da. Dong Zhuo will swallow the realm whole. What does it matter if he kills these men here or back in the Southlands? They have marched to protect their families from his depredations and that resolve must be honoured."

"They would have more time with their loved ones if we marched home…" she said, burying her face in his chest so he couldn't see her tears. He smiled and just held her close. At length, he took her face in his hands and looked down into her beautiful, big eyes.

"Then let's win, Da. For my father, for Jiang Dong, for the wives and children of the men who fight here today... for each other. Be strong and fight hard, it is what you came to do."

"I know," she said, nodding and trying to return his smile. "Shang Xiang says that our scouts have spotted a tiny passageway that might lead up into the hills behind the cliffs. She is taking her amazons through and will attempt to flank the guards at the Pass. I am to go with her."

Ce smiled. "Then you really have to make sure you're on your game, because those guards are gonna be throwing rocks and shooting arrows at me, okay? I'll need you to rescue me."

In spite of the gravity of the situation, Da Qiao giggled. The notion of her saving Sun Ce was ridiculous by any stretch of the imagination. She couldn't save water from going uphill in the dead of winter.

"I will do my best for you, my lord." Da said finally. "The enemy will fall before my fans like… well, like…"

"Wheat before a scythe?" Ce suggested.

Da Qiao shrugged. "Sure. Whatever falls in front of fans, that's what I'll be felling. Did I just sound like my sister?"

Ce laughed. "Maybe a little."

Da Qiao looked grim. "We have been sitting still on this plain too long. Come, my lord, let us take Tiger Trap Pass…"

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Night had fallen and the army advanced as quietly as possible. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had gone on ahead and crossed the river to find and neutralize the sentries. They crept forward, moving silently in spite of their armour and weapons.

Zhou Yu's keen grey eyes spied two guards, standing near a boulder. They had erected a small, ramshackle shelter to protect themselves from the heat of day and the now stood huddled near it in front of a small fire they'd built inside. They seemed more occupied with keeping warm than watching for the enemy.

"That's going to cost them," Ce said as they inched forward toward the unsuspecting guards. "If Hua Xiong knew they had a fire going and were giving away their position, he'd have them flayed alive."

"So we'll be doing them a favour by dispatching them quickly, is what you're saying." Zhou Yu suggested.

"Sure, why not?" was Ce's reply as they approached. This lookout post, the one closest to the river, would be comparatively easy. As they got closer to the pass, the guards would be more alert and there would be many more of them.

The two soldiers stood no chance as the young lords were on them swiftly and silently, taking their heads and wrenching them with deadly force. There were two simultaneous and sickening pops as the guards crumpled to the ground, their necks snapped. Ce and Zhou Yu moved the bodies aside quickly and proceeded on.

Two more sentry posts loomed out of the dark, about a hundred feet apart, each having five men. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu drew the paired short knives they kept on their belts and each headed for one of the positions.

Ce crept along on all fours like a tiger, low to the ground, his eyes never leaving his foes, even as he circled around to their left. The moon was obscured by clouds and there was little chance they would see him until he was on top of them.

Silence was key; not only did he have to sneak up on these men, he had to kill or incapacitate them all without raising the alarm. As he approached, he drew a small bamboo tube from his belt and pushed in a dart. The weapon was coated with the venom of a spider from the far southern reaches of the riverlands. He chose a target and with a puff of air, sent the dart hurtling into the tender flesh of the man's exposed neck. He grunted and stiffened, the paralytic taking effect almost immediately. As he fell to the ground, his fellow guards came over to see what was wrong, gathering about him in a body.

Ce's attack was brutal, silent and deadly. His knives flashed from neck to neck in swift succession, dropping them all before they could react. He hunched down low, swiftly lifting the corpses and hiding them off to one side, their weapons placed in some nearby scrub, hopefully to remain unseen.

He crept across the expanse of rocky dirt and found Zhou Yu, crouched by the sentry post he had assaulted. His targets were also nowhere to be seen.

"Any problems?" Ce whispered. His response was a raised eyebrow, as if Zhou Yu could not believe his friend had just asked him such a ludicrous question.

Ce nodded. "Right. The next posts are about one half-_li_ to the west. They'll be well guarded, so it'll be a stand-up fight. We might as well signal the advance."

Zhou Yu nodded and removed an elegant composite bow from his back. Onto the string he fitted an arrow with alternating red and black feathers. He raised the bow and pulled back on the string, aiming high into the air. He judged his distance and released. With a hiss, the arrow sped into the night sky towards the Jiang Dong camp.

"Alright, now we wait." Sun Ce said, nodding. "We'll hit those outposts just before the cavalry arrives."

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Sun Shang Xiang's scouts had found a hidden and almost completely inaccessible path up into the pass. It was so small that her warrior-maidens could only fit through and creep along one at a time. Shang Xiang had wanted to go first, but Fu Chin Ran insisted that she take the lead, in case there was trouble. Shang Xiang finally relented and her commander took point. As per Sun Ce's instructions, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao stayed near the front; if they were going to fight, they would have to learn to fight.

They had been creeping along for what seemed like hours to Da Qiao, through almost complete darkness. She had to concentrate hard on the people around her to not collapse into a little ball and begin trembling in fear. She hated the dark still and despised her weakness for it.

Xiao crept along behind her, having less trouble than anyone in negotiating the tight, winding passageway. She was smaller than Da Qiao, and her older sister was smaller than any of these women-warriors. Xiao had always been a natural at climbing trees and rooting into tight places, a skill that had gotten her in trouble many times as a child. In this hellish warren of stone, it became her greatest advantage. She tapped her sister on the shoulder.

"Da? Did you remember to go to the bathroom before we left?" she whispered.

Da Qiao sighed and shook her head. "I take it you forgot?"

"Kinda."

"Well, too bad. Tie a knot in your legs and hold it until we rest. I have a feeling we've got a long way to go."

They moved on, slowly twisting and spiralling up through the passage. After an eternity, Da Qiao thought she saw a miniscule lightening of the gloom up ahead. She was relieved when they came out in a natural hollow in the wall. The women were gathered around, remaining silent as their fellow warriors caught up. Xiao Qiao immediately headed to a discreet corner behind a large rock.

Shang Xiang came in last and stood in the center of her company so everyone could focus on her and hear her. She waited for Xiao to return and spoke softly.

"I think the gods are smiling on us," she began. They could barely make out her features, but everyone knew she was smiling. "This path is so small and so insignificant, that if the enemy is even aware of it, they have not bothered to guard it, because the enemy is a vast force to their front. That folly shall be their undoing."

The women nodded and murmured amongst themselves.

"I do not know where we shall end up, but we must be ready for the worst." Shang Xiang continued. "It is entirely possible that we will emerge behind their force guarding the Pass but in front of the army at Si Shui Gate. Whatever happens, surprise is our advantage. Our goal will be to disrupt their defence of the Pass, making it possible for the army to approach. If we fail, the defenders will be able to maul my father's forces with rocks and arrows from impregnable positions. We must not let that happen."

The women all nodded again.

"Be prepared to fight hard. Be prepared to die. We swore an oath, to my father and to one another. We, sisters in battle, shall fear no foe, and certainly no man; not Hua Xiong, not Guan Yu, not even Lu Bu. Tonight we shall show them all the strength of the women of Wu."

She held one of her chakrams in the air and a pale beam of moonlight caught the blade, causing it to glint. Her guards all drew their swords and held them aloft as one. Da Qiao and Xiao did the same with the small swords their husbands had made them wear. They would fight with their fans, but holding those aloft would have felt a little silly.

"Now then," Shang Xiang said, lowering her circular blade. "Does anyone have anything to add before we move on?"

There was a very loud and disturbing gurgling sound, almost a groaning rumble. Its pitch and depth varied for a moment and everyone's eyes went wide as they looked in horror at Xiao Qiao. The young girl blushed crimson and looked sheepishly at Shang Xiang.

"Sorry," she said in a puny voice. "They've cut rations, y'know."

Without a word, Fu Chin Ran marched across the circle of women and stood in front of Xiao Qiao. She took the girl's hand and firmly placed a few strips of dried venison into her palm. She fixed the girl with a look and then turned around and went back to her spot. Xiao quietly began to chew on the meat while Da just shook her head in despair.

"Anyone else have anything to add?" Shang Xiang asked dryly. She got no response. "Good, keep your weapons ready, we've been lucky up to this point. It's bound to get harder from here on in."

They resumed their torturous crawl up the winding way, into the pass. Fate alone knew if they would be on time. Da Qiao was beginning to worry.

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The sentries heard the threat before they saw it- the clatter of hoofs on rocky soil. The blast of a mighty war horn was followed by the echo of a thunderous charge. The clarion echoed throughout the Pass, making it sound like they were surrounded. As the guards readied to raise the alarm, they were attacked savagely by a single foe, a muscular warrior in tiger skins, his tonfas battering any and all within reach.

Ce was a whirlwind of motion, never slowing down, each attack flowing into the next. The defenders were astonished, for this was one man, assaulting over fifty. In the dark they could barely see him. Where had he come from! How had he slipped past the sentry stations further forward!

The young warlord moved from foe to foe, his battle-fury relentless. He focused his powerful will into each strike, felling his enemies with almost ridiculous ease. He listened carefully to the approach of his own forces, gauging their distance from this position and fighting to neutralize the outpost before it could hold the attackers up. He knew Zhou Yu would be doing the same to the north, executing his foe with fluid grace and precision.

His thoughts turned briefly to Da Qiao. He admitted to being worried for her, but Shang Xiang had been awarded the honour of exploring the passage and Ce himself had assigned Da to his sister's unit. Hindsight was distressingly clear, of course.

While he was reasonably certain of his wife's ability to defend herself in a stand-up fight against enemy soldiers, he feared that the little strike force might get trapped. If Hua Xiong was near their position, Ce held very little hope that even Shang Xiang could beat him. Da was as good as dead. However, if this assault on the Pass didn't go well, then her chances weren't really any better down here, either.

The men he had not yet slain were getting organized and he threw himself into them bodily, bowling them over before they could form an effective defence. He pummelled and bashed his foes, scattering them before his onslaught. Well over thirty had been killed and the rest were disorganized and at a loss, stunned by Ce's savagery. How could one man do such damage?

The cavalry arrived, led by Sun Jian. Rather than stop to fight the remnants of the outpost, the cavaliers sped through, heading for the Pass. Ce saw his horse, being led by a member of his guard. He dashed alongside and leapt up into the saddle, spurring his mount toward the enemy position.

Horns from the Pass were blaring in response to the attack. Dong Zhuo's forces knew they were coming. Hopefully they had not expected so fierce an assault when Sun Jian's supplies were in such short supply.

They would know soon enough.

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"Do you all hear that?" Shang Xiang called to her unit. "The battle has begun!"

"Ooh, and we're nowhere near the enemy!" Xiao Qiao squeaked in frustration. "They're gonna be fighting without us!"

Shang Xiang threw caution to the wind and ordered Fu Chin Ran to head forward with all possible speed. She had no intention of being left out of the battle of Tiger Trap Pass.

Da Qiao hustled along behind Fu Chin Ran, her fans in hand. She felt decidedly useless since it appeared that she alone was not keen for battle. Even Xiao seemed to eager to come to grips with the enemy.

She would not let that stop her. She had resolved to help her husband in any capacity she could. She would suppress her fear and fight like a Sun warrior. She tightened her grip on her weapons and moved on.

"_Lord Sun Ce, I will make you proud of me!"_

The lights of many fires flared overhead and the blare of horns and the rumble of drums meant there was not much time left.

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Rocks and arrows pelted down from the mighty stone walls of the Pass. Dong Zhuo's forces seemed to have fortified the location, in addition to its formidable natural defences. The cavalry sped forward, heedless of the missiles hurled by the enemy. Not far ahead now, a great makeshift gate was barring entrance to the Pass. Sun Jian let out a great shout and spurred his horse on, his men close behind. Hundreds upon hundreds of hoofs thundered across the river ford as the army of Jiang Dong made it valiant charge.

The shower of projectiles became heavier and heavier. Sun Ce veered his mount left as a rock the size of his torso smashed into a rider just ahead of him, obliterating both man and horse in an instant. The rock, hurled from such a great height, bounced and would have struck Ce had he not dodged. He heard a cry behind him, indicating that another rider was not so lucky.

"_If we don't force that gate, we won't be defeated, we'll be slaughtered!" _he thought grimly. _"Our only hope here is speed and surprise. And it looks like we don't have the latter…"_

An arrow bounced off his father's helmet, but Sun Jian rode on, unfazed. His whirled his sword overhead, shouting words of encouragement to his men. The troops were hungry and tired. This assault had to succeed. If they drove Hua Xiong back, his ample stores would be theirs and Sun Jian would reward his men with a great feast. It may have made more sense to store and ration the food they plundered, but the lord of Jiang Dong understood morale and its benefits. If they triumphed here, his men would happily march all the way to Luoyang ...

… as soon as he had a little conversation with Yuan Shu.

They reached the gate. The horsemen ploughed into the waiting defenders, who had formed a shield-wall, spears and halberds ready. But the charge of Jiang Dong was too much and the formation burst apart almost instantly. As the soldiers defending the gate scattered, Sun Jian's troops pressed them with great slaughter. Sun Jian laughed out loud as he slew, his men singing their war chants as they fought, their voices like the call of hundreds of great cranes.

Then the arrows and rocks fell even thicker than before. Heedless of friend or foe, the troops high up in the Pass showered their projectiles down onto the gate, taking a heavy toll on both forces.

Sun Jian's horse reared up and shrilled as the warlord looked around in shock. "What manner of vile scum hides in that pass, that they would willingly sacrifice their fellow soldiers so callously!" he roared in outrage.

As if in response, a flaming arrow embedded itself in his horse's neck. The beast screamed and threw its rider sideways as it collapsed, Sun Jian tumbling into the dirt. He rolled to his feet and pointed with his sword, ordering his men to take the gate.

Ce was still mounted, dashing about and rescuing any soldiers of Jiang Dong who seemed hard-pressed. He knew he should be assaulting the gate, but there was little sense in doing so if no one was left alive to participate.

Horns blared loudly from inside the pass and the gate was thrown open. Ce was wheeling around to charge in when out of the gate thundered hundreds of horsemen, led by none other that Hua Xiong himself, his spear levelled and his great voice calling out a challenge to Sun Jian.

Ce had considered Hua Xiong intimidating before, but seeing him now in battle realized the man was terrifying. The soldiers of Jiang Dong scattered before him and Hua Xiong rode them down mercilessly. His spear flashed in great arcs, felling foes with every swipe. The bombardment from overhead ceased as the commander rode into battle.

Ce looked at Hua Xiong and then at the gate- the cavalry was now being followed by company after company of swordsmen, eager to taste their enemy's blood. He wondered if he should attack Hua Xiong or try to force the gate. His own troops were now hopelessly scattered, the reinforcements not yet having caught up. The plan had been for the cavalry to take the gate in a lightning strike and open the way for the army to pour through. It had been the best plan available, and it seemed to be going awry.

Ce saw his father unhorsed but fighting his way forward on foot. The lord of Jiang Dong called out to Hua Xiong in a mighty voice, daring him to approach. The vassal of Dong Zhuo wheeled his great mount around and charged toward his foe, spear levelled at Sun Jian's throat.

Sun Ce whipped the bow off his saddled and bent it back, an arrow already knocked. He focused himself and let a sense beyond sight guide his aim. He released the arrow, which sped straight and true, embedding itself in the hind leg of Hua Xiong's mount. The beast shrieked and stumbled, almost bearing its rider to the ground. But Hua Xiong, in spite of his great size, was lithe in his movement, and leapt like a great cat, landing easily. Without breaking stride he charged Sun Jian, who stood his ground fearlessly.

Great was the clash of the two warriors, spear on sword, metal on metal. Hua Xiong struck furiously, trying to force his opponent back, but Sun Jian refused to give even an inch before the massive traitor-general. He hacked and slashed back, his eyes blazing with a light even Sun Ce had never seen before. Truly, his father was the Tiger of Jiang Dong.

He almost stood transfixed by the spectacle when a presence to his right compelled him to whirl about and block with his tonfa. The enemy cavalryman's assault was stopped dead, his axe blade straining against the long half of Ce's weapon. The young warlord threw his foe back, dismounting him and striking him across the helmet as he scrambled to his feet. He spun and charged toward another knot of soldiers, assaulting them with a great shout.

He knew he should be going to help his father, but he also understood that Sun Jian would never forgive him if he interfered in this duel. It was his father's reckoning and he would see it through.

All about him, the hosts of Hua Xiong swarmed. Ce was stunned to see how few of Jiang Dong's troops that had assaulted the gate were still alive. Bodies in crimson and gold were strewn everywhere, alongside those of the enemy. The defender's casualties mattered not, for he knew that ten times as many were waiting in reserve behind the gate.

He risked another glance at his father and went pale. Slowly, inexorably, Hua Xiong was forcing Sun Jian to give way; his power was just too great. Sun Jian's armour was scored and dented, his battle robe torn and tattered. His blade was notched and yet he fought on, making Hua Xiong work for every inch of ground he gained.

Ce could see that the enemy commander was frustrated, for even though the duel was slowly turning in his favour, this was obviously more difficult than he had anticipated. His jaw was clenched as he thrust, hacked and pounded at Sun Jian mercilessly. It was obvious that Sun Jian was growing weary, but his ferocious fighting spirit would not allow him to quit. He fought back with every fibre of his being, determined to slay his foe.

Horns sounded from the ford, calling for a retreat. Ce recognized the clarion as Zhou Yu's. He might have been tempted to disobey if anyone else had given the call, but not Zhou Yu. He spurred his horse forward and made for Hua Xiong.

He let forth a great cry and the general turned to meet his attack. Tonfa met spear haft as Ce leapt on Hua Xiong like a demon, his attack savage and without quarter.

"Father! Go!" he yelled as he tangled with his foe. "Zhou Yu has called a retreat!"

Sun Jian paused for a split second, seemingly outraged that his son had interrupted the duel, but then sprinted towards Ce's horse and leapt on, spurring it back toward the river. He called loudly for his remaining horsemen to retreat.

With a thunderous shout, Hua Xiong slammed his spear down at Sun Ce, who blocked the blow with his crossed tonfas. He skidded backwards, staying on his feet but ending up several yards away from his foe. His arms throbbed in pain as he absorbed the force of the strike. He saw an enemy cavalier nearby and deftly kicked the man from his horse and mounted before speeding off after his father.

Roaring in rage, Hua Xiong pointed his spear at Sun Jian's swiftly retreating back. "Another time, coward of Jiang Dong!" he howled.

He took the reins of another horse and mounted, calling for his men to organize themselves and return to the Pass. He was in a very foul mood as his men began their trek back through the gate.

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The women could hear the horns sounding the retreat. Every one of them felt sick, wondering what had happened. Sun Shang Xiang slumped to her knees, her head hanging.

"We were to late…" she said quietly. "We were not fast enough to help them. Now our army is defeated and who knows how many lie slain in the gorge below."

The warriors around her were all silent as they reflected on their failure. Every heart was heavy as they thought of their comrades, perishing in their hundreds. Even as they stood in mourning, they could hear the shouts of triumph from the Pass, the soldier's of Hua Xiong cheering loudly and jeering at their retreating foe. It made their blood burn with anger and humiliation.

"We weren't fast enough getting through this pass," Xiao Qiao lamented, throwing down her fans and sitting back against the sheer rock wall, pouting. "This passage goes on forever! How were we supposed to get through here on time to help?"

Da Qiao was kneeling, her hands wringing in anxiety when she realized what her sister had said. "Xiao, you're right!"

Xiao Qiao blinked. "I am?"

Shang Xiang looked at Da Qiao as well. "She is?"

Da Qiao nodded. "There was no way in heaven we could make it through this path in time, given how soon the assault happened. But nobody knew that, not Sun Ce, not Zhou Yu, none of them! But we're still here in the pass and the enemy obviously doesn't know it!"

"So what?" Fu Chin Ran asked. "Even if we continue on, we could never defeat Hua Xiong's army by ourselves. Are you suggesting, my lady, that we assault the enemy as a final show of devotion to Jiang Dong and in a final act of sisterhood?"

Da Qiao looked into the eyes of the warrior-women around her. She could see that they were all hoping her answer was yes. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"No, I am not suggesting that. But I am pointing out that there are at least two generals down there who will not accept this defeat graciously. If I know my husband and Zhou Yu, they'll be using the enemy's triumph and complacency to renew the assault shortly."

The women nodded at the logic of Da's statement. They all knew that Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were relentless in their pursuit of victory.

"That is true," Sun Shang Xiang said, standing up and smiling. "My brother doesn't know the meaning of the word quit."

"Neither do I!" Xiao Qiao added, rising to her feet.

"You can't even spell it, Xiao." Da said, smirking. Several women laughed while Xiao blushed and grumpily bit off another strip of the dried meat Fu Chin Ran had given her.

"Alright, here's the plan..." Shang Xiang began, her spirit rekindled. "The men will be back before long, count on it. That means that we have to get the hell out of this passage as quickly as we can and cause as much confusion as possible once we're inside Tiger Trap Pass. Do we head for the gate or do we attack somewhere else?"

"I think we should attack not the gate but the defences standing over it." Fu Chin Ran suggested. "I have every faith in your brother's ability to knock the gate down, but he must have men left to go through it with."

"What about a supply depot?" Da Qiao asked. "Surely destroying an enemy supply base would be a blessing to our forces."

"Not this time around." Shang Xiang pointed out. "Our own army is very low on rations, Da. We want to capture all the intact provisions we can. Best way to do that is to rout the enemy out of Tiger Trap Pass quickly, rather than forcing them to defend their supplies."

Da Qiao nodded and pulled a little pack off her hip, removing a scroll of vellum and using a stick of charcoal to write down the obvious wisdom of Shang Xiang's words. The warriors all watched in mild disbelief as she did so. When she had packed away her scroll she saw them staring at her.

"What?" she asked, uncomfortable under such scrutiny.

"Did you really just take notes on that?" Shang Xiang asked. "I don't think I realized how serious you were about this war and leadership stuff, Da. I am impressed. You'll make a good commander one day, I know it."

Da blushed as the women all nodded in agreement with their mistress.

"Okay, let's go." Shang Xiang said finally. "The men will be back soon and they'll need saving, mark my words. Move out!"

The women began their trek again, moving forward as quickly as they could. Before dawn broke, they intended to create legends that the people of Jiang Dong would sing of for generations to come.

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"You two have a lot of explaining to do!" Sun Jian said, his face red with anger. He whirled around to look at Ce. "How dare you interrupt my duel with Hua Xiong, boy! If I had defeated him, that battle might have been saved!"

Ce did not back down. "I feared for you, father. Beyond that…" he turned his gaze upward and pointed to the stars. "That is Hua Xiong's star. It was burning very brightly earlier, but now it's dim. Our chance to take him down is comin' up."

"What makes you think I believe in such augury or prestidigitation?" Sun Jian shot back. "A strong blade and a keen mind wins battles, Ce, not stars! Did the scrolls of our ancestors teach you nothing! Are you implying that our sacrifices at that gate were for naught!"

"No, not at all." Ce replied simply. I-"

"And you…" Sun Jian said, turning to face Zhou Yu. "You were awfully quick to call a retreat, after saying that an assault on the gate was our only hope."

Zhou Yu bowed his head. "I am sorry, my lord, if you feel I have failed you."

"What I am is incensed and very confused!" Sun Jian seethed. "Hundreds of my finest horsemen were slain tonight! Hundreds! Those men are no longer available for future battles, if there are any! If we do not take Tiger Trap Pass, we might as well return home and wait for Dong Zhuo to come to us! At least them the defences will be in _our_ favour."

"Your son is right about the stars, my lord." Zhou Yu said. "I believe now is the time to strike again."

Sun Jian looked at his strategist in disbelief. "What are you talking about? We just got thrashed and you think we should go back for more?"

Zhou Yu and Sun Ce nodded. "It's the last thing they'll expect."

Sun Jian thought about this for a moment. "Well, the gods never close a door without opening a window…" he said finally. "Hopefully Shang Xiang has found her way into the Pass by now and will be causing trouble as only she can. Ready all of our remaining cavalry and prepare to return to the gate! Have the supply train light fires and retreat ten _li_ so that it will appear as if we are withdrawing. We ride in ten minutes!"

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They had finally emerged from the passage and now crept along a line of rocks, careful not to be seen by the sentries. The twisting winding path emptied out south and above the gate. From here, the women had an excellent view of the defences that guarded the entrance to Tiger Trap Pass. Shang Xiang, Fu Chin Ran, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao all gazed discreetly over a boulder and gazed down at the fortifications.

"I'll give Hua Xiong one thing, he certainly takes no chances." Shang Xiang murmured.

Fu Chin Ran nodded in agreement. "Perhaps, but if we take the defences, we can use them against him as well. No thought has been given to an attack from within."

"I guess we're lucky they don't know we're here, huh?" Xiao Qiao remarked.

The other three women just looked at her silently. Xiao blushed and sunk down lower behind the rock, her eyes narrowed.

Shang Xiang looked up, toward the towering rock walls over them. "There've got to be sentries above us. It would really help if we could take them out. We need someone who's a quick climber."

Da Qiao thumbed over at her sister. "Even her You-Tai monkeys can't keep up with her."

Fu Chin Ran nodded and handed Xiao a short bamboo tube. "Take this tube and these darts. The darts are poisoned. Try to hit them in the neck, where their skin is exposed. Whatever you do, though, don't inhale."

Xiao gave the captain a sour look. "Thanks, Fu, I hadn't figured that part out."

The young girl shook her head, strapped her fans to her back and fixed her tiny hands to the rock wall. She began shimmying up the cliff, quicker than one would have thought humanly possible. She was a good forty feet up when they heard a squeak and then saw her silhouette hanging by one hand for a moment, dangling loosely. She then regained her grip and continued up.

Shang Xiang put her hand over her heart as she looked at the ground and breathed. "That girl is going to be the death of me…"

Xiao's eyes glinted with determination as she climbed. Another twenty feet and she had reached the lip of the great cliff. She silently poked her head over and peered around. The top was flat and wide, nearly thirty feet from front to rear. In the darkness she could make out the form of a sentry, standing still and looking out toward the east, watching the fires of the retreating enemy. His spear stood steady beside him while his cloak billowed in the breeze.

Xiao took another bite of the deer meat, just in case, and quietly climbed onto the great ledge and crouched, readying the dart that Fu Chin Ran had given her. She crept forward, aimed carefully, took a deep breath and blew.

The dart caught in the material of the guard's cloak, nowhere near his skin. Xiao scowled and loaded another dart into the tube. She tried again, this time the tiny projectile burying itself in the leather scales of his shoulder armour. The man flinched his shoulder, as if trying to shoo away an insect.

Thoroughly disgusted, the girl stood up and strode over to the guard taking a dart between her fingers and jamming it into his neck. He grabbed his neck, shuddered and crumpled to the ground. Xiao tried to catch him before he made any noise, but the man was too big and bore her to the earth as well, where she lay pinned beneath his corpse. She exhaled as the wind was knocked from her by his weight. She struggled for some time before lying still, looking up at the sky in exasperation.

"Well, this is a dream come true," she grumbled to herself. "Men are finally falling all over me..."

She grunted and struggled for close to a minute before finally managing to roll the soldier off of her. She got to her feet and caught her breath, looking down at her vanquished foe. She sensed someone behind her and slowly turned around…

She goggled up at another guard, who was looking down at her, not quite sure to make of what he was seeing. Here was his fellow guard, lying on his back, unconscious, and this wisp of a girl crawling out from under him. The man was well-armoured and carried a long spear, but had yet to make a threatening gesture.

Xiao swallowed her fear and realized the guard was confused by what he was seeing. She smiled coyly and winked at him.

"He really liked it."

The guard's eyes went wide at her words. He looked at the prostrate guard again and then back at the girl.

"Oh, c'mon…" she giggled, walking slowly up to him, her smile wicked. "You know he was praised by everyone and the general wanted to reward him."

The guard frowned in confusion. "Ping was? I thought he was an idiot. We all laughed at him, saying that an enemy warrior could walk right up to him and just kill him."

Xiao giggled again, stopping in front of the guard and tracing a finger up the front of his armour. "Appearances can be deceiving, don't you know."

The guard looked down at Ping again. "Lucky bastard."

"Oh, but who said I was here to reward just Ping?" she cooed sweetly. "There was one other exceptional guard I was sent up here to reward for meretricious service."

"Meretricious?" the guard asked, tilting his head.

"Er, meritorious, I mean…" Xiao said hastily, blushing. "Someone else up here has been a very good boy and is going to get a reward. Now I just need to remember his name. It was… ummm… let's see, it was…"

"Ho-lu?" the guard suggested hopefully.

"That's him!" she squeaked, looking pleased. "Ho-lu! Now I just need to find him."

"Oh, but you have, girl." Ho-lu said, looking infinitely pleased. His shield and lance had relaxed, hanging now at his side.

Xiao giggled and winked at him before bending slightly at the hips, leaning forward and closing her eyes, her lips puckered for a dainty kiss.

Ho-lu leaned down to reciprocate when Xiao slammed her forehead forward with all her might…

Right into the iron nose guard of his helmet.

Xiao squatted down on her haunches and held her forehead, wincing. "Ow…" she said miserably.

Ho-lu stepped back in surprise, not sure what had just happened. A suspicious look shadowed his face for a moment, until he realized how silly he was being. This twit of a girl was obviously no warrior, but had simply grown excited at the prospect of making love him. He was, after all, rather lavishly gifted where the ladies were concerned. At least he thought so.

He stepped forward again. "Be not afraid, girl, it is natural to be nervous in such a situation. You needn't worry, I shall go easy on you. Perhaps we shall start by you licking- OOOOFFFF!"

Xiao Qiao had sunk onto her behind and her foot rocketed up to slam between Ho-lu's legs. As he doubled over in sudden agony, Xiao sprung to her feet and grappled around his neck, tightening the strap across his throat. As his eyes bulged and his air was cut off, she ran toward the ledge she had crawled up, dragging him along by the helmet and threw him over the side.

She stood up and dusted off her hands, an indignant look on her face. "As if…"

She returned to the business of neutralizing the guards.

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Shang Xiang, Da Qiao and Fu Chin Ran were standing together and quietly discussing their option when they heard a noise above them. They looked up and Da Qiao squeaked and scurried out of the way. Shang Xiang and Fu simply stepped back a pace and watched as the guard's body landed in their midst with a loud _thud!_ The women of Shang Xiang's unit all sprang to their feet, weapons drawn and ready for action. Shang Xiang grimaced down at the body and then scowled up at the cliff.

"Well, she's having fun, obviously…" she remarked dryly. "I'm not sure I want to know."

"Trust me, you don't." Da Qiao said, shaking her head.

"Fun or no, all that noise is going to alert the other guards." Fu Chin Ran pointed out, looking around. "I do not like how much noise that man made when he landed. It's sure to bring them running."

"Agreed." Shang Xiang said, drawing a bow from her back. "We will proceed with caution, but I want you all to heave your bows ready. If you see an isolated target, take them out. Anything we can do to whittle down their numbers is a good thing."

"What about my sister?" Da asked.

"I'd say she has things well in hand. She'll hear us fight and come running, no doubt."

The women all nodded and began filing along, ready for action. Shang Xiang now took the lead, her keen eyes alert for any sign of the enemy. She was eager for battle and the chance to prove herself a great warrior. Some pig-headed fool like Hua Xiong was not about to stop her. Not in a thousand lifetimes.

Da came last, her own short bow in hand. She paused at the body of the fallen guard and used her toe to turn him onto his back. Avoiding looking at what was left of his face, she saw an iron horn tucked into his armour and removed it, thinking it might just come in handy later…

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"It will not be dark for much longer; we must strike now, before the dawn." Zhou Yu said, riding beside Sun Ce and Sun Jian. The three of them were leading the cavalry while Lu Meng, Ling Cao and Huang Gai followed with the infantry. Ce and his father just nodded, knowing how small the window of opportunity here really was. This attack had to succeed, or nothing would be left of the army to fight with.

Ce's thoughts were still with his wife, wandering somewhere in the Pass. He prayed to both his family's patron god and her own that she was alright. He didn't know what he would do without her. Ce shook his head, shutting it out of his mind and thought about the battle to come. He knew his father's objective would be Hua Xiong; Ce would have to make sure that Sun Jian was given the chance to avenge himself.

His keen night vision showed the great bluffs of Tiger Trap Pass a few _li_ ahead. As the cavalry forded the river, he realized that the enemy had not yet reclaimed their forward guard positions. That, at least was a stroke of luck they could be thankful for. If they were attacking early enough, perhaps the gate itself would not be fully manned yet. In spite of their rout, the forces of Jiang Dong had done great execution amongst Dong Zhuo's soldiers defending the gate. It might take some time for them to reorganize.

A strange horn sounded from the pass. All the riders looked up in confusion.

"That was not one of our horns, but that _was_ one of our battle calls." Zhou Yu said, confirming what everyone thought they'd heard.

"The girls!" Ce said in earnest, spurring his horse into a full gallop instantly. Sun Jian and Zhou Yu were hard on his heels, followed by the rest of their assault force. To the rear, the infantry picked up its pace, determined to not be left out this time.

"_Fight hard, Da!"_ Ce said, his mind racing. _"I'll be there before you know it!"_

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The amazons had finally come to a guard post they could not ignore. They had shot and killed isolated sentries, but in order to proceed, they would have to fight. They crept as close as they could before Shang Xiang let out a great battle-cry and leapt at the enemy, her chakrams flashing in her hands. Fu Chin Ran and her warriors all let out their whooping war cries as they followed their mistress, their blades overhead and ready to kill.

The guards were caught completely unawares. The amazons were among them and slaughtering them like wolves among sheep. Cries of alarm rang throughout the pass as men attempted to organize themselves or even just figure out what had happened.

Shang Xiang spun and whirled about, her dance elegant and deadly. Her circular blades slashed and cut her foes to ribbons while she kicked and vaulted from one to the other. Fu Chin Ran was locked in a deadly duel with a guard captain, their blades flashing as they rang against one another. The captain was more heavily armed but Fu Chin Ran was faster, her fighting style fleet and elusive. She never backed away, yet he could not seem to keep her in one place. Eventually her speed proved too much and her blade drove through his torso, felling him. She kicked her foe off her sword and held it aloft, uttering a cry of triumph. Her warriors all responded with cries of their own, redoubling their efforts to overrun the position.

Da Qiao ran along, trying to keep up but also feeling rather overwhelmed. She was used to being outmatched by men, but now she was surrounded by women, all of whom fought with a ferocity and skill that any male warrior would be proud of.

She heard a snarl behind her and whirled around to see a soldier advancing on her. She held her fans up in a defensive posture, waiting for him to attack. She thought about everything she had been learning form Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran for the past week.

"_Keep your enemy at a distance until you have assessed their strengths and weaknesses. Look for your advantages and capitalize on them. Be analytical. Do not fear what you do not know."_

Da Qiao considered her foe now- he was not an overly large man, of only average height and build. He was wearing scale armour and a helmet while carrying a shield and sword. She could see by his movements that she would be faster than him. The fastest way to deal with this would be to lure him into striking and then counter-attacking while he had not yet recovered from his missed strike.

Da Qiao allowed him to come forward and turned slightly to the side, presenting her flank. The man stabbed at her, his sword driving forward to pin her. She pivoted gracefully to the right, now outside his weapon's range and next to his shield. Her fans swept down, striking hard and knocking him to the earth. As he collapsed she whirled around in a great arc, making sure no one had managed to creep up on her and get inside her defences.

She saw another foe pressing one of the women, stabbing at her with a spear and forcing her back. Da Qiao leapt to attack, her fans shearing off the spear about half-way down the haft before she kicked the man in the head, snapping his neck back and killing him instantly. The amazon nodded to her and dashed off to find another enemy. Da Qiao took a moment to collect herself, feeling her heart pounding. It had been nearly a year or more since her involvement in the Yellow Turban campaign and she was not certain at all that she was ready for this.

She watched for a moment as Shang Xiang slew yet another guard, her deadly elegance matched only by her ferocity. As another soldier rushed her, Shang Xiang did not doge but crouched low and surged up underneath him, sending him bodily over her and landing him on his head. As he fell on his back the princess shouted and stamped on the man's sternum, cracking it and sending his soul shuddering from his corpse.

Da Qiao drew a deep breath and pulled the purloined horn from her belt. She put her lips to it and blew with all her might, amazed at the great call that went forth. She altered the pitch and tone as best she could, hoping that the signal would be recognized…

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Xiao Qiao scampered along the ridge, whining to herself about the fact that her unit seemed to have started without her. True, she had drawn first blood for their side, but all the fun was happening down there now and she was trapped up here. She raced along, looking for a way down.

She saw another guard, aiming his bow down into the melee, trying to get a clear shot. She shouted and ran at him, drawing his attention. Even as he threw down his bow and swept out his sword, she leapt at him, her feet colliding with his chest. The man pitched backward over the bluffs and cried out as he tumbled to the distant floor of the Pass. Xiao wasted no time in picking up his bow and beginning to fire at enemy soldiers. She missed as often as she hit, but she had to do _something_ until she figured out how to get down there.

She heard a great horn call out from inside the Pass, just below and forward of her position. She ran until she was over where the sound had come from and knelt to look down carefully at the fray. She identified Shang Xiang easily enough, as well as Fu Chin Ran and then her sister. Da Qiao seemed to be giving a good account of herself, targeting isolated guards and dispatching them. Xiao squealed and clapped in delight as she watched her older sister fight. She hoped one day she would be as good.

Someone rushed at her from the right and she yelped and rolled to the side as a spear plunged down where she had been, the iron head glancing off the hard rock. She glared up at the soldier who had tried to spit her and stuck out her tongue.

"That all you got?"

The men snarled angrily and thrust again, but Xiao Qiao twisted and caught hold of the haft as it slid by, locking it in a death grip. The soldier frowned as he tried to wrest it away from her, but she would not let go. He finally yelled and pulled with all his might and she thrust forward as well, shoving him off balance and sending him toppling over the ledge as well. Xiao shook her head and stood up.

"That'll teach you to underestimate me…"

At long last she spied a rope ladder that was spiked into the rock face, allowing guards to ascend to their posts and to descend when relieved. She scrambled down, hoping there would still be foes left to fight when she reached the bottom…

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The assault against the gate was relentless. The cavalry of Jiang Dong fought madly to dispatch the guards who were charged with its defence. As the horsemen engaged the enemy, Ce rode up to the gate, his keen eyes looking for some way to throw it open. Beyond the barrier he could hear fighting, and the distinctive battle-cries of his sister's amazons. Hopefully they would keep the enemy occupied while he figured this out.

The rock wall was uneven and jagged on the right side, so he vaulted off his horse and leapt forward, scrambling up the uneven surface. An arrow hissed from above and narrowly missed his back, clattering off the stone on his right. He climbed faster, dodging yet another missile. When he was almost level with the top of the gate, he twisted his torso and flung a knife at the archer who kept shooting at him. The man cried out and slumped over the gate, the blade lodged in his neck.

Ce pushed off from the rock face and dived toward the top of the gate. He rolled as he landed and came to his feet, tonfa already in hand. He blitzed across the walkway atop the gate, hurling himself into the guards who seemed to be defending the mechanism that opened it. His speed, skill and savagery were too much for them and they died within seconds of his assault. Without pausing he swept up one of their swords and hacked at the strong ropes that held the mighty rocks acting as counterbalances. The ropes frayed and finally snapped, whipping through their slots with a hiss.

The gates groaned loudly and then flung open with an uncontrolled slam, shivering and splintering as they impacted the rock walls on either side. A roar went up from the Jiang Dong cavalry and they poured through the gap, lances ready. Ce called loudly and sprang in action, jumping from the top of the gate and landing on the floor of the Pass, amidst a knot of enemy soldiers. He pummelled and thrashed about, never giving them a chance to react. He felt his battle aura burning white hot as he thought of Da Qiao; he believed in his wife, but this might be a little too much for her. These were not angry peasants, they were professional soldiers. He battered the remnants of the squad aside and headed toward the sounds of battle inside the Pass…

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Da Qiao had fought her way to Shang Xiang's side and the two of them faced off against a squad of heavily-armed halberdiers. The men glowered at the two women, measuring them.

"Halberdiers…" Da Qiao muttered. "I _hate_ halberdiers."

Shang Xiang smirked. "Yeah, I'd imagine you do. Just remember, their weapons are heavy, so they have a long follow-through. That's where your advantage will lie."

"That's the only place my advantage _ever_ lies…" Da Qiao sighed. The two women nodded to each other and then lunged at the enemy, who were taken off guard by the suddenness of the assault. Two girls taking on ten soldiers did not normally factor into their rational thought. Shang Xiang's chakrams flashed and arced as she spun about, finding weak points in the enemy's armour with unerring accuracy.

Da Qiao bashed and struck at her foes, having a considerably harder time than her sister-in-law, who had already felled two targets. One soldiers thrust forward and she spun around the spear and cracked him across the face with the ridge of her fan. The man howled in rage but Da's next swipe with her other fan slashed him across the throat and he gurgled as he died. Another foe swept his halberd in a wide arc and she ducked low, allowing it to pass overhead. She surged up and her fans tore through his chest armour, scoring great wounds in his torso; as he toppled, Da vaulted over him and kicked another halberdier in the face. The man staggered backwards and she ducked as her stunned foe was accidentally skewered by an ally. She lashed out and her fan swept the man's legs from beneath him.

"Da, quit dodging and springing around so much!" Shang Xiang called from nearby, battling two foes at once. "You'll waste your energy! Start parrying some of their attacks!"

"But I thought my advantage was my speed and agility!" Da Qiao protested, somersaulting backwards away from another strike.

"They are, but they're not your only advantages!" Shang Xiang pointed out, slamming her elbow down on the neck of a doubled-over soldier. His vertebrae cracked and he flopped to the hard ground, unmoving. "Not all these guys are so much stronger than you that you can't parry one of their blows! Parrying opens up new windows for counter-attack!"

"That sounds like something I should be practicing under controlled conditions, not in the heat of battle!" Da called back.

"Have it your way, but don't complain to me later when you're exhausted and your muscles ache from all that flipping around!" Shang Xiang shouted almost gaily. She, at least, seemed to be enjoying herself. Da knew that Shang Xiang was happiest on the battlefield, testing herself against strong opponents. Perhaps she herself should learn to enjoy combat, if she was going to keep fighting in her husband's name.

Their foes were dead, lying in heaps around the two girls. Da Qiao panted and shook her head slowly. She looked at Shang Xiang, who was standing tall, flinging the blood from her chakrams with a flick of her wrists. Even dirty, bruised and streaked with blood, the princess looked dignified and regal. She radiated confidence and determination, qualities Da Qiao found inspiring, even now. She felt her spirit lifting, her own energy levels rising. They might yet triumph and the thought excited her.

Then she went pale. A company of horses was riding up, Dong Zhuo's banners overhead. But it was not the cavalrymen that made her blanch- at their head rode a huge man, nearly as large as Guan Yu. His face was hard as stone, the power of his body obvious beneath his armour. Hua Xiong himself had come to deal with them.

Shang Xiang stood still, almost as if paralysed. She seemed almost intimidated by the massive warrior, her chakrams idle in her hands. Hua Xiong's glance swept over them both and then sneered in disgust.

"This? These are the warriors who have wreaked havoc in my camp? You fools call me forth to do battle and all you offer me are these women!"

Shang Xiang flushed angrily and took up a fighting posture. "Don't underestimate me just because I'm a woman!" she hissed and leapt to attack. Hua Xiong seemed surprised by her assault but not overly concerned either. He caught the slash over her chakrams on the haft of his mighty spear and flung upwards, sending her vaulting overhead to land behind him. He wheeled his horse around to face the warrior-princess and scowled.

"I do not have time for this, girl," he spat. "Can't you hear that my gates are in ruins and the enemy closes? Be gone or I shall leave you to my men's not-so-tender mercies!"

Shang Xiang cried out in fury and launched herself at Hua Xiong again. This time he whirled his spear overhead andslashed at her, but she dodged and struck. He leaned back in shock, shouting angrily as the blades of her chakram just missed his neck. Shang Xiang landed near Da Qiao again while Hua Xiong gestured tersely for his guards to spread out and hunt down her amazons.

"Perhaps I should go help the girls." Da Qiao suggested.

"Actually, you should probably stay," Shang Xiang replied, eyeing her foe warily. "I hate to admit it, but I may be in over my head here. This might take both of us."

"I'd rather go help the girls," Da Qiao said, only half jokingly.

"Hey!" Xiao Qiao squeaked as she ran up to join them. "I cleared off the ridge up above and- oh, crap…"

She tried not to tremble in fear as she finally noticed Hua Xiong towering over them. He glared at the three of them, pointing with his spear.

"You three shall pay dearly for the trouble you've caused me. When I am done letting my men take a poke at you, I shall send you to Lord Dong Zhuo and he shall finish you off… slowly…"

Shang Xiang motioned for the other two girls to spread out to each side, forming a triangle around Hua Xiong. He didn't seem all that concerned by the apparent threat.

"Remember what I told you, girls…" Shang Xiang growled, her eyes never leaving her foe. "There is no enemy that cannot be overcome if you have the will to win."

Hua Xiong laughed out loud at her words. "Foolish girl!" he sneered. "Do you think I do not know you? The bow-hipped princess of Jiang Dong, the untamed daughter of the mongrel Sun Jian and half-sister to those whelps Ce and Quan? Everyone has heard of you, girl; the problem is that I simply do not care. You will fall today, and wish you had never left your muddy riverlands!"

Shang Xiang howled in rage and flung herself at the general. Fast as lightning, his spear swept out and the haft tagged her in the side, sending her sprawling. She tried to get up but collapsed, the burning sensation in her ribs accompanied by a grinding agony.

Da Qiao and her sister cried out in alarm and made for Hua Xiong but he roared angrily, brandishing his spear and they fell back, terrified.

Tears stung in Da's eyes as she tried to muster the courage to attack. She had to save Shang Xiang, but this man frightened her so. She steeled herself and raised her fans when Hua Xiong's attention was drawn off to his right. He brought his spear haft up in a hasty block as Ce's tonfas slammed down at him. The young warlord sprang back away from the counter-stroke and landed next to his sister, crouched like a cat. He glowered at the general, even as he reached down to touch Shang Xiang's shoulder.

"How you doin', sis?" he asked, his voice filled with concern.

"I've been better, obviously," she said, wincing. "Forget about me, keep that bastard away from the girls."

"That's the plan." Ce said, rising slowly. He advanced toward Hua Xiong, his eyes flashing and his muscles flexing in his shoulders as he rotated them. He fixed his foe with a deadly gaze.

"Alright, pal, your luck has just run out. Bad idea, picking on my sister and my wife; time to pay you back, with interest."

Hua Xiong snorted in contempt. "Pretty words from a pretty boy. You mean Jiang Dong has something to fight with aside from women? You wouldn't know it to see them flying from the gate earlier…"

Ce was about to stuff his tonfas down Hua Xiong's throat when a voice from behind caused him to halt.

"That's enough, Ce, I'm here now. This man and I have a score to settle." Sun Jian said as he rode up, his voice calm but his gaze steely. His sword was in his hand, keen and eager for battle.

"Now get your sister out of here. Da Qiao, Xiao Qiao, go with him. I will see to this foe personally."

Ce bowed and picked up his sister gingerly. Hua Xiong watched with mild interest as the two girls joined Ce and carried Shang Xiang off. Once they were a safe distance away, Sun Jian pointed his sword at Hua Xiong.

"Now there is only the two of us, general. This battle still hangs in the balance. He who triumphs here shall lead his men to victory."

Hua Xiong sneered again, gripping the haft of his stout spear and readying himself for a charge. "Have it your way, old man. I will trample you into the dust."

Sun Jian nodded and made to attack. As he did so, the sun peaked over the great bluffs of Tiger Trap Pass, throwing the landscape into relief. He felt the warmth on his neck and smiled. He had not even noticed the light of dawn, so intent was he on the progress of the battle. He watched as Hua Xiong squinted, the light directly in his eyes.

Sun Jian spurred his mount forward and committed his fate to the gods.

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"It's just some cracked ribs, she'll be fine." Zhou Yu said, examining Shang Xiang's tender flank, now coloured an ugly purple. "I dare say you're lucky he didn't bisect you."

"Oh, shut up already, pretty boy." Shang Xiang groused as she lay on her side, trying not to look humiliated.

Ce laughed. "That's my sis. Well, she's out of action for a while, I'll have her sent back to the supply train. In the meantime…"

He looked over at Fu Chin Ran and the amazons, who were gathered around their mistress in a tight circle, to guard her from harm. The gate had been gained, but fighting raged throughout the Pass and the battle was still undecided.

"You gals are gonna need to decide if you want to take her back and guard her or continue fighting. Your call."

Fu Chin Ran bowed her head respectfully. "Our mistress has been injured, my lord, and she must be avenged. We will fight on. We will, however, need a leader in her absence."

Ce considered this for moment and then nodded. He looked at his wife. "Whaddya say, Da? Ready to try your hand at command?"

Da Qiao's eyes opened and her mouth dropped so low it nearly bounced off the ground. "My… my lord, you cannot be serious. I know nothing of command!"

"Bull," retorted the young lord. "You've been studying for weeks now, pouring over scrolls and listening to lectures. This is as good a time as any to get some experience."

Da Qiao shook her head almost compulsively. She looked at Fu Chin Ran, who merely led her women in bowing their heads and placing their hand over their breast in salute. She looked at Shang Xiang, who winced as she smiled.

"You can do it, sweetie… just don't panic and you'll do fine."

Desperate for support, Da Qiao looked at her sister, who giggled and winked, obviously pleased with the notion of following her older sister into battle. She finally sighed and relented.

"Very well, I shall take command of Shang Xiang's unit. What are my orders, my lord?"

Ce laughed happily and ruffled her hair. "Good stuff, Da, I'm proud of you. Take your unit over toward that series of fortifications and help Huang Gai clear it out; sounds like the old guy's having a little trouble, okay?"

Da Qiao cleared her throat and tried to fix her hair. "At once my lord."

Ce nodded and watched as some guards carefully took Shang Xiang away and then clapped Zhou Yu on the shoulder. The two warriors then sped off deep into the pass.

Da Qiao sighed and looked around, trying to gather her thoughts. Fu Chin Ran walked up and put a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"The lord is right to place his faith in you, my lady. You are intelligent and strong-willed. You will be a fine commander with more experience."

Da grimaced. "It's right now that I'm worried about. I'm not a fine commander yet. We need to survive this battle in order for me to become one."

"You will do fine, Lady Qiao." Fu said softly. "Now, what are your orders?"

Da Qiao pondered. "Well, Ce said that fortifications were our target, so… Xiao, go back up onto the ridge and take twenty archers with you. You'll provide fire support for us as we make our way in."

Xiao nodded and had Fu pick out the twenty best archers and led them back up the wall and onto the bluffs.

"I guess the rest of us will go and help Huang Gai," Da said, shrugging. "Well, let's go…"

"One moment, my lady," Fu Chin Ran said, walking up to her and pinning a blood-red orchid into her hair.

"This is the symbol of our commander. Lady Sun gave it to me just before she was carried off- it is only appropriate that you wear it while she is incapacitated. It symbolizes our devotion to each other and to Jiang Dong."

Da Qiao was silent for several moments, overwhelmed by the honour she was being accorded. She finally nodded, strengthened by their belief in her.

Let's go, girls," she said, her tone firm. "We have a battle to win…"

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Ce had been right- the fighting deeper into Tiger Trap Pass was savage and relentless. The cavalry of Jiang Dong had dismounted and was nowbattlingalongside the infantry, pressing hard to break through. Fortunately, in gaining the gate they now had access to the walls and ramparts, meaning they were no longer pinned to the ground, where the enemy could hurl missiles down upon them with impunity. The battle was joined on several levels around the Pass.

Ce had felled a banner bearer carrying Dong Zhuo's royal standard and now wore the long banner like a great purple mantle, his troops cheering as he assaulted the enemy, his ersatz cape fluttering out behind him.

A great shift had occurred in the dynamic of the battle as the sun broke over the Pass- though they still outnumbered the troops of Jiang Dong, Hua Xiong's men seemed to be losing heart. They were not as aggressive as they had been, more likely to stand behind their static defences and retreat when the enemy broke through. Their withdrawal was orderly and fierce, but inexorable.

Zhou Yu slashed and hacked his way through entire companies of soldiers, his blade never resting. His eyes shone brightly as his battle aura manifested itself, an almost visible corona of fire about his body. Men fled in terror before his onslaught.

Ce laughed as he fought, his body flush power, moving faster than a bolt of lightning. He slammed his tonfas into his foes, knocking them away or driving them to the ground with ease. He spun under one attack and surged up facing backward, slamming his weapons into the faces of the soldiers who had attacked him. He whirled about, the blade of his foot cracking across the jaw of another soldier who rushed up, sending him sprawling.

"I never get tired of watching you fight!" Zhou Yu called out from nearby.

"Yeah! Am I good or what?" was Ce's reply. One would hardly have guessed that they were in the middle of a titanic battle, the way they bantered between themselves.

Another fortification was taken and the defenders broke and ran, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu hard on their heels while their men secured the base. Ce leapt onto a horse and galloped through the retreating soldiers, laying about with his weapons, felling dozens. Zhou Yu was not far behind, having gathered other riders and following their commander. The enemies that Ce had passed by were swiftly dealt with.

Ce gave a loud shout as he watched the enemy soldiers burst out of Tiger Trap Pass and into the open plains to the west. Thousands upon thousands streamed through, seeking refuge from the soldiers of Jiang Dong. Ce pulled out his horn and blew loudly, but it was not a call of triumph- it was a call for assistance.

Even as the defenders fled, a vast army could be seen approaching, led by royal banners that proclaimed the glories of the Prime Minister, Dong Zhuo. They were several _li _away still, but their numbers were quite obvious.

Every soldier not still engaged within the Pass began to rush toward the western gate, responding to their young general's call. Zhou Yu organized his troops into rows at the gate, shields and long spears in front of archers, ready to rain death on the approaching enemy. Ce led men up the ladders to the tall bluffs overlooking the gate, positioning them to fire down on Dong Zhuo's troops once they were within range.

Ce narrowed his eyes as he spotted the royal guard, led by a huge man wearing elaborate robes and his head crowned with phoenix feathers.

Lu Bu had come to lift the siege of Tiger Trap Pass.

Ce bit his lip as he guessed at the enemy's numbers, well over thrice his own. If Lu Bu charged now, before he could fix the gates, there would be no keeping him out. His troops were too exhausted to fight another pitched battle, especially against so strong a foe. Hua Xiong was proving difficult enough, without Lu Bu's interference.

Just then, horns and clarions called out from the east, heralding the arrival of his Coalition allies. He recognized the horns of Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Gonsun Zan, Kong Rong and Liu Bei. Judging by the sound of the horns, they were even closer than Lu Bu. If they heeded his call and rushed to the defence of this western gate, they might hold that monster off.

Ce stood still atop the bluffs, Zhou Yu now at his side. Ling Cao had been left in charge of the gate, while the two commanders pondered the possible outcomes. They both sighed in relief as they were joined by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, who stood at their side and gazed out.

"It would seem we arrived not a moment too soon." Guan Yu remarked thoughtfully as he studied the enemy.

"Pah! Let 'em come!" Zhang Fei rumbled, his mighty hand flexing on the well-worn haft of his enormous serpent-headed spear. "I've been itchin' for a fight since we formed this damned Coalition."

As they watched, the enemy army came to a stop, maybe three _li_ from the gate. From far behind, horns could be heard sounding a retreat. Even from this distance, Lu Bu's disgust at the signal was obvious. The massive army turned and marched back into the west.

Guan Yu nodded and stroke his long black beard. "Go now, my lord. Secure your supply bases and rest your men. We shall man this gate and ensure no enemy gets close."

Ce nodded and began his descent, followed by Zhuo Yu. They signalled Ling Cao and his troops to follow as they were replaced by Liu Bei's fresh forces. The two generals mounted their horses and began their ride back into Tiger Trap Pass.

"I'm glad those two are on our side." Ce said quietly, as he let the tension and anxiety of battle fall away, "Because I'd sure hate to have them as enemies."

Zhou Yu nodded. "Perhaps we should try to persuade them to join us?"

"Then we'll have to convince Liu Bei to swear fealty, because I don't think ol' Guan or Zhang Fei'll follow anyone else."

"One problem at a time, my friend," the raven-haired warrior replied. "We have almost won this battle, but fighting still rages. Until we are in complete control of Tiger Trap Pass, our work is not done."

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Da Qiao spun around the slash of her foe's sword and felled the man quickly. She paused to look around the makeshift fort, checking on the progress of her unit. The amazons, led by Fu Chin Ran, had charged the sentries at the gate, with help from Xiao Qiao's archer above. They burst into the supply depot and began routing the astonished enemy soldiers. Da Qiao fought when any adversary got too close, but mostly she directed the battle, calling for fire support from above, pointing her fans in the direction the missile barrage was needed. She had divided up the company into four squads of twenty, letting each one rampage through the supply base.

She had to stay alert, because the foe still heavily outnumbered her own forces. But her women were fighting like demons, eager to avenge their fallen mistress. She had caught up with Huang Gai's battered unit and respectfully requested that he make a fighting withdrawal, leaving her relatively fresh women to finish the job. Huang Gai would have burst into a terrible temper had anyone else dared to suggest such a thing, but seeing the concern in Da Qiao's eyes melted his gruff old heart and he called for a retreat. His weary assault troops, armed with shield and clubs like himself, pulled back gratefully, eager for the chance to rest.

Da Qiao had divided the base into quadrants in her mind, each squad assigned to sweep the area and purge it of foes. Within fifteen minutes of the amazons' arrival, the soldiers of Dong Zhuo were throwing down their arms and pleading for mercy. Da Qiao naturally granted it, having no urge to slay unarmed men, no matter how evil their leader was.

She blew on her horn and the archers ceased their barrage. With the base secured, her warriors, returned, with dozens of prisoners in tow. The men stood with their hands behind their heads, kneeling and obviously fearing the worst. To their amazement, Da simply had them bound and said they would await the judgement of her father-in-law.

"My lady, you are proving a commander of sound judgement," Fu Chin Ran said as she walked up. She bowed her head in respect and smiled. "Lady Sun will be most pleased."

Da Qiao blushed. "The orders I'm giving are based on pretty obvious principals, really, nothing too hard to comprehend. I thank you for the compliment, though."

Her warriors cheered as the last corners and hiding places were cleared of enemies. Flush with victory, they eagerly began doling out the supplies they'd captured to their exhausted comrades.

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The regional lords were gathered inside a great natural gap inside Tiger Trap Pass, their great yellow pavilion set up to protect them from the heat of the late-afternoon sun. Yuan Shao sat in the center, with the other Coalition leaders sitting on either side. Sun Ce, Zhou Yu, Shang Xiang, Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao knelt in front of the great commander, waiting patiently. All was silent and Xiao was having a hard time sitting still. She didn't like the way Cao Cao kept staring at her.

Finally, Sun Jian entered the pavilion, walking along wearily. He looked pale and drawn, his chest bound with bloody bandages, as was one of his arms, and a leg. He bowed formally as he entered and then walked slowly down the aisle to stand next to his commanders.

"How nice of you to finally join us, Lord Sun," Yuan Shao said coolly. "I trust we are not inconveniencing you by calling this meeting?"

Sun Jian sighed wearily and tossed something down to the ground in front of Yuan Shao. Hua Xiong's severed head gaped up at the commanders, all of whom whispered amongst themselves in shock and no small amount of awe.

"You're not inconveniencing me nearly as much as that man did, Lord Yuan Shao."

Ce laughed. It was good to see his father's sense of humour had returned.

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**Author's Notes: **Those of you who are familiar with the novel _Three Kingdoms_ know that Luo Guangzhong tells usHua Xiong was killed by Guan Yu in a savage battle that nearly tore the earth apart. However, historically speaking, the general known as Hua Xiong was slain by Sun Jian, and because this fanfic is about Sun Ce, I decided it made more sense to take this historical approach to keep the story in focus.

I assure you, this was not done lightly or easily, since Guan Yu is without question my favourite character, both within the novel and the Dynasty Warriors video games. I hope you understand my reasoning behind this choice and even approve. Let me know!

The author.


	12. Chapter 12 Omake The Second

**The Young Conqueror**

**SD Omake Theatre 2**

_**Author's Note:** My apologies to the anime Blue Seed and my fellow Cursed Fanboys for this opening…_

(Cue the cutesy rainbow bridging toward the reader. Over it come marching kawaii li'l SD versions of the Sun family members, along with Zhou Yu and the Qiao sisters)

**All: **"Wumake! Wumake! Wumake! Wumake!"

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"Hey, what a big surprise… here we are in another of these dumb Wumake things and Xiao Qiao is still the only person who's not SD."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Dude, think about that last chapter… Xiao was goofier than ever. She doesn't need to be super-deformed to cause the reader's head to hurt."

**Xiao Qiao:** "Yeah! I'm already a natural!"

**Chibi Da Qiao: (**rolling eyes) "Well, there's no denying that, is there?"

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"So what's the point in us being here, anyways? Didn't we just recently do one of these things?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Nah, it only feels that way. It was actually quite a few chapters ago."

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"Okay, but that still doesn't answer my primary question- why the hell are we back here in these stupid little bodies?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Pops needed a break after his fight with Hua Xiong, but the next chapter is the Battle of Si Shui Gate and he was afraid he wasn't gonna get one, so he requested an interlude."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"So you're telling me that we're doing an SD theatre to buy time for your father to recuperate?"

(Cue Sun Jian dashing onto the scene, wearing a scarlet and gold football uniform with a tiger emblazoned on the helmet. Underneath his arm he's carrying Hua Xiong's severed head like a football and dodges between the other Wumake participants)

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"And the Wu QB Sun Jian decides to run the ball up the field himself! He dodges left, he fakes right! He spins around the girl with the butch haircut!"

(Sun Jian spins gracefully around Sun Shang Xiang, who just rolls her eyes)

**Chibi Sun Jian: (**reaching the imaginary end zone) "He's going all the way, folks! He's run the entire length of a chapter and TOUCHDOWN!"

(Sun Jian jumps up and down in triumph and spikes Hua Xiong's head, which bounces off-screen. Da Qiao can be heard screaming as it lands in her lap)

**Chibi Sun Jian: (**Wooooooooo!) "What an awesome play, ladies and gentlemen! This guy is a phenom! Fear the Tiger of Jiang Dong! The crowd goes wild!"

(Sun Jian simulates crowd noises by cupping his hands over his mouth and breathing and hissing loudly)

**Xiao Qiao: (**jumping up and down, wearing a scarlet and gold cheerleader outfit and shaking poms-pons) "Go, Sun Jian! You're the greatest! S-U-N- G- no, J… how do you spell 'Jian', Da?"

**Chibi Shang Xiang: (**shaking head) "I'd say he's recovered."

(Shang Xiang storms over to her father and spins him around, glaring at him.)

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **"Honestly, father! Behave yourself! Try to act your age, not your shoe size! If our mother were alive to see this…"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Don't you mean _your_ mother, sis? Quan and I have a different mother from you, after all."

**Chibi Shang Xiang: (**blushing) "We don't talk about that, remember?"

(Shang Xiang whirls around and looks at her father again)

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **"_You_ are a very bad man."

**Chibi Sun Jian: (**blink!) "Me? Why am I bad?"

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **"Because you married one woman and had a litter of poorly-behaved boys, and then when she dies, you go and marry her _younger sister_ to have Kuang and I!"

**Chibi Sun Jian: (**shrug!) "Hey, it's ancient China, sweetheart. Ethics and morals aren't whatreaders are used to nowadays."

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **"You old perv! Ce and Quan aren't even my half-brothers! They're my three-quarters brothers!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Hey, at least Konami gave you a new name, sis… imagine if they'd stuck with your original Three Kingdoms name."

**Chibi Shang Xiang: (**looking at Ce and going pale) "You… you wouldn't…"

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**grinning evilly) "Aw, but it's such a cute name, sis. Not many people could pull it off, you gotta admit."

**Chibi Shang Xiang: (**advancing on Ce and pulling her chakrams out of Hammerspace) "I'm warning you, Ce… if you _dare_ say it, I'll-"

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**mocking her as he backs up) "Ooooooooh, someone's got her capris in a bunch. Don't worry, I won't tell anybody… Ren…"

**Chibi Ren- er, Shang Xiang: **Oo;; "YOU TOLD! GRAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

(Shang Xiang proceeds to chase Ce around the omake, trying to slice him to ribbons or crumple him into a small cube; Ce is laughing and scampering just ahead, teasing her)

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**closing his eyes and moving some hair away from his face) "Well, that should keep those two busy for a while. So, now everybody knows that Shang Xiang's name is actually Sun Ren."

**Xiao Qiao: (**thinking real hard) "Does that mean that Kuang's real name is Sun Stimpy?"

(The omake stops suddenly with the sound of a needle scratching over a record as everyone looks at Xiao in disbelief)

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**looking at Zhou Yu with one eyebrow raised) "Dude, she's _gotta _be hell on wheels in the sack, admit it. Solve the mystery for us."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"Not on your life, pal. Some things are best left to the reader's imagination."

**Chibi Ren- er, Shang Xiang: **"Given how old she _looks_, that's probably a good idea."

(Shang Xiang looks over at Da Qiao and her jaw drops)

**Chibi Shang Xiang:** (rant rant rant!) "_What_ the hell are you doing!"

**Chibi Da Qiao: (**pausing as she tries to arrange flowers inside Hua Xiong's head and mount it somewhere appropriate) "Well, since I seem to be the only person here with any sense of both aesthetics _and_ decency, I decided to try and do something useful with Mister Hua's head. I think it will make a lovely vase."

**Xiao Qiao: **"Feng Xiong?"

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"Vee!"

(Shang Xiang whirls around to scream at her alleged father again, who was trying to sneak out of the SD theatre)

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **"Get back here, you old lecher! It's your damn fault we're all stuck in here so you're gonna suffer with us!"

(Sun Jian freezes and then grumpily turns and walks back to join the others. Shang Xiang, now beet-red in the face, stomps around the omake, bellowing loudly and waving her chakrams like a lunatic)

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **"As a matter of fact, EVERYONE has to suffer! All of you, get your sorry behinds in here!"

(The entire cast of Dynasty Warriors 5 ambles onto the screen, some curious, others sullen and petulant)

**Chibi Shang Xiang: (**pointing her chakrams at them and almost frothing at the mouth) "Alright! I'm stuck in this stupid Wumake and I'm taking you all to hell with me! Anyone who doesn't like it gets to spend the afternoon listening to Xiao Qiao babble! Got it! PUT YOUR HAND DOWN, CAO CAO, OR I'LL CUT IT OFF AT YOUR GROIN!"

(Cao Cao hastily puts his hand down and hides behind Xu Zhu)

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**going up to Shang Xiang and taking her gently by the shoulders) "There there, sis, it's alright… just breathe… c'mon, nice and slow… that's it…"

(Shang Xiang starts to relax, her face going back to a normal colour)

**Chibi Sun Ce: >:)** "After all, Ren isn't such a bad name… you're lucky your mom got her way, 'cuz pops there wanted to call you 'Diesel Dyke'…"

(Shang Xiang's eyes fly open and she goes red again. Her body trembles and steam begins to whistle out her ears. Everyone except Sun Ce backs up in fear)

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"Damn, I really liked having a husband… I wonder if Gan Ning's single…"

**(Author's Note: There you have it, you screaming fangirls… the one and only suggestion of that pairing I shall ever make. Deal with it)**

(As the room waits for Shang Xiang to explode in an orgy of violence and destruction, they hear only the sound of a twig snapping inside her head. She suddenly grins childishly at her brother and sits down cross-legged to play with some dolls. She babbles at them happily while she has a tea party)

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"Wow, could this get any stupider?"

(Xu Zhu laughs and claps his hands before rushing over to join Shang Xiang, asking if he can comb their hair)

**Chibi Zhuo Yu: (**looking at Sun Quan) "Don't you know better than to tempt fate like that after all this time?"

**Chibi Liu Bei:(**Mmm, yummy!)"Hey, your daughter's kind of cute, Lord Sun Jian."

**Chibi Sun Jian: (**aroo?) "Are you talking about Ren? Because if you're talking about Zhou Yu, she's not my daughter."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **--;; "I'm also not a she, may I point out…"

**Chibi Lu Bu: **"I'm bored. Somebody do something to entertain me or I'm gonna start busting skulls."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Chill, feather-head, we'll think of something. Aright, let's see..."

(Everybody watches Sun Ce intently, except for Shang Xiang and Xu Zhu, who are still playing with the dolls)

**Chibi Sun Ce:** "Awright, I got it! We're gonna answer the burning question that's been on all of the readers' minds!"

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"How does Zhu Rong's little fur bra stay up? Cool, I've been wonderin'."

(Gan Ning gets clocked in the side of the head with a boomerang and goes for the count)

**Chibi Zhu Rong: (**scowl!) "That oughta learn ya."

**Chibi Gan Ning:** "Orooooooooo…"

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"So, Ce, what's your idea already?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"We're gonna tell the readers what genre of music everyone in the DW cast identifies with."

(Dead silence)

**Chibi Cao Cao: **"Now that's just stupid. C'mon, Wei peoples, we're going home."

(Cao Cao tries to lead a Wei exodus, but finds he can't get out of the omakefic.)

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**shrug!) "Sorry, pal, you're stuck with us. Might as well enjoy the ride."

**Chibi Cao Cao: (**throwing a tantrum and stomping in a circle) "That's not fair! Not fair not fair not fair! It's not possible!"

**Chibi Liu Bei: (**standing in front of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei) "No, Zhen Ji running in that dress is not possible. You being stuck here is just bad luck- for the rest of us, that is."

**Chibi Cao Cao: (**turning purple andscreaming at Liu Bei) "SHUT UP, YOU MEALY-MOUTHED LITTLE WUSSBAG! I HATE YOU! IF IT WEREN'T FOR FRICK AND FRACK STANDING BEHIND YOU, I'D BE SHOVING MY SWORD UP YOUR-"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**scowling at Cao Cao) "Big talk for a latent pedophile."

**Chibi Cao Cao: (**now shouting at Zhou Yu) "AT LEAST MY PEDOPHELIA IS _LATENT_, GIRLY-MAN!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**sigh) "No matter how powerful they get, no matter how cunning... it always comes down to name-calling. Alright, let's do this. Just to be fair, we'll start with a Wu person, okay? Now how it works is that we pick someone and then try to agree on what genre of music we think they listen to or best suits them. Simple enough?"

**Chibi Sima Yi: **"Hey! Is that some sort of crack about Wei generals not being smart?"

**Chibi Zhuge Liang: **"Awfully quick to jump to the defensive, aren't you, Sima Yi? Confidence issues, maybe?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**cutting them off) "That's enough, already. Let's begin. I pick… pop!"

**Chibi Sun Jian: **Oo;; "What? Me?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Sure, why not? Okay, everyone! What music best represents the Tiger of Jiang Dong?"

**Chibi Jiang Wei: (**studying Sun Jian) "Hmmmmm… Mamas and the Papas."

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"You associate me with '60's folk music?"

**Everyone: **"Yes."

**Chibi Sun Jian: (**grumping and sitting down) "Hmph… shows what you all know."

**Chibi Lu Xun: (**whispering to Lu Meng) "If he says he's into Britney Spears or Shakira, I'm outta here."

**Chibi Sun Jian: (**glower) "I heard that, short-pants! If you must now, I listen to Jimmy Hendrix and the Doors."

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"Well, that'd explain that weird smell outside your quarters when you think no one's around."

**Chibi Sun Jian: **Oo;; (ack!) "What! No! I… that is, I… it's… it's medicinal! Yeah! My doctor prescribes it for… chronic… uh…"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Yeah, sure, pop. Okay, next up… we'll do a Shu person next… how 'bout… Huang Zhong?"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"Oh, that's easy… tinny turn-of-the-century gold-prospector music on a 78 vinyl."

**Chibi Huang Zhong: (**defensive) "Hey! I'll have you know it's very touching and soulful, you little whippersnapper!"

**Chibi Liu Bei: (**stepping up) "Alright, Ce, let's do another of yours, then… someone near and dear to your heart. What about Da Qiao?"

(Everyone looks at Da Qiao, who blushes)

**Chibi Da Qiao: (**blushing) "Er… Bach and Brahms."

**Everyone: **"…"

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"Well, they're good to read by. And so is Handel's 'Water music', if you must know."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**looking at Sun Ce) "Demon in the sack, huh? She'd have to be to make up for that response."

**Xiao Qiao: (**bounce bounce!) "Ooh! Ooh! Do me! Do me!"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**glaring at Cao Cao) "Don't even think it, old man…"

(Cao Cao hides behind Dian Wei)

**Xiao Qiao: **"Well?"

**Everyone: **"Boy bands."

**Xiao Qiao: **Oo;; "How… how did you know?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Right, moving on… let's pick an indie, shall we? Alright, there's Dong Zhuo… what does the biggest jerkoff in all the Han listen to?"

**Chibi Ma Chao: **"Dayglo Abortions. He played it when he invaded my father's territory. But let me tell you, it was infinitely better than what Cao Cao played when he showed up…"

**Chibi Cao Cao: (**hastily) "Now now, there's no need to bring that up…"

**Chibi Sun Ce: >:) **"Okay, now I gotta know… what was it, Ma Chao, ol' buddy?"

**Chibi Ma Chao: **"Abba… early Abba, like pre-Super Trouper stuff. Waterloo, SOS, you name it."

(The entire cast breaks out in hysterical laughter. Crimson with humiliation, Cao Cao tries to bolt)

**Chibi Cao Cao: (**grrrrrr!) "Some day, you will pay for this…"

(Exit Cao Cao… for now)

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**wiping a tear from his eye) "Hooooooo, alright, that was good. Next up, let's do another Wu character… Lu Xun, anything you'd care to confess?"

**Chibi Lu Xun: (**standing proudly) "I like show tunes, and I can Fosse like no one's business."

(Sun Ce looks at Lu Meng, who puts a hand over his face and groans)

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Hey, you groomed him, pal, not me."

**Chibi Cao Pi: (**suspicious) "You're awfully quick to ask your own people these embarrassing questions, Sun Ce. Might there be a motive behind it?"

**Chibi Sima Yi: **"Fool! Of course he's doing that! He'll soon have no one left in his camp to ask and at the end of the omake, the readers will remember the people humiliated last… namely ourselves and Shu."

**Chibi Cao Pi: (**pointing at his strategist) "I nominate Sima Yi next."

**Chibi Sima Yi: **Oo;; "What!"

**Chibi Zhen Ji: (**slinking forward) "Oh, I'll field this one…"

**Chibi Sima Yi: **--;; "Crap…"

**Chibi Zhen Ji: (**cruel smile) "Wei's brilliant strategist listens to Star Wars background music."

**Chibi Zhuge Liang: **"You're joking, right?"

**Chibi Zhen Ji: (**enjoying watching Sima Yi turn red) "No, I'm afraid not. I've often caught him, practicing firing off his green energy beams in time to the sound effect of laser fire from the movies. He also practices an intimidating walk to the Imperial March and tries to speak in a deep Darth Vader voice…"

(Zhen Ji walks over to Sima Yi and smiles at him in mock pity)

**Chibi Zhen Ji: **"What a pity you're practically a soprano, hm?"

**Chibi Sima Yi: (**glare!) "Well, maybe I do, but at least _I_ wasn't crowned Miss Karaoke Revolution last year."

(Zhen Ji blushes furiously)

**Chibi Sima Yi: (**sneer!) "That's right, folks! The ice princess will sing anything if you put enough beer in her. Oh, sure, she wants you to _think_ she drinks Cosmopolitans, but when Yuan Shao found her for his son, she was drinking Bud Light and singing really bad karaoke in a strip club she worked at!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**folding arms and pondering) "A strip club, huh? Well, that _would_ explain why she's so good with a flute."

(Da Qiao baps Sun Ce across the shoulder)

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"Pervert."

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**raising hands defensively) "Hey, I'm not saying you need lessons… remember the valley south of He Fei last year?"

(Da Qiao cuts her losses and shuts up)

**Chibi Zhen Ji: **"Alright, what about the man who started all this?"

**Chibi Dian Wei: **"Yeah! C'mon, Sun Ce, 'fess up!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Alright, take your best shot…"

**Chibi Dian Wei: **"The Proclaimers."

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**eyeroll) "Dude, you're not even trying. Somebody else, preferably with an IQ _larger _than a sock puppet's? And Da can't answer, to make it fair."

**Chibi Ling Tong: **"I'm gonna say J-Rock- the more hard-core, the better. I'm not talking about SMAP, I mean Guitar Wolf-type stuff. And Cali rock- Beach boys, Surf Punks, that sorta thing."

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**thumbs up!) "Alright, Ling Tong! You don't hit yourself on the head with those nunchuks as often as I thought. I'm giving you command of another three provinces!"

**Chibi Ling Tong: (**beam!) "Hey, thanks!"

(Ling Tong raspberries Gan Ning)

**Chibi Gan Ning: **--;; "Ahhh, shut your trap, Junior Minty! Tell you what, I'll go next, just to show you a real man ain't afraid of nothin'."

(Gan Ning steps forward and gives everyone a challenging look)

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"Awright, you pansies… let's hear what you got. What does Gan Ning listen to?"

**Xiao Qiao: **"Ummmmm… Christmas carols?"

**Chibi Gan Ning: **--;; "No… stupid. But thanks for playin'."

(Xiao blushes and shuts up)

**Chibi Xing Cai: **"Red Hot Chili Peppers."

**Chibi Gan Ning: >:) **"Hey, not bad, Shu babe… whaddya doin' later?"

**Chibi Zhang Fei: (**GRAHHHHHHHHH!) "She's doing her homework, practicing her katas and going to bed by eight! That's what she's doing, butt-pirate!"

**Chibi Gan Ning: (**backing up) "Hey, I was just askin' old man, no need to get all uptight. Man, somebody had the tuna for lunch…"

**Chibi Pang De: **"Well, what about Xing Cai? What does the daughter of Zhang Fei listen to?"

**Chibi Zhang Fei: (**laughing loudly and grabbing Xing Cai in a playful headlock and giving her a noogie) "Awwww, she's my good little girl! She loves her ATeens and Hilary Duff, she does. Right, sweetie?"

**Chibi Xing Cai: (**oolk!) "Actually, dad… I listen to… well… gangsta rap…"

(Zhang Fei's eyes widen in horror as all his whiskers bristle and stand on end. His eyes roll into his head and he falls on his back in a dead faint)

_**BOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!**_

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"Ew… I am not cleaning him up…"

**Chibi Liu Bei: **"I'd like to hear what the Wu strategist listens to."

(Lu Xun and Lu Meng both get ready to answer)

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**giving them a pointed look) "He meant _me_, gentlemen."

(Lu Xun and Lu Meng both shut up)

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"My musical tastes are elegant and refined, of course, not unlike Da Qiao's. I listen to both Eastern and Western music."

**Everyone: **"…"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"What?"

**Chibi Xu Huang: **"Well, to be honest… I think everyone here kinda had you pegged as emo."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **Oo;; "What? Emo! Me!"

(Everyone nods)

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**flustered and sputtering) "That… you… that doesn't make any sense! I'm not the least bit emo!"

**Chibi Cao Pi: **"You have to admit, you look the part. The pale skin, the black hair, the garish clothing…"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **hotly "I most certainly do not!"

(To illustrate his point, Cao Pi walks over to Zhou Yu and drapes his raven bangs over one of Zhou Yu's eyes. The effect is telling.)

**Chibi Yuan Shao: (**nodding) "I see it now… Zhou Yu of Wu is emo. Next he'll be crying and cutting himself."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**furious) "I AM NOT A CUTTER!"

**Chibi Sima Yi: (**sneer!) "Oh, please, you think about flowers dying and cry like a little girl when you think no one's looking, don't you?"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**springing at Sima Yi with his sword) "You're right, Sima Yi, I am a cutter! I'm going to cut your freaking head off and give it to Sun Jian to play with!"

**Chibi Sima Yi: **Oo;; "Ack!"

(Zhou Yu chases Sima Yi around the omake, trying to turn him into a pin cushion)

**Chibi Sima Yi: (**crying like an emo) "Quick! Somebody play some Star Wars music so I can use my energy beams!"

(Sima Yi starts dodging and jinking, trying to throw off Zhou Yu, but the Wu strategist starts catching on and begins leaving his slow-floating fireballs in various places to herd the Wei strategist. Sima Yi banks lefts and screeches to a halt as one of Zhou Yu's fireballs explodes in front of him)

**Chibi Sima Yi: **"KYAAAAAAAAA!"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**jumping on Sima Yi and pounding him "Got you, you dress-wearing runt!")

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**laughing) "Ouch, he'll be feeling that in the morning!"

**Chibi Sima Yi: (**crying as Zhou Yu spanks him with his sword) "MOMMMMEEEEEEEEEEE!"

**Chibi Gan Ning: (**looking around) "Hey, speaking of men in dresses… what about Zhang He?"

**Chibi Zhang He: (**going up on his toes and spreading his arms wide) "Everything I listen to is elegant and beautiful, of course…"

**Chibi Gan Ning: (**whispering to Sun Ce) "Ricky Martin and George Michael, I'll bet you."

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**walking up to Xu Zhu) "Hey, Xu Zhu, ol' buddy, what music do you like to listen to?"

**Chibi Xu Zhu: (**dopey grin) "Raffi is my fa-vou-rite!"

**Chibi Zhao Yun: (**to Liu Bei) "Ever notice that all the morons and alternative lifestyle freaks seem to concentrate in Wei?"

(Everyone stops to look at Wei Yan, off by himself in a corner, spinning on his back as he listen's to 80's break-dancing music)

**Chibi Zhao Yun: (**sweat drop) "Except for him, of course."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Well, this is gonna take forever, it looks like. Maybe we'll have to continue in the next omake."

**Chibi Da Qiao: (**watching Zhou Yu) "If we make it to another omake. Personally, my lord, I wouldn't be all that devastated if we didn't."

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**ruffling Da Qiao's hair) "C'mon, Da, where's your sense of adventure?"

**Chibi Da Qiao: --;; **"I left it in Tiger Trap Pass, where else? Can we go now?"

**Chibi Lu Bu: (**growl!) "What about me! I didn't sit through this whole damn omake thing to be ignored, you know…"

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**eyeroll) "Fine, fine… anyone wanna guess what Lu Boob listens to?"

**Chibi Diao Chan: **"Hate metal… Laibach, Impaled Nazerene, that sort of thing… ye gods, I hear all day, every day. Makes it really hard to hear my Evanesance."

**Chibi Lu Bu: (**offended) "And what's wrong with that?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Nothin', aside from the fact that you're as deep as a rain slick."

**Chibi Lu Bu: (**exploding) "HEY!"

(Lu Bu begins destroying the omake with a Musou Tantrum that Xiao Qiao would be proud of)

**Chibi Lu Bu: **"SMASH YOU ALL!"

**Chibi Sun Ce:** "This is probably not the last time I'm gonna say this concerning this guy, but… RUN!"

(Everybody bolts to get away from the psycho with the halberd; Lu Bu chases off after Sun Ce, leaving Xu Zhu and Sun Shang Xiang playing with the dolls in the middle of the floor)

**Chibi Shang Xiang: (**looking around) "Hey, where'd everyone go?"

(Shang Xiang notices Xu Zhu for the first time)

**Chibi Xu Zhu: (**grinning at her as he holds up a broken off doll's head) "Wanna play house? I'll be the mommy…"

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **Oo;; "KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

**_fin_**

**Author's Notes: **Yeah, it seems a little pointless, but I'm okay with that. I needed some time to figure out the next couple of Chapters- Si Shui Gate, Hu Lao Gate and all that. Between the game and the book, my mind is quite dizzy with ideas.

As long as this amused you in some small capacity, I'm happy. If you have ideas about what some of the other people might listen to, e-mail or PM me and letme know. You'll be given full credit for the idea, promise!**  
**


	13. Chapter 13

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 10 – What You Don't Remember Can Still Hurt You**

Sun Ce walked slowly through the camp, observing the soldiers and spending time with those who needed encouragement. He had been relieved once he was informed how low their casualties actually had been at Tiger Trap Pass- nearly ten thousand wounded and only a few thousand dead. It could have been much worse.

Those injured would recover under the care of Sun Jian's many healers. The lord of Jiang Dong was very religious, in spite of his practical and rational bent, and many priests had come as well, to implore the gods for the well-being of these brave and worthy warriors of the South.

The Coalition army had marched on, with Sun Jian's contingent remaining behind, to rest and refit. They had not gone far before reaching Si Shui Gate and being held up by Lu Bu. They had been there for nearly two weeks now and Ce was itching to get underway.

"Father, at least allow myself and Zhou Yu to head to Si Shui, so that the people of Jiang Dong are represented in some small way…" he had said.

"No, my son," was the lord's reply. "You must remain with us. The men respect and revere you. During this period of recovery, your presence is essential. I know you chafe at the boredom, but being a ruler entails greater responsibilities than acting as one sees fit."

Ce could not deny this logic and realized that he was being selfish. He was, quite simply, bored. And that was why he was walking around today, to tend to his men and see that their needs were met. They would move out when the army was ready and that was the way things were.

He found himself walking toward a healer's tent and bowed as he entered. The healer woman was known to be a cranky old hag, but she always seemed willing to make an exception for Sun Ce and Zhou Yu. She smiled and allowed him to walk around, stopping to converse with the men who were conscious. He finally spied one old man and knelt at the side of his litter.

Through glazed eyes, the battalion commander looked up and nodded slowly to his lord. His smile was heartfelt and warm. Ce had always liked the man and now was the time to show it.

"What news, Mo Jing?" Ce asked.

The man shrugged and looked bored. "The herbs lessen the pain of my wound, lord. They dull my mind, but not too terribly. The healer woman says I shall recover, although perhaps not soon enough to resume campaign with you; and for that, my lord, I am sorry. I have failed you."

Ce made a wry face. "Nonsense," he said, shaking his head. "You've done plenty already. I hear you stormed a fortification single-handedly and forced the gate. Tell me about it, I'd rather hear it from the source."

Mo Jing drew a deep breath and slowly recalled his assault on the stronghold. They had been inside Tiger Trap pass and had been assigned by Zhou Yu to take the position, which commanded a view of the immediate area.

Leading his swordsmen, Mo Jing had assaulted Hua Xiong's soldiers head-on, only to be repulsed. They assaulted again and were thrown back, at least three more times. Finally, Mo Jing himself crept forward and found a tiny hole in the defences. He wriggled his way in and began laying about furiously with his two-handed sword. He struck down a messenger and blew a great call on the man's horn, signalling his troops to attack. On they came and while he fought savagely with the fortification's commander, they succeeded in forcing the gate. They met fierce resistance but suddenly arrows pelted down on the defenders from above- Lady Xiao Qiao and her archer contingent had espied their need and come to help!

Mo Jing finally slew the commander and resistance collapsed. The defenders were killed to a man and the supplies plundered. The battalion cheered as they passed out the booty but the mood went sour when they noticed what condition their commander was in… Mo Jing sported over thirty wounds on his body, three of them serious. He collapsed not long afterward and was rushed to see the healer.

Mo Jing sighed and looked at the ceiling. "I have been convalescing here ever since, drinking foul-smelling tea and other concoctions. My hand aches to grip a blade and to fight the enemy. And yet, my body cannot accommodate. That, my lord, is why I have failed you."

Ce smiled. He had already talked to the men of Mo Jing's battalion and knew that the old man's recount of what happened was completely honest. He had even talked to Xiao Qiao, who observed his single-handed assault on the position. Mo Jing had personally slain over thirty of Hua Xiong's soldiers.

Sun Ce gestured to some guards by the door and many chests were brought in, along with other objects wrapped in silk. "I reward my loyal soldiers well, Mo Jing. You will find two-hundred _jin_ of gold within these chests, along withfive-hundred of silver. Ten bolts of silk from Chengdu I give to you, along with twelve drinking vessels made of the finest gold."

Mo Jing's eyes were wide. His family was a poor one from Hang Du, a modest farming community. He had sired but one son and seven girls. Two-hundred _jin_of gold would certainly see to their well-being. And the silk was a lavish gift indeed.

"Your son I now promote to regional administrator of Hang Du, my friend." Ce continued. "I expect the very best and noble behaviour from him, or you have my permission to beat his ass thoroughly. You daughters shall be courted by worthy warriors from throughout Jiang Dong."

Mo Jing still said nothing.

Sun Ce knelt next to Mo Jing and pulled a gold ring off his finger. His took Mo Jing's hand and slid it on to his fourth finger, smiling.

"Consider yourself an honorary member of the Sun family."

Mo Jing looked at the ring on his finger- it was stylized like a fearsome tiger and had rubies for eyes. He seemed lost in it, but was pulled away as Ce drew a deep breath, preparing to say something.

"Perhaps being a battalion commander is simply not your calling anymore, Mo Jing." Ce suggested.

The old man looked downcast but nodded sadly. "You think these old bones are too weak for the battlefield now."

Ce laughed. "Not at all. I was thinking command of an assault regiment might suit you better."

Mo Jing turned his head and looked up at Sun Ce in wonder. "My lord…"

Ce shrugged. "Why not? You have proven that you have a knack for assaulting positions of strength and you have the skill and ferocity to do so single-handedly and inspire your men. Hell, you've inspired me."

Ce stood up and looked down at the old man, smiling proudly. "Mo Jing of Hang Du, you are hereby promoted to the rank of regimental commander, responsible for five-hundred _dadao_ swordsmen. Your duties will commence once you are well enough to walk and command."

Ce now knelt and bowed to Mo Jing. The old healer woman opened the flap of the tent and made a gesture. From outside, the cheers of his battalion could be heard.

"They'll miss you, but I'm sure young Pu Diao will prove up to the task." Ce said reasonably. "I do not want all of this opulence to go to your head, however," the young lord warned, smiling. "Great would be the loss to my army if your legendary sense of humour disappeared. I want you laughing and inspiring my men for many years to come, understand? And with that in mind…"

He unwrapped a silk-bound object and presented it to Mo Jing. The gleaming _dadao_ was beautifully forged and exquisitely detailed with prayers for victory etched into the steel. With trembling hand, the old warrior took the weapon and gazed upon it, his grip firm and confident. His eyes were distant as he remembered far-off places and wars of old.

"The weapon's name is 'Baihui' (White Storm). It was made some hundred years ago by a smith in the north. The spirit of the blade is fierce and unwavering and legend says it can be heard to laugh on the battlefield. Do you like it?"

Mo Jing said nothing but merely stared up at the blade, his eyes still distant.

Ce smiled. "It is indeed a nice blade. Do you feel your strength return?"

Mo Jing was silent.

A chill washed over Ce as he realized what had happened. With heavy heart he bowed low before the departed warrior. Those behind him silently did so as well.

Ce felt hollow within. It was always hard to lose a warrior, but to lose one so valiant and loyal…

He mumbled a prayer to the god of death, hoping for Mo Jing's speedy passage to the beyond. When he was finished he looked up and his eyes went wide when he saw the old warrior smiling at him, mirth glimmering in his bright eyes.

"Was that the sense of humour you referred to, my lord?"

Ce threw back his head and laughed loudly. "You old bastard!" he shouted gaily. "That is exactly the sense of humour I am referring to…"

Ce stood and looked down at Mo Jing, his hands on his hips.

"Mo Jing, you are hereby stripped of your rank of regimental commander. Instead, I doom you to become the commander of the _huben_, my personal Tiger Escort."

Against all common sense and the screams of protest from his body, Mo Jing scrambled to his knees and kow-towed before the young lord; his head touched the floor repeatedly.

"I am not worthy, Lord Sun… I am not worthy…"

"I'll be the judge of that, you old crackpot." Ce replied cheerfully. "My bodyguard shall number five-hundred, so you will have your work cut out for you. I shall be choosing both veterans and young warriors of skill and talent. It will be your job to meld them into an unbeatable fighting force that would give even Fengxian or Yunchang pause."

"It shall be as you command, my lord…" Mo Jing said, his head still touching the floor.

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Da Qiao sat in a tent with her sister and Fu Chin Ran, quietly drinking tea and eating fruit. There wasn't much to say that made any sense. Shang Xiang was recovering, for which they were all grateful and the amazons' casualties comparatively light. Only nineteen women had died and another twenty-four injured. They had fought well and gained the admiration of the army, but that was not what bothered them.

Several other units and commanders had been rewarded, but no word yet on what would come to Shang Xiang's brave warriors. They were unsure of what to think. Although no one wanted to say it, could it be that they were being overlooked because they were women?

Da Qiao didn't want to think that was even possible. It would be totally out of character for Ce to discriminate against anyone, for any reason. She had led and fought beside these women and knew how dedicated they were to Sun Jian. So why were their efforts not being recognized?

"I want a _dadao_ too…" Xiao whined finally, putting down her tea cup.

"Oh, you do not," Da said, shaking her head. "You couldn't even lift it, let alone figure out which end went into the enemy you were trying to kill."

"An oversight, perhaps?" Fu Chin Ran suggested.

Da Qiao shook her head. "I don't think so. Lord Sun Ce and Zhou Yu are so detail oriented. It makes no sense. Did we not fight as well, if not better, than any other unit that assaulted Tiger Trap Pass? Our mission was certainly risky enough, and we fought Hua Xiong himself."

"Perhaps you, as our commander should say something then."

Da felt warm with discomfort. She knew Fu Chin Ran was right, but this was going to be difficult.

"I still want a _dadao_…" Xiao Qiao grumbled under her breath petulantly.

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Yuan Shu sat in his tent, pondering their situation. Si Shui Gate was proving exceedingly difficult to overcome. Dong Zhuo had not come forth to fight and the defences were, if anything, even more formidable than those of Tiger Trap Pass.

The tent was dark and his wine was smooth and warm as he sipped at it. His brother was becoming more irritable as the weeks wore on and the royal commanders were not taking his foul moods well. Cao Cao in particular was proving difficult to control.

He was suddenly aware of someone standing at the entrance of his tent. He rose quickly, trying to hide his alarm. His sword was in a far corner.

"Who are you!" Yuan Shu demanded.

"Someone who counted on you and whom you nearly destroyed for unfathomable reasons…" replied the hooded figure quietly, moving into the tent. The red cloak and hood concealed the intruder's identity.

"Come any closer and I will sound the alarm!" Yuan Shu warned, drawing a short knife from his belt. "You will be surrounded and slain instantly."

"I come to address a grievance with an ally, not to confront an enemy." Sun Jian said as he pulled down his hood to reveal his face. "I have a question I wish for you to answer, Yuan Shu."

Yuan Shu was silent, his stomach turning to ice.

"What, pray tell, was the reasoning behind was your reasoning behind not sending my army the supplies it needed to take Tiger Trap Pass?" Sun Jian asked quietly.

Yuan Shu said nothing.

"My army might not have suffered so grievously if you had answered my request for supplies. I was assigned to follow you and did so willingly. Why, then, was my faith rewarded with such callous neglect?"

Yuan Shu had no good answer, but he had to say something.

"You are right, of course, Lord Sun," he said finally. "The neglect you were shown was inexcuseable."

"I am not looking for excuses, Lord Yuan Shu, I am looking for explanations." Sun Jian said firmly. "I intend to have them."

Yuan Shu bristled slightly at this insistence from an underling but also knew he was caught. Certainly he would be dishonoured if word of his treachery were to leak out. Even if Sun Jian died here tonight, the crafty warrior would certainly have seen to it that Yuan Shu's perfidy was exposed. There was nothing for it but to somehow make amends.

"My quartermaster was to blame, Lord Sun," Yuan Shu said as earnestly as he could. "I have no inkling as to the cause behind his actions, but he hid your requests from me and I knew nothing of your peril until afterward."

"I assume, then, that he has been punished accordingly?" Sun Jian said levelly, his gaze fixed on Yuan Shu's eyes.

"Not… not yet, he has not." Yuan Shu said somewhat falteringly. "I… wanted to hear more about his this all came to pass before rendering judgement."

"Well, you have no heard all you need to, I deem." Sun Jian said. "Your man's inexplicable treachery has cost me thousands of good men, who might otherwise have rendered great service in the battles to come. Instead, I now march with a diminished host, but I assure you, these men are all the more determined and tough because of the hardships they have endured. I expect justice to be done, Lord Yuan Shu. My men expect justice to be done. It would not do to have them hold you responsible for some venal treachery that another has wrought."

Yuan Shu could see that Sun Jian was not convinced of his innocence in this affair but was willing to overlook the indiscretion if he made amends immediately. He was leaving Yuan Shu little choice but to comply with his wishes.

"What would you have me do, Lord Sun?"

Sun Jian nodded grimly. "I want your man's head mounted on a pike at the gates to the camp; a warning to any who seek to do harm to the alliance. I want you to announce to everyone how this came about, the injury done to my forces explained and what reparations shall be made."

Yuan Shu nodded, but the last demand gave him concern. "I do not know what reparations I can make, Lord Sun… the siege of Si Shui gate is draining our resources already and monetary reparation would never be agreed to by the other lords."

"Then what we have gained at Tiger Trap Pass shall belong to Jiang Dong alone." Sun Jian replied.

Yuan Shu went pale. "But… I have heard of the booty and supplies you took… there is enough there to feed our whole army for nearly a fortnight. To not share it would outrage the council."

"The other lords have not shared in our danger or casualties," Sun Jian said firmly. "Even now, they sit outside Si Shui Gate, complaining only of its invulnerability. What difference between Si Shui and Tiger Trap Pass is there? When we arrived and found it impregnable, we assaulted and took the objective, in spite of our lack of supplies. My men fought on empty stomachs and still prevailed. They have earned their booty and I will not allow anyone to take it from them. If they other Council lords wish to try, they will find me a most implacable foe…"

Sun Jian's threat was quite clear and Yuan Shu knew that he had no choice but to comply. The other Council Lords would be furious, but Sun Jian was absolutely correct in his moral stance. Cao Cao and Liu Bei would probably side with Sun Jian, which might lessen the resistance, but still…

Yuan Shu nodded finally. "It shall be as your request, Lord Sun."

Sun Jian pulled his red hood over his cape and prepared to slip back out. "I expect to see your quartermaster's head in the morning, Lord Yuan Shu. Do not reward my loyalty with further treachery. My son almost single-handedly forced Tiger Trap Pass and it will be he who comes calling next if things do not unfold as I have asked…"

Then next morning, the head of Yuan Shu's quartermaster was spiked to the gate.

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Sun Ce sat in his tent, watching his wife as she sat across from him, trying to work up the nerve to say something to him. Although amused, he felt a little bit sorry for her. She was never good with confrontation, at least not any that she had to initiate on her own behalf. When he figured she had struggled enough, he helped her along.

"Da, what's bothering you?" he asked, giving her a smile. She tried to return the smile but it was far from convincing.

"I… well… I am here to ask…"

Ce raised an eyebrow, waiting for her to finish.

Da Qiao squirmed and clenched her tiny hands, wrestling with herself. "I… my lord…"

"Yes?"

Da Qiao squeezed her eyes shut and blurted out what she needed to say. "Why have you treated my women so unfairly? You have visited and lauded almost every other unit that assaulted Tiger Trap Pass, but nothing have you said to my girls! They are hurt at your slight to their bravery and honour! As they commander, I have come to insist that you address this oversight at once!"

Da Qiao kept her eyes shut and just listened. When she heard nothing, she cracked open one eye to see what he husband was up to. He had remained sitting, still just looking at her, his face betraying nothing. She took a deep breath and proceeded.

"My lord, I await your answer…"

Ce gave her a wry smile. "What am I supposed to do, Da? They're not my unit to command."

Da Qiao looked confused. "What… what do you mean, my lord?"

"I mean that Shang Xiang's unit was under her personal command." Ce explained. "True, I am in overall command of the army of Jiang Dong after my father, but each Sun child is commander of their own force. I have my regiments, Quan has one, Shang Xiang has hers… it is not my job to reward or punish them."

"Then… then who…"

"You, silly!" Ce said, laughing cheerfully. "It's your job to go into Shang Xiang's supplies and those that your women personally pillaged and to reward them accordingly. Try to not overdo it, though, since you'll have to feed them in the weeks to come."

Da Qiao did not know what to say. "I… it is my job?"

Ce nodded. "In Shang Xiang's place, you are their commander. If you wish to have me address them, simply ask me and I will do so. Other than that, this is all up to you."

Da Qiao let her husband's words sink in. "What… what shall I…"

"Whatever you like, Da. Hold a feast, get them all drunk, have them sing and rail on about how terrible men are, cry and laugh and give them each special gifts. They're warriors without equal and they deserve it."

The thought brought a smile to Da Qiao's face. "Why did nobody tell me that this was the tradition?"

"Because this is the first time we've gone to war, really." Ce pointed out. "The campaign against the Yellow Turbans, while savage in terms of the battle, was not especially profitable. The peasants we defeated were ill-supplied, there was not much booty to distribute, you recall. This is different- Dong Zhuo has been pillaging the empire and enriching her and his men for years now. You should see what I found when I captured Hua Xiong's headquarters."

Da Qiao nodded. "I wish someone had told me earlier, I might have saved myself and Fu Chin Ran many days of fretting."

"Don't worry about it, Da, they'll be happy to hear the news."

"My lord, will you come and praise them? They may be women, but I know that many of them worship you for your leadership and skills in war. It would mean so much to them." Da Qiao asked quietly.

Ce nodded. "Sure thing, Da, you know I can't say no to you."

Da Qiao bowed gratefully.

"One more thing, though…" Ce said, standing and going over to a chest. He rummaged about for a moment and returned, holding a great _dadao_ in his hands, presenting it to Da Qiao.

"This was Mo Jing's, before I gave him Baihui. Give it to your sister so that she stops whining about wanting a _dadao_. She'll be tickled to know it belonged to a warrior as great as him."

Da Qiao smiled warmly and hugged her husband. "Of course, my lord…"

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The women laughed and drank, the warm wine undiluted and taking a heavy toll on them. Even the wounded were participating, but for Shang Xiang, who had not left her tents for days. The celebration had begun with a prayer to the goddess Kuan Yin for her speedy recovery.

After that, wine and great mounds of food had been served. Not surprisingly, Xiao Qiao ate more than anybody, her ravenous appetite that she was always afraid to show Zhou Yu showing through. Acting as host, Da Qiao ate just enough to sate herself, but mostly presided and congratulated each of her warriors. The trouble she encountered was that she had to toast with almost every one of them and after nearly two dozen cups of wine was thoroughly drunk. When Sun Ce finally made his appearance, Da Qiao was singing gaily and dancing on a long table top while her women cheered and cat-called.

To say that Ce was amazed would have been a minor understatement.

Fu Chin Ran noticed the young lord first and began hastily shoving her women to their knees and leading them in a kow-tow, which turned out to be a bad idea, since several of them either vomited or fell asleep. Even Xiao Qiao finally noticed her brother-in-law but she just waved gaily as she watched her sister dance with drunken abandon.

"Hello, Shun Shey…" she slurred cheerfully and loudly.

Da Qiao heard what her sister said and managed to stop dancing, swaying precariously on the tabletop for a moment and looking off where her sister had indicated. Through wide, glazed eyes, she spotted her husband, staring up at her with his head tilted to one side in astonishment.

Da Qiao tried to stand erect and look dignified and stepped back while raising an arm above her head, preparing to bow with a great flourish…

She stepped right off the long table, disappearing with a thud. There was silence for several seconds, followed by the rather dreadful sound of someone retching. Perhaps another thirty seconds passed before Da Qiao sprung into view, swaying drunkenly, her eyes still the size of dinner plates. She walked unsteadily towards her lord-husband and staggered as she attempted to bow, falling into his arms. Ce caught her hastily and she leered up at him.

"What newsh, hushband mine?" she asked, winking. She frowned, because Ce had three faces. Finally she decided to focus on the one in the middle.

"Hitting the wine a little hard, were you?" Ce stated, his eyebrow raised.

"It'sh _your_ fault, you know…" she slurred, drooling on herself. "I had to… to toasht with eash an' ev'ry one of theshe warriorsh… and you know I crant dink… oooopsh…" She burst into a fit of giggles at her pronunciation error but suddenly gulped and almost choked.

Ce rolled his eyes and turned her tiny body to one side and patted her on the back. Da Qiao shuddered and let out an incredibly loud belch. Nearby, Ce could hear Xiao giggling and then attempting to belch in response. It would have been cute and funny under other circumstances- right now it was just vaguely disturbing.

"My… my lord…" Da Qiao breathed, obviously trying to keep the contents of her stomach in place. Ce just held her and stroked her back gently. Finally, she looked back up at her husband, her eyes still glazed over and unfocused.

She suddenly grappled onto his collar and looked into his eyes, a burning lust in hers.

"Let's do it, Ce…" she said heatedly, leaving no doubt of her sincerity. "Let's screw right here, on the table and give these girls a show… you know you want to, my husband… strip me naked! Take me now and make me scream like a … a…"

Her eyes rolled into her head and she sagged against him. Ce shook his head and lifted her into his arms, where she lay like a dead thing.

"Fu, can you stand?" Ce asked.

"I think so, my lord…" Fu Chin Ran said, getting to her feet unsteadily. She took a deep breath and tried to look dutiful.

Ce smiled. "You and Xiao are now hosting this little event. I expect it to get even more raucous and lively than when I arrived. I'm gonna put Da to bed before she kills herself, okay? I'll be back to address the women in about one shift."

Fu Chin Ran bowed carefully and nodded. "Thank you, my lord. Shall I pass out the gifts Lady Qiao prepared?"

"Nah, I'll come back and do that on her behalf, okay?" Ce said cheerfully. You gals party and I'll be back in a bit."

Ce had not been gone from the amazon encampment more than five minutes before hearing peels of wild laughter and singing and dancing again. He smiled and took Da into his tent, laying her on a matt, where she snored loudly. He gently and deftly removed her clothes and tucked her beneath some blankets before heading out to find a healer woman and get some hangover remedies. Da would most certainly need them in the morning…

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The thunderstorm was in its fullest expression as Sun Jian sat around the low table with Ce and Zhou Yu, his closest advisors. Before them were reports of the soldiers who had recovered from their injuries and were fit to return to duty; Sun Jian was quite pleased with the report and seemed cheerful in spite of the weather.

"We may be able to move out within a few days," he said. "We will join the rest of the Coalition at Si Shui Gate. I've no particular doubt we shall be assigned to a supporting role at this point, but that cannot be helped. We fought magnificently here at Tiger Trap Pass, but we cannot ignore our losses."  
Zhou Yu nodded, his arms crossed as he pondered the situation. "They may need us at Si Shui Gate, if they cannot force it, my lord. We must be ready to be called upon again. Thus far, only Jiang Dong has had any success against the traitor's forces."

Sun Jian's mood turned grim. "I am not sure that I am willing to sacrifice more of our men for those haughty fools on the Council…" he muttered, thinking of Yuan Shu's perfidy.

"You are still convinced that Yuan Shu deliberately slighted us, sire?" Zhou Yu asked.

"I am certain of it, Zhou Yu." Sun Jian replied, nodding. "I do not lie, and therefore am not easily deceived. Denying us supplies may not have been his idea, but Yuan Shu certainly approved it. He knows I let him off the hook and he is worried."

Ce shook his head. "Say what you will, this alliance is certainly hangin' by a thread. Yuan Shao's drivin' everyone crazy with his arrogance, Cao Cao's outta control, always pushing for action and the other lords spend more time fighting about privileges than fighting the enemy."

A peal of thunder shook the tent. Sun Jian looked up at the sound.

"Your poor wife, Ce…"

Ce laughed. "I'm not worried about her. Her hangover's gonna be so bad she won't have any energy left to be scared."

"How sympathetic of you..." Zhou Yu remarked dryly.

It was true. Normally, Da Qiao was quite seraunophobic, but the thunderclaps would be wreaking havoc with her hangover, rather than striking fear into her heart. Maybe it would be good for her. It might help her overcome her fear of thunder.

"What word of your new command, my son?" the lord of Jiang Dong asked.

Ce smiled. "Old Mo Jing has roused himself to action and is meeting my new unit recruits on a daily basis. He'll have them whipped into shape in no time. He's picking men who are proficient with every form of combat- assault, defence, siege, guerrilla… sword, spear, horseback, bow, crossbow, unarmed combat… tough veterans and skilled youth alike. They'll be able to fill in anywhere on the battlefield and excel. I'm lookin' forward to tryin' them out."

"Good." Sun Jian said. "I've sent for reinforcements from Jiang Dong. Not many, but enough to round out our numbers a little. Five thousand troops should suffice, once we disband a few units and reintegrate the men into new companies."

Just then a messenger came into the tent and kow-towed. He rose and handed a scroll to Zhou Yu who read it quietly and nodded. He then dismissed the messenger and looked at the other two.

"It would seem the allies have taken Si Shui Gate." he said plainly. Sun Jian and Ce both looked at him with wide eyes, as if he had just stated that pigs could grow wings and fly.

"I thought Lu Bu was guarding Si Shui Gate." Sun Jian observed.

"It seems he was, but he kept coming out in sorties and slaying alliance champions." Zhou Yu elaborated. "Finally, Ce's friends Liu Bei, Zhang Fei and Guan Yu charged him and the three of them forced him to flee. The alliance army followed them in and swept Dong Zhuo's forces out of the region. They have retreated to Hu Lao."

Ce nodded in satisfaction. "I knew Yunchang could do it. But still, if it took all three of them to force Lu Bu to retreat, then he's gonna be a problem."

"Well, at least we've got Dong Zhuo on the run," Sun Jian said. "Any word on casualties for the Coalition?"

"Comparatively light in terms of troops, but apparently Fengxian killed off many officers whom they were counting on to lead." They will have to do some serious reorganizing before they move out again, I surmise."

"Very well. When the Coalition forces are ready to advance, we shall be as well," Sun Jian said, rising. "We have the traitor running, we must not let up if at all possible."

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu both bowed.

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Da Qiao felt like hell. Never had she known such complete misery. Her head pounded and the blinding white light behind her eyes meant she couldn't sleep. No amount of deep breathing or attempts at meditation could get her past the hideous pain that beat at her mind like a set of war drums.

Why wouldn't the gods just kill her and get it over with!

She cried out in pain as another crack of thunder shook the tent. Her head felt like it would explode. Her skin was irritated by everything that touched it. Her stomach felt like a ball of ice in her middle and her fingers and toes itched dreadfully.

She had vomited at least three times since awaking from her swoon and more was doubtless on the way. In all this torture, the only consolation was that someone had obviously been holding her hair out of her face as she got sick.

It tasted like there was a dead man in her mouth.

Why had she drunk so much, knowing perfectly well, that it took only two cups to get her tipsy and three to get silly and sleepy?

She felt a cold cloth pressed to her forehead and revelled in the soothing bliss it brought. She struggled to open an eye and saw he husband kneeling over her, smiling.

"Well now, I'll bet that was an aspect of command you didn't anticipate, right?" he quipped cheerfully, stroking the cloth across her forehead.

Da Qiao groaned and turned away from him, determined to not let him see her go crimson with humiliation. She lay on her side and looked petulant.

"I don't know what you're talking about… I remember nothing."

Ce laughed. "That's probably just as well, Da. Although I'm sure the women will take great delight in telling you everything."

She moped. "I drank so much I must have passed out very quickly, how bad could it have been?"

"Well, you didn't actually pass out until I got there," Ce admitted.

Da turned and looked at him, squinting. "You _did_ show up?

Ce nodded. "Yep. You were dancing on the table and fell off it when you tried to bow."

Da Qiao frowned. "You're lying. You're just trying to make me blush."

"I'm afraid not, Da. When you finally got back up you staggered over to me and told me to do you right there on the table, to give the girls a show."

Da Qiao went pale with horror. "I... I…"

Ce nodded solemnly.

She looked like she might die of fright. "Did… did you…"

"Have I ever been able to say no to you, Da?" Ce asked, avoiding the question.

Da Qiao felt her stomach do a slow role and dip to the left. She leaned over the side of the couch she was on and heaved violently. Ce looked at the ceiling, waiting for her to finish expelling the contents of her stomach. When she finally looked back at him, her eyes were bleary and accusing.

"You… you… how could you? In front of…"

"Well, you _were _pretty insistent." Ce said, smiling.

"I was drunk beyond all possible hope of controlling myself, you smug bastard!" she wailed, the pain in her head like a hammer striking an anvil. "Have you no shame or mercy!"

He finally put a gentle hand on her arm and shook his head. "I'm just teasing, Da. We didn't do it. You wanted to, but you passed out immediately. I brought you back here to our tent."

"You… you promise?" Da asked, looking miserable.

Ce nodded. The look in his eyes told her he was speaking the truth.

"Why did you let me get so out of control, my lord?" she asked finally.

"You were already gone by the time I got there, Da." Ce replied, determined to not let her foist any of the blame on him. "It's your job as their commander to eat, drink and celebrate with them. That means you're gonna get hung over on occasion. You just have to accept that."

"I really threw myself at you?" she asked, blushing as she thought about what she must have been acting like.

"I'm not the only one you did that too, apparently." Ce said. "Not that the women were objecting mind you… but that all happened before I got there."

Da's eyes went wide in shock.

"Just do what I do and visit one of the herbalists beforehand and see if they can give you any concoctions to stave off the effects of alcohol, Da." Ce suggested. "It's not fool-proof, but when everyone else is completely baked, at least you'll still be able to point and laugh."

"Any other helpful suggestions you would care to give?" she asked somewhat grumpily.

"Yeah, get better at drinking," he said simply. "That really is the only way to deal with it."

Ce rose to leave and her hand gently reached out and took his. "My lord?"

"Yeah?"

"You're… you're very sure that we… we didn't… you know…"

Ce nodded. "Da, you passed out in my arms after demanding I strip you naked and do you on the table. But more than that, I wouldn't have done so, because.. well… to be honest, you were looking pretty repulsive at the time."

Da Qiao lay back on the couch. "Thanks, my lord… I think…"

Ce smiled and exited the tent.

Da Qiao looked at the ceiling of the tent silently, pondering what had apparently happened. Almost reluctantly she reached down and began feeling between her legs. Satisfied that she had not had sex recently, she put her hands over her eyes and groaned about her behaviour, little of which she could remember.

Seemingly she had gotten completely drunk, danced lewdly on a table, made out with several women and belched in a manner that would have made Huang Gai proud…

Her only hope was that the women were also so drunk that night that none of them would remember.

When she finally went out to inspect her troops, the various smirks on several faces told her she was not so lucky.

Command was going to be even harder than she anticipated.


	14. Chapter 14

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 11 – The Battle of Hu Lao Gate**

The army of Jiang Dong was moving out. Si Shui Gate had been secured and the Coalition was once again ready to resume its advance against the traitor Dong Zhuo. Rumours of his horrific depravity and brutal conduct continued to spread. Thousands were being slaughtered. Any who opposed or questioned him were likely to have their heads adorning his gates after suffering a long and gruesome death.

The sun was shining overhead as the lord of Jiang Dong rode along with his family and bodyguards at the head of a long column of warriors on the great road heading west. Beside Sun Jian rode his eldest boy, Ce, his daughter Shang Xiang, his strategist Zhou Yu and his daughters-in-law, the Qiao sisters Da and Xiao. Despite their losses at Tiger Trap Pass, he felt confident of victory.

"My son," he said, looking over at Ce, who bowed his head. "We have been given the assignment of forcing the great gate. This will be no easy task, for we shall not take them unawares again. They will be waiting and alert."

Ce nodded. "I know what you're getting at, father. Do not worry - Lu Bu is mine."

"Be very careful, son," the patriarch warned. "Lu Bu is far more dangerous than Hua Xiong. It took Liu Bei's and his oath brothers to force him to retreat from Si Shui. Guan Yu shall be assaulting the western pass, he cannot help us."

"I understand, father. I shall be careful. But if Lu Bu guards the great gate, then fight him I must. Just make sure the men give me lots of swinging room."

The army marched on.

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Sun Shang Xiang had resumed control of her unit and they marched with great pride near the front of the column. Everyone seemed eager for the fight, except Da Qiao, who was silent and, lost in contemplation.

"Why so quiet, sis?" Xiao Qiao asked, looking at her older sibling with concern. "You should be cheerful, shouldn't you?"

Da Qiao sighed. "I just cannot help thinking that I made an idiot of myself that night, Xiao."

Xiao Qiao snorted and waved dismissively. "We all got drunk and outta control, sis, not just you. I think that's how it's supposed to work. Ever seen the guys get drunk? So you kissed a few girls, big deal."

"That doesn't bother me," Da Qiao said. "I wouldn't have been so upset about that; I just can't believe I acted so wantonly toward my husband in front of people."

"Admit it, you're a lousy drunk," Xiao said, shrugging. "You can't hold your wine any more than I can, and we all remember what happened to me that one time last year when I got totally wrecked."

"I'd rather not remember, thank you." Da said. The incident in question was burned quite vividly into her mind. They never had found all of Xiao Qiao's clothes.

"So, what did you think of your first taste of command?" Xiao asked, determined to bring her sister out of her shell.

Da Qiao shrugged. "I think I can safely say I was not a total failure at it, but I'll never have Shang Xiang's inspirational leadership abilities."

Xiao Qiao pondered that point. "Maybe you're just a different type of commander, sis. She's all about fiery speeches and getting people's blood up, while you're more analytical and have a job to do. I think… I think when she inspires people, they want to gain glory for themselves on the battlefield. With you, people want to do it for you…"

Da Qiao blinked. "How so?"

Xiaoscrewed up her face and began the monumental task of trying to explain herself. "Well, when you took over our unit and talked with everyone, you were quiet and… what's the word… earnest. You were asking people to do a job. And when you were done, they wanted to do that job, because _you_ had asked them to. Make sense?"

"I understand what you mean, even if it doesn't make sense in relation to me…" Da Qiao said softly. "I guess I do have a command style after all, hmmm?"

Xiao Qiao smiled. "I liked it."

"What about Ce?" Da asked, surprised and intrigued that her sister ever thought about these things. "What sort of command style does he have?"

"Well, that's just different altogether." Xiao Qiao replied, warming to the topic at hand and enjoying the rare feeling of educating someone. "Ce's a natural leader, sis; best we've got. Only my Zhou Yu is as good. Ce inspires people with his confidence, because he already knows he's not going to lose. And he never discriminates; whether you're a general or just a lowly soldier, Ce treats everyone the same. He's got a loud, commanding voice on the battlefield that makes you _want_ to obey his orders, because he's gotta be right."

Da Qiao smiled warmly at her sister. "People don't give you enough credit, Xiao. You're actually pretty smart when you try."

Xiao Qiao looked self-righteously indignant. "Hey, I'm not a total airhead, you know!"

She folded her arms petulantly and looked away. She then squeaked in alarm and fell out of her saddle.

The entire army of Jiang Dong came to a halt and waited while they picked Xiao Qiao up and put her back on her horse.

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"Hu Lao Gate…" Sun Jian mused, as they looked out toward the great plain beyond. "We should be there tomorrow afternoon. Tell the men to pitch camp and get a good night's sleep. I want everyone rested, so the watch shifts will only be two hours long."

The herald bowed and rode off to relay his lord's orders.

The sun was lowering into the west, casting a purple hue over the distant pass they would be assaulting. To the north, the torches of the long columns of Cao Cao's army could be seen, streaming toward Hu Lao Gate. In the south, Yuan Shao's huge army could be seen, the rumble of their train almost heard.

Hu Lao Gate was silent and foreboding, not seeming to care who approached.

Somewhere behind those mighty walls, Dong Zhuo sat, waiting for them.

"You bastard…" Sun Jian growled. "Would you have the whole world for your belly?"

He turned and strode off toward his tent. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu continued to look out over the plain toward Hu Lao Gate and the menace that awaited them.

"This will not be easy, Ce," Zhou Yu said in his mellow tenor. "Forcing the gate will be hard enough, but the true challenge is not some impregnable barrier, for we have already proven that we can surmount that."

"Yeah," Sun Ce said grimly. "I know. Lu Bu'll eat up our whole army if I don't take him down."

"Shall we assault him together?" Zhou Yu asked.

Ce shook his head. "No. Keep away. If he beats me, you're Jiang Dong's only hope. I'll fight him, but anything sneaky you can think of, feel free to help out."

Zhou Yu nodded and silently looked back out over the plain. They stood there for some time, merely watching, each lost in his own thoughts. This would be the hardest battle they had ever fought, and with Lu Bu as their foe, they were forced to admit that it might be their last.

"On the eve of a battle, it is customary to camp with one's troops." Zhou Yu said.

"Yeah, I won't be doin' that either." Ce replied. "I'm gonna spend the night with Da. If anything happens tomorrow, I want tonight to be special. I owe her that."

Zhou Yu just nodded.

Ce clapped his dear friend on the shoulder as he turned and walked off. "See you in the morning, pal…"

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Ce lay silently, looking at the ceiling. Nestled against him was his wife, who stroked his chest as she basked in the glow of their lovemaking. His strong arm was around her and held her tight. She kissed his chest and smiled up at him. The distant look in his eye told her that something was bothering him. She reached up and put a hand on his cheek.

"My lord, why are you so worried about tomorrow?" she asked softly.

Normally Ce would have told her everything was fine and not worry about it, but he couldn't do that tonight. There was a very real possibility that he would be slain tomorrow by Lu Bu and he wasn't about to hide that from her.

"Da, I want you to promise me something… if Lu Bu kills me, you won't do anything dramatic and stupid like seek revenge."

Da Qiao just looked at him for a moment and then buried her face against him. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. She pulled her face up next to his and kissed him, her eyes wet with tears. Her heart was pounding in her chest.

"I promise…" she finally whispered.

"Good." Ce replied. "There'll be plenty of people willing to avenge me. But you're too beautiful to have your light snuffed out by that monster. I want you to live, Da. I love you and I want nothing to ever hurt you."

Da Qiao sniffled as she smiled into his eyes, stroking his cheek.

Ce smiled up at her. "Da, let's try. No unguent or potion when it's over, okay? Let's give it a shot."

Her eyes went wide in surprise and delight. Tears streamed down her face and she nodded. She wanted this more than anything.

To bear the heir of China's greatest hero…

Ce gently rolled her onto her back and her arms wrapped around his neck. She nestled herself comfortably against him and spread her legs. Looking deep into her eyes, Ce slowly lowered himself and entered her. She shivered and held herself close to him.

"I love you, Da…" he whispered, looking into her soul. "Never forget that…"

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The assault on Hu Lao Gate had begun. Under Cao Cao and Liu Bei, tens of thousands of Coalition soldiers were flanking around to the west, to force a small pass and relieve some of the pressure off the army attacking the main gate. Once again, Jiang Dong was in the van, driving forward toward the enemy with relentless determination and ferocity.

Sun Ce and his _Huben _Tiger Escort were leading the charge, flanked by Zhou Yu's unit on one side and Ling Cao's on the other. The cavalry units formed a deadly wedge that threatened to obliterate anything that stood in their way. Awaiting them silently were thousands of spearmen, standing in ranks, protecting archers awaiting orders to fill the sky with a deadly hail of steel.

Ce and his warriors pressed on, gaining momentum as they approached Dong Zhuo's forces. He could feel a fire building within, a lust for battle that would not be quenched until Hu Lao Gate was taken and the traitor was in chains or his head mounted to the wall of the Imperial City. His tonfa were gripped tightly as he sped toward the waiting hosts.

Cavalry never fared well against spearmen who maintained their ranks and order. It was almost always a bad end for the cavalry. But what choice did they have? Hu Lao gate had to fall, and Jiang Dong's forces had already proven they could achieve the impossible.

Closer…

This had to work. They had to break through so that the great gate could be forced. He said a silent prayer to any gods who would listen. He saw the enemy archers knock arrows into their bows and bend them, waiting for optimal range.

Not far now…

A horn sounded distantly behind them and Ce stood up straight and held one of his tonfa in the air. Immediately, the three cavalry units split left and right, peeling off from their trajectory and wheeling back to form up again. As they did so, high overhead, large, dark objects hurtled through the air and descended toward the enemy lines…

The mighty boulders landed with a great crash, tumbling and rolling through the massed infantry and archers. At least five of the huge projectiles smashed a bloody path through them, causing confusion and general panic. The ranks were disorganized as men sought protection from further death.

Far to the rear, the engineers of Jiang Dong were hastily loading massive boulders into the rock-throwers and re-calibrating their aim to hit the gates. These dreadful weapons were the largest anyone had ever seen and Zhou Yu had maintained masterful secrecy about their existence until the time was right to use them. Even more important, the timing of the attack, masked by a seemingly suicidal cavalry assault, had been planned and rehearsed repeatedly. The only commander Zhou Yu trusted with such timing was Sun Ce and he had not been disappointed.

As the enemy ranks disintegrated, Ce and his cavaliers dashed back in, overrunning the previously immovable formations easily. They rampaged through the foe with great slaughter, chasing the survivors all the way back to the mighty gates, which would not open for them.

Ce and his cavalry pulled back and rode out of range, remembering how the defenders on the walls of Tiger Trap Pass had callously slain their own comrades to repel the forces of Jiang Dong. He would not allow this to happen again. Pulling safely out of range of the archers on the wall, they remained alert for catapult and ballista missiles, waiting for their own mighty siege engines to begin assaulting the great gate.

"_That's the first part complete,"_ Ce thought as he rode alongside Mo Jing and his escort. _"That little surprise will have rattled them, and now they know there are machines out here that can eventually break down the gate. That's sure to bring him out…"_

As the siege engines began their assault on the gate and walls, the army of Jiang Dong began to move forward, led by Sun Jian. Far over their heads, boulders soared towards the enemy fortifications. Their impacts were thunderous, even at this distance. Silently, they marched toward the waiting foe…

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Da Qiao rode along with Shang Xiang's unit, their horses plodding along until the order was given to charge. Her eyes focused far ahead as she watched her beloved husband's Tiger Guard speed toward Hu Lao Gate. Though still some _li_ away, she could make out the numberless enemy troops that awaited Sun Ce.

She hated to be separated from him, although he understood his reasoning- the first part of this mission was extraordinarily dangerous in terms of the timing required. Beyond that, Sun Ce was about to take on Lu Bu, the most ferocious and feared warrior in all of China. The last thing he needed to worry about was his wife getting in the way.

A horn sounded and Shang Xiang's unit moved into a canter. They were going to chase down and finish off the enemy formations on the left flank. When the gate collapsed or opened, they were to storm it, along with the rest of the army. Hopefully her husband would have Lu Bu busy and they'd be able to get past him.

Xiao Qiao rode beside her, her fans tight in her tiny hands. She seemed determined, not at all afraid or intimidated by the massive fortress that awaited them. Da envied her sister that trait. Everyone thought she was a bubblehead and little more than a young girl playing war, but here, in the midst of a dreadful battle, Da Qiao freely admitted envying her sister's simplicity.

She gazed forward again, surveying their targets… she picked her foes out and broke into a gallop when the horn sounded the charge…

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The great walls thundered and the ground shook. Behind the great gates, battalion after battalion waited silently for the order to advance and meet the enemy. In front of them, unmoving like a huge statue, a mighty warrior sat astride a splendid red horse. His armour was bright scales, like a river of rippling silver fish and his battle robe was emblazoned with phoenixes, crimson and gold. In his huge hand he held a massive halberd, around which twisted a serpent. A horsehair plume hung from the black metal blade, fluttering in the breeze. The phoenix feathers that adorned his headdress streamed behind him. His arrogant eyes were steely and keen.

He was Lu Bu, and no man would challenge him and live.

The mighty gate thrummed again as another boulder smashed into it and a screech of metal spoke of the strain the doors were under. It would not be long now.

The men were getting antsy. Fools! Did they not know that they enemy was marching to their own slaughter now that they faced him?

Another boulder rang against the wood and metal gate and the barrier groaned. Behind him, a man cried out in fear. Lu Bu's halberd rose into the air and without even looking, he struck the man down, cleaving him in two. The soldiers closest to the fallen man shied away but the massive warrior glared at them, making it clear that anyone else who showed fear would suffer the same fate.

A messenger came running up and knelt before Lu Bu.

"Sir! This gate will soon give way! Additionally, Yuan Shao's forces are flanking around to the west, attempting to force Din Hao Pass."

Lu Bu grunted. "Zhang Liao'll scare 'em off. He's more than a match for those wretches. When this gate gives way, I will ride out and defeat the enemy to our front. Who commands the enemy outside Hu Lao Gate?"

The messenger bowed his head. "Sun Jian, sir! He who killed Hua Xiong and took Tiger Trap Pass."

Lu Bu spat. "That fool Sun Jian! I was hoping for a real warrior! What of Yunchang or Yide?"

"Sir, Liu Bei's troops are with Cao Cao's assaulting Din Hao Pass!" the messenger responded.

"So I am left with the prancing prince of Jiang Dong…" Lu Bu growled testily. "He will pay for opposing me."

"He commands, sir, but the assault is being led by his eldest child, Ce."

Lu Bu roared with laughter. "The hero of Tiger Trap Pass? The man who beat that pitiful sorcerer Zhang Jiao? That is my meager offering of battle?"

He dismissed the messenger with a contemptuous wave and pointed his halberd at the massive fortifications above, yelling to the siege engineers manning the catapults.

"Listen, you vermin! Once this gate collapses, they're going to try and fire further into the fortress! Their weapons fire farther, but they'll have to get closer to do any more damage! That means you'll be able to hit them as well! For each rock that makes it beyond these walls, I'm going to tear one layer of skin off of you. Understand!"

Any response he might have received was drowned out by a dreadful shriek as the gates buckled and collapsed under two massive boulders. A third rock bounced through and destroyed a company of swordsmen. The survivors screamed in fear and fled.

Lu Bu shook his head and spurred his mount toward the ruined gate…

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"Go!" shouted Sun Ce, seeing that the gates had finally collapsed. His herald blew a great blast on his war horn and the cavalry charged. They had fallen back out of archer range and would now have to endure a hail of missiles from the walls above before they could gain the gate.

Ce's horse sped forward, leading the assault. Not far to the right, Zhou Yu was urging his cavalry on, his gleaming sword in hand. To the left, Ling Cao had also called for his unit to charge. The three battalions, fifteen hundred elite cavaliers in all, galloped toward the tumbled ruins of Hu Lao Gate.

Ce spared a brief moment to look down the flank- he could see Sun Shang Xiang's unit charging the enemy companies farthest to the south, making sure they were not taken in a counter-attack. He could make out Da Qiao, riding near her sister, her fans flared and ready for battle. He prayed to her patron god for his wife's protection and wished her well. He then turned his attention back to the battlefield.

Ling Cao's battalion reached the gate first. Halberdiers and spearmen had raced out of the gate, determined to stop the assault. Ling Cao's men crashed into them and swept them aside. The horsemen ran amuck, slaying any within reach. More men poured out of the gate but were struck down almost as soon as they entered the fray.

Ce sensed Zhou Yu's unit slackening its pace and he did so as well. Something was about to happen and he was fairly certain that he knew what it was…

There was a thunderous shout and a red horse leapt high into their air, over the massive rubble of the ruined gate. The mighty steed landed and without breaking stride galloped forward. Astride the beast, a huge warrior resplendent in crimson and gold swung a mighty halberd with one hand, mowing down any foe foolish enough to try and close with him.

Lu Bu had finally come out to fight.

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Zhou Yu saw the mighty warrior begin his furious counter-assault and inwardly he trembled. Lu Bu's might surpassed all rumour of it. If they did not deal with him swiftly, he might very well single-handedly drive back the army of Jiang Dong and then all would be lost.

He watched as Lu Bu's halberd, a dreadful weapon he called 'Sky Scorcher', slew men with ridiculous ease. Men and horse alike were cleaved in two by its lightning strokes. Lu Bu's steed, Red Hare, had barely broken into a run before twelve brave warriors of Jiang Dong lay dead. Less than ten seconds had passed.

Lu Bu was Ce's problem. Zhou Yu's task was to get inside the gate and up onto the walls, so that the army of Jiang Dong could approach without fear of obliteration from above. He drew forth a great horn and blew a clear note on it, calling for an all-out charge. He led his cavalry in a wide arc, steering clear of Lu Bu and trying to get behind the unstoppable warrior.

Brought to a dead halt, Ling Cao's men retreated and attempted to regroup, but Lu Bu would not let them alone. He pressed his attack from atop his steed, driving forward and felling men with every wide, sweeping stroke. Furious and fearing the destruction of his unit, Ling Cao sprang forward to meet Lu Bu's charge. Even at the cost of his own life, he would save him men from utter defeat and certain death.

"Mo Jing, listen up…" Ce said loudly enough to be heard. "Take the men and flank right. Join up with Zhou Yu and follow his instructions! I've gotta take that bastard down before he kills Ling Cao."

Mo Jing almost looked offended. "No, my lord! We follow you unto death! If you face Lu Bu then we shall-"

"That wasn't a request, old man!" Ce yelled angrily, his eyes flashing. "You can't help me beat Lu Bu, it's not that type of battle, dammit! Now do as I tell you and help Zhou Yu save our army from defeat! Get outta here!"

Mo Jing bowed his head and held his sword high. The men followed him as he veered off to the right and sped up to join with Zhou Yu. Free of distractions, Sun Ce gripped his tonfas tight and smiled grimly.

"Alright, big guy…" he said quietly, his eyes flashing. "Let's see what you're really made of…"

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Da Qiao was slashing and swiping from horseback with her fans as Shang Xiang's unit romped through the enemy forces they faced. They had first assaulted a unit of swordsmen, who barely had time to raise their weapons before the amazons were on them. Blood flew from Shang Xiang's whirling blades as she sliced down her foes, her ululating battle cry striking fear into Dong Zhuo's men.

A shout from the left grabbed their attention and they spied a unit of spearmen marching towards them, weapons raised and shields locked, creating a barrier the amazons' horses were unlikely to be able to penetrate. Shang Xiang called loudly for her warriors to dismount. No sooner had they leapt off their horses than they had pulled their short bows from their backs. They knocked arrows from the quiver they all kept at their belts and began picking off targets as quickly as possible, their aim true and lethal.

This was why Sun Shang Xiang of Jiang Dong was renowned across the land as 'The Bow-hipped Princess'- not only was she deadly with her chakrams, but she always wore a bow at her hip and she was un uncanny marksman. She had drilled her women to be proficient not only with the sword and the lance, but also insisted that they all be crack shot with both the short and longbow.

The women's short bows sang and hummed, their missiles speeding through the air and striking down rank after rank of spearmen who had anticipated an easy charge into cavalry that was already stopped. They had not expected this response. Their leader called a charge and the men began trotting forward, still trying to keep their ranks ordered.

Shang Xiang almost cried out in delight and threw down her bow as they approached. As she swept out her chakrams, her warrior-maidens drew their swords and charged with her. Shang Xiang's innate grasp of tactics was as impressive as her marksmanship- if swordsmen could survive an initial charge and clash with spearmen in formation, they would always win, since they had the advantage of mobility; and once they were by the heads of the foe's weapon, a spear was little more than an unwieldy stick.

The spearmen thrust their weapons forward. Several women cried out and fell as they failed to parry the thrusts, but the rest dodged between the spearheads and began hacking down the enemy with their swords. Shang Xiang was in the heart of the fight, whirling and kicking, her battle-frenzy both beautiful and terrible to behold. The gleam of her circular blades was mirrored in her blazing eyes as she sowed death amongst her hapless enemy.

Da Qiao did her best to keep up, although she had to admit, she still felt like an amateur amongst these warrior-women. They all wore the same armour and uniforms, their dark hair done up in double buns on their heads, their makeup both eerily attractive and intimidating. She did not at all feel like she belonged here in their midst and it almost seemed like a dream that she had commanded them.

She charged a nearby foe and knocked him to the ground. She whirled about and a swipe of her fans slew a man who had surged up on her left. She felt something mechanical happening, something she didn't quite understand. If she let her mind go and quit thinking so intently about her situation, her body seemed to take over, knowing what it had to do to defend herself; this did not mean that she was pondering poetry or her husband's manhood, of course, but the less she thought about what she had to do, the easier fighting seemed to become.

Is this what Lord Sun Ce had always been talking about? Was this the talent he spoke of?

She ducked a wicked thrust and pivoted on her heel, sweeping her foe's feet from beneath him. She leapt over him, smashing her fans into another man who was not prepared for her assault. He cried out as he fell and she sprang off his chest to vault into the air and get behind their ranks.

The spearmen broke and fled, leaving over a hundred of their comrades dead or dying. Shang Xiang raised her chakram and was about to declare their victory when the cry died in her throat. A loud boom drowned out almost all noise and she went pale. Her women all paused and followed her gaze. What they saw boded ill indeed.

Lumbering toward them was a giant creature, grey and sporting wicked tusks. Its long, serpent-like nose thrashed angrily back and forth. The rider atop it snapped the reins that were pinned to its ears and the creatures trumpeted loudly and broke into a clumsy run. In its midst, dark-skinned men wearing strange garb and tattoos lead ferocious tigers toward the amazons; the great cats strained at their spiked collars, begging to be unleashed and to tear their prey to pieces.

"What… what is that thing?" Fu Chin Ran whispered, her sword almost slack in her hand.

"I saw them when Zhou Yu and I honeymooned in the south…" Xiao Qiao replied, still staring at the war-beast. Her eyes narrowed in fury. "Dong Zhuo's hired mercenaries from the Nanman tribes to fight for him!"

"The Nanman tribes…" Da Qiao said quietly.

Xiao stamped her foot angrily. "Oh, he is a _very_ bad man!"

"Just steer clear of it…" Shang Xiang said firmly, her natural composure returning. "This sounds crazy, but you'll be safer near the tigers! Stay in squads and kill the beast-handlers. The big thing won't get too close to the cats! Split up into squads and if you're far enough away, use your bows!"

The women quickly and efficiently got into their squads and spread out, moving away from the great grey beast. They did not wait for orders but began firing arrows at the beast-masters and their savage orange charges.

Da Qiao was still looking at the grey monster, fascinated and horrified all at once. She had heard tell of such creatures, although she had never anticipated seeing one. She realized this was silly, since she had been exposed to exotic creatures before. Did her sister not keep a salamander in the menagerie? Da Qiao was also reasonably certain she had seen a river dragon once when she was a child, but she did not generally tell people about the experience, it had been very personal for her. Beyond that, the only time she had ever seen a dragon was the manifestation of Guan Yu's battle aura and that was certainly more than enough dragon for her, thank you.

The grey thing trumpeted again as it rushed forward, its speed impressive in spite of the creature's bulk. It must have stood at least twenty spans at its lumpy shoulder and its tusks were as long as she was tall! The tips of said tusks were capped with steel spikes and its long forehead was protected by a gleaming bronze visor, not unlike a horse would wear, but much larger. Strange designs were painted across its thick hide, making it look even more fearsome.

It had a name and she tried to remember it; in her own language it was referred to as '_xiang_', while people of the north called such creatures '_jeung_'. She would have to ask Zhou Yu about it later.

Assuming she survived her encounter with the monstrosity to begin with.

She heard a shriek of pain behind her and whirled around to see a tiger springing on an amazon, mauling her. Da Qiao reacted instinctively and leapt to the girl's rescue. She slashed and beat at the tiger, screaming at it to go away. The creature backed up but still held the girl firmly in its jaws. A crack across the forehead from Da's fan finally convinced it to drop the girl and it backed away, snarling. Several other women dashed in to attack the creature and its handler. Da Qiao knelt next to the injured girl and tried to console her. The tiger's powerful jaws hand almost bitten right through her chest.

Da Qiao's eyes filled with tears as the girl, whose name was Yin, gasped and jerked, her eyes wide with fear and shock. Yin held out a hand and Da took it, caressing it to her cheek and kissing it softly. As she did so she felt the limb go limp and she wept. She gently replaced Yin's hand on her chest and said a silent prayer as she stood. When her eyes opened, they were no longer sad, but glistening with tears of fury.

'_This is Dong Zhuo's fault… he thinks only of himself and his pleasures. Yin had a lover and was planning to marry him when this campaign was over. She was going to have children and live peacefully in Shung Wen… she told me all about it... we laughed and cried happily at her plans…'_

She turned and glared at the foes they fought. She would not allow this horrible slaughter to continue.

A great and terrible surge welled up within her- fire and wind seemed to fill her heart and she felt a dreadful warmth envelop her body. Her grip was like iron and she perceived the battle in a new light; she could see events unfolding slowly, almost before they happened. The ebb and flow of energies, both friend and foe, were evident to her. She could see how her allies were trying to stem the tide of the beast-unit's assault. Power and destructive energy rested with their foe right now.

It was time to change that little problem.

High in the air she leapt, vaulting over the heads of her amazon friends and landing directly on one of the beast-masters. As she crushed him to the ground, her fans, crushing his ribcage, she glared into his eyes, seeing his shock at her appearance. The light in his gaze went out and she whirled about, sending one of her fans spinning through the air and slicing the head off another beast-master nearby.

Of the twelve beast-masters that had assaulted Shang Xiang's unit, half were now dead, their tigers running amok, attacking foe and friend alike. The women were slowly recovering, their counter-attacks becoming cohesive- the tide of the battle was slowly shifting, putting the beast-masters on the defensive, a situation that did not favour them.

They were not about to give up easily, though. They were proud warriors of Nanman and they would not accept defeat. One of the men lit a fuse bomb and hurled it at the crazy raven-haired girl with the fans. Da Qiao saw the bomb and swatted it back at him with a flick of her fan. He cried out in surprise as the errant sphere detonated in his face, killing him and two nearby tigers instantly. Da Qiao cried out loudly and rushed to take on another.

Fu Chin Ran fought savagely, her sword now in her left hand since her right arm hung limp, punctured through the shoulder by a tiger's claws. Although she was nearly as good with her left hand, her wound was beginning to throb and the blood loss was making her vision blurry. She swung at her foe, who stepped back and she stumbled. On one knee, she knew he had her. He raised his sword over his head for final strike when he was kicked backward and died of a collapsed ribcage. Da Qiao stood over Fu Chin Ran, glaring angrily at the fallen foe. Fu looked up, nodded and rushed back into action, determined to make the enemy pay dearly before she fainted or died of blood loss.

The _xiang_ trumpeted again, swinging its great snout back and forth. One woman got to close and was slammed hard, sailing through the air to land roughly on her head several yards away. If she wasn't dead instantly, they would see that she passed on in peace as soon as they could.

Sun Shang Xiang had attacked the beast, but was making little headway against its thick, leathery hide. She was even attempting to attack its eyes, but the stout bronze faceguard held against her blades. She cursed angrily and dodged, determined to bring the leviathan down. The rider laughed contemptuously at her efforts, knowing them to be in vain.

Da Qiao could see the man was heavily armoured; she doubted even Shang Xiang's chakrams could pierce his defenses and certainly her fans wouldn't. Normally he would be the weak spot, but not this time, seemingly.

She drew a deep breath, her mind swirling with deadly intent. As she felt the energy well up, she let out a great cry, spun about and made a broad sweeping motion with her hands. All her anger and desperation poured through her fans, manifesting as a great ball of fire that roared forward and washed over the _xiang_. The great beast bellowed in fright and pain, rearing up and throwing its driver from its back. As it turned and stampeded away it crushed the poor fool beneath its tree trunk-like feet. The monster fled back toward the south, mowing down anything to get away from the one thing it feared- fire.

Da Qiao staggered and fell to her knees. Xiao was at her side in an instant, making sure her big sister was alright. Wearily, Da Qiao looked around; the beast-masters were dead or fleeing, their tigers also slain or in flight. Panting heavily, Shang Xiang held one of her blades aloft and the women slowly gathered to her, several of them injured.

"Okay," Shang Xiang said, still out of breath. "We've secured the south. Now we must remount and head north, to save the guys from-"

"We can't yet," Da Qiao said, shaking her head. "We're not ready, Lady Sun."

Shang Xiang's head snapped around to glare at Da Qiao angrily. "Are you questioning my orders, Da Qiao! Sister-in-law or no, I will not have you-"

"We can't do it, Shang Xiang!" Da Qiao insisted, not backing down. "Look at us! Not including you, Xiao and myself, there are less than fifty of us left! And nearly half of those remaining are wounded to some capacity!"

"We fight to the death, Da!" Shang Xiang said, her tone one of great anger. "That is our creed, you know that! If you have no stomach for it, then you're not welcome, no matter how many fireballs you can shoot out of those stupid fans!"

Da Qiao's lovely breasts rose in fury but Fu Chin Ran bowed quickly, drawing Shang Xiang's attention. "Mistress, of course we shall all follow your orders, including Lady Qiao. But please, take a moment to consider her words, I beg you. We now number less than half of our original force. Several of our sisters lay dying, in pain and agony. We swore an oath to never let one of our number die alone or get left unattended on the field of battle. Let us see to them before we move on. Let us bind our wounds before… we…"

Fu Chin Ran's eyes rolled into her head and she slumped forward. Shang Xiang cried out and caught her, kneeling and cradling the unconscious warrior on her lap. Tears came to Shang Xiang's eyes as she stroked her captain's face. She looked up at Da Qiao, her face pained and sorrowful.

"Da, please… gather up our fallen and bring them here, while we have a clear area of the battlefield. We must see our sisters off properly. After all… we swore and oath…"

Da Qiao bowed to her sister-in-law and rushed off with Xiao to organize the amazons in their mission to retrieve the fallen. Tears stung her eyes as she helped to haul the bodies of her battle-sisters to Shang Xiang's position. The princess had stayed where she was, cradling Fu Chin Ran, whispering to her and kissing her cheeks.

Da Qiao knelt next to Shang Xiang and put her hands on Fu Chin Ran's breast. She was quiet for several moments before opening her eyes and nodding.

"Lady Sun, your captain will yet live, if we bind her wound and send her to rest. But her part in this campaign is over, at least for now."

Shang Xiang nodded and personally dressed Fu Chin Ran's wound before standing up and walking around to the other women who lay stricken before them. To those who were not yet dead but beyond hope of recovery, she spoke gentle words of love and caring before sliding her thin dagger into their necks and sending them into the dark.

When all had been tended to, she stood and looked around at those who remained. Forty-six warriors remained, not including herself or her sisters-in-law. Her breath shuddered as she finally acknowledged the truth to herself and those around her.

"Lady Qiao is right, my sisters…" she said sadly. "It was a glorious fight, but our forces here are too diminished to continue on. We have work yet to do, but it is not pitched battle that awaits us. We swore to never leave our sisters on some hateful field, far from home. We will now bear them back to our camp on their horses, to be properly dressed and prayed over by the holy men, so that their souls do not wander the earth aimlessly, but find rest and peace."

The women all whispered prayers and made signs of blessing.

Shang Xiang looked around the area. "We, who held the far south flank, have achieved a glorious victory, though it seems hollow at this point. Gaze upon your handiwork, my sisters. We numbered but eighty when we took this field and yet, hundreds upon hundreds of foes lay in heaps around us. No help did we have, only our own might under arms."

Several women nodded, knowing the truth of their princess' words.

"Not only will we take our fallen back to camp, but our battle trophies as well!" Shang Xiang continued, her voice growing louder, her confidence returning. "The heads of our foes shall we bring, along with their weapons and banners! Skin the tigers and take their claws and teeth, for they shall be a symbol of our strength!"

She strode over and hefted up an iron-encased tusk from the x_iang_. As the beast had fled, she had managed to shear it off.

"Great indeed was our victory today…" she murmured to herself. "Perhaps it is fitting that we end our fight here; for what would be left for the men to do if we were to continue?"

The women all bowed and began their tasks. The day was not over yet.

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Lu Bu was annoying Sun Ce. If he was even aware of the young lord's presence on the battlefield, he wasn't deigning to show it. Lu Bu's horse, Red Hare, was reputed to be the fastest mount anywhere in China, and was certainly doing nothing to dispel the rumour. Lu Bu sped around the battlefield, creating general havoc and terror amongst the troops of Jiang Dong. By the time Ce reached Lu Bu's position, the massive warrior had usually destroyed whatever he was attacking and moved on.

Ce had to get Lu Bu's attention.

He pulled his bow from his back and knocked an arrow. He pulled back hard, almost pulling the bow in a complete circle and let fly. The dart sped forward and sliced into the strap of Lu Bu's saddle. Shorn free of its fastenings, the saddle slid off Red Hare's back and sent the warrior tumbling to the ground. Red Hare merely stopped and waited for its master.

Lu Bu rose slowly, glaring furiously across the field at his assailant. When he saw Sun Ce staring back at him cockily, he clenched his teeth and stormed toward him, halberd in hand.

Ce nodded and dismounted, knowing that being mounted was no advantage, if his aim was to fight Lu Bu one on one. He flexed his brawny shoulders and strode toward his foe, tonfas in hand. His smile was grim and he felt his battle aura rising.

As Lu Bu strode forward, Ce watched him, studying him. He had to admit, he was awestruck. Lu Bu's motions were flawless. His body was huge and powerful, but without enough bulk to slow him down. Every muscle moved with a serpentine grace and was like a coiled spring, ready to strike. He would be much faster than he looked.

Ce would be more agile, perhaps reflexively quicker, but Lu Bu certainly had the edge in raw power. Even Guan Yu and Zhang Fei would find this man hard to handle physically.

If it had taken Xuande, Yide and Yunchang to force this monster back, what hope did Ce have by himself?

This was gonna be a good fight.

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Zhou Yu breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Lu Bu unceremoniously dismounted. The warrior's attention was now focused clearly on Ce, all other considerations forgotten. Mo Jing had joined Zhou Yu and they now rushed to Ling Cao's aid, rallying all the men they could for the push through the gate and into the mighty fortress. He looked behind and saw that Sun Jian was approaching, at the head of his army. Hopefully they would steer clear of the whirlwind that was about to be Lu Bu and Sun Ce's duel. Woe be unto anyone who got too close to that.

Zhou Yu held his blade aloft and his horse reared.

"Listen to me! All of you!" he called loudly. "Hu Lao Gate lies in ruins, its dreaded defender engaged in mortal combat with our own champion! We ride now to secure the gate and safeguard the approach of our army! We will storm the walls and silence their war engines! Leave not one foe alive! They have made a pact with a devil named Dong Zhuo, and no mercy shall be shown to them!"

The men all shouted in response, their own weapons raised high.

"Fear no enemy and fear no darkness! Fear only the shame of defeat! No retreat shall there be, no refuge to be had in flight! Lu Bu awaits any man who seeks to save himself by fleeing! Forward now! Let us teach them to fear the blades of Jiang Dong and those who serve the Sun family!"

A great shout went up and the men charged, following Zhou Yu. The assault on Hu Lao Gate would be decided in the next few minutes.

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Ce sprung backwards as Lu Bu's halberd missed his neck by mere inches. Worse still, springing backwards had not actually saved him, as Lu Bu merely stomped forward, whirling his massive weapon over his head in a great arc with one hand, repeatedly threatening to decapitate his foe.

Ce was smiling and dashed in, thrusting with his tonfa. Lu Bu caught the strike on the haft of his halberd and they strained against one another. Ce was amazed at the man's power. He was not afraid, per se, but he was in awe of Lu Bu's physical strength.

Lu Bu tired of the game and thrust out with his weapon, sending Ce vaulting backwards. He landed like a cat and smiled again while Lu Bu stood there, watching him, seemingly unconcerned except for being mildly inconvenienced.

"That all you got, feather-head?" Ce asked, smiling slyly.

Lu Bu snorted and started forward again. "Insignificant scum! I'll put you out of your misery…"

Ce whirled his tonfas in challenge and awaited his foe. When Lu Bu got within range, he swung his halberd in a wide arc, aiming at Ce's chest.

The young warlord caught the blow on his tonfas, blocking it, determined to see if he could survive the assault. He gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut as pain exploded in his arms. He felt himself skidding backwards, the power of the blow forcing him back bodily. His eyes flew open and he grinned evilly at his foe.

"Not good enough, big guy!" he said as he sprung forward. Fire coursed through his veins and he could feel his battle aura consume him. He had survived Lu Bu's strike and now it was time to pay him back in kind.

Ce's tonfa struck like lightning, almost too fast for the human eye to follow. Lu Bu bellowed in disgust as he parried and blocked, irritated that he had to defend himself. He whirled and spun his halberd, angry that his smaller, quicker foe had gotten inside his reach so quickly and easily.

Ce struck repeatedly and relentlessly, determined to break his opponent's guard. Lu Bu, however, was too good and managed to block every single strike, even though Ce had an advantage in speed. His palm thrust out and Ce spun around it, going low and slamming his shin into the back of Lu Bu's knee. The giant grunted and buckled down for a moment before slamming his arm out and tagging Ce in the chest, knocking him away. Ce exhaled strongly as he absorbed the blow, but it still felt as if he had been caught between an anvil and hammer.

Ce leapt in again and Lu Bu whirled to meet him. Weapons clashed and held as they strained against one another, teeth gritted, eyes blazing.

"Huh, you seem pretty confident!" Lu Bu grunted.

"Quit making it so easy then…" Sun Ce taunted.

Lu Bu roared and thrust Ce backwards. He swung his halberd around again and Ce ducked the furious strike in alarm, the keen blade shearing a few hairs from Ce's ponytail. Ce lunged in and skidded, determining that Lu Bu was weakest if he struck down low. The warrior staggered back but thrust at Ce with his halberd, keeping him at bay. He swung the weapon about again and Ce leapt over the haft this time.

His fist connected with Lu Bu's jaw. There was a great crack and as he landed he noticed that the warrior was glaring down at him, rubbing his jaw.

"Hopeless pig!" Lu Bu shouted angrily. He slammed the butt of his halberd against the ground and there was a dreadful crack. Even as the hard-packed earth and rock shifted, Ce was thrown from his feet, landing hard on his back.

Lu Bu surged forward. "Alright, now I'm gonna start shattering skulls!" he bellowed as he slashed and swung at Ce mercilessly. Ce rolled backward and dodged the strikes, keeping his distance while he measured his foe. The angrier Lu Bu became the stronger and faster he got- but also the more predictable. He focused on offense and Ce only had to wait for a chance to find an opening and get inside.

From deep within Hu Lao, a horn sounded and Lu Bu paused. Ce leapt in and struck. Lu Bu barely parried in time and lashed out angrily, knocking Ce backward.

"Get back, scum!" the traitor warrior shouted in fury before turning to stomp away and remount his horse. He glared at Ce briefly and pointed with his halberd. "I'll remember this!" he growled menacingly before he sped off toward the gate.

Ce stood there, panting, his weapons still held up, ready for action. When Lu Bu was gone, he fell to his knees and just breathed deeply. Seconds later, he heard the rumble of hoofs and his father's cavalry arrived. As the horsemen rode by, Sun Jian stopped and looked down at his son.

"Well, that could have gone worse," he said, smiling. "It's good to see you, my son."

"It's good to still be seen," Ce replied, still breathing hard. "Mind if I… take a few and just rest here?"

Sun Jian raised an eyebrow at his son's request? "Rest? You? That seems unlikely. Usually I can't keep you out of trouble."

"Yeah, well… things change." Ce said, wiping his brow. "I'll catch up as soon as I can okay? We've won, father. That horn call was Dong Zhuo calling Lu Bu back to rescue him. They'll pull out of Hu Lao and head for Yong'an. We just need to mop up here."

Sun Jian nodded. "Zhou Yu had taken the walls and Cao Cao forced through in the west."

"What about Da?" Ce asked. More than anything, he wanted to make sure his wife was alright.

"She's fine, as far as I know," Sun Jian replied. "Your sister's unit fought magnificently, although their numbers were so reduced that they cannot function as a battlefield unit right now. I have allowed them to pull back."

"Good," Ce said wearily. "They've earned a rest. You need to make them a royal unit, father. They merit the distinction."

Sun Jian laughed. "I dare say they do. We shall discuss it when the campaign is over. For now, rest, my son. Come and find us inside when you're ready."

"See you in about six months, then…" Ce said wearily, waving his father off. He remounted his horse, wincing in pain as he climbed into the saddle. He spurred his horse into a slow walk and pictured far away lands with green fields and blue waters…

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The battle for Hu Lao Gate may have been won but it was far from over. In the north, Zhang Liao had been forced back by Liu Bei and his troops had poured into Hu Lao, followed by Cao Cao's. Dong Zhuo's heavy guard put up stiff resistance, but when Guan Yu and Zhang Fei smashed into their lines, little hope of stopping the attackers remained. Dong Zhuo, in a panic, called out for his son to return and defend him. Lu Bu flew back to his adopted father's side and fought savagely with the three oath brothers again and managed to extricate Dong Zhuo from the fortress, heading towards Yong'an.

The traitor may have fled, but his troops remained, determined to make a final stand, for they knew full-well what would happen if they returned to their master without a fight.

The defenders' fighting withdrawal was skilled and well-organized. They made the Coalition troops pay dearly for every inch of ground that they gained. On the walls, Zhou Yu had silenced the war machines and now turned them around to fire into the fortress. He had lost many men fighting his way up the walls, for they were packed with soldiers, both archers and stout swordsmen. Several times he had been thrown back by the sheer weight of their numbers, but with Mo Jing at his side, he finally broke through in a savage attack and gained the upper walkways. He whirled about and fought with an inhuman ferocity and his wrath was terrible to behold.

His beautiful face was streaked crimson with blood as he came face to face with the captain of the guard. He was a huge man, armed with a brutal mace and uglier than a dung demon. Zhou Yu evaded his powerful attacks and pressed him relentlessly, forcing his foe back. The man howled in rage, frustrated by his opponent's speed and skill.

Eventually he saw an opening in Zhou Yu's defenses and struck, but it had been a ruse- left wide open, he felt Zhou Yu's keen blade slide into his chest, the icy pain matching the coldness in his foes eyes. As paralysis overtook the man, Zhou Yu pivoted and slammed his foot into the captain's chest, sending him vaulting over the parapet and hurtling to the ground far below. Zhou Yu let out a whoop of triumph, his sword in the air and his troops cheered enthusiastically.

The walls were eventually cleared, the defenders selling their lives dearly, knowing there was no escape and no surrender. Hundreds on both sides fell in the press of bodies, countless weapons thrusting, slashing and hacking.

Zhou Yu leaned panting on his sword, his face pale from exertion. After a brief moment's respite, he had the engineers brought up and they began the process of jury-rigging the ballistae and catapults into facing the other direction, into the fort. Within an hour, he was firing rocks and stakes far into Hu Lao, ahead of the relentlessly advancing Coalition army.

Horns heralded the arrival of Yuan Shao and Zhou Yu came down from the walls to meet him. He knelt on one knee and put a hand over his heart as the great lord approached. Yuan Shao's royal bodyguard approached, with their lord at their head, atop a cream-coloured stallion. His burnished armour was gilded and flawless. He looked haughtily down at Zhou Yu, obviously surprised to see one so young in charge of the walls.

"So you mean to tell me that this boy took the walls?" Yuan Shao asked no one in particular. One of his officers grunted in agreement. Yuan Shao rummaged on his belt and threw a purse of gold coins down at Zhou Yu's knees before waving his men onward. The column of cavalry plodded on towards the retreating battle, followed by regiment after regiment of infantry.

Zhou Yu remained bowed for several minutes, until Yuan Shao's royal guard had finally passed. He rose and stared at the small purse in his hands.

"Well, one of our soldiers will find this a gratifying reward…" he mused as he made his way back toward the walls.

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Da Qiao sat quietly in her tent, sipping tea and reflecting on the battle earlier. She willed herself not to cry. So many women had died; beautiful, valiant warriors she had come to know as friends. Her heart ached for those who remained behind, suffering such acute loss.

She felt someone enter the tent behind her and slowly turned around to see who it was. She had been told that Ce had forced Lu Bu to retreat but the battle had exhausted him as well.

A slim silhouette stood in the entrance, one hand leaning against the wooden frame.

"May I come in, Da?"

Da Qiao rose and bowed respectfully. "Of course, my lady."

Sun Shang Xiang come into the tent and stood in front of her sister-in-law. She looked at Da Qiao for a moment but then looked away, her eyes glassy and ashamed.

"I… Da, I just… I came to say that I was sorry."

Da Qiao bowed again. "That is not necessary, my lady. I should apologize to you, for questioning your orders."

"No, you shouldn't." Shang Xiang said, looking back at Da now, her eyes earnest. "One of the signs of a good officer is a willingness to question orders and to present alternatives, just as one of the signs of a good commander is being able to listen to and accept advice from subordinates."

Shang Xiang closed her eyes. "I should have listened to you, Da. My blood was racing and I was keen only for battle. There is still so much I have to learn…"

The Sun girl stepped forward and took Da Qiao's hands in hers. "Can you ever forgive me for the deplorable way I treated you in front of our troops?" she asked.

Da Qiao raised her sister-in-law's hands to her mouth and kissed them gently, her eyes glittering with tears. "Of course I do. You are my sister and I love you with all my heart, Shang Xiang."

Shang Xiang gasped and began crying, crushing Da Qiao to herself; the two girls held each other tight and shared the pain of their loss and the emotions of reconciliation. They stood there for a long time before finally walking out to see to the remains of their troops.

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Hu Lao Gate had been taken and the Coalition armies were now spread out around it, guarding against counter attacks. Jiang Dong had borne the brunt of the fighting at the main gate, although Zhou Yu's unorthodox tactics had saved them from severe casualties this time. Barely two thousand men had perished in the fighting, although both Ling Cao's and Shang Xiang's units were going to have to be rebuilt from scratch. Zhou Yu's had lost over half of its men during the fight to take the walls and nearly a quarter of Sun Ce's _Huben_ were slain or incapacitated.

Stationed within the fortress, Sun Jian's men rested and reorganized themselves. Dong Zhuo had been more prepared this time and they captured less booty here than they had at Tiger Trap Pass, but it was still an impressive amount of plunder.

Two weeks would pass and the Coalition was straining under the tempestuous nature of its ruling council. Yuan Shao seemed content to sit and wait, as if he were afraid of a trap. Cao Cao protested vehemently, saying they needed to press their advantage before Dong Zhuo could reach the safety of Yong'an. Yuan Shao refused to move without reorganizing and Cao Cao furiously stormed out of the meeting and mustered his troops, marching off into the west. His army had met Lu Bu's at YingYang River and Cao Cao had been driven back in ingnonimous defeat.

Sun Ce sat in his tent wit his wife, Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao. They were discussing ration distributions when Sun Jian entered the tent. The four young officers all knelt respectfully as he walked over to them, a look of concern on his face.

"Dong Zhuo has razed the capital," he said, his voice grim. "He has butchered thousands and destroyed the Imperial Compounds. The Palace of Lasting Happiness is no more and Lu Bu has plundered the imperial crypts of all valuables."

Da Qiao gasped in shock and revulsion. To plunder any grave was bad enough, but to violate the tombs of the Divine Ancestors…

"He has retreated to a great fortress he has built." Sun Jian continued. "There seem to be no plans to pursue him, so I volunteered the forces of Jiang Dong to move into the remains of Yong'an and pacify the populace. We'll leave as soon as possible."

The four of them bowed again.

"This will be difficult, not because the civilians will fight us, but because they will be terrified. They have lived under Dong Zhuo's tyranny for years and they will not trust us initially. Every man under arms is to understand that no civilian is to be harmed, on pain of death."

Sun Ce nodded and rose. "I'll take care of it, father…"

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	15. Chapter 15

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Author's Notes: **My darling wife pointed this out to me and I decided to make some explanations. Apparently I am in the habit of referring to many of the characters by their 'style' names on random occasions. What is a style name, you ask? Well, let's discuss Chinese names of the period briefly, shall we?

Chinese names are usually given with the surname first, like the Japanese. Obviously, 'Sun' is the surname of Jian's family. Sun Jian, Sun Ce, Sun Quan, Sun Shang Xiang and so forth. Liu Bei is a distant member of the Imperial Liu dynasty that reigns over the Han Empire.

A person's given, or birth name, would usually follow- Jian, Ce, Quan, Shang Xiang, etc. This is generally the name the person is given at birth by parents or godparents.

Chinese people of the period also had 'style' names, which are basically affectations or nicknames that they were generally known by and have some meaning for them. One adopted a style upon reaching adulthood and it was a very personal expression. One did not use another's style lightly, without risking offense.

These are the style names you'll hear used most frequently in this fic, because I like them:

Yunchang (Guan Yu)

Xuande (Liu Bei, pronounced 'Shwan-dur')

Yide (Zhang Fei, pronounced 'Yi-dur')

Fengxian (Lu Bu, pronounced 'Fung-shian')

Mengde (Cao Cao, pronounced 'Mung-dur')

Wentai (Sun Jian, pronounced 'Wun-dai')

Zilong (Zhao Yun, pronounced 'Chi-lung')

Oddly enough, I almost never use Ce's style of 'Bofu' (pronounced 'Bofe') because I just don't like how it sounds. Please forgive me my oddities in this matter.

Please take note of some things that the Dynasty Warriors translators managed to bork:

**Da and Xiao Qiao's last name**: For the love of God, it is _not_ pronounced 'Kee-ow'. In Chinese, 'Q' is pronounced as 'Ch', so their last name is pronounced 'Chow', not unlike Ma Chao. The meaning is different, but the sound is essentially the same. For your own sake (and my intellectual edification), practice pronouncing it properly and it will soon stick. Then, when your DW buddies mispronounce it, you can wow them with your Zhuge Liang-esque wisdom.

**The Cao Family: **I'm sorry, boys and girls, it simply is not, nor will it ever be pronounced 'Cow Cow' in Chinese. It's as simple as that. In Cantonese it is 'Tsao Tsao', in Mandarin it is 'Chao Chao'. Not Cow. It is not Cow Pee, either; his name is pronounced Tsao Pei. Likewise, Cao Ren is pronounced Tsao Run.

Alright, that's our elocution lesson for the day; let's get on with the story, shall we? I thank you for indulging me and actually reading this instead of closing the window and searching for Gan Ning x Ling Tong yaoi.

Ech…

**Chapter 12 – Sun Jian's Betrayal**

The army of Jiang Dong had moved into Yong'an and begun the task of pacifying and rebuilding the city. The Southlanders could hardly believe the devastation that had been wrought. Thousands upon thousands of corpses lay unburied in the streets, bloated and rotting. Few were the houses that had not been burned or smashed to the ground. The odor of charred wood and flesh filled the air and a pall of greasy smoke still hung in the sky, a monument to the inhuman cruelty of the Imperial Preceptor.

The first task was to erect new shrines to appease the ancestors. Very little in the way of progress could be expected if these displaced spirits were not attended to. Thousands of soldiers set to the task with a will, while Sun Jian's priests blessed the work crews, the materials and the hastily erected structures they assembled.

The remaining populace at first hid in fear, having been brutalized by Dong Zhuo's forces for so long. But when the troops of Jiang Dong did not pillage or harass the citizens but actually brought in supplies and began distributing them under Sun Ce's direction, they flooded out and began cheering, hailing the southerners as liberators. Farmers brought their pigs and cows and sheep into the city, offering them to the men of Jiang Dong with gratitude.

Sun Jian's orders had been clear- no harm was to come to the citizens of Yong'an while it was under his protection. Any soldier found in violation of this decree would be sentenced to death instantly. In a truly amazing display or discipline and integrity, not a single soldier disobeyed the orders. Looting was unheard of and not a single citizen complained of abuse or maltreatment. Within two days of Sun Jian's assumption of the city's guardianship, the civilians were happily working alongside the soldiers to rebuild Yong'an.

Given the limited resources, Sun Jian began the construction of a large but simple compartmented building that would hold all the remaining treasures and relics of the violated shrines. Over a hundred rooms were planned, taking into account the various gods, goddess, royal ancestors and distinguished lords who had to be re-interred. Sun Shang Xiang's amazons were placed in charge of the new hall's facility, and though they were few in number, no one gave the women any difficulties.

Da Qiao found herself separated from Sun Ce for extended periods, but occupied herself, helping in any manner she could. Rather than simply guarding a ramshackle building, she fell to the task of helping catalogue the remaining relics and burial artifacts that Dong Zhuo had not pillaged. While not an expert in art or burial rituals by any means, Da Qiao was well read and had a knack for genealogy. Her training as a courtesan meant she was familiar with the names of China's great families, along with their various traditions and customs.

She stood now at an open grave, the contents having been exhumed and pilfered for anything valuable. Terrible as this was, the true horror was the blatant disrespect shown to the remains of the dead- bodies mutilated or desecrated in ways that made her shudder. Was vile being could take pleasure in such dreadful acts? Surely a terrible eternity of Hell awaited Dong Zhuo and those who enacted his grisly orders…

She knelt and picked up the remains of a ceramic jar that once held the bones of an ancestor. It was a pretty sky blue and inscribed with a poem of familial love. Unfortunately, once it had been determined to be of no value, the jar had been smashed into dozens of pieces. She collected what shards she could find and put them in a wicker box, hoping to find someone who might be able to piece it back together. A spirit's original dwelling, no matter how damaged, was always best.

She also found scrolls and attempted to organize them, but this proved difficult, since they had been torn, hewn and subjected to fire and water. She did what she could and sent them off to the chamber where records were now kept. She harboured no doubt it would be many generations before the damage Dong Zhuo wrought could be undone. The thought made her blood boil and the Imperial Preceptor had better hope he never faced her on the battlefield. She had much to make him answer for…

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The other Coalition lords had joined Sun Jian, at his invitation, to pray and make obeisance to the violated Imperial ancestors and the desecrated gods. Their duty done, they had left the city and he had returned to the business of rebuilding. If he was tireless on the battlefield, he proved equally so in his civilian duties. Night fell once again, marking Jiang Dong's third week of occupation and he was walking outside the city, through the low hills. His thoughts were distant and he barely took any notice of his guards, who walked several paces behind him in respectful silence.

He sat down on the slope of a hill and gazed up into the deep blue night. Above him, the great river of the Heavens rolled on, caring not about the conflicts of lowly mortals. He did indeed feel insignificant as he looked up into the majestic tapestry of the night and try to comprehend its endless movements and mechanics.

As a boy, he had displayed some skill with discerning stars and their meanings. His mother had actually hired a priest of the Tao to tutor her son in these matters, thinking maybe he would become an Imperial seer or some other post of import. His skill with the blade, however, and his natural leadership qualities, outweighed his talent for divination and he became the heir of Jiang Dong.

He reflected now on those distant days, as he looked up into the sky, dividing it into Four Houses, as he had been taught…

The Azure Dragon of the East.

Xuan Wu, the Black Tortoise of the North.

The White Tiger of the West, Baifu.

Crimson Phoenix of the South.

He stared for some time, thinking something was amiss. It had been so long since he had simply looked up and tried to discern what the Heavens were trying to tell him. Embroiled in the battles and intrigues of mortal men, sometimes he simply forgot to heed the divine and practice simple universal truths.

Then he saw it- Tou Mou, the Imperial Star and its attendants. The night was clear and the other heavenly bodies bright, but Tou Mou was decidedly not. He felt his heart grow heavy, knowing what this sign portended.

"The Imperial Star grows dim…" he said quietly to himself. "The Han is coming to an end."

He sat silently and let his heart lament. The winds of change were blowing and he would have to weather them, for the sake of his family, and China's future.

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"Sire, you had best come and look at this…" said one of his guards, standing near a well. The men waited patiently while Sun Jian strode over and bowed as he inspected what they had found. They had pulled something from the depths of the well and the thing now lay on the soft ground for him to inspect.

The woman was maybe twenty years old and had been in the well for some time. He body was swollen and distended, the skin a nauseous green. Her moldering dress was falling apart but it was not her appearance or attire that was interest; around her neck hung a small vermillion pouch with gold brocade. He took it carefully from around her bloated throat and ordered his guards to face away. They all turned around dutifully and waited.

Sun Jian wrestled with the water-logged tie and finally loosened it. Reaching inside the slimy material, he drew forth a small object. In the dim light he could not make it out clearly but a cold shudder ran through him as he guessed what it might be. He immediately pocketed the item and motioned to his guards. "Come! We return to my headquarters! But first, dispose of that body! Bury it, deeply, and find a priest."

Sun Jian turned and marched back towards Yong'an, a chill sense of dread washing over him.

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The patriarch sat in his tent, having banned all visitors unless it was a military or civilian emergency. By the light of his braziers, he drew forth and examined the object he had retrieved from the dead courtesan.

It was a small jade object, almost cubic in design. It was crowned with five intertwined dragons and one corner had been chipped off and was now filled in with gold. Sun Jian could feel the cold perspiration on his brow as he slowly turned the object over to look at the bottom. He should have been prepared for what he read, but nothing on earth would have adequate to the task…

'_By Heaven's Mandate: long life and everlasting prosperity.'_

The Imperial Seal of the Son of Heaven.

With a trembling hand, Sun Jian laid the seal down on the table and closed his eyes. Why? Why had fate decreed that he should find this priceless and hateful thing? If it became known that he was in possession of an Imperial Seal and had failed to tell the Coalition, his death would be swift, the destruction of his family equally so.

What should he do? What was this meant to signify? Was he meant to assume the Dragon Throne? Was he duty-bound to turn it over to Yuan Shao, who would then doubtless install himself as emperor? What was Heaven's purpose here?

"_The Heavens will not be denied, and no mortal can challenge such decrees. But what is their design? How do I fit into it?"_

Sun Jian's hands were clasped in front of his face, his forehead resting against his thumbs. He prided himself on being a man who was not deterred by adversity or ethical dilemma, but he had to admit that he was totally at a loss here. His course of action was anything but clear. In theory, he was obligated to hand the Imperial Seal over to the Coalition, but in doing so, he would most certainly spark a civil war as each commander proclaimed his own worthiness and destiny as emperor.

Sun Jian certainly did not feel inclined to bend his knee to any of these men, least of all Yuan Shao. Perhaps only Liu Bei had any kind of claim to rightful possession, but none of the other lords would consent to a sandal weaver becoming the Divine Ancestor.

So if he was divinely obligated to _not_ to turn over the Seal to his so-called allies, then what was his purpose in finding it? One thing he was certain of was that he would not attempt to assume the Imperial Throne himself. Whatever he may be, he would never allow himself to be called usurper. More than that, he would never be responsible for the bloodbath that would engulf China if he were to try. The Heavens be damned, he would not do it.

Ce…

His eldest son was strong, shrewd and wise. Perhaps Sun Jian's destiny was to hold on to this most precious thing for his son? Was Sun Ce the man who would unite China and supplant the Han, bringing peace to a land torn by war for generations?

Perhaps that was China's best hope. Perhaps that was his purpose.

Sun Jian took a deep breath and rose from the table. His mind made up, he now buried the Imperial Seal deep in a chest and said a quick prayer. He would keep the seal for Ce and give it to him when the time seemed right. Normally a man of decisive action, this was Sun Jian's best guess at what the Heavens had planned for him. He hoped he was right.

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"I take it things do not go well in the council?" Zhou Yu asked. He was sitting in Ce's tent, preparing tea for the two of them, Smoky Black Dragon, to Ce's distress. The young lord sighed heavily and sat down across from Zhou Yu, rubbing his temples wearily.

"This alliance is not going to hold." Sun Ce said, his voice grim. "The regional lords are more interested in arguing privileges and blaming each other for failure than they are in actually ousting Dong Zhuo, seemingly."

"They wouldn't be so reluctant if he was encroaching on their territories and threatening their coffers," Zhou Yu said as he poured tea. The pungent aroma filled the tent quickly. The soldiers of Jiang Dong all recognized the bitter, acrid scent and knew better than to disturb their commanders when Smoky Black Dragon was served.

"Perhaps, but if the alliance goes, Dong Zhuo's still gonna be in power." Ce muttered, sipping at the tea. He was so lost in thought that he forgot to complain about the taste, which was as regular a ritual as the tea itself.

Zhou Yu considered. "Yes, that is true. However, I would point out that we have pushed him far to the west, and most of the realm is currently liberated from his control. Whatever damage he can wreak on the people will now be done in a much smaller area."

"I know what you're getting at, but it doesn't make me feel better. There's a principal involved here." Ce said somewhat testily. "Dong Zhuo's a monster, and he's gotta be gotten rid of."

"I couldn't agree more." Zhou Yu replied quietly. "However, as you pointed out, the alliance is crumbling and Jiang Dong cannot go this alone. Cao Cao tried and got thoroughly thrashed by Lu Bu, did he not?"

"I ain't Cao Cao." Ce stated emphatically.

"I agree, but you could not beat Lu Bu either, Ce. From where I was standing, which was too close for comfort, it looked like an even battle that would have gone on until one of you dropped from exhaustion. I doubt your father is willing to risk this."

"He's been actin' kinda funny lately, hasn't he?" Ce observed, looking down into his teacup, as if trying to scry the future in its depths.

Zhou Yu nodded. "He seems impatient about something, yes. But what it is, I cannot say. Your father is often a very closed man and reading his mind is never easy."

"Wish I knew how to help him." Ce sighed, tapping the side of his cup and indicating that Zhou Yu should fill it again. "He's been really lost in thought since he came back from that little stroll outside the city and said he saw the Imperial Stars fading."

"It is a hard thing for him to deal with, I am sure." Zhou Yu agreed solemnly. "He is a devout loyalist, Ce. He is a man of integrity and principal, determined to uphold the Han, as Confucius and your ancestor Tzu decreed a loyal vassal must do. To see the object of one's devotion dying a slow and steady death is wearing."

"Yeah…" Ce said, looking at the table. "So not only is the alliance breaking, not only is Dong Zhuo gonna remain on the loose, but the Han is dying. China's gonna suffer."

"Yes, China will." Zhou Yu said. "But this is not the end of China, Ce. There are options available to those who would see this misery through. What of Zuo Ci and what he said to you?"

Ce looked up at Zhou Yu, a wry expression on his face. "That old crackpot? I gotta be honest with you, pal, "I'm not sure that ever happened or that he even existed. Maybe I ate the wrong wild mushrooms out in the forest."

"You did not grow wings and fly back to Baifu." Zhou Yu challenged. "And let's be honest. You said you couldn't lay a finger on him. If you had hallucinated the entire thing or made it up, you most certainly would have won your duel."

Ce just shook his head and drained another cup of tea. "Alright, so maybe Zuo Ci is real and maybe he thinks I should be the next emperor. What makes him right?"

"I can think of worse candidates." Zhou Yu pointed out. "Except for your father, there is not a single council member I would bend my knee to if they became emperor."

"Not even Liu Bei?" Ce asked, curious.

"Not even Liu Bei." Zhou Yu responded, nodding gravely. "He is a man of great virtue, but he is not strong, in and of himself. "Without Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, he is powerless. If those two were to die, he would never be able to keep a hold on the realm."

"Yeah, but they're not gonna be dying anytime soon." Ce replied. "If Lu Bu couldn't kill them, then nothing will."

"Perhaps, but holding the nation in thrall to Liu Bei's virtue is not the answer, Ce. Yunchang is a great man of nobility and learning, but he is still Xuande's enforcement arm. You cannot teach virtue and good will at the point of a ninety-pound halberd."

Ce smiled. "And how do you think it would be any different for you and I?"

Zhou Yu shrugged. "I think your family's record speaks for itself. The peasants of Jiang Dong are fat, happy and well-fed. As a result, they trust you and are willing to behave and think as you do. Liu Bei is followed and supported by visionaries, and the common man fears visionaries. Remember Zhang Jiao, the Prophet of the Way of Peace?"

Ce considered Zhou Yu's words. There was no denying that logic. Zhang Jiao had been a visionary who claimed a path had been opened to people, if they would only follow him. That path had been one of butchery and mindless rage and destruction, ending in the death of millions. It would be some time before the common people of China would let a 'visionary' back into their hearts again, perhaps rightfully so.

Ce sighed again. "I guess we just have to wait and see."

Zhou Yu nodded and closed his eyes, folding his arms. "That, my friend, is the hardest part."

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"Lord Yuan Shao, this is madness!" Sun Jian said angrily. He was standing and speaking while the other council members sat and listened. Yuan Shao, Grand Marshall of the Coalition and commander of the largest force, sat still and stared stonily at the Lord of Jiang Dong. The other Council lords presented a range of expressions, from surprise to amusement to indignation. Everyone was astonished to hear Sun Jian challenging Yuan Shao, for he had been the most loyal and least argumentative general to take up arms against Dong Zhuo.

"We missed our chance to catch the traitor on the road to Yong'an, and now he has razed the capital, slaughtered thousands and defiled the graves of the Imperial Ancestors! Worse, he has now retreated even _further_ to the west and sits behind a fortress with walls that make Yong'an's look like a bamboo fence. How much more impregnable must he become before we act?"

"You are forgetting your place, Sun Jian," Yuan Shao said icily, now glaring at the lord of Jiang Dong. "It is I who command this Coalition and it is I who determine what our next and best move is."

"From what I can tell, sitting on our ever-expanding behinds and talking of glorious battle is our next and best move, then!" Sun Jian shot back. "What use is this Coalition if it is not actively attempting to remove Dong Zhuo and end his tyranny? We of Jiang Dong are not made of money; I cannot keep my army in the field forever!"

"You are overstepping your bounds, lord of Jiang Dong…" warned Yuan Shao, his voice menacing. "Further insubordination will not be tolerated. I will not hesitate to make an example of you."

Sun Jian's temper flared. "Do not threaten me, Yuan Shao!" he roared, his body bristling in fury. "While the men of Jiang Dong have died in their thousands and taken unassailable fortresses from the enemy, you have sat behind and watched! While my son fought Lu Bu to a standstill, your troops grew fat on the larder we plundered! We have suffered more and fought harder than anyone else in this Coalition and you would seek to censure for speaking my mind!"

Sun Jian's face was red and he pointed towards Yuan Shao accusingly. The other lords whispered in shock, having never expected to see such an outburst from Sun Jian of all people.

"You drunken sot, with the eyes of a dog and the heart of a doe! You have yet to lead your men in assault on this campaign and yet somehow the majority of plunder finds its way into your camp! Jiang Dong will stand for this no longer!"

Sun Jian then grabbed the ribbon that designated him as a commander of the alliance and tore it from his sleeve. With clenched teeth, he threw the badge of office at Yuan Shao's feet and stood defiantly, his eyes piercing.

"Our part in this farce is finished! Jiang Dong fights for this cause no longer, if the Grand Marshall is not willing to offer battle to our foe! My men and I are heading back to the south forthwith!"

Sun Jian turned to leave the council tent but stopped and turned back to face Yuan Shao. His hand rested on the hilt of his great Tiger Sword.

"Mark my words, Yuan Shao… I intend to leave and you can do your own fighting for once. But if you seek to hinder me or my march in any way, your blood will soon by flowing in dark rivers down my blade. This I promise you…"

Sun Jian turned and marched out of the tent. Liu Bei bowed his head solemnly while Cao Cao scowled and looked away in disgust.

"Well, that could have gone better…" Kong Rong muttered darkly.

"This will not stand," Yuan Shao said finally. "Great damage will be done to the image of our Coalition if that man is allowed to simply stomp home in a temper. Liu Biao, your men have yet to see heavy fighting- you must convince Sun Jian to stay, or stop him with force."

Liu Biao nodded sternly. "As you will, Grand Marshall…"

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Da Qiao rode alongside her husband silently, concerned by his uncharacteristic silence. Ce merely looked ahead as they headed east, his eyes distant. She was almost afraid to intrude upon his silence, but she needed to know why they were suddenly headed home.

"My lord?" she asked quietly. "I… that is… why are we headed back to Jiang Dong? Dong Zhuo is not ousted or dead, is it not premature to turn back?"

"I don't know if he ever will be, Da." Sun Ce replied grimly. "The Coalition didn't have what it took to finish the job. Yuan Shao was afraid or something. Jiang Dong couldn't do it alone. We've sweat and died more than anyone for this campaign and Yuan Shao saw fit to humiliate my father in front of the other lords."

Da Qiao listened silently, her heart growing heavy.

"If they don't need us to finish the job, more power to them. But if they're just going to sit on their behinds and do nothing, well, that's not for me. Father declared we're heading back and I agree with his decision, even though I hate to leave a job unfinished."

Da Qiao nodded, feeling oddly empty. She most certainly did not relish war or glorious battle, but she had to admit that this conclusion to Jiang Dong's campaign was most unsatisfactory. She felt a sense of relief in heading home, having survived this terrible war; but if Dong Zuo was not overthrown, then what had everyone fought and died for?

They rode on for nearly two hours before Ce's eyes narrowed. Something was bothering him and Da Qiao was frightened by it.

"Da, go and stay with my sister's unit." Ce said quietly but firmly. "It's in the center of the column. Stay there until I come for you. Find Zhou Yu, tell him to meet my father and I up here. Go."

Da Qiao nodded and wheeled her horse around, trotting back past the marching battalions until she found her brother-in-law's unit. Zhou Yu was riding beside Xiao Qiao, chatting pleasantly about what sorts of dresses he would buy for her when they reached Wuchang. Da Qiao nodded respectfully and looked concerned.

"Lord Zhou Yu, my husband requests that you join he and Lord Sun Jian up at the head of the column. Something is bothering him and I am worried."

Zhou Yu paused for just a moment and then nodded. He looked at his wife and caressed her cheek.

"Xiao, follow your sister back to Sun Shang Xiang's unit, alright? When Ce comes for Da Qiao, I'll come for you, alright?"

Xiao Qiao nodded, obviously confused. She turned to follow her sister, a frown screwing up her face as she pondered.

"Da, how did he know you were told to head back to Shang Xiang's unit?" she asked finally.

Da Qiao shook her head. "I don't know, Xiao. How those two think is completely beyond me. I swear, sometimes, they share a mind."

Xiao grimaced. "It's kinda creepy."

Da shrugged. "They've been good friends for a long time. Perhaps something I related to Zhou Yu was a code between them that let Zhou Yu know I was to take you with me. I don't know. Let's just get back to Shang and let them do what they're going to do."

Xiao Qiao nodded. "Whatever it is, I'll bet it's not good."

Da Qiao sighed. "That's a fair bet, Xiao. Let's go."

The two sisters spurred their mounts and rode towards the Shang Xiang. Da Qiao didn't feel safer with them, but she felt somehow more comfortable amongst these women she had fought and bled alongside. They shared a strong bond now and she smiled as they bowed their heads and welcomed her into their ranks…

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"What is it, Ce?" Sun Jian asked, looking at his son. Whatever was bothering the boy, it was certainly serious enough to wipe his habitual smug grin off his face.

"Something's wrong up ahead, father." Ce said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Your scouts are going to come back reporting an enemy blocking our path. Be ready."

Sun Jian had no clue why Sun Ce thought this, but he had learned over the years that his eldest son's instincts bordered on prescient and were never wrong. He simply nodded and informed the vanguard to tighten its ranks and remain alert.

Zhou Yu had joined them and was now relaying instructions to the generals of Jiang Dong. Zhou Tai and Huang Gai were ready and Ling Cao's shattered unit moved toward the rear. The strategist joined his liege lord and best friend as they headed to the front of the long column.

"What is it that bothers you, Ce?" he asked. "I assume you're concerned that Yuan Shao will not just let us leave in the manner we did?"

Ce nodded. "Father was right to turn us around, but I doubt the Grand Marshall's ego will allow him to let this go. He'll try to force us to turn back. Someone will be up ahead waiting for us."

"Then let us hope it is not Liu Bei and his brothers." Zhou said grimly. "That is one battle I would not want to fight right now."

"Me either." Ce replied.

Not more than ten minutes later, Sun Jian's forward scouts returned, reporting that an army was sitting on the road up ahead in defensive positions. They were flying the banners of Liu Biao.

"Liu Biao…" Sun Jian muttered. "He's Yuan Shao's lap dog, always eager to do his bidding. While we fought and bled, Liu Biao's forces saw little or no action. If they oppose us, they will be fresh and well-equipped. This will not be easy."

Ce nodded and snapped his reins, riding forward. If this fell out the way he thought it would, he would need to take the fight to the enemy before they could attack the army. Depleted and exhausted as they were, he did not fancy Jiang Dong's chances in pitched battle.

He would protect his wife at all costs.

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Liu Biao rode towards Sun Jian, surrounded by a small honour guard of cavaliers. The arrogant look on his face instantly grated on Ce, who had never liked the lord of Jing to begin with. He stopped some distance away from Sun Jian and called out haughtily.

"Lord of Jiang Dong, you are hereby summoned back to Yong'an, to resume your sworn duties in service to the Coalition! Turn back now and this breech of honour shall be overlooked; but know you this- Lord Yuan Shao's patience and magnanimity will not last forever. My army sits on the road up ahead, not to destroy you, but to compel you to consider your situation and your priorities. I advise you to choose your path now, for another chance may not arise."

"If my mind was not made up before, it most certainly is now…" Sun Jian called back. "That Yuan Shao has the audacity to demand my return after his treatment of me in front of the Council means he is not fit command men! Tell your master that I defy him and his puerile demands! We march for Wuchang and woe betide any who would seek to hinder us."

Liu Biao coloured angrily and pointed with his fan. "I shall ignore this disregard for etiquette, Sun Jian, knowing that you feel much aggrieved and are perhaps overwrought by your decision to neglect duty. I return now to my army and have every faith you will turn about and head west to Yong'an, where you belong."

With that, the lord of Jing spun about and cantered back to his own lines. As he did so, Sun Jian glared at his retreating form. His eyes were blazing with fury.

"Better to die in battle than to bow to that swine's haughty demands…" he growled. "We will march forward, and we will fight, if they think they can stop us."

"Father, I approve of your resolve, but I beg you to let Zhou Yu and I take the lead." Sun Ce said, his voice earnest. "They do not expect us to proceed, but we must take them by surprise if we plan to break through. Liu Biao's forces outnumber us and are fresh."

Sun Jian was silent for several moments before sighing and nodding. "I am reluctant to risk my heir in such a wild gambit, but throughout this campaign, you have proven that the impossible is no obstacle to you. Therefore, my son, I charge you and your men with breaching their lines and cutting open a path through which we can resume our long march home."

Sun Ce nodded, his hand clasped in his fist. "You can rely on me, father."

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The two battalions of cavaliers rode side by side, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu at their heads. Neither commander said a word as they led their men towards Liu Biao's army, waiting for them down the road in ordered ranks.

Ce was relieved to see that the majority of the infantry was comprised of swordsmen, but massed behind them were rank upon rank of archers, with braziers waiting to send wave after wave of flaming arrows into the approaching cavalry.

Ce nodded to Zhou Yu and the two of them broke into a trot, followed by their warriors. Zhou Yu had drawn his curved blade and Ce gripped his tonfa tightly. He had no intention of giving Liu Biao's forces a chance to discern their intent. They would charge and burst through, scattering the enemy and making way for the forces of Jiang Dong.

Ce nodded his horse and it began to gallop, gaining speed. Beside him, Zhou Yu rode steadily, his keen eyes flashing. Their troops had drawn their weapons and were now set for battle. All they had to do was make contact and the battle would be won.

The enemy commanders were caught off guard. Seemingly they had expected Sun Ce to be some sort of envoy, not an attack force. He could understand their logic, since this assault was at odds of nearly ten to one. They had begun shouting for their men to tighten the ranks and for the archers to begin firing before the southerners got too close.

A hail of burning missiles began to hurtle towards the men of Jiang Dong as Ce urged his horse on. The beast snorted and sped toward the foe. The first arrows whipped by him and he heard men and horses cry out and tumble. Defiant of the barrage, he kept his eyes on the target and willed the distance to close.

The hiss of the fire arrows filled his ears. He rode forward, his muscles tensing as he braced for the shock of impact. He knew men behind him were falling but the only thing he could do for them was to get them into the enemy formation and allow them to fight back. Until they made contact though, there was little else.

Ce let out a great war-cry that his men echoed the call, their swords raised in the air. Ce smiled grimly as he saw the look of panic on the faces of many of the enemy as his force approached. They were wavering and he spurred his horse into a full gallop.

The cavalry of Jiang Dong smashed into the enemy lines, running down any who stood before them. Ce smote and bashed with his tonfa, feeling his battle aura blazing; he was an unstoppable force of nature and he would not rest until he was triumphant.

Zhou Yu hewed and slashed as he led his battalion through the forces of Jing. The swordsmen had proven an ineffective barrier and he was now amongst the archers, rampaging and harrying them with impunity.

The center had been burst wide open, with Ce and Zhou Yu cutting great, bloody swathes through the enemy ranks. Even as the flanks prepared to support the beleaguered troops in the middle, the sound of horns was heard and more of Sun Jian's cavalry units swept in from the left and right, turning the flanks in on themselves. Battle was joined across the length of the field, both sides desperate to beat the other into retreat. The soldiers of Jiang Dong knew that they would never see their homes again if this battle was not won. The men of Jing, surprised by this sudden onslaught, fought to not be mowed down by these merciless cavaliers.

Ce fought savagely, bashing his way towards Liu Biao's position near the rear. It was a cry of anger that he loosed when he noticed Liu Biao's guard already fleeing toward the north, abandoning the position. He turned and drove into the southern flank, scattering the troops that were making a stand there.

"Scatter them, but do not prolong the fight!" he shouted loudly to his men. "Our objective is to secure the route home, not to destroy the enemy! Set them to flight!"

As more cavalry units joined the fray, Ce could see the rest of the columns approaching. Though outnumbered, he hoped the ferocity of the troops of Jiang Dong would be too much for the men of Jing. As long as Liu Biao did not return with reinforcements, they could break through and continue toward the Southlands. This was the objective and Ce would see it achieved.

'_The fool…'_ Ce thought darkly. _'Liu Biao really thought we weren't going to fight. No doubt he's gonna tell Yuan Shao that his peaceful embassy was met with violence. Well, we'll just have to deal with that little detail later…'_

The numbers were not large, but the struggle was epic in nature as the two forces vied for domination. Slowly, inexorably, the hole in the center of Jing's line widened. The cavalry of Jiang Dong poured in and pushed out, forcing the Jing soldiers backwards. Their own weight of numbers began to work against Liu Biao's men, those in front hindering the maneuvers of the soldiers behind. The expanding ring of cavalrymen, led by Ce and Zhou Yu, fought madly, beyond the point of weariness and exhaustion. There was no safety to be found in retreat- salvation and home lay beyond the soldiers of Liu Biao.

The enemy commanders finally rallied and ordered their men into position. As the soldiers of Jing pressed back in, their lances a hedge upon which the cavalry would impale themselves, the battle came into a fine and precarious balance. For moment the scene resembled a cauldron of boiling water, about to overflow.

Ce gritted his teeth in fury. He could see his men falling as the soldiers of Jing pressed in. A single triumph for either side on any part of the field would carry the battle. A great ocean of calm realization filled him as he sensed this critical juncture; it was laid out for him, obvious and decidedly mechanical in nature.

He barely thought about his actions as he vaulted from his horse and high over the heads of Liu Biao's men. Somersaulting gracefully, his tonfa smashed into the ground with a thunderous clap as he landed in a low crouch, his mighty battle aura blazing around him. He was only dimly aware of the scores of bodies that flew away from his strike, wreathed in fire and broken beyond hope of mending. Their movements were painfully slow as he began whirling and striking, felling dozens in mere seconds. He could see the foe begin to flee, but it would avail them not. They would learn to fear the tiger.

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The battle had become a rout very quickly, but nearly three hundred cavaliers had fallen in winning the road home from Liu Biao. Ce and Zhou Yu's units were merged into a single battalion and retired to the rear of the column. The two commanders rode alongside Sun Jian as they planned for further possible hostilities.

"I don't think we need to worry about that, father." Ce said. "Liu Biao's probably had enough for now. We took out nearly three thousand men in that single engagement. His forces were roughly the same size as ours when this campaign began. If two battalions of our cavalry can wreak that kinda havoc, he'll be reluctant to tail behind our entire army."

"I concur," Zhou Yu added. "Yuan Shao can ill afford another embarrassment at your hands, considering his reprehensible treatment of you in Council. Several of the lords no doubt sympathized with you, not the least of whom would be Liu Bei, Cao Cao and Kong Rong."

Sun Jian nodded. "I am encouraged by your words, but mark mine, both of you… a reckoning now exists between my house and that of Liu Biao. There will be no peace between us until I have that bastard's head mounted on the walls of Wuchang."

Ce reflected on what had happened since the campaign began. Thousands had died and the objective was decidedly not accomplished. True, his name was now renowned throughout the land as the man who fought Lu Bu to standstill, but still, he could not help but feel that the glory earned was not equal to price that Jiang Dong had paid.

There would be much mourning when they finally arrived home.

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Four weeks had passed and the outer territories of Jiang Dong were mere days away, with Wuchang less than a week so. The army was encamped in a broad field and morale was high. Everyone was eager to be home in the Southlands, where the trees were tall, the vales green and the sea breezes were refreshing and exhilarating.

Inside Sun Shang Xiang's tent, she and Xiao Qiao sat with Da and were holding her hands, looking exited. The three of them could barely contain their glee.

"You're certain?" Xiao asked, giddy with excitement. "You're not mistiming or anything?"

Da Qiao nodded, her eyes shining. "I'm very certain, Xiao. I'm over two weeks late, and you know that never happens. More than that, one of Lord Sun Jian's astrologers came to me and confirmed it."

As Xiao squealed in delight, Shang Xiang took Da's face in her hands and kissed her, hard. She had tears of joy on her cheeks as he cheeks as she pressed her forehead to her sister-in-law's.

"I'm so happy for you, Da…" she said, her voice uncharacteristically sweet and sentimental. "You're going to have such a beautiful baby, even if it is my brother's."

Da laughed through her tears and hugged Shang Xiang tight. They had become even closer since the near tragedy at Hu Lao Gate and whenever Da Qiao was not with Ce, she was almost always with Shang Xiang. They had taught each other much during these past few months and had become fast friends.

"Have you told Ce yet?" Xiao asked, giggling as she thought about having children with Zhou Yu and what fun it would be.

Da shook her head, caressing Xiao's cheek. "Not yet, I want to get settled back home and make sure everything is ready. I'll tell him once I feel prepared. Even though he was the one who suggested it, I guess I worry that he only did so because he was afraid he might die the following day. What if we get back and he's not ready or all that interested?"

Shang Xiang snorted. "That's not who my brother is, Da. And if your worries come true, I'll marry you myself and raise the kid with you."

Da smiled. "It's a nice though, Shang Xiang, but I'm sure you're right. I just hope he takes the news well…"

She couldn't wait to get home. There was much to prepare…

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Sun Quan was bowing low, his forehead touching the floor as Sun Jian and Ce strode into the throne room. The father and older brother both returned the bow respectfully- Quan might have been younger, but they were still a family and ruled collectively.

"Welcome back, father, brother…" Quan said, relief showing in his eyes as he gazed at the two of them. While things have been uneventful in your absence, I did not trust them to remain so for long. We are cursed to live in interesting times, as our ancestors said."

Ce clapped his brother on the shoulder on the shoulder, happy to see him again. He reflected now on the differences between them, which seemed acute now that he had not seen Quan for some months. His younger brother was the same height as Ce, but without the bulging muscularity. His build was broader and flatter. His eyes were green, as opposed to grey, and his mouth seemed set in a permanent scowl, whereas Ce always smiled.

"I'm told you did really well, Quan." Ce said cheerfully. "You're gonna be my best administrator one day. You've studied the Analects diligently and it shows in your skill as a governor."

"I did adequately," Quan replied, seeming uncomfortable with the compliment. "I've still got a lot to learn, you know."

"We all do about anything we turn our minds to, son." Jian said simply. "Perfection is a road, Quan, not a destination. You walk the road for the sake of walking it, not for what lies at the end. That is true virtue."

Quan bowed his head in agreement. "Yes, father. I have prepared a feast for your return. Please, bathe and make yourselves ready. The lords of Jiang Dong have come home and the people wish to rejoice."

Even as Ce returned to Baifu Pavilion, he was lost in thought. It was certainly good to be home. Everything seemed a brilliant, vibrant colour now- the grass a lustrous emerald, the sea a deep sapphire, the mountains an ancient purple and capped with diamond-like clouds…

But his thoughts returned to the world outside Jiang Dong. He found himself horribly tempted to just slam the gates of their realm shut and to leave the rest of China to its own mess. Was it not enough that they had pacified and united their own land? The vassals and common people of Sun Jian's realm were without doubt the happiest anywhere in China. Well-fed and content, they gave no thought to rebellion or discord. And why would they? They had everything they needed, from bread and wine, to protection and security.

Ce's heart hurt for those beyond their lands, though. He recalled the suffering of the people of Yong'an. What had they done to deserve the butchery and demoniac cruelty that Dong Zhuo had inflicted upon them? Who would protect them?

Yuan Shao? He cared nothing for the common man, outside of their value as cheap labour.

Cao Cao? The peasant would always find himself tossed aside in the name of the man's grand schemes, whatever those might be this week.

Liu Bei? Ce believed in what Liu Bei professed, but he had not the means to bring about the ends he so dearly desired. And a land of virtue could only be achieved and maintained at the point of a sword.

No, what the people desired was safety and happiness, and that Ce would one day provide for them; all of them.

Ce was sitting in the private bath of his chambers when Da Qiao entered the room. She smiled as she saw him and bowed low, not wishing to disturb him. Ce smiled and waved casually for her to join him. Da removed her riding clothes and stepped into the hot water, relaxing and letting the stress of the journey slip away. Their feet lay in a casual embrace as their thoughts wandered.

There was something different about her. He couldn't put his finger on it, but something in his wife was decidedly different now.

Perhaps these months of campaigning had wrought changes on her. It made sense; war, after all, tended to had that effect on people. Ce did not doubt that people had noticed changes in him over the course of the campaign against Dong Zhuo. It just seemed odd to be noticing this in her just now.

"I'm not sure I'm gonna be up to a party," he said lazily, sinking further into the water. "I have to admit, I'm really beat, y'know?"

Da just hummed and nodded, determined not to speak and break her moment. This was the first proper bath she'd had in _months_, and she was not about to let anything wreck it, her might husband included. The soothing heat penetrated into her muscles, relaxing them, bleeding out the tension of the constant riding. It was finally over.

The sun was in the west and the sky was a brilliant canvas of pinks, purples and oranges. Ce slowly slid around the tub and lay in the water, facing out of the bay window. He gently drew his wife into his lap and Da Qiao snuggled into him happily, drifting off again. She seemed capable of napping practically anywhere, provided his arms were around her.

"It's good to be home, Da…" he whispered finally, holding her close. "I hope this moment never ends…"

Da Qiao nodded slightly. "Great futures await us, my lord. Never stop hoping for better days ahead…" she said as she dozed off. "Better days… for us all…"

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Zuo Ci sat on the roof of Baifu Pavilion, looking up at the moon intently. Though guards patrolled below, he sat comfortably, without concern, knowing that the knowledge he had gained from the _Book of Concealing Method _kept him safe from harm. Many decades of intense study had rendered him beyond all harm from the petty aspirations of those men who sought to bend China and destiny to their will.

'_On and on the great river rolls, racing east._

_Of proud and gallant heroes its white-tops leave no trace,_

_As right and wrong, pride and fall turn all at once unreal._

_Yet ever the green hills stay_

_To blaze in the west-waning day…'_

He sighed and looked at his hand, holding it up against the moonlight. So many triumphs and so many travesties had he seen. The land itself cried out for peace, long ago weary of feasting on the blood of men. And yet greater agony still waited, before China would once again be whole.

"The Empire, long divided, must unite; long united, must divide. Thus it has ever been…" he murmured to himself thoughtfully. If he had known, all those years ago, that the knowledge he now possessed would drive him to the brink of despair from listening to the land's cries for help, would he ever have opened that fateful book he found in the caves of Mount Emei?

"Sun Ce, my boy…" he said softly, rising to his feet. "My boy, you may yet be this land's only hope. I'll be watching and praying…"

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	16. Chapter 16

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 13 – Unlikely Propositions**

The messenger knelt at the foot of the dais, one hand flat to the floor, his head bowed. In spite of this posture, he seemed to almost bristle with arrogance. Sun Jian assessed the man carefully for some time and finally nodded.

"You may speak of your embassy."

The man looked up at the lord of Jiang Dong. "Lord Sun Jian, your family's name and history are known to my master. He respects your ancient lineage, one as worthy as any, and certainly more so than some who would seek to command and rule."

Sun Jian said nothing in response. He was not about to reward this man's flowery and empty praise. Why he was seeing him at all was a mystery to many.

"My master has sent me to speak with you and see if there can be peace between your house and his. Truly, he holds no grudge against you, since your families have never quarrelled or warred before the formation of Yuan Shao's haughty and doomed Coalition. You sought to do only what you perceived as your duty and he admires this noble and rare trait in you."

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu stood on either side of Sun Jian's throne, watching silently but intently. Although he knew this audience to be ludicrous, he was still reassured by their presence.

"He would also point out that the true traitor to the Han has clearly revealed himself; both in his actions and also in his disgraceful treatment of you and your men, who fought harder and shed more blood than any on behalf of his Coalition."

"The Han Empire is dead." Sun Jian said evenly, his voice betraying no emotion but merely stating a fact. "The child in your master's so-called care is not fit to be Emperor. Who, then, is a loyal and worthy vassal to follow?"

"Yuan Shao has made his position quite clear in this matter, yes?" the envoy replied, stating the obvious. "My master, however, treated you with the greatest respect and kindness during your stay in Yong'an, did he not?"

"He was friendly to me." Sun Jian said in a non-committal voice.

"And so he wishes to be again, great lord of the south. He sees in you the makings of a great ruler and a steadfast vassal. Were you to ally your house with his, as you had once intended, then surely it would profit you both greatly, _shi_?"

"You are telling me that Dong Zhuo is proposing alliance with me?" Sun Jian asked.

The man bowed and nodded. "He would be deeply honoured if you were to oblige him. He has instructed me to invite you to his new city and to discuss these matters in greater detail."

"I have heard of this fortress-city of his, the one called _'Mei'_…" Sun Jian said, nodding. "Dong Zhuo sits within its vast and impenetrable walls, surrounded by gold, silks and pearls, entertained by hundreds of the most beautiful ladies in the realm."

"It is true, Lord Dong Zhuo's wealth is vast beyond measure; but what good are such things without worthy men to share them? He invites you to be his premier and most loyal vassal, privy to his strength and wealth."

"I see."

"More than that, he believes such an alliance could, indeed _would_ shape the future of China, saving it from the chaos it finds itself steeped in. He would also willingly cement this bond of friendship and duty with one of kinship. His daughter, Lady Dong Min, is a great beauty and would certainly bear great heirs to both houses, if were you to wed her. She is of marriageable age and he would take great delight in your union."

Sun Jian was silent for several moments. "So what you are saying, then…" he began slowly. "Is that in return for a pledge of loyalty, I will gain vast wealth, security, my enemies shall be crushed on two fronts and I shall also wed his daughter, Lady Dong Min?"

The envoy bowed his head. "That and so much more, lord. His wealth is your wealth; he shall help you to deal with your treacherous foes, be they Yuan Shao or his lapdog, Liu Biao; and yes, Lady Dong Min shall be your consort. It is only fitting for the man who will be named the Great Lord of the Southlands, for so shall my master title you- all the lands below the _Huangtze_ shall fall within the boundaries of your new realm."

Sun Jian slowly rose and began to ascend the steps of his dais. "Wealth beyond imagining… the power to destroy my foes… dominion over a vast realm… the hand of one of the land's great beauties in marriage… and all Lord Dong Zhuo asks in return is a pledge of loyalty."

"Yes, my lord."

"A pledge of loyalty that will destroy any worth I have as a man!" Sun Jian roared, slamming his booted foot into the kneeling messenger, who tumbled head over heels backward before landing on his face. When he looked up, his eyes were filled with shock and terror.

"What manner of fool does Dong Zhuo take me for?!" Sun Jian raged, his face turning red as he advanced on the quailing herald. "Does he think I do not remember the blood of the thousand of warriors of Jiang Dong that he spilled?! Does he think I do not recall the injury his general Hua Xiong did my daughter?! Was I supposed to forget my own battle with that monster?!"

The messenger cowered, totally caught off-guard by this change of attitude in Sun Jian. How had he misjudged this man so badly?

"Even if I had not taken up arms against your master, even if there was no reckoning between us, I would most certainly never bow my knee to a man who was capable of such crimes as he has committed! I stood in the ruins of Yong'an! I saw his handiwork, there, his sense of loyalty and magnanimity! Thousands butchered to sate his bloodlust! Tombs and shrines defiled for their gold, the Palaces of the Imperial Ancestors sacked and razed to the ground!"

The herald tried to scramble backwards but Sun Jian was on him instantly. He grabbed the man by his hair and lifted him to his feet. The wretched keened in pain, terrified by Sun Jian's strength.

"Listen to me, scum!" Sun Jian hissed, his face next to the man's ear. "For so I deem anyone who would willingly do the work of that dung devil! Tell your master the following for me… I may no longer be a part of the Coalition, but I intend to continue fighting him in any way I can, until his fat pig of a head is hanging from the gates of Wuchang, where people can see him and jeer while crows peck the flesh from his skull!"

The man shuddered, his eyes watering in fear.

"No understanding or reconciliation can there be between us or our families." Sun Jian growled. "Dong Zhuo and any who stand with him are my sworn enemies, from now until the Great River stops running! Not a moment's peace will he know until one of our houses is no more!"

He then flung the messenger backward to the floor, where he landed in a heap. Sun Jian drew his great sword and advanced on the herald.

"Get thee gone and take due thy place at thy master's feet, dog!" he shouted, his voice ringing through the hall. "Let Dong Zhuo know that further envoys shall be sent back with their heads in a box!"

The man scrambled to his feet and bolted for the doors of the audience hall. Soldiers standing at the doors made to intercept him, but Sun Jian checked them.

"Let him go! Make sure he goes straight to his horse and out of my realm! Kill him if he stops to even piss!"

The doors finally closed and the herald was gone. Sun Jian sheathed his Tiger Sword and returned to his throne, where he sat and brooded darkly. Zhou Yu was silent, but Sun Ce smiled and put a hand on his father's shoulder.

"I've seen Dong Min, pop… she was nothing to look at anyway."

Sun Jian looked up at his son. "Thank you, Ce. That makes everything better…" he said dryly.

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Da Qiao was sparring with Fu Chin Ran. The captain had recovered handily and was busy making an idiot out of her opponent, while Xiao Qiao sat quietly on her knees and watched.

Fu Chin Ran ducked low and spun under a strike from Da Qiao's fans and swatted her across the behind with her wooden sword. Da Qiao squeaked and glared back at Fu Chin Ran in annoyance.

"That wasn't necessary, Fu! If you were going to embarrass me, you could have done it without aiming for my behind!" she said, rubbing her cheeks and scowling.

"No offence, my lady, but I have always wanted to do that." Fu Chin Ran said, smiling. "I figured I would never get a hand that close, so a sword will have to suffice."

Da Qiao sighed. "I'm sorry, Fu, but I just don't like girls, you know this. I'm completely devoted to my husband, Ce."

Fu Chin Ran nodded. "I've seen him naked, I can understand why."

Da Qiao blushed while Xiao giggled. Da shot her sister a look. "She's not swatting your butt now, is she?"

Xiao looked at the floor and said nothing.

"I'm sorry, Fu, I do not know why I am so distracted today." Da said, sighing. Her fans dropped to her sides and she sat on the floor, her legs crossed.

"Perhaps if you were not so busy being worried about myself and others trying to cop a feel off of you then you might do better." Fu Chin Ran suggested.

"That's not it. Well, not entirely, anyway…" Da admitted. "I just feel unfocused and not my normal self, to be honest."

Fu Chin Ran knelt next to Da and took her hand in hers. She closed her eyes and listened to the rhythm of her friend's heart. She made a wry face and then put a hand on Da's forehead. After a few more moments, she opened her eyes and looked at Da, her face serious.

"I assume you know."

Da Qiao nodded.

"How far along are you?" Fu asked.

"Six weeks." Da Qiao replied simply.

Fu Chin Ran nodded. "Does Lord Sun Ce know yet?"

Da shook her head. "I have yet to tell him. I wanted us to be back in Wuchang and life relatively back to normal before I told him. That way he wouldn't be plagued by other issues and worries."

Fu Chin Ran laughed. "My lady, I have known him longer than you have, and in all that time, I have yet to see anything truly worry or plague him. If you traipsing around after him on the battlefield didn't do it, then nothing will, certainly not news of your being pregnant."

Da Qiao blushed, the logic of this point making her feel silly.

"Have you determined if it is a boy or a girl?" Fu asked, stroking Da's cheek tenderly.

"According to the astrologers, it is a girl." Da said quietly. "But I had them all swear an oath that they would tell no one. Lord Sun Ce must find out only from me, Fu."

Fu Chin Ran nodded. "Of course, my lady, that is as it should be."

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Ce sat across from Zhou Yu, the two of them pouring over the flat slips of wood onto which had been scribed the teachings of Ce's ancestor, Tzu. His great work was known simply as '_Bing-fa_', The Art of War.

Ce shook his head and smiled. "How did they ever live without paper?" he mused.

Zhou Yu nodded solemnly. "The ancestors achieved their works without such conveniences, but truly the Han surpasses any previous dynasty with its knowledge and prodigious skill."

Ce examined another slat, studying the characters. His fingers ran along the length of the dark, brittle wood almost reverently. Sun Jian had told Ce that these writings were those of Sun Tzu himself, no mere student or scribe of later generations. If that was true, then these bits of tree were nearly seven hundred years old. It was true, the contents had been disseminated to other peoples over the centuries, but Ce gazed now upon the original documents, written by the master himself. In the fact lay a power that no others could rival.

"What does your strip say?" he asked, looking at his friend.

Zhou Yu examined the wood and smiled. "To fail to think fast when surrounded by the enemy is to have your back pressed to the wall; and to fail to take the battle to the enemy when your back is to the wall is to perish."

Ce considered. "Yeah, I guess that's true. You kinda feel safe having your back to a wall, but nobody ever won a fight that way."

"He was a very wise man, your ancestor." Zhou Yu said, taking up and examining another slat.

Ce laughed and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "Yeah, well, he ain't my strategist and you're gonna be even better, pal. You and I are gonna copy these texts and distribute them among the generals, okay? I think it'll give us a big advantage in the campaigns to come."

Zhou Yu looked at Ce steadily. "Ce, does this mean you've decided to embrace the vision of a China united under your leadership?"

Ce was silent for several moments. "I dunno…" he said finally. "I don't desire the Imperial throne, but if the Han's dying, then a lot of people are gonna be after that position and I don't trust most of them any more than I trusted Dong Zhuo."

"The Han was the greatest dynasty in our people's history, but not the first and certainly not the last." Zhou Yu said, nodding gravely. "What will take its place?"

"I'm not sure I have legitimacy, pal," replied Ce. "I come from an old family, but we aren't related to the Imperial line at all."

Zhou Yu sighed. "Ce, your family predates the Han by at least two centuries, heralding back to Sun Chang Qing (_Sun Tzu_) in the Spring and Autumn Period. The ancestors of the Han Dynasty were merely noblemen of the Qin dynasty until divine providence allowed them to assume the throne, yes? The Mandate of Heaven is given to the worthy; when they are no longer worthy, it is taken away. If the Han is dying, I would sooner see you replace it than Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao or Yuan Shao."

"I will _not_ usurp the Han." Ce said firmly.

"It is not much of an issue, Ce. The Han is almost dead. What remains to be seen is who will come to power in the vacuum. Heaven save us if it's any of our rivals."

Ce now sighed. "I've given it a lot thought, I admit," he said finally. "The problem is, down deep, I'm afraid you're right. I don't know if I've got the Mandate of Heaven or anything, but I'll be damned if any of those other jokers do. And I'll make sure they don't get it, either- for the sake of China and in memory of the Han."

Zhou Yu nodded, pleased to hear Ce finally make the admission. That, at least, was a start.

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Xiao Qiao skipped into the room and smiled at her sister. "Hi, sis!"

Da Qiao did not look up but nodded, continuing to pour over her manual. "Hi, Xiao. What is it?"

Xiao deflated a little, obviously not expecting this unenthusiastic greeting. She walked forward and tried to look attentive, although the sight of the manual was already making her eyes glaze. "Whatcha doin'?"

"I'm reading a manual, silly."

"I can see that. What's it about?" persisted the younger sister.

"You're going to get bored if I tell you." Da warned.

"No I won't, I promise." Xiao insisted.

"Very well… it's an ancient tactical text describing battlefield formations. It discussing the various benefits and drawbacks to- you're asleep already, aren't you?"

Xiao blinked her eyes open and shook her head. "No…"

Da Qiao sighed and pushed the vellum scroll aside. "What can I do for you, Xiao?" she asked with all the patience of a good sister.

Xiao smiled, happy to be back on track with her original mission. "I just wanted to know if you've told Ce yet."

Da was silent for a moment. "No, I haven't."

Xiao tilted her head to one side. "Why not? I thought you'd be eager to do so. Isn't this what you've always wanted?"

"Of course it is," Da replied. "But… well, it's difficult, Xiao. What if he doesn't really want a child right now?"

Xiao looked confused. "I thought you said he asked _you_."

"Well, he did."

"So why would he ask if he didn't?" Xiao queried. "No offence, sis, but aren't you supposed to be the smart and sensible one of the two of us?"

"You think I'm being unreasonable?"

"Very," Xiao said, nodding. "Unreasonable and indecisive, for no good reason."

"I will have you know I have other responsibilities now, thank you." Da said somewhat testily.

"Oh? What are they?" Xiao asked.

"Well, I have no been given command of my own company, if you must know. Sun Shang Xiang's guard has grown to five hundred in number. I have been assigned my own company of one hundred warriors under Huang Gai."

Xiao's eyes went wide. "You're a genuine commander now?"

Da Qiao nodded. "And not of a unit of women, but men. Ce thinks I need to learn command over –OOOFFFFF!!!"

Da Qiao crashed to the floor as he sister squealed in joy and tackled her. Da gasped for air- in spite of her diminutive frame, Xiao Qiao's bear hugs could be deadly.

"Oh, sis, I'm so proud of you!" Xiao said, her eyes shining.

"Thank you…" Da wheezed. "Would you mind letting me breathe again, please?"

Xiao got up and helped Da to her feet. The older sister's eyes were still spinning and she leaned against the table for support.

"When did this happen?" Xiao asked.

"Yesterday." Da replied. "I got a formal scroll from Lord Sun Jian designating me _Qiduwei Xiaojixiaoyu_, commander of the Valiant Cavaliers."

Xiao was duly impressed. "Ooh, I've heard of them. They're supposed to be really good horsemen- tough, but fast and flexible."

"They are the best medium cavalry unit in Huang Gai's corps," Da Qiao emphasized. "This is not a light responsibility I've been given. I have to learn how to use these men effectively on the battlefield."

"I wonder what my designation is…" Xiao mused.

"I believe you're considered an Imperial Corpsman, so you are _zhonglang_."

Xiao made a wry face. "Is that all? I need to get promoted…"

A cloud of realization suddenly passed over the younger sister's eyes and she looked distraught. She bit her lip and drew in a deep breath. "Sis, this… this means that…"

"I know," Da said quietly. "We are no longer in the same unit. It is entirely possible that we may head out on different campaigns and not see each other for months."

Xiao nodded slowly, still biting her lip and crystalline tears forming in her eyes. She had never been parted from Da for very long, unless honeymooning with Zhou Yu. This was not at all to her liking, she had to admit.

Da felt sorry for Xiao and came around the table to hug her sister tight. Xiao buried her face in her sister's shoulder and sniffled, trying to fight back her emotions.

"It's alright, Xiao," Da said soothingly, stroking her sister's chestnut hair. "We'll find a way to make this work, I promise. Even if we go to different theatres of war, that doesn't mean we'll not see each other in peacetime, right?"

Xiao looked up into her sister's eyes. "I'm gonna study hard too and become a commander. Then we can fight side by side, leading the people of Jiang Dong to victory!"

Da smiled. "I'd like that, Xiao. Would you care to study with me, then?" Xiao nodded.

The older sister led her sibling back to the table and began explaining how the manual worked and what principals it was trying to impart to the reader. Within two minutes, Xiao's head slumped to the table and she was snoring. Da sighed and smiled, putting a blanket over Xiao's back and going back to her ruminations. There was so much for her to learn…

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Sun Jian sat in his throne room, pondering the contents of the scroll on his lap. Kneeling before the dais, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu waited patiently for their lord to finish reading. Eventually he sighed and rolled the message back up, handing it to a servant.

"It would seem that the Coalition has fallen apart," he said heavily. "Though we are no longer a part of it, my heart is heavy, for Dong Zhuo still runs rampant in the west. I take no joy in the news."

"Who is the message from, father?" Ce asked.

"Yuan Shu," Sun Jian replied. "It appears that he and his older brother had a confrontation not unlike the one I had with Yuan Shao. He stormed out of the meeting and took his troops home. Cao Cao, Kong Rong and Liu Bei did likewise, obviously concluding that the alliance was doomed as long as the commander would not temper his arrogance."

Ce shook his head. "So Dong Zhuo is still free…"

Sun Jian looked at his son. "Do not get any ideas, Ce. I need you here. This message also tells me that since Yuan Shu is overlord of this region he has appointed me territorial governor on the Imperial Throne's behalf. He has dubbed me 'The General Who Suppresses Barbarians' and given me the post of General of Chariots and Cavalry; Jiang Dong is now our fief by Imperial reckoning."

Ce beamed a smile. "Hey, that's great! It's less than you deserve but it's a start, right?"

Sun Jian stood and beckoned to the two of them. "Follow me, both of you. There is issues we must discuss and something I must show you…"

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Zhou Yu's eyes were wide with astonishment as he looked at the object in Sun Jian's hand. He whispered the words to himself in awe. "'By Heaven's Mandate: long life and everlasting prosperity' My lord, how came you across an Imperial seal and what in the name of all the gods possessed you to keep it?"

Sun Jian sat back in his chair and looked at the two of them levelly. "The Han is dead. I saw it one night in the stars while we pacified Yong'an. I found this seal on the body of a young woman who had cast herself down a well. I kept it, because I was not about to turn it over to Yuan Shao."

"This is treason, my lord." Zhou Yu said gravely. "If anyone were to find out that you have taken the Imperial Seal and kept it from its rightful-"

"I know this, Zhou Yu." Sun Jian said heavily. His decision obviously troubled him. "But I still believe it was the right thing to do; because I had not just a vision of the fall of the Han, but also one about the rise of the Tiger."

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were both silent.

"You are the only two who know of this and it must remain that way, for the safety of our family and our people."

He stood and walked over to Sun Ce. He took his son's hand and pressed the seal into his palm. His eyes were deep and almost sad.

"Ce, I have spent my life and my energy fighting for the Han and uniting the lands our family rules. Though I have often dreamed of becoming emperor, I know it is not my destiny. My destiny is to pave the way for he who will be; the only person who should be."

Zhou Yu knelt and crossed his palm over his heart. "Ever faithful have I been, and so I shall remain. The Sun family will never know greater loyalty than that which I give. The mighty father passes on his heritage to an even greater son. I will do whatever I can to aid you."

Ce's eyes wide. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold on just a minute, you two…" he said finally. "I don't recall agreeing to this!"

Zhou Yu made a wry face. "You agreed earlier today, what are you talking about?"

Sun Jian's eyes widened. "You did what?"

"I did not!" protested Ce. "I said I would fight to keep people like Yuan Shao and Cao Cao from usurping the throne, I didn't say I was gonna do it instead!"

"It amounts to the same thing, Ce," Zhou Yu pointed out. "If you defeat all the unworthies and only you are left, then who else could possibly rule?"

Sun Jian looked back and forth between them. "You two certainly have some interesting conversations in your free time."

"I _ain't_ usurping the Han!" Ce said firmly.

"You don't need to, it's already dead, weren't you listening just now?" his father replied.

The debate became general and rather animated, each participant raising their own counts and counterpoints. More often than not, Ce's counterpoint consisted of "I don't give a damn!" or "I'm still not gonna do it!"

The discussion became a little too loud, obviously, because there chirped a voice from the door: "I think you oughta do it, Lord Sun Ce!"

The three men froze and then slowly turned to face the entrance to the private chamber. Da and Xiao Qiao were standing there, along with Shang Xiang and Quan. They all seemed a little perplexed, although Xiao looked excited.

"You realize, of course, that now we have to kill them." Ce said dryly.

Xiao squeaked and skipped into the room, giving Ce a big hug. "I'm gonna be related to the emperor!" she said happily.

"It's a step up from being related to a fern for you, Xiao." Da commented as she entered. "Still, it sounds like a great deal of hard work and years of fighting. The other lords will not simply give up."

"Brother, you're the only one who should receive the Mandate of Heaven!" Quan said, getting straight to the point, as usual.

"You'd better pave the way for women ministers or there'll be hell to pay." Shang Xiang warned as she sauntered in.

"I haven't agreed to anything, dammit!" Ce said, trying not to shout.

"How long were you planning to keep this from us, anyway?" Da Qiao demanded, thumping her little fist into this shoulder and looking indignant.

"Ow! I just found out myself! What makes you think I wouldn't tell you something that important?" Ce shot back.

"Yeah, it's not like Ce's the one who's pregnant, after all…" Xiao pointed out.

Everyone just stopped and looked at her. Xiao Qiao suddenly realized what she'd done and went crimson with embarrassment.

"Oops…" she said quietly.

Ce turned from Xiao to look over at his wife. His eyes were wide.

"You're… you're…"

The others watched while Ce scooped Da up into his arms and walked out of the room. They were all speechless for several seconds before Xiao inevitably broke the silence.

"Hmmm, do you think they're gonna go do it somewhere?"

Her answer was a smack up the back of her head from Shang Xiang.

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It was dark as they arrived on the balcony and Ce gently set Da down on a bench. He had her hand in his as he knelt down in front of her and looked into her eyes.

"How long have you known, Da?" he asked.

She blushed and looked down at her feet. "Since before we reached Jiang Dong."

"Why didn't you tell me? Were you afraid to?"

Da Qiao shifted uncomfortably. "Yes, but I don't know why, my lord. It doesn't really make any sense. Are you mad at me?"

Ce threw back his head and laughed. He then drew her to him and kissed her deeply. She melted into his embrace, her fears and worries fleeing into the night.

"Silly girl," he said cheerfully, smiling at her. "Why would I be mad at you? I'm a little confused that you didn't think you could tell me, but since you don't know why you felt that way, why should I be anything except happy that you're pregnant?"

Tears glistened in her eyes and she smiled back at him. "We're going to have a girl, my lord- a beautiful baby girl. The astrologers have told me so."

"A girl," he whispered, stroking her cheek. "We'll have to give her a name fit for a future ruler, won't we?"

Da hugged him, her face pressed into his shoulder. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, my lord. Please forgive me."

"Nothin' to forgive, Da." Ce said gently. "If there's one thing living with my sis has taught me, it's that you should never try to understand why women do whatever it is they're doing. Just sit back and enjoy the ride."

Da Qiao laughed as she broke into tears as she hugged him. Ce held her firmly and stroked her hair. He felt her warmth and smiled.

"Da, there's something I want to talk to you about…" he said quietly, taking her gently by the shoulders and looking into her eyes. "It's rather important, even if it's not quite urgent."

"What is that, my lord?" she asked, somewhat worried.

"Well… you heard what my father, Zhou Yu and I were talking about back in the private room, right?" he began.

Da Qiao nodded.

"My father is in possession of the Imperial Seal. _The_ Imperial seal. He wants to give it to me and to conquer China with its Divine Mandate."

Da Qiao thought about that for a moment. "You do not wish to rule China?"

"It's not that simple, Da." Ce replied, shaking his head. "Whether I have Heaven's Mandate or not, whether I am the right person or not, there is one other consideration that is infinitely more important to me."

He looked deep into Da's eyes, holding her rapt as he spoke what was deepest in his heart.

"Da, the campaign to conquer the land might separate us for months at a time. Conquering the realm could take years. If the price I pay for becoming emperor is separation from you, then I don't want it. Without you, China is nothing to me. Just say the word, Da, and I won't do it. Jiang Dong is enough for me."

Da's eyes shone as she saw the honestly in her husband's eyes. Her hand reached out and gently cupped her cheek. He wasn't willing to make this decision without her. If she wanted him to herself, then China be damned.

"My lord," she said finally. "Take the realm in hand. For there is nothing I would desire more than to be your empress."

Sun Ce let out a great sigh, a weight lifted from his shoulders. She could see it in his eyes and feel it in his gentle hold. He smiled and nodded to her, smiling lightly.

"Alright," he said cheerfully. "Then let's begin an empire."

She nodded and pressed her lips to his, holding him tight. Tonight, everything would change.

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A day of celebration was announced throughout Jiang Dong, to celebrate Da Qiao's pregnancy. Great feasts were held all around the fief and the shrines were overloaded with people offering prayers to the gods. The coastal city of Wuchang was a riot of colour and noise as people celebrated, watching dragon and tiger dances and fireworks.

Sun Ce and Da Qiao did little actual celebrating, instead having to visit with dignitaries and local administrators who had come to wish them well. Extravagant and lavish gifts were presented to them, ranging from bolts of rare silk to jewels and exotic animals. To Da's relief there were no salamanders, but she squealed in delight when she received a pair of mated pandas and a cub. They would be the great prize of her menagerie.

They also visited several prominent temples of both the Taoist and Buddhist persuasion. By the end of the day, Da Qiao was quite run down and ready for bed. She thanked the gods that she only had one feast to make it through and then she would know sleep's blissful embrace.

The feast was held in Sun Jian's grand hall, attended by all the ranking dignitaries and civilian leaders of Jiang Dong, as well as neighbouring territories. While they ate and drank they watched musicians play and acrobats perform, including a funny impromptu routine by a drama school that featuring Xiao Qiao in the lead role of a divine monkey. For all her dopey behaviour, Xiao was still a highly trained courtesan and a brilliant actress. People laughed and cheered and even cried at the beauty of the performance.

Sun Jian presented his daughter-in-law with precious gifts- ornate dresses, lustrous pearls, dozens of maid-servants and a collection of beautiful scrolls filled with poetry. Da Qiao wept as she hugged her father-in-law, whom she loved as much as her own father. Sun Jian had always been generous to her, had always treated her as his own.

To Ce, his mighty heir, Sun Jian gave ornate robes and battle dresses, along with several strong and dashing horses. Lastly, he gave Ce a pair of tonfa, ornate and strong, cunningly designed and blessed by priests of both the Tao and the Buddha.

"These, my son, are the weapons of a conqueror," he said proudly, watching as Ce examined the weapons in awe. "For that is how you shall be known, as a great conqueror."

Da Qiao drank little, never having fully recovered from her excessive celebrating at Tiger Trap Pass. Now that she was pregnant, she certainly was planning on walking off any tables. She ate enough food to be polite but mostly she just wanted to retire and be with Sun Ce back in Baifu.

Eventually the festivities ended and they said their goodnights to the other members of the Sun family. Ce picked her up and carried her back to their pavilion, taking her straight into the bathing chamber and washing her gently and thoroughly. He oiled her skin and perfumed her hair with her favourite scent before leading her to their bed. They made gentle love and finally fell asleep in each other's arms, looking forward to what the dawn would bring.

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All was quiet and Sun Jian sat alone in his throne room, deep in thought. He was pleased that Ce had (somewhat) agreed to accept the seal and fight to unite the realm and become emperor. He was even more delighted that Da Qiao was pregnant. Normally female children were never designated heirs, but Sun Jian did not mind breaking with tradition on occasion.

And yet, these thoughts were not foremost in his mind. The message from Yuan Shu had spoken of other matters as well. Yuan Shao's hubris was growing and bad blood had surfaced between the brothers. It was Yuan Shu's intent to make war on his elder sibling, but Shao's armies were too vast. More importantly, he had allies, some of whose lands Yuan Shu's rear.

Liu Biao, to be specific.

It had not been quite a command, but Yuan Shu had ordered Sun Jian, in exchange for his new rank and other considerations, to attack and destroy Liu Biao, removing the threat to his flank. It did not seem an unreasonable request, given that the animosity between Sun Jian and Liu Biao was well-known since the incident outside Yong'an, but it troubled Sun Jian deeply.

The war against Dong Zhuo had cost Jiang Dong dearly. Could he in good conscience drag his people _once again_ into conflict on someone else's behalf?

He did not doubt that he would have no problems gaining recruits and that their morale would be excellent, but that wasn't the point. When would Jiang Dong ever know peace?

"_The Han has ended, there can be no peace,"_ he said to himself. _"This land will not know peace again until Ce is sitting on the Dragon Throne. If that is to be the case, then we must fight these wars to end all war. This, THIS is your calling, Sun Jian. This is your purpose. To forge a base from which your son will conquer the land and unite the realm. Destroy Liu Biao, your enemy, and your greatest work will have begun."_

His hand knotted into a fist and he nodded to himself. Sun Jian was a warrior and war was his trade. He would ply that trade to the best of his ability, so that one day his son could rule in peace.

So be it.

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**Author's Notes: **Mostly for my own edification in writing this little scrap of a fic, I am using Chinese words and will divulge their meaning as the opportunity arises. By way of example, Da Qiao's new military title is "_Qiduwei Xiaojiaxiaoyu_". The first word simply means 'cavalry commander' and the second refers to the unit, the 'Valiant Cavaliers'.

Likewise, Xiao Qiao, despite her social position by virtue of marriage to Zhou Yu, is '_Zhonglang_', which simply means an Imperial trooper or guardsman, a private in our modern terms, but one who belongs to an elite regiment. Being a private in an elite unit of ancient China often carried more status than being an minor officer in another, less respected regiment. Certainly, being a member of Sun Shang Xiang's amazon guard is a measure of status unavailable to most women anywhere in China.

I will no doubt continue to follow this trend of historical slushing. I hope you enjoy it. If you have questions, feel free to ask.

-The Author


	17. Chapter 17

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 14 – Blessed Memories and Blessed Events**

Sun Ce and Da Qiao were looking out from the balcony of Baifu at the bright moon. He smiled down at his wife and put a hand on her round stomach. Her pregnancy was a very healthy one and her whole being seemed to glow with joy. She laid her hand on top of his and caressed it lovingly.

Even though they were preparing for war, they had spent much time together, just enjoying one another's company. She was less than a month away from giving birth and Ce was constantly by her side, taking care of her. Her had always been attentive, but even her own servants now had a hard time gaining access to her.

Ce put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. "You're not cold, are you? Do you need a blanket or an overcoat?"

Da smiled up at him. "No, silly, it's the middle of summer."

"Oh…" he said quietly. He grinned at her. "Do you need to take anything off, then?"

She giggled and batted his hand away from her breast.

Da sighed and looked down at herself. "My breasts are just huge, look at them."

Ce nodded and continued staring.

She shook her head and looked forlorn. "Are you sure that I'm not looking all fat and repulsive? Tell me the truth, you find me unattractive now, don't you?"

Ce laughed and hugged her tight. "Don't be silly, you're as beautiful as ever; more so, even."

"Oh, should I stay looking like this, then?" Da asked, smirking.

Ce shook his head. "Nah, you're really heavy and difficult to carry."

Da Qiao scoffed and thumped her tiny fist against his chest before snuggling her face into his shoulder. He was so warm and comfortable for her. His strong arms held her close, his cheek resting against the top of her head.

Lost in her daydream, Da Qiao thought back to their first meeting, when Ce and Zhou Yu had been travelling through the region of their home and her father, Qiao Xuan, offered them his hospitality. The two young warriors eagerly accepted once they had met his daughters.

Da Qiao, barely sixteen, had blushed profusely at the sight of the two handsome warriors. She had found Zhou Yu erudite and very well-mannered, but she was instantly intrigued by the young heir, Ce. He was amiable and straight-forward, speaking his mind and quick to laughter. He had winked at Da Qiao as she served wine and she thought her heart would burst.

Her younger sister, Xiao, just fifteen, was totally smitten with Zhou Yu. Whereas Da could barely bring herself to speak, Xiao seemed incapable of shutting up. She babbled incessantly about whatever came to mind. Ce just shook his head in amusement as he listened, occasionally gazing at Da and giving her a knowing wink. She didn't know whether to die of embarrassment or delight.

Xuan finally asked the girls to perform for their distinguished guests and they did so happily. Da sang and played the lute while Xiao danced and harmonized, performing an ancient folk song of the region, supposedly dating back to the Xia dynasty, according to Xiao. Zhou Yu smiled and pointed out that neither lutes nor bronze were available to the people of the Xia Dynasty and Xiao suddenly shut up, red in the face. She had been so sure, too…

The girls switched places and Xiao sung and played while Da danced. She pretended not to notice, but Da's heart soared when she noticed that Sun Ce seemed absolutely awed- the ever-present smirk was nowhere to be seen on his face and only wonder remained. She put everything she had into her dance, feeling a unique sensation of perfection and almost divine inspiration. She was fully aware that everything she did, every single gesture, no matter how small, was sublime in its execution.

The dance finished, she bowed low and thanked her family's patron goddess for such favour. Not only had she sent these two magnificent princes to her home, but Da Qiao had also thoroughly enchanted a man she found herself deeply enamoured with. Da and Xiao retired to their room soon after, leaving their father to talk with Sun Ce and Zhou Yu well into the night.

Morning arrived and Da roused Xiao and prepared to head downstairs to see their guests. She was quite devastated to learn that the two young lords had risen early and left, apparently on some mission for Ce's father, the lord of Jiang Dong.

Da was disappointed on several accounts with Sun Ce's departure- not only had she become completely enamoured of him in the course of one evening, but with his absence, she now found herself courted by an awful lecher named Cao Cao of Anhui, a friend of her father's.. She had met him only once, but cringed inwardly at the way Cao Cao, styled Mengde, looked at her and her sister. She vowed to die before she was ever bonded to that man.

Some months passed and she woke to the sound of trumpets and cymbals. She headed downstairs to join her father, who was standing at the door, looking out in amazement. Before their cottage stood a war host, resplendent in red and gold, and over which waved a banner proudly proclaiming "Sun Jian; Lord of Jiang Dong."

Da Qiao promptly threw a fit and began harrying her father, her mother and their servants into cleaning up the mansion (_shiheyuan_) and making sure everything looked fit for the reception of such a worthy guest. She flew back up the stairs and swatted Xiao until she got out of bed. The younger girl was quite cranky and adamant in her refusal until Da told her that Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had returned…

Xiao nearly knocked Da out the window in her sudden rush to get ready.

Properly dressed and decked out in their most beautiful gowns, the sisters went downstairs together and waited patiently for their father to invite them to greet the guests. After what seemed like an eternity of formal greetings, Xuan beckoned them over to make obeisance to Sun Jian. The sisters walked forward as humbly and as gracefully as possible (only years of courtesan training made this possible) and bowed low before the warlord.

Sun Jian was strong and handsome. It was immediately obvious to Da Qiao where Ce got his good looks from. The father's eyes were cheerful, but without the cocky and humorous glint so prevalent in the son's. He nodded to the two girls and smiled, a warming gesture that she instantly liked.

"I am Sun Jian, Lord of Jiang Dong. I have been campaigning in this region but at the behest of my son and his best friend and sworn brother, I have paused in my march to visit the home of Qiao Xuan and to see for myself the lovely ladies who have captured their hearts."

Da Qiao remained bowed but her heart pounded so hard she was certain that the entire host could hear it. She took several silent deep breaths in an attempt to calm herself.

Sun Jian smiled. "I see now that they were not exaggerating in their estimations, for surely these two are the most beautiful girls I have ever set eyes on."

He dismounted easily and strode forward, his casual gait testifying to the casual power of his body. Xuan and his daughters bowed lower still. Da hardly dared to breathe when she felt Sun Jian's eyes on her.

"Please, both of you… look up at me."

Da Qiao summoned every last particle of will and strength in her being and slowly turned her head up to look at Sun Jian. She was amazed, for in his eyes she saw not desire, but softness and a gentle appreciation. She wanted to look at Sun Ce, sitting astride his steed so close by, but she kept her eyes on Sun Jian, awaiting his assessment.

Finally, the warlord threw his head back and laughed. "So these are the two Qiaos," he said cheerfully. "The greatest beauties in the land! I see the truth of it. Come, Qiao Xuan, we have much to discuss. Would you be so kind as to host my son, Zhou Yu and I while my men make camp?"

Qiao Xuan bowed low and invited the trio inside.

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Da Qiao and her sister were sitting in their room, trying to be patient. They had offered to serve, but their father had said it would be more fitting if they were nowhere to be seen until called for. Da Qiao pulled out some scrolls and began reading while Xiao babbled away to no one in particular. Da reflected on the differences between the two of them and how they reacted to boredom, impatience or stress, all three of which they were undoubtedly feeling.

Finally, their mother entered the room. She was a pretty and dignified woman, a courtesan of great renown in her youth. The two girls bowed respectfully and then mobbed her, bombarding her with questions, she laughed and hugged them both. She was quite a bit taller than either of her daughters, something that irked her, since she considered them to be perfect in height and herself mannishly tall. Xuan was tall as well, so where the girls got their perfect shortness from was beyond her.

"Mother," Da Qiao said, her eyes sparkling. "Please, I must know. What are they discussing? Dare I hope against all hope?"

Mai Qiao smiled shook her head. "Child, what does it matter what men discuss? Their concerns are not ours. We will simply wait and serve when called upon."

"Stop teasing, mother!" demanded Xiao. "You know something and you're not telling us, just to make us crazy!"

"It's a little late for that, my love." Mai said gently, stroking her younger daughter's cheek. "But I suppose it won't hurt to tell you that they are indeed discussing the two of you."

Xiao squealed in delight and began bouncing in giddy circles. Da settled for hugging her mother tightly, her eyes shining. "They are trying to decide if we are going to be fit brides for the lords Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, then?"

Xiao actually stopped bouncing to hear her mother's answer to this all-important question. Her normally wide eyes were wider still with anticipation.

Mai Qiao smiled and shook her head. "No, my children, they are not."

Da and Xiao both looked heartbroken.

"That was never in question. What remains is what dowry Lord Sun Jian is going to pay for the two of you."

Xiao fell against the bed in a faint. Da Qiao's heart pounded and soared as she looked up into her mother's eyes.

"Do you mean it, mother? I am to wed Lord Sun Ce?"

"You'd better be!" Xiao said, recovering. "Because I'm marrying Lord Zhou Yu!"

Mai nodded again. "Yes, my daughters. You are to be married and will move to Wuchang. What remains now are mere formalities. Lord Sun Jian is going to make your father and I very wealthy."

Da Qiao was trembling as she hugged her mother. She realized now that she was madly in love with Sun Ce. Her whole life had been leading up to this point and she was about to see her dreams fulfilled. Her happiness knew no bounds.

"And now we don't have to mention that scary lecher Cao Cao!" Xiao squeaked gleefully.

Mai laughed. "Speak no evil of your father's old friend Mengde," she said, trying to sound chiding. "But I will admit that I am happy that you two shall be marrying these boys. I think you will be most happy with them."

"I know I will, mother." Da Qiao said softly. A warm bliss was spreading through her body from her heart and she felt no longer nervous or excited but content.

"But…" Mai said, turning serious. "You two should know that these young men are not bureaucrats- they will not be staying in Wuchang constantly and growing fat by living off taxes. They are warriors, born and raised to conquer. They may both be intelligent and educated, but the sword is their principal tool, not the quill or the chop. War will be their trade in these uncertain times and they will not be around as often as your foolish and romantic girls' hearts desire."

Da was silent at her mother's words, pondering carefully what she meant. Not only would Sun Ce be away quite often campaigning, but there was the distinct possibility that one day he might not come back at all.

Xiao snorted. "Not my Zhou Yu!" she said defiantly. "He'll always come back for me! I'll make sure he wants to!"

In spite of herself, Da Qiao burst out laughing. She had to admit, it had never occurred to her that incredible sex was how she would keep Sun Ce coming back to her. Oddly enough, given the glint she had seen in his eye, she had a feeling her sister might be on to something.

Very well. Lord Sun Ce would never want anyone else after his first night with her.

Footsteps…

The three women scrambled to get in position, lining up and bowing respectfully as the herald knocked and entered the room. His scarlet and gold finery was a marked contrast to the greys and lavenders which dominated the room's colour scheme.

"Lord Sun Jian of Jiang Dong wishes to meet with the Ladies Da and Xiao, daughters of Qiao Xuan. He comes now, to inspect them and make a final assessment of their worthiness."

The ladies all bowed again and waited patiently. Before long, slow, firm footfalls could be heard in the hall and the regal warlord appeared in the doorway. Da could feel his eyes on her again and she flushed, wondering what this scrutiny beheld.

Slowly, Sun Jian walked forward and stood in front of them.

"Arise."

The three women did so and tried to look calm. Sun Jian's bearing was quite overwhelming. They had, of course met powerful men before, but none quite like this; nor would they again until the great wars in the years to come.

Sun Jian looked at Mai Qiao and beckoned her to move aside. She bowed and did so quickly, while the lord walked around the girls slowly, inspecting them.

"Remove your robes."

The two girls did so with great skill and grace, dutifully but seductively, a skill they had been taught to excel in. This examination of their bodies did not particularly bother either of them- this was not the first time they had been so inspected and they had been trained to understand that it was a part of being a courtesan.

What made Da Qiao nervous was not her nudity but what if Sun Jian decided she was not fit after all this? Could she live without Lord Sun Ce?

Often a lord inspecting prospective brides would kneel in front of them and examine their womanhood to make sure their virginity was intact. Such was not likely in this particular case, since both Da and Xiao had been riding horses their whole lives and also as courtesans trained to accommodate and pleasure men by using phalluses.

Still, Lord Sun Jian's examination made her nervous.

He walked around them three times and did not kneel to inspect them. He looked into Da Qiao's eyes and his own were flashing, as if they were stripping away her defences and leaving her soul bared to his deepest scrutiny.

"Girl, do you swear to me by the Immortals that you are a virgin?" he asked firmly.

Da Qiao mustered all of her courage and nodded proudly. "I am, my lord. I swear it."

Sun Jian now stood in front of Xiao and asked her the same question. Xiao was silent for several seconds, struggling with herself. Da turned to stare at her sister in shock and their mother looked horrified. Sun Jian waited, his eyebrow raised.

"Does… does Hanwei count?" Xiao asked nervously, her voice barely audible.

"And who is Hanwei?" demanded Sun Jian, his ire rising. Behind him, Xuan looked like he might faint. Mai was pale with terror.

"The girls stay! The rest of you, leave!" Sun Jian roared. Da and Xiao stood perfectly still while Xuan, Mai, the herald and some other servants left the room and closed the door.

Sun Jian now towered over the two girls. He glared down at Xiao.

"Now, girl… who is this Hanwei you speak of?" he growled.

Xiao looked at the floor and fidgeted nervously. She then bowed and ran over to a chest near her bed. She dug around for a moment and came back holding an ivory phallus, presenting it to Sun Jian.

"Hanwei, my lord," she said honestly and nervously. "Does… does he count?"

Sun Jian's eyes went wide in shock and Da Qiao just rolled hers in exasperation. The lord of Jiang Dong began to laugh loudly and Xiao looked confused.

Da Qiao slapped her sister on the back of the head. "Idiot, of course it doesn't count! I can't believe you named your dildo!"

"Ow!" Xiao squeaked, rubbing the back of her head and glaring at her sister. "I just wanted to be sure! I would think that was an admirable trait!"

Sun Jian then bowed to the two of them and handed them their robes. As they dressed themselves, he smiled and shook his head, his eyes dancing with mirth.

"The boys were right- not only are you beautiful beyond compare, but you're both insane. I daresay you'll be perfect matches for the two of them."

He then took them both in a tight grip and bear hugged them.

"Welcome to the Sun family, girls!"

They both cried out in delight and hugged the mighty warlord in return.

At the confusing sounds, the others came bursting back into the room and stopped dead in shock. Da and Xiao were holding hands with Sun Jian and dancing about gaily.

"Xuan!" called Sun Jian loudly. "Wine and food! We have weddings to celebrate!"

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Da Qiao rode alongside Sun Ce, her long, dark hair flowing in the summer breeze. The field they rode over smelled of wildflowers and she laughed with gay abandon. Nearby, Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao also rode, with Xiao once again babbling incessantly about various nothings. Sun Jian rode with their father and mother, discussing plans for the move to Wuchang. A single attendant rode behind, carrying food and wine for the meal.

As the midday sun grew hot, they sought shelter in a nearby stand of trees, through which ran a beautiful little stream. Xiao squealed in delight and dragged Zhou Yu to the water, helping him take off his shoes so they could put their feet in the stream. Da dutifully began spreading out the great silken sheets they would sit on while they ate while Mai checked on the food and heated the wine.

They sat together, laughing and talking cheerfully. Mai had made food for all of them and then a second lunch of equal size for Xiao, who now seemed to feel that since she was officially betrothed to Zhou Yu, she didn't have to hide her foibles or flaws anymore.

Da chose to forgo the wine and sipped at her tea instead. She was no match for alcohol and dreaded the first time Sun Ce would ever see her drunk. She had a tendency to lose total control and become quite the libertine. He mother had always scolded her and groused about Da being lucky that she hadn't given birth at least twelve times by now. Mai always kept her elder daughter surrounded by other girls whenever Da had been drinking, just in case.

Da Qiao sat quietly next to Ce and insisted on serving him, but she still had a hard time bringing herself to talk to the young lord. He would ask her questions and she would respond as eloquently as she could, occasionally struggling for words. She didn't want to babble like Xiao, but she also wished to avoid seeming like she had nothing to say. Her mother had always told them that women needed to have opinions, for one day the men in their lives would be at a loss and would come to them for advice. Such was the way of the world and it would not do to be discounted.

Sun Jian seemed quite merry and drank several bowls with Qiao Xuan, getting the man thoroughly drunk. Before long, they were negotiating the nature of the dowry and what Sun Jian would be giving Xuan for his daughters. Mai watched with growing concern as the amount lowered and lowered but could say nothing. She had not been asked and it was not her place. Qiao Xuan had always been a lousy drunk and had passed this lamentable trait onto his daughters.

Sun Jian, universally acknowledged as the best drinker in Jiang Dong, was smiling, his eyes containing an evil glint. "So it is decided, then…" he said in a reasonable tone. "Two _jin _of gold and three bolts of silk, along with four horses. Is it a deal?"

Da Qiao had not been paying attention at all but apparently Xiao had, in spite of her constant stream of nattering. She stopped eating and spun around to face Sun Jian, her face flush with outrage.

"What?! Did I hear that right?! Are you seriously trying to buy me for twenty ounces of gold, a bolt and a half of silk and two horses?!"

Everyone went silent at her outburst and Da turned to look at what her sister was shouting about. Xiao had marched over in front of Sun Jian and was getting in his face, glaring at him.

"Hey, pal! I don't care who you are, _nobody_ buys me that cheap! If you think I'm gonna let you take advantage of my dumb, drunken father like this, then you've got another think coming!"

Sun Ce was trying hard not to smirk, as was Zhou Yu. Obviously taken aback, Sun Jian looked to the two of them for support. Ce shook his head and Zhou Yu ran his fingers through his long, raven hair and looked away. The crafty lord of Jiang Dong was on his own.

Da Qiao now thought back, recalling what Sun Jian had been offering and she too flushed angrily. She may have liked this man but she was not about to be taken advantage of. She rose and strode over to stand beside her sister. Sun Jian almost blanched as he realized the depth of trouble he was in. Da made to speak, but Xiao wasn't done yet.

"You wanna know what I'm worth, old man? Listen up and take notes, because if you expect me to marry pretty-boy over there, _now_ it's going to cost you!"

Wide-eyed with disbelief at this shocking turn of events, Sun Jian goggled over at Da Qiao, hoping she might prove more reasonable. Her eyes were hard and flashed with the righteous fury of a woman wronged. Mai Qiao remained kneeling, her eyes closed as if in the deepest contemplation. He would find no ally there, either.

Knowing he was cornered and caught in the middle of a deceit worthy of the ancient scoundrel Lo Ming, Sun Jian sighed and admitted defeat. He gestured feebly for his herald to put brush to paper and begin taking notes.

"You first, Lady Da…" he mumbled, trying to sound miserable and victimized.

Da Qiao nodded and cracked her knuckles, kneeling directly in front of Sun Jian, her back straight so that she was as tall as he was.

"Very well, my lord. I think you shall not find my requirements unreasonable."

Sun Jian looked suddenly hopeful. "Really?"

Da Qiao nodded. "To begin with, you will send my parents three-hundred _jin _(one _jin_ twenty ounces) of gold, in Han Imperial coin."

Sun Jian's eyes widened in shock. "You cannot be serious!"

Da Qiao's smile was humourless. "I assure you, Lord of Jiang Dong, I am in great earnest. Now if I may continue…"

Sun Jian deflated and beckoned for her to continue with a sullen wave.

"As I was saying, three-hundred _jin_ of gold. As well, I believe six-hundred _jin_ of silver, likewise minted in Han ingots would be in order."

Sun Jian winced but merely nodded, still looking at the ground in front of him.

Da Qiao ignored his misery and continued. "Sixty _pi_ (13-yard bolts) of premium silk from the Chengdu region, in a variety of colours… fifty _jin _of precious stones and pearls… two-hundred _sheng_ (dry-measured quarts) of premium northern ginseng root, free of rot or disease… ten tea sets of the highest quality stoneware, each with settings for four…are you getting all this, herald?"

The man nodded, writing away intently, not daring to make a mistake.

Da Qiao nodded in satisfaction. "We will also need twenty _sheng_ of monkey-picked oolong tea… sixty twenty-quart jugs of premium wine…"

Sun Jian seemed to get smaller and smaller as he listened but just kept nodding.

"Fifty dress gowns, twenty-five male and twenty-five female… twenty racks of weapons, all forged in the Lungchuan region by the kindly monk-smiths of such glorious fame… three-hundred square _li _(approx 100 square miles) of quality agricultural land…"

Sun Jian's head snapped up and he looked at her in horror. "You ask too much, girl!"

Da Qiao shrugged. "If you have not the stomach for such barter, my lord, I am sure Cao Cao Mengde will be happy to make such an offer in your place."

Sun Jian flushed and nodded sullenly, allowing her to continue.

"Four mated pairs of peacocks, to be kept in the menagerie you will build for me… two hundred scrolls of poetry, sutras and love ballads from the four corners of China and beyond… and finally, a small but elegant shrine dedicated to the Qiao ancestors, venerated by both the Tao and the Buddha."

"Is there a constellation you would perhaps like me to catch in a net for you?" Sun Jian growled.

Da Qiao made a show of thinking. "No, I believe that is enough. I do not wish to overestimate myself, after all…"

Sun Ce burst out laughing.

Xiao Qiao shoved in front of Da, obviously still hot under the collar and now inspired by her sister's audacity.

"My turn!" Lord Sun Jian, you got off easy with my sister! Here are my demands!"

Sun Jian just stared at the girl blankly.

Xiao nodded. "Alright, first of all… thirty-six bolts of crème-coloured silk! Got that? And then… and then… two-hundred and eighty-one _jin_ of gold… ummmmm… three-hundred and nineteen _jin_ of silver…"

Zhou Yu just folded his arms and closed his eyes, smiling.

The herald kept writing, his brow furrowed and beginning to shine with sweat.

Xiao continued her rampage. "Twenty- no, forty tea-sets for four painted with cute and fuzzy animals… two life-sized bronze statues of a _Kirin_, doing… prancing things… fourteen pairs of mated monkeys from anywhere but this region… forty peach orchards, big ones… a tapestry of Zhou Yu and I… and… and… one thousand dumplings!"

Xiao finally exhaled and nodded in grim satisfaction. "So, do you wish you were still listening to my sister instead? I drive a hard bargain, don't I?"

Da just closed her eyes and smiled, not having the heart to remind Xiao that every single measurement she demanded was smaller than her older sister's.

Sun Jian sat silently for close to a minute, unmoving, and Da was beginning to worry that they might have killed him. Then, the great lord did the last thing anyone expected and bowed low, his forehead touching the blanket they all sat on.

"Ladies, thank you for reminding me of the virtues of humility. You are most worthy adversaries, I am glad I shall never have to face you on the battlefield."

Sun Jian raised himself back up and smiled at them affectionately. "Truly I could never pay your parents what you are truly worth. But as a sign of my good will, I shall give them everything you have demanded and then double it as a gift to the two of you."

"Father!" squeaked Xiao as she flew into his arms and tackled him to the ground in one of her brutal bear hugs.

Da just smiled but squeaked in sudden alarm as she felt someone next to her and then a firm hand ruffling her hair playfully.

"Well done, Da…" Sun Ce said, smiling down at her. "Nobody ever gets the better of my father. You two are amazing!"

She rearranged her hair and tried to look dignified, nodding gracefully. "Thank you, my lord."

Ce laughed again and looked at the sky. The clouds laughed back.

It was a splendid day.

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With the true negotiations over, the mother and daughters attempted to wake Qiao Xuan but had no luck- he continued snoring loudly. Sun Ce volunteered to wake him up and hefted the man over his shoulder and carried him to the stream, nodding for Da to come along with him. She rose and followed him obediently. With seemingly little concern for his host's body, Ce dumped him into the cold, silvery water with a great splash. Qiao Xuan awoke with a shout, sputtering and thrashing in shock. The young lord laughed heartily and Da Qiao tittered behind her hand, hoping her father wouldn't see her.

Ce was about to make a joke when he stopped suddenly and looked around. Da Qiao did not know what to think at first but became worried when she saw the look in his eye. Instinctively, he reached back and pushed Da close behind him, his grip on her firm. He looked down at Qiao Xuan.

"Get up…" he said quietly but firmly. "We've got company…"

Qiao Xuan suddenly went still and then nodded, rising and stepping out of the stream. With Da still in hand, Sun Ce turned and strode back to the picnic as quickly as he dared. Sun Jian and Zhou Yu both stood when they saw his expression.

"We've got company, and it ain't friendly." Ce said, frowning.

Sun Jian nodded. "Get the women in the center and then turn out to look to the four corners. Herald, get over here now and stand ready!"

The herald nodded and stepped into position. The men faced outward, silent and watching for any signs of trouble. Ce's keen eyes spotted them first.

"Bandits…" he growled, eyeing his supposedly concealed foe. "What the hell… they're wearing yellow… yellow clothing and yellow scarves or turbans…"

Sun Jian nodded. "I have heard of this scum… they are part of some new heretical sect that is sweeping the western provinces. Could they have penetrated this far east?"

"Da, I'm scared…" Xiao said nervously. Da reached out and took her sister's hand, squeezing it tight. She wouldn't admit it, but she was scared too; terrified, in fact.

"What weapons does each of you have?" Sun Jian asked quietly.

"Just my hunting knife." Ce replied.

"My hunting knife and a short bow, my lord." Zhou Yu said softly.

The herald bit his lip. "My knife, my lord, and my horn, with which I can call for assistance."

"Not until I tell you to, got it?" Sun Jian said. "I have my _jian_ (broadsword). Xuan, are you carrying anything?"

Xuan shook his head, breaking out in a cold sweat. "N-no, my lord."  
"Here," Sun Ce said, pressing his knife into Qiao Xuan's hands. "There's a button on the hilt that releases a stiletto in the pommel… real good for a backswing."

Sun Jian nodded warily. "Be careful, Ce, if you're going to do this unarmed."

Ce smiled grimly. "I'll be fine, pop. Count on it. They're coming closer. They know we're aware of them, but they're hoping to get as close as they can before springing their ambush."

As if in response to Ce's statement, the glade suddenly rang with the shrill shouts of the bandits. Dozens of men leapt out of the bushes and from behind trees, racing towards the little party of merry-makers. As Ce had described, they were wearing yellow and had wrapped their heads in scarves or turbans, clearly a sign of their heretical loyalty. They were armed with all manner of melee weapons, but mostly long-hafted pitchforks or spears, with the occasional sword and axe.

In the bandits rushed and Xiao Qiao cried out in fright. Zhou Yu's bow was instantly in hand and the string sang as he buried an arrow in the throat of an assailant carrying a spear; the man stumbled and crashed to the ground, mere steps away.

As the spear left the bandit's grip, Sun Ce plucked it out of mid-air, while pivoting and driving his foot into the jaw of another man, snapping his neck backward as he raised his sword to strike. Taking the sword, Ce now brandished two weapons fearsomely at his myriad foes, who seemed not to care but kept rushing in, eager to do battle.

Ce would make them sorry for it.

Sun Jian's sword swept out and struck down a one-eyed man holding a wood-cutting axe, spinning him around and sending him to the earth, blood spurting from his neck. Another swipe took off the arm of a brigand who had leapt in toward his flank and the man reeled back, crying in pain.

Zhou Yu shot another man through the eye as he rushed up and then turned to shoot another, almost too fast to follow. Five marauders had already perished, his deadly missiles lodged in their bodies with uncanny skill.

Qiao Xuan gave out a loud cry and drove his knife forward, burying it in the sternum of a thug who sought to push his way into the little ring. The man toppled over, coughing blood. Da shrieked in fright as he grasped feebly at her legs but died before he could harm her.

Next to Xuan, the herald was slashing fiercely at any marauders who got to close. When thirteen of their number had fallen, they gathered around the defenders in a tight circle, brandishing their weapons and shouting vile threats. Ce's best estimate was that there were at least sixty of these Yellow Turbans…

He smiled. These were his kind of odds.

"Now, herald!" Sun Jian shouted. The herald pressed his horn to his lips and blew a great, clear and ululating note on it. The aggressors paused in sudden doubt but then shouted wildly and pressed their attack, knowing time was now short.

Even through the sudden wild brawl, Sun Jian was relieved to hear an answering call. Help was mere minutes away. All they had to do was protect the women until then.

Ce fought savagely against the human wave, his eyes flashing as he struck and thrust with his weapons, determined to let no one near his new bride. To his side, Zhou Yu was calmly shooting foe after foe, their bodies piling up in front of him. If any got within reach, his knife flashed out in a deadly silver arc, finding their throats unerringly. The blade then returned to it's sheathe and he resumed firing, his eyes glinting with cold ferocity.

A tall, heavily-built man lumbered up out of the crowd and swung at Sun Ce with a great club. Knowing the clumsy swipe would hit the girls if he dodged, Ce surged up to meet the strike before it gained momentum. His hands caught the weapon before it could follow through and he strained against his foe, gritting his teeth as he struggled for control. The man cursed in anger and was preparing to pull back, dragging Ce out of the ring when another foe rushed in, his double-edged sword poised for a strike. As the smaller man thrust, Ce swung one foot around and redirected the bandit's blade into the side of the hulk Ce was already wrestling with. The large man bellowed in agony and released his club, which Ce whirled about and smashed into the side of his head, crushing it. The smaller man, still shocked that he had somehow stabbed his comrade, perished with the backswing.

The death of their oversized lout seemed to shake the confidence of the bandits and they wavered in their assault. Ce let out a great cry and drove forward, swinging his great club in a ferocious arc, shattering bones and cracking skulls with every sweep. Zhou Yu and Sun Jian tightened the circle around the girls and continued fighting. Before long, Sun Ce found himself separated from the others by a sea of yellow. The enemy's numbers had thinned, but there were still many of them. He fought ferociously, trying to draw as many of the bandits to himself as possible, giving the others a chance to breathe and reorganize themselves.

Nearby, Da Qiao watched her husband-to-be with quiet awe. True, she and he sister had been trained in some forms of martial arts, but never had she seen anyone moved with such grace or power. Sun Ce's body seemed to flow like water and to strike like fire, always in constant motion, natural but unpredictable. It took her breath away.

A small hole opened in the sea of attackers as another bandit perished, blood squirting from his neck and showering Da and Xiao. Her eyes wide with horror, Xiao squealed in fright and bolted from the circle, seeking the supposed safety of the tree-tops where she hoped she would not be followed. Da shouted and sprinted after her sister, terrified that the little twit would get herself killed.

Xiao's tiny body could move with great speed when she was motivated and Da had to put every ounce of strength into keeping up with her. Dimly, she became aware of someone chasing her and she wailed in dismay. They were being pursued! Damn Xiao for panicking!

The younger girl reached a large tree and was making to scamper up the trunk when Da finally caught her and yanked her down, pulling her around the other side. She clamped a hand over Xiao's mouth before the girl could scream and hissed for her to be quiet. With Xiao calmed, Da picked up a large, thick branch she found at the base of the tree and wound up, measuring the fleet footfalls of their hunter. The man dashed into view and Da swung with all her might…

**_KRAK!!!_**

The improvised club caught Sun Ce right across the top of the head and the young warrior stumbled and then fell headlong to the ground. Da Qiao gasped in horror and dropped the branch while Xiao looked at Ce's prostrate form and then her in amazement.

"Wow, remind me to never chase you…" she said warily.

Da was just standing there in shock when Xiao squeaked in fright, gazing wide-eyed and something behind her. Completely on instinct, Da whirled around, swinging her club. The heavy end caught the bandit standing behind her across the side of the head and spun him around. He was unconscious before he hit the ground.

Da Qiao was panicking, dancing back and forth from foot to foot in fright when Ce rose to his feet. He rubbed the top of his head as he glared at them.

"OW! What the hell?!" he groused loudly. "Whose side are you two on?!"

Xiao pointed at Da. "She did it."

Ce looked at Da, his eyebrow raised, still rubbing his head, which was sporting a rapidly swelling lump. He was plainly not amused. Da Qiao was pale as she looked up at him, unable to say anything. She could only see her entire world crashing down around her, ruined by a single moment of terror-driven misjudgement.

Ce suddenly sighed and then chuckled, shaking his head. "Ahhh, who am I kidding? I can't be mad at you, Da. I know you were just trying to protect your sister, and it was pretty stupid of me to just run up behind you, right?"

Da tried to smile.

The somewhat romantic moment was marred by Sun Jian's angry voice.

"Any time you feel like fighting, Ce, just let us know!"

Ce grimaced and removed a knife from his belt, handing it to Xiao. With a deft flick of his foot, Ce swept up the spear he had been carrying and handed it to Da. He took her by the shoulders and looked down at her, his eyes were unusually serious.

"Get up in this tree and stay there, both of you! Kill anyone who isn't one of the good guys if they come after you. Stay in this tree until I get back! Understand?"

The two girls nodded.

Ce waited for them to begin their ascent and then muttered something under his breath and sprinted back to the frenzied melee. A solid punch relieved an opponent of his sword and Ce was back in business, doing what he did best…

The old general Huang Gai arrived some minutes later, charging at the head of a company of light cavalry. With the arrival of the horsemen, the Yellow Turbans lost their taste for combat and began to flee, with no thought given to their dead or wounded. By the time Huang Gai had arrived, over two thirds of their number had perished at the hands of the small but fearsome little band of defenders.

Sun Jian sported a minor gash across his forearm and Zhou Yu a rather ugly bruise on his cheek. Sun Ce was unharmed but for the rather massive and obvious goose-egg Da Qiao had given him. Even Mai Qiao had seen some action, her deep brown eyes flashing defiantly as she had kicked many an assailant in the groin or raked her nails across their face.

Da Qiao had remained alert for danger but encountered none as she and her sister stayed high up in their tree. Xiao Qiao found great sport in hurling rocks at the enemy far below, calling them names and slandering their mothers, but all without effect, seemingly. The two of them were unharmed, physically, at least.

The only grave wound was Qiao Xuan's, and he lay on the grass in an ever-spreading pool of dark blood that oozed from the tear in his stomach. He had stepped out too far from the defensive ring and while he had brought down his foe, another bandit had slashed him across the middle with a wicked knife.

Ce had brought the girls out of the tree and back to the scene when they finally saw their father and cried out. They dashed over and knelt next to him, calling for him but he was unconscious. With tears in her eyes, Xiao pled with Zhou Yu to do something for him.

Zhou Yu shrugged solemnly. "I have done what I can, Xiao. I have staunched the bleeding and smeared the wound with herbs, to keep infection away. Whether he survives now is simply a question of how soon we can get him proper treatment and how strong his will to live is."

Da began praying fervently, begging her family's goddess to spare her father, who had only ever lived to see his daughters married.

A litter was constructed and Qiao Xuan brought back to his mansion as quickly and his condition allowed. The fastest riders were meanwhile dispatched to find any healers in the region. The bandits were forgotten and would be dealt with later.

Da rode slowly alongside Sun Ce, lost deep in thought and worried about her father. Crystalline tears formed in her eyes and trickled down her cheeks, glittering in the sun. Ce reached out a gentle hand and caressed her cheek with his fingers. Even though she was sick with fright, Da was reassured by his presence and touch. There was a rightness to it she would always cherish.

She would be strong.

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The wedding of Sun Ce and Da Qiao had been cause for great celebrations throughout Jiang Dong. Tens of thousands were gathered before the palace, awaiting news of the couple's nuptials. They roared and cheered loudly as the newlyweds appeared on the balcony, resplendent in matching scarlet and gold robes. Horns sounded and cymbals clashed, announcing the blessed union.

Sun Jian was merry and magnanimous, distributing large amounts of gold to nearly everyone in the fief and declaring a tax amnesty. At his side, Qiao Xuan, still feeble from his wound but recovering slowly, looked tired but very pleased. Mai Qiao and Lady Wu stood nearby, nodding and discussing how beautiful Da had been and how dashing and handsome Ce was.

True to his word, Sun Jian presented the girls with their dowries; even though Zhou Yu and Xiao were not scheduled to be married until after her sixteenth birthday, Sun Jian presented her with her requests as well - chests of gold coins and silver ingots, along with silk, jewels, statues and icons. Da's peacocks were beautiful and Xiao giggled in delight when she saw her monkeys. The scrolls and sutras were from as far away as the lands of Ind and people requested loudly that Da read at least one to them. She blushed and protested but finally relented, reading one poem about a pair of star-crossed lovers.

Sun Jian had designated an area of arable land for Qiao Xuan to cultivate and also hired a staff for him to do so. Xiao's peach orchards stood outside Wuchang and were considered part of the Qiao property. The ginseng and tea were deposited in cured sacks and put in strong boxes, ensuring their ongoing freshness. Da Qiao bowed deeply to Sun Jian, her forehead to the ground.

"Truly, my lord, you are a great and beneficent ruler. How can I ever thank you?"

Sun Jian smiled. "It was my pleasure, child. I was serious when I told you that I could never match your true worth. This meagre expression of my gratitude will hopefully suffice in some manner."

Sun Jian also led Xiao Qiao down to the larder, presenting her with two thousand dumplings and the girl squealed in delight. Every conceivable type of dumpling was present - pork, fish, vegetable, pheasant, bean curd, scallop, boiled, steamed, fried… the list went on and Xiao's eyes began to spiral, though whether it was from desire or confusion Sun Jian could not tell. While obviously these particular dumplings would not last long enough for even Xiao to eat them, the lord of Jiang Dong promised her that she was free to return to the larder at any time of day and request whatever dumplings she wanted, until her quota was exhausted.

"No more dumplings after that?" she had squeaked, seemingly heartbroken.

"Oh, I didn't say that, my dear…" Sun Jian replied, smiling. "It just may be that you'll have to take whatever dumplings the servants have handy instead of your special requests."

Xiao nodded, satisfied. "I like all dumplings, so I can make due with that."

Sun Jian also presented Xiao with the tapestry of her and Zhou Yu. The girl was thrilled and Sun Jian also pointed out the (very) private room he had designated for it, where she could go and enjoy her prize uninterrupted.

Da and Xiao also finally met the other members of the Sun family- green-eyed Quan, Ce's younger brother by Sun Jian's first wife. He seemed stern and humourless, but Da liked him for his earnest good will and desire to do right.

Shang Xiang, Sun Jian's only daughter, called the 'Bow-hipped Princess'. She was tall, nearly as tall as her brothers, and strong, with an athletic build. Her eyes sparkled with passion and danger. Da Qiao liked her instantly, although her bear hugs would prove even more deadly that Xiao's.

Lady Wu and Kuang, the youngest son, were also present and Da Qiao paid deep respects to the matron of the Sun family. She was dignified and pretty, not at tall as her daughter Shang Xiang, but with the same flashing eyes and air of fierce independence. What an extraordinary man Sun Jian must have been to not be eclipsed by this woman.

Finally, with great fanfare, Sun Ce and Da Qiao was carted off to Baifu pavilion, their new home, which Sun Jian had so readily raised in virtually no time. It was considered a wonder by all who beheld it, a testimony to grace and beauty, a monument of Han aesthetics and artistry.

But even as the lovers consummated their marriage and the citizens of Jiang Dong feasted, news would arrive of a call to arms from the Son of Heaven, the emperor is distant Yong'an; an appeal for help against a new threat to the realm- a heretical cult called the Yellow Turbans, who were following a trio of sorcerer-brothers and wreaking havoc far and wide.

Da and Ce's bliss would be short-lived and duty would call, trying to pull them apart.

But Da's deep love for her mighty husband evolved other plans…

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**Author's Notes- **I know, I know, you all want to know where I got the name 'Hanwei' from, right? Well, they just happen to be one of my favourite companies that creates and manufactures martial arts weaponry. The name just struck me as perfect for Xiao's dildo, you know? My other favourite companies who create weapons for martial artists are Lungchuan ('Dragon Springs' or 'Dragon Well'), a very ancient tradition, and the Bugei Company, known for their katanas and weapons of a more Japanese nature. They all have websites if you're interested.

Pretty much this entire chapter was a flashback, so I hope that didn't confuse anybody.

Also, it has been brought to my attention that fanart is always a positive force. I'm gonna try some for myself, based on some TYC concepts. If you have any good ideas for fanart inspired by this little saga, feel free to share. I'll give credit and whore it appropriately.

You guys are gonna _love_ the next two Wumakes...


	18. Chapter 18

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 15 – Drugs Can Be A Good Thing**

Sun Ce sat at the large desk inside his office, pondering some passages from some recent scholars' works on the subject of strategy. He found some common sense in much of their advice but little that was illuminating or would qualify as an epiphany. One sage in particular must have been writing treatises for idiots, because his works happened to include such advice as 'Do not attack a fortified enemy uphill, it will exhaust your troops' and 'try not to attack facing into the sun, it blinds you and works in your foe's advantage.'

Certainly this was all basic knowledge that even a green trooper should know. His own ancestor, Sun Tzu, had much more poignant things to say. What amused the young lord was a certain family secret- Sun Tzu had, apparently, never won a battle in his life. His great treatise, _The Art of War_, was more a less a collection of harsh lessons he had learned on the battlefield from being an unwise commander. He may as well have titled the work _Three-hundred-and-sixty Ways To Lose A War._

Ce chuckled to himself. Sun Tzu's name and wisdom was revered across the land and his descendant's reputation for battlefield genius was predicated on this myth. Outside of his immediate family, the only other person who knew of this fact was Zhou Yu and they had laughed about it often. They pondered revealing such a revelation to the public but decided it was in the Sun family's interests to let the truth remain obscured until the land was won; then, and only then, would China be allowed in on the little secret.

He sat back and took a deep breath, rotating his shoulders and rolling his neck. He may have loved a good fight, but there was also something to be said for quiet meditation and study, as long as nobody found out he was doing it. It wasn't that he feared people would think he was a fraud for his effortless decision-making on the field of conflict- these texts held little or no mystery for him, but his image of the cocky commander who never bothered with scholastic reference needed to be protected. The truths in these works were self-evident for anyone of a military mindset and he had yet to come across one that was likely to change how he conducted or waged war.

He pushed aside the works of the Chinese scholars and examined a large pile of delicate paper sheets. It was supposed to be a first-hand account of a distant leader's war against barbarian tribes far across the Barrier Mountains, where the sun set. The works, whatever their original language, had been translated between at least five more before Uygur scribes finally penned it in Han Chinese. The leader's name was 'Caesar' and the text was entitled _The Gallic Campaigns_.

It was an excellent read, from a pure scholastic perspective. This Caesar, seemingly the mightiest general in his realm and possibly its leader, had made war over some years against barbarian tribes of remarkable savagery. His own legions, efficient, disciplined and highly professional, fought numerous battles against these clan-based war bands and usually emerged triumphant. The Gauls, as the barbarians were known, did not wish to submit to the might of the state of Roma and rebelled often. But finally, Caesar's armies were triumphant and the savages were crushed in a great, climactic battle called Ger… Gergov… it didn't matter how it was pronounced. This Caesar had finally won his war and seemed poised to move on with his conquests.

Small maps of his individual battles had been transcribed, as well as his route of conquest. The distances involved seemed strange to Ce, since he knew little of what lay beyond the Han. His world was bordered by the mighty Barrier Mountains to the west, the tips of which he had seen during the campaign against Dong Zhuo, the Great Sea to the east, the deadly, ice-cold desert to the far north and the impenetrable jungles to the south.

But what of the world beyond the Han? His people, historically, had never been interested in anything further than their own borders. When people started looking different, that was usually when cultural prejudice took over and they chose to pretend the aberration didn't exist.

Not Ce, though. His curiosity was insatiable. If there were mighty empires out there, he wanted to know about them, to challenge them and reign supreme on the battlefield. Was the Han mightier than Roma? It seemed to Ce that these were the two greatest empires in the known world. Were they too far apart to clash? Did the great, endless deserts rumoured to exist beyond the Barrier Mountains separate them from any meaningful contact?

The Han was not invincible. Not only was it dying from within, but the Dynasties had always been threatened by invaders from the north- the Huns, the Jurchens and so on… they all preyed on the fat, rich and complacent lands of the south. Great walls were being built to keep them out, but the cost had been inordinate and bankrupted more than a few Imperial Houses over the ages. The Shang Dynasty, the Zhou Dynasty, the Qin… all faced ruin at the hands of the savages from the steppes and eventually fell when their finances were depleted.

How did Roma manage to finance its wars? The _Gallic Campaigns _was not terribly helpful in this regard, since it was a history of a general's war against barbarian hordes; but they seemed to have a system in place for sustaining their armies and keeping them in the field for extended periods. He was certain Zhou Yu would be interested in learning more.

Also of interest were diagrams that illustrated large siege machines, complex structures that could hurl incredibly heavy rocks and weights great distances. While it was true that China had similar devices, they were always operated by scores of men who used brute strength to wrestle the great rocks back into position before releasing them. This Caesar, on the other hand, had machines that used a system of counterweights that made the siege machine operable by less than ten men, once the rock was in place. This would most certainly pique Zhou Yu's curiosity.

Caesar, great general of Roma… Iskander, conqueror of the world as far as Ind… if Ce read the date translations correctly, both men were long dead. Iskander had lived during China's Warring States period, prior to the Qin, while Caesar had built his empire during the time of the Eastern Han. It saddened that he could never meet these men and speak with them or do battle against them, pitting his might against theirs, to know once and for all who was greatest. Caesar had made known his intent of surpassing Iskander, the greatest conqueror their world had ever seen. Sun Ce had sent out a subtle call to traders who passed over the mountains or navigated the Great Sea to find information and artefacts about this Iskander for him. This man would probably prove the model against which Ce would test himself.

He felt a presence in the doorway and turned to see who was there. Da Qiao stood quietly, smiling her serene and gentle smile before bowing and waiting permission to enter. Ce nodded and she padded into the room, settling down on the wide chair next to him and snuggling into his body. He loved how affectionate she could be, but this was unusual- rarely did Da engage in such displays outside of their private chambers. Today she almost purred, seeming positively amourous.

"My lord…" she whispered quietly, rubbing her cheek against his arm, her eyes closed. "I believe it is time…"

Ce looked slightly confused. "Time? Time for what? I don't… oh… oh? Oh… OH!!!"

He stood immediately and scooped her into his arms, looking at her intently.

"C'mon, Da… let's find you a healer and a midwife!"

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"It's hard to believe it's been nine months." Zhou Yu said quietly as he and Ce waited outside Baifu's bed chamber. "It has sped by so quickly, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yeah, sorta," Ce replied, sitting in a chair and staring at the ceiling. "I mean, I've watched her get bigger in the interim and she's as beautiful as ever, but sometimes it seemed like an eternity and other times it would just whip by, like Xiao stealing a meat bun. I guess more than anything I'm just glad the wait is over and I don't have to be gentle with her anymore."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "What does _that_ mean? Do I even want to know?"

Sun Ce laughed. "Probably not, but I just meant I no longer have to treat her like a delicate porcelain doll. Da's tough, but I think she's been fretting about not training in the field and having to just read books to learn how to be a commander."

"I doubt it would hold her interest if she were not dedicated to following you into battle and helping you win the empire." Zhou Yu observed.

"Perhaps, but it turns out she's a pretty civic-minded gal… if we had never met and someone sensed that she might be a good commander, she would probably take the post if the welfare of the people were hanging in the balance."

"But will she be a good commander, Ce?" his friend asked. "There were many mutterings and rumours spread when she became a cavalry commander. Not many of the Valiant Cavaliers were happy about serving under a woman, no matter how illustrious her husband."

Ce nodded. "Yeah, I know. I can tell them to obey her but not to respect her, Zhou Yu. She's gotta earn that on her own. She's smart and she's got a clear head on her shoulders. She may not be an instinctual leader like you and me, but she can learn and she retains what she learns."

"You think she is more akin, then to Lu Meng?" Zhou Yu suggested.

"Yeah, that's a good parallel, actually." Ce replied. "He's come a long way too, now that you mention it. He really applied himself and learned the ropes and now he's a damn good commander, one of our best… he just needed his ass handed to him a few times and to pick up a few books and do some reading."

"The reading I am in favour of, but I am not certain that your lovely wife should be taught lessons by getting her 'ass handed to her', as you so blithely put it." Zhou Yu said, smiling.

Ce was about to respond when there was a gasp and a cry from inside Shang Xiang's chambers. They both looked over and Ce's eyes hardened for a brief moment. The door cracked open and Xiao Qiao stuck her head out. Behind her they could hear hissing and panting, as if someone was straining.

"It's alright, everything's fine!" she said, trying to smile reassuringly. She disappeared back inside, the door shutting firmly.

Sun Ce rose and walked toward the door, but the five amazons standing in front of it all looked at him, one eyebrow raised. Ce stood his ground for a moment before returning to his seat.

"Smart choice." Zhou Yu commented.

"Yeah, just a bout of temporary insanity." Ce replied, sighing heavily.

Seconds later, Sun Jian came bustling down the hallway, followed by Qiao Xuan, Quan, Kuang, Huang Gai and Ling Cao. He strode up to his son and Zhou Yu, staring down at them with hard eyes.

"And you are not in there because…" the lord of Jiang Dong prompted.

Ce shrugged. "Comfy chair."

Sun Jian scowled. "Who's in there with my daughter-in-law?" he demanded.

Ce thought about that for a moment. "Let's see… mother, Shang Xiang, Xiao, Da's mother, Fu Chin Ran, some midwives and I think most of sis' amazons, if I'm not mistaken."

Sun Jian snorted in disgust at the two young men and turned toward the door. He glowered at the amazons when they didn't budge.

"Do I even need to say it, ladies?" he warned.

The amazons bowed deeply and stepped aside. Sun Jian put his hand on the great iron ring and prepared to enter.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, pop." Sun Ce said, his voice both a warning and a dare.

"Nonsense, boy!" Sun Jian snapped and pushed the door open. He headed in and closed it behind himself, leaving Ce and the other men in the antechamber.

Ce just watched, a smirk on his lips. "Five… four… three… two… one…"

The sounds of a mighty row and women shouting emanated from behind the door. Seconds later, Sun Jian came back out, trying to look composed and dignified, but several shades paler than when he had gone in. He sat next to Ce and cleared his throat.

"I have determined that we should wait out here." Sun Jian said, as authoritatively as possible.

Ce laughed and clapped his hand on his father's shoulder. "Good to know they finally saw it your way, pop!"

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Da Qiao gasped in pain and clenched her teeth. Sweat streamed from her forehead and she pushed mightily, as the nurses and midwife instructed. She had known pain before, great pain. The Yellow Turban guard cutting open her side with a halberd was the most horrible thing she had ever felt; but this was different. The strain on her body was unreal. Whereas the halberd wound was a violation of her being, this was something she essentially inflicted on herself, pushing herself through the process.

Her vision swam and she gritted her teeth, sucking in lungfuls of air. The room was being kept cool so that she could breathe and all the windows were open. She knew that priests around the city of Wuchang were offering prayers for her safe delivery, but right now she just wanted this to be over with…

She wanted Ce.

She vaguely remembered Sun Jian striding into the room, which had turned out to be a bad idea. The women had fallen on him like wolves, roaring at him to get out of this sacred chamber of womanhood. She wasn't sure, but she seemed to recall that Lady Wu, her mother-in-law, had pulled a weapon off a rack on Shang Xiang's wall and threatened to skewer Sun Jian with it unless he left immediately. The lord of Jiang Dong beat a hasty retreat, presumeably to wait with the other men in the antechamber. Such dedication to her well-being…

A flash of red pain and her vision swirled around her again. She cried out loudly. How big _was _this child supposed to be? She distantly heard the midwife instructing her push again and she attempted to do so. She didn't understand how she was supposed to keep pushing, because she felt only pain; she had no idea if her body was still responding to her commands to push. She was somewhat aware of people holding her hands and pressing them, stroking them and speaking words of encouragement.

Da shuddered violently and stifled another cry, acutely aware that Ce could probably hear her. She didn't want him worrying or thinking she was weak. The thought of him brought her through the moment and her eyes flared open as she concentrated on her task. Sweat streamed from her brow and she clenched the midwife's hand ferociously. She would make it through this- for Ce, for her child… for them.

Agony. She let out a great cry and things went black.

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Ce was on his feet instantly and Zhou Yu put a hand gently on his arm, keeping him in place.

"Ce, when it's time to go in, they'll let you," he said softly. "They won't keep you from her any longer than is necessary. But you know what the Tao says about childbirth and ritual… priests of the Way are praying all over Jiang Dong for her. Do not sully their prayers by letting your concern get the better of you."

Ce took a deep breath and sat, nodding. "You're right, pal. This isn't about me, is it?"

Zhou Yu laughed. "As poignant an admission as I have ever heard."

Sun Ce closed his eyes and concentrated, focusing his thoughts on Da. He could not feel her or sense her, as he had become accustomed to being able to do. He was blocked by a wall of distraught emotion and fearsome protective will.

"You can do this, Da…" he whispered quietly. "I have total faith in you. Just remember that I love you and I'm waiting here for you…"

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Da Qiao struggled and thrashed as she strained, but the nurses held her in place. She let out a guttural groan of pain and then rested for a moment, panting heavily. The midwife patted her hand and spoke soothingly.

"Very good, my lady. It should not be too much longer before the final push."

Da Qiao smiled weakly. "Not too much longer? How long is that?"

The midwife considered. "Another three hours or so."

Da's eyes flew open. "WHAT?!"

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Not far from the bed, Sun Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran watched on in silence. They had fought side by side and were unafraid of battle or the horrors of war- but this seemed to unnerve them both completely. Shang Xiang reached out and took Fu Chin Ran's hand in hers, squeezing it. They were both pale and even looked a little green as they watched the nurses, waiting patiently between Da's wide-spread legs while she pushed and cried out.

Neither noticed Xiao Qiao's head poke slowly between their bodies, an evil grin on her face as she watched.

"Wow... look at all the blood…" she said quietly.

Shang Xiang went a livid green and rushed to a large potted plant in the corner, diving out of sight behind it. Fu Chin Ran's eyes rolled up in her head and she fainted. Xiao caught her and giggled to herself, pleased with her handiwork.

"That'll teach you not to promote me…" she said in a wicked tone.

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"You're doing well, daughter." Mai said, her voice encouraging and her eyes shining with pride. "Much better than I did when I was having you, I confess."

Da Qiao looked up at her mother, her eyes glazed with exhaustion and pain and bleary with tears of pain. "I… fail to see… how that is possible, mother…"

Lady Wu knelt next to her daughter-in-law and stroked her forehead. "Your mother and I have both given birth, child, so believe us when we say you are doing well. There are several tricks one can engage in to distract you from the pain."

"I'd… be happy to know a few of them… right now…" Da panted.

"To begin with, merely concentrate on something you enjoy or like."

"But… the midwife… she said I needed to concentrate on pushing." Da protested.

Mai laughed and took her daughter's hand. "My darling girl, that baby is coming whether you voluntarily push or not, I assure you. Pushing is supposed to make it easier. I know of what I speak. When I had you, I grew irritable and refused to do as the midwife asked and stopped pushing. The pain that followed was… intolerable."

"That's hard to imagine." Da admitted. "Very well, I shall find a way to keep pushing. And I shall think of distractions while I do so."

She laid her head back and closed her eyes while the midwife wiped her brow. Her thoughts eventually coalesced into images of her favourite love poems and sutras. She smiled as she pictured a fairy and the love of her life.

_Among the beautiful clouds_

_Over the heavenly river_

_Crosses the weaving maiden_

_A night of rendezvous_

_Across the autumn sky_

_Surpasses joy on earth_

_Moments of tender love and dream_

_So sad to leave the Magpie Bridge_

_Eternal love between us two_

_Shall withstand the time apart_

It was a simple poem about a fairy whose job was to weave for the Heavenly Mother. She weaved all day and all night, making clothes for gods and goddesses. She lived all alone and the Heavenly mother took pity on her and allowed her to marry a cowherd boy who lived on the west bank of the Heavenly River. The weaver girl enjoyed her marriage so much that she stopped weaving. Angered, the Heavenly Mother kidnapped the weaver and took her back across the River, allowing the girl to only go to her cowherd once a year, over a bridge formed by magpies.

It was sad and poignant, the kind of poem Da loved most. True, she also like the erotic ones, but they were a secret pleasure that none knew of. She thought of Magpie Bridge now and her heart, while it still pounded almost painfully in her chest, felt a little more serene.

Other sutras and poems flowed through her and she whispered them to herself, often through clenched teeth as she strained and flexed, determined to see this through. Another pause and her head fell back against the pillow. The midwife took her head gently and raised a cup to her lips. Da drank the tea readily, for although it was hot and her body was fairly steaming with the effort of giving birth, she was parched and needed something to replenish her body's fluids.

"It is bitter…" she murmured after she had swallowed the last few drops. "What is it?"

The midwife wiped her brow again. "The tea itself is merely a jasmine blend, but within the tea are some narcotics that will ease your suffering, child. You are far enough along in the process that there will be no harm done to the child in alleviating your pain a little."

Da smiled weakly again. "No more pain?"

"Oh, there is even more pain to come, child," the midwife said plainly. "But while your body will feel it acutely, your mind will not care as much. It will seem objective to you."

"That sounds good, I think." Da replied wearily.

"You never offered me such a concoction when I had Shang Xiang." Lady Wu said, glowering at the midwife.

"With all due respect, my lady…" the old woman said, bowing. "You were horrible to deal with and most certainly did not deserve it."

Lady Wu laughed and nodded. "It is true; I was indeed a terror that day. My poor husband, how he suffered. I always envied my sister, since she said that both Ce and Quan were easy births, quick and relatively painless."

"A lucky woman," Da Qiao said, feeling another muscle spasm coming on and readying to push. "We should all have such… good… fortune…"

She cried out in pain and clenched the midwife's hand again. Her body was rocked by another wave of yellowing agony.

"Ce!!!" she shouted as she strained for all she was worth. "Bring my husband to me! I want my Sun Ce! Please!!!"

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The men all heard the cry as it happened. The women at the door all bowed deeply and moved aside, allowing the young lord to rise and enter the room.

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"Hey, beautiful," Ce said softly as he knelt next to his wife and took her dainty hand in his. "How's my girl feeling?"

Da Qiao looked over at him and smiled, a warm and tired expression, relieved to see him.

"This… is very hard…"

"I'm sure it is," Ce replied, caressing her cheek. "But I'm told you're doing great. Better than mom, anyway."

Lady Wu huffed and looked away.

Ce looked around. "Hey, where's sis?"

"Puking behind that plant over there." Xiao said in a non-chalant tone from where she sat nearby.

Ce laughed. "It figures." He looked down at Da again. "Are you thirsty? The old hag here says you've lost a lot of water."

Da Qiao smiled again, caressing Ce's hand with her thumb. "They gave me tea with drugs in it. It still hurts a lot, but I can focus now, sort of."

Ce nodded. "Well, I'm gonna be here now, and I'm not going anywhere until this is finished, understand? I'm not leaving your side, Da."

Da Qiao's eyes glistened with tears. "Really?"

Ce smiled. "Promise. I'll hold your hand the entire time."

"Be wary of your promises, young lord," the midwife warned. "When the pain is greatest this girl will not know her own strength."

Sun Ce smirked in the old woman's direction. "You forget who you're talkin' to, lady."

The midwife shrugged and muttered, returning to assist the nurses near the bottom of the birthing bed. Ce turned his attention back to Da.

"You'll be fine, Da," he said with confidence. "You survived a halberd through your middle, you can certainly deal with this, right?"

Da nodded, but her eyes betrayed her ambivalence. "It is different, my lord… this pain isn't quite as sharp and it's not an icy, bitter pain. But it's somehow deeper and-unh!"

Da Qiao bit down her words and squeezed her eyes shut as the contractions began again. Ce smiled and squeezed her hand gently, waiting for her. Finally, her eyes fluttered open and she looked at him. She almost seemed afraid.

"My lord... I'm afraid I will not be very- ah! Very… good… conversation for the next… little while… please forgive me…"

Ce shook his head and smiled gently. "You're silly. I don't need you to talk, Da. Your eyes say everything. I know you're hurting and I know you're scared… but think about this. The harder you try now, the sooner you and I will have the world's most beautiful child."

Da's eyes flooded with tears at the realization as she gazed at him. "My lord, you will… keep talking to me?"

Ce laughed. "Isn't chattering away what I do best?"

Da Qiao nodded and then looked down her body at the waiting nurses. A determined glint came into her eyes and she nodded to herself. She would do this and when it was all over, she and Sun Ce would be holding their child. That was worth any pain.

The contraction flashed through her like a bolt of fire and she threw back her head and cried out as she pushed. "Ce!!!"

"I'm here, Da…" he said quietly, seemingly unperturbed by her sudden discomfort. His hand held hers while the other one stroked her hair. "I think this is gonna be the final push, so hang in there."

Da Qiao glared at the midwife. "I thought… you said… the tea… would ease the pain…"

"It has, my lady, I assure you."

"Then how about… you get me some more…" Da growled as she strained.

"That I cannot do, Lady Qiao."

"Why not?" Da asked, gritting her teeth. "You said… the baby... was beyond harm… at this stage… from the drugs…"

"That is true," the midwife said simply. "But any more and you would surely pass out."

"And what's the problem, exactly?" Da pleaded, squeezing her eyes shut and hissing in pain.

"If you pass out, then you won't be pushing." Sun Ce said, agreeing with the midwife.

Da Qiao's head snapped around and she glared at him. "Whose side are you on?"

Sun Ce smiled. "Our child's, of course."

"Ohhhh, you're so dead when I can walk again, mister…" Da said. "That was low."

Ce smiled and caressed her cheek. "You're nearly done, Da… concentrate."

Da took several deep breaths and began squeezing again. "The battlefield's exertions… are nothing… compared to this…"

Sun Ce shrugged. "I dunno, I fought Lu Bu and he seemed pretty-"

"Oh, shut up!" Da hissed. "Must you have an answer for everything?!"

"Would you be lying here going through this if I did?" Ce asked.

Da looked at him for a moment, her pain forgotten and her eyes welling with tears once again. She then shook her head to clear it of Ce's bafflegab and continued squeezing.

One of the nurses nodded. "She's crowning."

The midwife looked down and then back up at Da. "Lady Qiao, this is where the pain will be most intense. Your body is now committed to birthing this child and the head is coming first, as it should be. I'm sure you understand that the baby's head and shoulders, as the widest part of the body, will prove the most painful. Please keep breathing and squeezing."

Da nodded hastily, just wanting the torture to end. She gulped down air greedily, preparing herself for the anticipated pain and then gave a mighty push.

Ce nodded encouragingly. "That's it, Da, you're doing fine. I told you everything would-"

Da let out a great cry, the loudest and most wrenching yet. Her entire body tensed and her back almost arched. Her grip on Ce's hand was like an ever-tightening vice.

Ce kept talking. "It's okay, Da, you're gonna WHOAH!!!! OW!!!! DAMN!!! AHHHHHH, THAT HURTS!!!"

The young lord thrashed and keened as his wife's grip threatened to crush his hand. Her eyes were squeezed shut as she cried out while his were wide open as he squirmed.

Da Qiao twisted on her side and took Sun Ce's face in her hand. "My lord! I am so sorry! Did I injure you?"

Ce grinned at her. "Nope, not a bit."

Da Qiao looked bewildered. "What?"

Ce shrugged, obviously pleased with himself. "Hey, it made you forget about the pain, didn't it?"

Da just goggled at him, unsure of what he meant. Her confusion was broken by the sound of a high-pitched cry from somewhere below her. She turned her head to look and the midwife smiled at her with relief and warmth.

"Lady Qiao… your daughter is beautiful."

Da merely stared, almost not comprehending. She seemed numb, as if what she was hearing wasn't real. Seconds later, a tiny person wrapped in white was handed to the midwife, who smiled down at the squalling child.

"She's got your eyes, Lady Qiao. Would you like to see her?"

Da nodded and the midwife brought the girl over and handed her to the mother. With Ce at her side, Da took hold of their daughter and gazed down into their child's face. The child stopped crying almost instantly and gazed up silently, her wide bluish eyes focused on her parents. Ce slipped an arm around Da's shoulders and smiled at his wife.

"Good job, Da. The best job anyone's ever done about anything."

Da was still silent as she looked down into her daughter's deep eyes, losing herself in the wonder of the moment. Ce smiled and reached out to press a finger against one tiny hand. His daughter took hold of his finger instantly, giving it a squeeze.

The nurses and midwife were cleaning up quickly and quietly, shooing Xiao, Shang Xiang, Fu Chin Ran and the other women out the door. The midwife turned and bowed low to Sun Ce and Da Qiao.

"My nurses and I shall be in the antechamber, my lord, if you have need of us. Let us know when we can let the others in to see the child."

Then she was gone. The room was silent, except for the flickering of the fire in the hearth. The two of them sat quietly, looking down at their beautiful daughter in quiet reverie.

"How… how long was I in labour, Ce?" Da asked.

Ce thought for a moment. "Well, it's dark out and you came to me early this morning, so at least twelve hours."

Da sighed deeply as she held her daughter. "It seemed like an eternity, I admit. But now it's almost like a dream."

Sun Ce smiled. "Look, she's got silver-white hair."

Da nodded. "I wonder what that portends."

"I dunno, but it's gonna be something good, I'm sure." Ce said confidently.

"Should we let the others in?" Da asked, drawing a breath.

Ce shook his head. "Nope. They can wait. It's just gonna be the three of us for a while. Besides, I'm sure you could use a nap."

Da looked over at her husband and smiled. "I am a little tired. But I can't sleep, knowing our daughter just arrived. Sleep will find me in due course. For now, let us share this moment, my lord."

Ce nodded. "I wouldn't have it any other way. I love you, Da."

"And I you, my lord. Thank you." Da said dreamily. This was, without question, the happiest moment of her life.

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Sun Jian entered the nursery quietly. The midwife had finally pried the child away from Ce and Da and let the two of them rest, with the wife cradled into the husband's arms. Da was sound asleep within minutes, no doubt exhausted by her travails over the past day.

The midwife was sitting quietly in a corner, fussing over some medications to help Da's body in the days to come when Sun Jian entered. She paused in her labours, bowed deferentially and exited the room, giving him some private time with his new granddaughter.

He walked quietly up to the small wooden crib that had been constructed for the child and gazed down. The baby was asleep, its head turned to one side as it slumbered. He smiled and just stared for several minutes, lost in wonder. He had always expected to see grandchildren, but now that one was here, it seemed almost unreal to him. Was he actually a grandfather?

For twenty years now, he had been a warrior. He was proud to be a father as well, progenitor of gifted and mighty children, each unique and fated to some grand destiny, he was sure. But then he looked down at the tiny and helpless person before him and he remembered all over again what it truly meant to be alive. Happiness would never be found in honour or glory on the battlefield- Sun Jian's true joy was to be patriarch of a great family, with children and grandchildren to dote on and please into his old age.

But the world was a dark and dangerous place, full of turmoil and strife. What kind of a world would it be for his granddaughter to live in if he let the terrible wars continue unabated? Was she to live in isolation in Wuchang, never knowing of the lands outside her own borders?

The child stirred and woke, blinking and slowly turning to gaze up at him. Sun Jian did not know if the baby could see him, but he was certain she knew he was there.

_Yes, child… I am your grandfather, Sun Jian. You are my perhaps my greatest achievement, in a way. Your father and I, your mother, your aunt and uncles, we shall fight many terrible wars in your name. And we shall bring peace to the land. But it will not be for ourselves; no, my dear girl, it shall be for you. With every last fibre of my being, I shall bring this land to heel in your name. China shall be whole and you will know peace, whatever the cost to myself. This is my debt and vow to you…_

He smiled warmly and reached down into the crib, and picked the child up. He held her in the crook of one arm and poked her gently with a finger.

Her tiny fingers took hold of him and squeezed. She knew exactly who he was.

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**Author's Notes: **Just a couple of things. I've been writing for a long long time and I don't ever recall trying to write a birthing scene before. Hopefully it wasn't too terrible. I vascillated for some time about whether Da actually hurt Ce or not during her final push and how comical it might be to have the normally unflappable Sun Ce squealing like a little girl. However funny the notion struck me, there are only so many times such a gag can work and I've got some better ones planned for down the road.

Beyond that, I still have to name the child. Nowhere in _Sanguo_ is Ce and Da's daughter given a name. Since she hasn't appeared in the Dyansty Warriors games yet, that's no help either.

So tell you what- by the next update, I need to have a name. I'm going to be ruminating about the subect, but if any of you have any suggestions, leave them in a comment or PM me with your idea. If I choose your suggested name, full credit will be given.

_Zengbie_!


	19. Chapter 19

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 16 – An Unpopular War**

It had been a difficult month for the lord of Jiang Dong. Since Da Qiao had given birth to a beautiful baby girl named Kai-ying, Sun Jian had been forced to divide his time between ruling his fief, doting on his granddaughter and preparing for war. It was this last task that was proving most difficult, not merely because war was always costly and required pain-staking attention and detail, but because he had been forced to do so very quietly.

Sun Jian had not told any of his children or his closest advisors about Lord Yuan Shu's missive ordering him to attack Liu Biao in Jing. The reasoning for this was simple enough, if somewhat selfish- Sun Jian wished to spend as much time with his grandchild as possible. If he mobilized his troops and prepared to march to war, he would never see her, not to mention that his son, Ce would feel obligated to spend time away from his wife and daughter.

Sun Jian, therefore, quietly began a mobilization and training regimen. He initiated recruiting drives and his plan was to bring the regiments and battalions devastated by the war against Dong Zhuo back up to strength. Some of them had to be expanded, while others had been nearly wiped out. Rather than disbanding them, he resolved to rebuild them in honour of their valiant commanders and the fallen. The Sun family was known for its fierce loyalty and familial bonds, considering those who served them well to be honourary members.

Still, Sun Jian did what he could to get away from the demands of ruling and see the newest addition to his clan. He delighted in returning from the training grounds and taking his granddaughter in his arms, or sitting on his throne and just holding her while she stared up at him. Her eyes were a deep blue-green and her hair was an amazing shade of silver.

Today was such a day. He had gone several bouts with both Huang Gai and Lu Meng and while he eventually triumphed in both cases, he was extremely fatigued and more than a little battered. He took great pride that there was no warrior in Jiang Dong that could match him, except for Sun Ce and Zhou Yu; he would readily admit that their might in arms exceeded his own.

He wearily pushed the doors to his great hall open and walked towards his throne, every fibre of his being aching. His servants and wife bowed dutifully as he slumped into his throne and sighed loudly, releasing the tensions of the day's exercises.

"_Great gods…am I already so old that I cannot keep up such a pace? Did I not triumph over both the doughty Huang Gai and the younger Lu Meng? Maybe I should test myself against Ling Cao's son… his speed is incredible. Or maybe against Ce; surely I will be thrashed, but perhaps in my defeat I will become stronger. Above all, I must be strong. So much of the future rides on my ability to conduct these upcoming wars. If my granddaughter is to know a land of peace, I must be strong."_

No sooner had he thought of his granddaughter than Da Qiao came into the great hall, her child in her arms. She bowed to her father-in-law and smiled warmly. Sun Jian grinned and she brought the baby to him. His aches and pains forgotten, he lifted the child into the air and then held her close, letting her grab his finger.

"She is strong and healthy, Da," the lord said quietly, pleased. "She is growing rapidly too, I see."

Da smiled serenely, still glowing. "She has her father and grandfather to thank for that, my lord. She will be the first of many children I hope to bear the mighty Sun family."

"I am forever in your debt, my lady." Sun Jian said, stepping down the dais and smiling as he cupped Da's cheek in his hand. "You are like a daughter to me, and my family's future shines with you as its future mistress."

Da Qiao blushed and then smiled. Sun Jian had always been like a father to her and she loved him dearly. She revered him for his magnanimity and strength, but also his cheerful disposition and paternal instincts. His children were a handful and he never seemed to waver or falter when dealing with them.

She watched as he played with his granddaughter and at first she was very pleased, but then a dark, nagging suspicion began to grow in her mind. She watched his eyes and knew that something was amiss. His face, always so honest and expressive, could not adequately hide his emotions- he was looking at his granddaughter as if he were memorizing the sight of her, as if a separation were imminent. What was it that was troubling the lord of Jiang Dong?

Was he ill? No, he was the model of health. Only two men in the entire fief were his match on the battlefield and although he complained about aches and pains, she knew these were ephemeral. Sun Jian was only in his mid-thirties and physically in excellent shape.

If he was not ill, there was only one other answer that presented itself…

War.

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Sun Ce was walking down the hallway of his father's palace, pondering some lines he had read in a tactics manual that morning. His knowledge of small and large-unit tactics was superlative, so he had finally concluded that his weak area was his understanding of logistics.

Tactics could win a battle, but logistics was what won wars. This was plainly clear from Sun Tzu's writings- the army that was well-fed and maintained good supply lines would eventually triumph in a prolonged campaign. When the enemy was short on rations or far from home, you made them use their supplies; the troops would go hungry, discipline would break down and morale would suffer. Individual men of exceptional character could fight on an empty stomach, but the army had yet to be raised that could do the same.

Zhou Yu no doubt had an acute insight into these issues. Ce would have to bring the matter up over wine at some point. He let his mind wander, thinking back to the campaigns against the Yellow Turbans and Dong Zhuo. Knowing what he did now, is there anything he would have done differently, from a logistics point of view?

His brow furrowed as he thought of the treachery of Yuan Shu and the resulting initial defeat at Tiger Trap Pass. It seemed fairly obvious that Jiang Dong's army should always strive to be in charge of its own supplies, just in case such a matter arose again.

Tactically speaking, they had taken several unorthodox risks, but Ce remained convinced that they were also the best choices available. Sometimes risks were the only path to success. Sun Tzu preached minimizing risk, but his manuals were not terribly helpful when it came to risking it all when no other choice presented itself.

He thought of the changes that modern warfare had brought to China- gone were chariot armies, replaced by fleet cavalry battalions, and while infantry still provided the backbone of any army, gone also were days of legions of massed soldiers, hurling themselves into one another on a gore-soaked battlefield. Tactical finesse carried the day, not sheer force of arms.

Zhou Yu had expressed great interest in the ballista and catapults Ce had shown him from that Roman general's biography on the _Gallic Campaigns._ He was excited by the prospect of replacing simple manpower with even more simple mechanical principals. A catapult crew that could devastate a fortification's wall now required as few as twelve men, whereas previously it had required nearly five times that number. Always adept at mathematics, Zhou Yu was busy working out the details of such a device and hope to have a working prototype within the next hundred-

_Danger… a fighting spirit…_

Ce smiled and leaned to one side as he passed an alcove. The assailant leapt out and slashed at him, missing and stumbling. With another cry, they launched themselves from their knees and attacked him again. The young warrior effortlessly dodged the attack and spun around his foe, the smirk still on his face. The would-be attacker slammed into the wall with a _thump!_ but rebounded and assailed him again.

"Hey, Da, what's up?" Ce asked, casually avoiding her strikes, his hands clasped behind his back. He received no answer as his wife continued to swipe at him with her large, ornate battle fans. She was graceful and sweeping with her strokes, promising to bifurcate him if she connected.

Not that there was any chance of this happening.

Her intent was obvious and her determination admirable. Ce had to smile. Da spun and struck low, her leg sweeping out to trip him. Ce merely lifted his leg and her foot passed beneath. She couldn't slow herself and ended up facing away from him, _and_ below. She squeaked in panic and rolled away, turning around and launching herself once again at him.

Her fans could not seem to connect so she threw one at him to force him into a defensive stance. With blinding speed, she followed the projectile in, her leg thrusting forward in a vicious kick. Ce merely bent backwards, allowing both the fan and her kick to pass over his body harmlessly. He rolled backward into a standing position, his hands still behind his back. He seemed mildly amused. Da panted and glared at him, her fists held up in a defiant sign of determination. Her eyes flashed with deadly intent while his glinted with humour. She couldn't believe he was enjoying himself!

She threw herself at him, but it was a feint! As he slid to his left with ridiculous ease, she rushed forward and retrieved her thrown fan, which had impacted the far wall and fallen unceremoniously to the ground. She whirled around with a flourish, a triumphant smile on her face.

"Ha!" she declared.

Ce wasn't there. She dropped her fans in confusion, wondering where he had gone.

"Behind you, Da."

She yelped in fright and whirled around, swinging her fans in desperation, but Ce had already spun low and stood up in the direction she had originally been facing…

But not before giving her a pat on the butt.

Da Qiao lunged in again, trying to feint and lead Ce in one direction while actually striking from another. Ce went in neither direction but stepped backward, causing her to cross her fans and block her view of him with their wide spread. She cried out in frustration and thrust them forward, but Ce had already ducked and spun around one side. She twisted to strike but got tangled in her own feet and fell over, landing in a heap.

He had to give her credit, she didn't pause for even a moment- she did a handspring into a backflip and was facing him again. She stepped in and pirouetted, one fan striking high while the other swept low, hoping to force him to divide his defence. Unfortunately, Ce had already guessed her intent in mid-spin and merely brought his arms forward, catching her wrists on his in a simple _chu_ block. Her arms stopped, Da Qiao thrust forward with a kick, but Ce had sidestepped it already. She slammed her head toward his, trying to headbutt him, but he ducked. With a cry of triumph, her already outthrust leg wheeled around, to connect her knee with his face; but Ce had pivoted and now caught the instep of her foot with his back before her attack gained momentum. Her hands were still blocked and she was now standing on one leg with the other pinned against his broad shoulders. She could not pull back without losing her balance, so she stood there, hopping on one leg and wondering what to do. Aside from spit on him, she didn't have many options left.

Ce decided for her. He pressed one of his knees into the back of hers. She squeaked and crumpled, twisting and falling of her stomach. Her hands and fans were trapped beneath her and the one leg was still held aloft, but now was hooked over his shoulder. She flushed crimson, realizing that he had a wonderful view of her underwear at the moment.

"Well, that was fun." Ce quipped, smiling down at her and patting her behind. She squealed and struggled to right herself, but Ce merely leaned forward a little, pressing her hooked leg down, pinning her harder. She panted, exhausted from her dismal attacks. She knew Ce was good, but he had made her defeat seem so effortless. Was he _that_ good or was she worse than she had imagined?

An evil grin slowly crept over Ce's face. Her eyes went wide at what he said next:

"Well, as long as I've got you down there…"

She squealed and struggled wildly again, but he was already reaching for her…

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Da Qiao hobbled down the hallway, more exhausted than she had felt in some time. Her clothes and hair were a mess, slick and matted with sweat. While other parts of her… she flushed in embarrassment as she thought of what other parts of her were covered in. Her body both ached and tingled as she staggered wearily towards the (relative) safety of Baifu.

"_That… was just terrible… and utterly wonderful…" _she said to herself. _"My attacks, while an utter failure, did see me rewarded in an unexpected way… but still, the humiliation… what if someone had seen us?! We were right there in the hallway!"_

She shivered and sighed as she remembered, still ambivalent as to the results of her little scheme.

"_Note to self… do not attack Ce again…target other generals, any other generals, but not Ce…he was no help whatsoever in my attempt to become a better warrior…"_

Back to the drawing board…

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"She did what?" Sun Jian asked, looking somewhat incredulous.

"She attacked me in the twenty-first hall." Ce said simply, shrugging as if it were not at all unusual or unheard of for Da Qiao to do this sort of thing.

"Was she drunk again?" Sun Jian asked, still not quite understanding why this had happened.

"No, I don't think so," Ce replied. "This was nothing like the time she threw herself at me while she was drunk."

"She attacked you. Who won?" asked the patriarch. His response was a raised eyebrow. "Right, stupid question. But why? That's what I cannot figure out."

"Actually, I was comin' to ask you that, pop." Ce replied, obviously ready to get to the purpose of his visit to the great hall.

"You came to ask _me_? Why would I know?" Sun Jian asked, perplexed.

Ce nodded. "There's only one reason I can think of. Da's always worried about how she will perform on the battlefield. So obviously she's testing herself against the people she needs to be able to stand alongside and fight with."

Sun Jian's stomach grew cold as he realized where Ce was heading.

"And she wouldn't be worryin' about that if there weren't a war imminent, would she, pop?"

Sun Jian said nothing.

Sun Ce sighed. "It's Yuan Shu, isn't it? He wants us to make war on Liu Biao and remove the threat to his rear."

Sun Jian took a deep breath and then nodded. "But how did Da Qiao know? I have told nobody. I've been very subtle in my preparations."

Ce shrugged. "I have no idea why she knows. But the point is, that she knew and she came to test herself against me. If you've got a war brewin', you need to tell me."

Sun Jian nodded heavily. He had to accept that he was just not good at this secrecy and duplicity thing. He was simply too readable.

"It is true, son. Yuan Shu has ordered me to march against Liu Biao. I understand your concerns for your wife's safety, given that she so recently gave birth to your daughter. Rest assured, I will see that she does not march to war."

Ce shook his head. "It's not just that, pop… the fact of the matter is, we shouldn't fight this war."

Sun Jian was stunned. His eldest son was the last person he had expected to hear protests from. Ce, who was always spoiling for a fight, now objected to warring with Liu Biao?

"What do you mean, son?" the lord of Jiang Dong asked, his face betraying his amazement.

"I mean that we should not fight this war." Ce reiterated. "It is not a good war for us to fight."

"You think we are not strong enough to face and defeat that wretch Liu Biao?" demanded Sun Jian.

"That's not it, pop. I'm sayin' that no one's gonna be interested in fighting a war on Yuan Shu's behalf. He may be the regional overlord, but nobody's forgotten his treachery back at Tiger Trap Pass. What's in this for Jiang Dong? We don't even border Jing."

Sun Jian coloured slightly. "I readily admit that I am surprised at you, boy. Normally you're the first to jump into a fight. If you wish to remain behind to spend more time with your child, then I can understand that and-"

"No, that's not it." Ce insisted. "This war is not in Jiang Dong's best interests, father. Were you promised control of Jing if we triumphed?"

"That is not the issue, Ce." Sun Jian replied firmly, refusing to be cornered. "The issue is that our overlord gave us an imperative and we are duty-bound to follow it."

"The sooner we are rid of the overlord, the better, then." Ce said. "What use is our adherence to the ideal of the Imperial Seal in our possession if we will not overthrow those who seek to undermine us?"

"You speak of teachery, boy. You would have us act in so base a manner?"

"Father, sooner or later, we will have to rebel and throw off _somebody's_ shackles, be it Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Cao Cao or Dong Zhuo. Whoever it is, we will have to rebel."

"Then what difference is there between ourselves and these men, Ce?" Sun Jian asked, a pained look in his eyes.

Ce's eyes flashed with certainty. "Because _we _do not seek our own aggrandizement, like they do, father. We wish to defend the people, to let them live happy contented lives. We protect Jiang Dong and if we must protect all of China that way, then we'll do it. But this war you've been asked to wage… it's for Yuan Shu's benefit. Yeah, we hate Liu Biao for what he did, but he's not a bad ruler and he's not terrorizing his populace."

Sun Jian said nothing, just staring.

Ce sigh drew a deep breath. "Father, you know me, I'm always looking for a good fight, but we're bein' manipulated here. If we conquer Jing for Yuan Shu, his powerbase grows. He's gonna declare the Han dead and try to make himself emperor. And we already know he fears you, so if he sends you on a campaign against Liu Biao, he'll also weaken Jiang Dong with further losses. It's a win-win situation for him and we get nothing."

Sun Jian closed his eyes and just thought. Ce waited patiently, knowing better than to disturb his father. He knelt and closed his own eyes, letting his rising emotions go and finding his calm center. Several minutes later, Sun Jian finally opened his eyes and looked at his eldest child, his heir.

"My son, you are correct in your assessment. Yuan Shu is manoeuvring us for his own benefit and hoping to weaken us as well. This war is not to Jiang Dong's advantage."

Sun Ce nodded.

"However, I will not have it said that Sun Jian shirks his duties and flees from a fight." Sun Jian continued, his eyes hard. "We broke the Coalition against Dong Zhuo and there are many who are still suspicious of us for doing so. If we are going to have allies in our wars to pacify the land, then we must have allies. If we refuse our overlord's command, we will never have their faith or good will."

Ce said nothing, just listening to his father.

"I know you feel very strongly about this, Ce, but I am the lord of Jiang Dong and it is my determination that we shall perform our duty as it has been laid out for us. The Sun family will make war on Liu Biao and he shall pay for his misdeeds to us."

Ce bowed low and nodded. "Of course, father. I have expressed my concerns and you have made your decision. You have my full support, even if I do not agree with your reasoning."

Sun Jian sighed heavily and smiled. "Thank you, Ce. Your loyalty means everything to me."

Ce rose and ascended the dais to the foot of his father's throne, where he humbly touched his hand to the patriarch's foot. "You always have my loyalty, father. I will question you to make sure you have considered all options, but I will always obey you."

Sun Jian nodded. "Then call the generals together. We must prepare for war."

Ce turned to walk out and find the commanders when his father stayed him with one final question that he needed answered.

"Ce, I know that Da Qiao lost, but how did she do?"

Ce shrugged. "She lasted longer than she should've, her tiny outfit kept distracting me."

Sun Jian thought about that for a moment and then went pale. "Ce, where did she attack you?"

His answer was a sly smile. "In the Twenty-First Hall, why?"

The patriarch shook his head slowly in disbelief and then mild disgust. "What if someone had seen you, man?"

Ce laughed. "Then she _really_ would have learned her lesson, wouldn't she?"

Sun Jian pinched his eyes wearily. "Disgusting…"

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The war council had been a stormy one, with hardly anyone agreeing about anything. Several commanders expressed Ce's concerns about the war being pointless and little more than a power-grab by Yuan Shu at no cost to himself; others insisted that Jiang Dong was not ready for another campaign so soon after the debacle of the Coalition against Dong Zhuo.

Sun Jian listened to all of their points quietly. He then informed each person who had raised a concern that it was their responsibility to fix the problem so that they could heed their overlord's commands. They had two weeks to return with their ideas.

Even though all the commanders were now aware of the plan, preparations were still made as quietly and subtly as possible. One of the easiest ways to achieve victory was to make sure Liu Biao and his allies did not know of Jiang Dong's intent.

Training continued at a normal pace but the units previously depleted were being replenished at an accelerated rate. Given that there was piracy happening off the coast, few other lords would question Sun Jian's motives. It was well-known that Jiang Dong had suffered heavy casualties during the Coalition campaign against Dong Zhuo.

Ling Cao's corps was back at full-strength, along with Zhou Yu's battalion and Sun Ce's. Shang Xiang's unit, of course, was somewhat harder to fill, due to the gender issue. Recruiting four hundred and fifty women to become elite warriors was no small task. However, the Bow-hipped Princess was beloved by all of Jiang Dong, and female volunteers were surprisingly common. Fu Chin Ran had her hands full teaching the new recruits how to ride, use bows and wield a blade. She was working hard but seemed confident that the new battalion would be a credit to its leader.

Shang Xiang's amazons also sported new equipment, after a fashion; the warriors, once inducted, were all given necklaces made of tiger's teeth and claws, along with tiger skins, taken from the field of battle at Hu Lao Gate. Shang Xiang herself kept the tusk from the _Xiang_ they had fought and had it carved into sword hilts for her and her commanders. She also gave fangs, claws and an ivory hilt to Da Qiao, who, while no longer part of the unit, was a former battle-sister and more than a little responsible for their victory at Hu Lao Gate.

Da Qiao was looking at herself in a mirror, wearing the uniform and emblems of the Valiant Cavaliers. With Huang Gai's cheerful permission, she had hybridized the standard cavalryman's gear with the gifts of Shang Xiang. She thought that the necklace of teeth and claws looked unusual and disconcertingly ferocious, but she was also secretly pleased with it. This also applied to the sash of tiger skin that adorned her waist. The ivory-hilted _jian_ sword that hung on her hip felt awkward, but she knew that she would need to learn to fight with it if she were to be a real commander. True, her fans would always be her principal weapons, but she had to be adept with other arms.

She sighed as she thought of the campaign to come- it seemed like they had only _just _returned from warring against Dong Zhuo. It was hard to believe it had been eight months since their homecoming and a month since Kai-ying had been born. Did they really have to return to war so soon? It seemed as if the gods were laughing at them and their yearning for peace and quiet, while exalting the terrible desires of beasts such as Dong Zhuo.

She looked away from the mirror and over at the ornate cradle that held her daughter. The girl was sleeping peacefully, blissfully unaware of the turmoil of the world that surrounded her. Da sighed and gently stroked her tiny hand before returning to the mirror and continuing to assess herself.

"_If there are wars to be fought, then I shall wage them with all possible speed and determination. My daughter's future must know peace. At any cost I will ensure an age of tranquility for her. Lord Ce, let us fight for our future!"_

_-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- _

Huang Gai looked shocked. "My lord, you cannot be serious!" the brawny old warrior exclaimed. He couldn't believe his ears.

Sun Jian nodded slowly, his face grave. "I am afraid so, my old friend. Your corps will not be campaigning against Liu Biao. You will stay to defend the capital."

Almost shaking with repressed outrage, Huang Gai rose to his feet and looked at his liege squarely. "My lord, I have served your family for three generations! My corps has ever formed the backbone of your armies and spearheaded your campaigns! Why would you now seek to leave me out of the action? What wrong have I done you?"

"None, general. You are correct in your testimony of your service. You served my father faithfully and you no doubt remember our days in Wu better than I do. But this time I fear I must leave you behind."

Huang Gai sputtered, his great hands clenching in confusion. "But… why my corps? Of all the units that fought against Dong Zhuo, mine suffered least! Would it not make sense to leave Ling Cao behind instead while his corps is rebuilt?"

Sun Jian drew a deep breath. "Huang Gai, it is somewhat more difficult than that. The reason for leaving your behind is not so obvious although I believe it to be every bit as vital."

"And what, my lord, would that be?" the old veteran growled.

Sun Jian closed his eyes and spoke quietly. "Because if you go, then I cannot keep Da Qiao from going on the campaign."

Huang Gai was struck dumb for a moment. When he realized what his lord was saying he struggled with the issue, weighing what he might respond with. Of all the reasons he might have been left behind, he had never considered this.

Several seconds passed before he squeezed his eyes shut and knelt before Sun Jian, his palm flat against the floor.

"I… I understand, my lord. The child is the future of your family and our glorious people. Lady Qiao must remain and therefore, I shall remain. I… submit to your wisdom and need on this matter."

Sun Jian sighed heavily and smiled. "Huang Gai, thank you. I am forever in your debt for understanding. It is only a minor consolation, I am sure, but I would be honoured if you would become a ward of my granddaughter and her official guardian."

Huang Gai nodded his head. "The honour is mine, my lord. Thank you."

"I leave Wuchang in your hands, my friend. I shall march with my children to war against an enemy of our family. Ce, Quan and Shang Xiang shall be at my side. I leave Kuang and my daughter-in-law in your hands. Guard them well."

Sun Jian rose and strode from the hall in a swish of red cape. There was much to prepare.

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Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were standing at the edge of the field, watching as the men, stripped of their shirts and sweating in the hot afternoon sun, began loading a huge rock into a sling.

"Will you look at that…" Ce said quietly, smiling. "A full compliment of artillery men, now working five times as many rock-throwers; each one capable of doing as much damage as one of our older models."

"More, perhaps." Zhou Yu added, his arms folded as he watched the unfolding scene. "The rate of fire will also be greater. Let us see what happens."

As they watched, the catapult crews targeted an old fort, long abandoned and commonly used for such practice. One wall and the gatehouse still stood firm and it was on these objects that the artillery was now trained.

"I know we normally try to conserve on such fortifications, but I believe this represents such a leap forward in our technology that it will be worth the sacrifice." Zhou Yu said.

Ce laughed. "Hey, it's only an old fort… go ahead, have a little fun!"

They waited while the crews readied the great rocks and got them locked into position. Zhou Yu drew his ancient curved sword and held it aloft. The artillerymen held their commander's signal.

Zhou Yu's sword whirled in the air above his head once and then swept down.

The first catapult released its payload, sending the rock hurtling toward the fortress. There was a dull, reverberating boom as it impacted on the wall. Ce and his friend watched as the crew scrambled to load another rock. The time required was astonishing- relying on the counterweight to assist the crew, another projectile was loaded and waiting in less than a minute.

Zhou Yu whirled his sword around his head several times and then dropped it. All five catapults released their deadly missiles simultaneously and the wall shuddered and crumbled under the brutal assault. The crew loaded their weapons again and fired, keeping up a constant barrage of rocks. Great plumes of dust and debris hung in their air around the fort. Some minutes later, when the catapults were out of ammunition and the dust had settled, nothing remained of the fort but a pile of rubble.

Zhou Yu nodded in satisfaction. "Never let it be said that mathematics and geometry are the domain of the effete and ineffective."

Ce laughed and clapped his friend on the shoulder. "The thought never crossed my mind. As soon as we can fit wheels on those things to make them mobile, we'll be in great shape."

Zhou Yu turned to look at Sun Ce, his eyes widening in incredulity. "Wheels? Wheels! Ce, you're a genius!"

Ce smiled and shrugged. "Just don't let that get out, I've got a reputation to protect, ya know."

Zhou Yu went back to watching the catapult crews. "Huang Gai is not going."

Ce nodded, the point of his friend's statement implicitly understood. "Yeah, but I guess it has to be done, hm? I wonder who'll take it harder…"

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Da Qiao was sitting in the nursery, facing into a corner, her eyes blank. She had not left for several hours and really felt no particular need to see anybody. She was vaguely annoyed when she sensed two people behind her in the doorway to the room.

"May we come in, Da?" Shang Xiang asked. Her response was a shrug. Shang Xiang and Da's younger sister Xiao entered the room quietly and sat in chairs not far from Da. They waited patiently, to see if she would speak.

"I assume you two argued on my behalf?" she asked quietly.

The two girls looked at each other and then back at Da, unable to respond.

"I see," Da Qiao whispered. "Am I that great a hindrance in battle, then?"

"That's not it at all, Da, and you know it." Shang Xiang said finally. "How do you think Huang Gai feels?"

"Wronged and slighted, I would imagine." Da replied reasonably. She wasn't going to let them squirm out of this one with petty justifications. "How else could he be expected to feel?"

"If I could let you go in my place, I would." Xiao said, hopefully conciliatory.

Da Qiao shook her head. "If they do not want me campaigning and fighting, why promote me? What respect will I get form my men if I have no opportunity to lead them? Why give them to me at all? Are they amusing me, keeping my pretty little head occupied and filled with girlish fantasies and delights? How do you expect me to feel?"

"A little more appreciative, maybe." Shang Xiang replied, slightly annoyed. "Has it occurred to you that this is not about you?"

Da Qiao spun around in her chair. Her eyes were wet but flashed with anger. "It can only be about me, Shang Xiang! There is no other reason for Huang Gai's corps to be left behind! If they do not wish to see me fighting, then strip me of my rank and send me back to being a simple woman, a breeder for the glorious Sun family!"

Shang Xiang's hand flashed out and cracked across Da's cheek. Xiao gasped in shock while Da placed her palm against her red skin. Her eyes were wide with bewilderment and flooding with tears. Had Shang Xiang really just done that?

"Snap out of it and stop being a selfish bitch!" Shang Xiang said harshly. "It's not about you, Da, it's about your daughter! Ce, Quan and I are all riding to war with my father! Kuang doesn't have the head to be ruler if anything happens to us all! If you go along with us and we all die, what will happen to Kai-ying then?!"

Da Qiao just continued to stare at Shang Xiang, who took a deep breath and mastered herself.

"Da, you or Ce have to remain behind to look after your daughter. Are you _really_ going to suggest that Ce should be the one stuck back here looking after a small, squirming thing? He'll misplace your kid five minutes after we leave Wuchang, you know that."

Xiao couldn't help but giggle at the image.

Shang Xiang sighed and took Da's hand in hers, stroking it lovingly. "Your child is the future of our family, Da. There will be other wars for you to fight. Are you so addicted to battle and command that Kai-ying does not come first in your estimation or priorities? Because if that is so, then you should _not_ be in command and you should go home to your own family forthwith. The Sun family needs strong mothers, not another damned warrior."

Da Qiao nodded, knowing the truth of Shang Xiang's words. What had she been thinking? Had she waited her whole life to lead men into battle and gain glory? No. Had she dreamt since she was able to walk of bearing heirs to a great lord and being the most revered mother in all the land?

"Shang Xiang, I'm so sorry…" she said, crystalline tears trickling down her red cheeks. "I… I don't know what came over me. I guess I was just used to always riding by Ce's side into danger and it never occurred to me that Lord Sun Jian might-"

"Actually, it was at Ce's insistence that you are left behind, Da." Shang Xiang interrupted.

Da Qiao's eyes widened in shock. "Ce's… but… but why?"

Xiao rolled her eyes. "Please, sis, this one's so simple even _I_ can figure it out! He's being possessive and overprotective, dummy!"

Da looked at her sister in confusion. "What?"

Xiao shook her head. "I think you rattled her brains loose when you slapped her, Shang. Sis, Ponytail-boy is protecting you and your daughter from harm! Remember how when we first started fighting alongside him and Zhou Yu, they'd always try to get us to stand behind them so they could protect us?"

Da nodded. Shang Xiang frowned. "Ponytail-boy?"

Xiao ingnored Shang Xiang's apparent confusion. "Well, Lord Sun Ce is a proud daddy now and he doesn't want any harm coming to you or his daughter. It's that simple. Have you seen how he's been walking around here with his chest all puffed out and so darn proud of himself this past month? Everyone's ready to hit him!"

"So… he's just being… protective?" Da asked.

Shang Xiang and Xiao both nodded.

Da Qiao looked out a window, her eyes distant and a flush of warm colour replacing the sore redness in her cheeks. "That's so sweet…"

"Yeah, it makes me want to puke too…" Shang Xiang said grimly. "In any event, I think my father overreacted a little in making Huang Gai's whole corps remain behind because of you. Would you really have tried to come along?"

Da took a deep breath. "Without that explanation and a whack across the face, I might have," she admitted. "At least you two could talk some sense into me before I did anything stupid."

Xiao smiled. "That's what I'm here for!"

"No argument there." Shang Xiang said dryly. "Look, Da, you know I'd love it if you came along, right? You're a reasonably good fighter and you're going to be a fine commander. I'm always proud to fight alongside you…" As she said this, she reached out and traced her fingers along the fang and claw necklace that Da was wearing. Her hand came to rest on Da's cheek and she caressed it gently.

"There's just something more important now, something only you are fit to deal with. My family's future rides in that little crib over there, and by the same token, on your shoulders. If Xiao here has a kid with Zhou Yu, it's the heir of a simple noble family. If I ever have a child, common tradition dictates that they will never be head of our family. But you… your daughter is my family's heir, if anything happens to Ce. That needs to be addressed very carefully and with all the loving attention you have."

Da Qiao sighed and took Shang Xiang's hand in hers, kissing it. "I'm glad you were able to talk some sense into me, Shang."

The Sun girl smiled warmly. "Just returning a favour you once did me on the battlefield several months ago, Da. If it weren't for you being so level-headed, none of us might be here right now."

Da leaned forward and hugged the two girls, finally drawing a deep breath and nodding. "Just promise me you'll all hurry back, okay?"

Shang Xiang laughed. "Of course. I wouldn't want to keep your husband from you, after all. We're all women here and we know how irksome that can be."

Xiao nodded. "Do you want to borrow Hanwei while I'm gone?" she asked.

Da looked at her for a moment in utter bewilderment and then shook her head, returning her attention to Shang Xiang. "I will miss Ce, it is true. It will be so deadly dull around here without all of you."

Shang Xiang smiled slyly. "I understand Ce made things interesting for you in the Twenty-First Hall the other day, though."

Da Qiao's eyes widened in horror. Xiao looked confused. "What? What happened in the Twenty-First Hall?"

Da protested but Shang Xiang relayed the tale to Xiao, who listened in fascination. She then asked her sister even more questions, coaxing all the gory details out of her.

When Da had finished explaining, she huffed and looked put out. "Can you believe he actually did that to me?"

Xiao nodded. "Yeah, but… wow… you're a total freak, sis."

Da's eyes flew open in shock at the statement. "ME?! WHY AM I A FREAK?!"

Shang Xiang nodded, concurring with Xiao. "Yeah, now that Xiao outs it that way, I agree. For a prim and proper girl, you've got some serious domination issues, girly. I never figured you for the fetish type, I admit."

"But… but… he…" Da protested.

"But now that I think back over things, it all makes perfect sense." Shang Xiang continued, heedless of Da's discomfort. "Face it, you could have escaped at any point, really, but you didn't even try. I know how loud you can be, we would have all heard you if you'd been genuinely trying to get away."

Xiao Qiao nodded in self-righteous agreement. "Freak."

Da just buried her face in her hands. "Don't you two have a war to fight?" she asked miserably.

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The bedchamber was quiet and the flames of the braziers burned low, adding a dim ochre light to the room. Da Qiao was nestled against Ce's chest, her eyes peering off into the dark as she toyed a finger across his chest.

Ce smiled down at her and caressed her raven hair with his hand. "Hey."

She nodded almost imperceptibly in response. "Hey."

"You're not mad, are you?" he asked.

She was silent for a moment. "No, not really. I wish people had consulted with me before making the decision, I suppose. It might have saved me a slapped face."

Ce smiled. "Please, you know as well as I do that if you'd been told in council in front of the others there would have been hell to pay. At least this way it simply looks like Huang Gai's corps has drawn the unlucky assignment of guarding Wuchang."

Da blushed slightly and nuzzled down further against him. "Do you really think I would have thrown a tantrum?"

Ce shrugged. "Would you have?"

Da sighed and didn't answer, going back to looking into some darkened corner of their room. "Thank you, I suppose, for thinking of me, Ce. I mean, that's obvious, of course, but I also know you're being protective of us and our future. We're like a real family now."

"That's right." Ce agreed, nodding. "I've gotta look out for you, more now than ever."

"Do you think I'll ever make it onto the battlefield again?" she asked.

Ce stroked her cheek thoughtfully. "I imagine so. It's not like my father to promote someone uselessly; when he does that sort of thing, it's usually some bureaucrat who's bein' sent to the edge of the fief, far away from Wuchang. You're proving to be a capable commander, Da. We just don't need you this time around."

"I will miss fighting alongside you, my lord." Da said quietly. "I know that sounds strange, but I will."

Ce chuckled. "I'll kinda miss havin' you there, Da. Don't worry, there'll be more wars to fight, I promise you that."

Da nodded.

"Just remember to thank my father for keeping you here, if you know what I mean." Ce said slyly.

Da Qiao nodded again. She knew exactly what he meant.

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Da Qiao whirled about and swung low with one fan, the other raised high in a parry. Her foe leapt with surprising agility, allowing the fan to pass beneath his feet. The keen blade flashed down and she caught it on the frame of her fan. She knew she could not match his strength, but with the momentum slowed, she rolled away and came to her feet, her fans flared wide to conceal her stance.

Sun Jian eyed the girl warily, his sword held in front of him. She had come out of nowhere and attacked him. Her speed was impressive, as was her determination. She lacked finesse, but she often struck wildly and unpredictably, making her more dangerous than someone of her general skill level should have been. Her eyes flashed defiantly. Nearby, two guards just watched in quiet disbelief.

Da skipped forward, still concealing her stances and then her foot flashed out from between the fans, driving at Sun Jian's sternum. He twisted deftly, letting her kick pass to the outside of his guard while his sword thrust forward, glancing off the fan that guarded her torso. The force, however, was enough to arch her back and she fell backwards into a somersault. Sun Jian made to follow up but her feet collided with him as she backflipped, stalling him. He waited while she righted herself and spread her fans with a deadly flourish.

Sun Jian's eyes narrowed. He knew this was proving harder than it should have been and he was aware of the fact that it was because Da was his daughter-in-law. She was not so good yet that she should be giving him this hard a time, but he could never bring himself to be decisive enough to finish the fight the way he might have. He knew that Da was training to become a better warrior and testing herself against the best Jiang Dong had to offer was a reasonable course of action… but he could teach her nothing if he could not bring himself to defeat her.

He simply had to beat her without killing her.

Da's range of comfortable movements with her fans was still limited; she had not fully explored or even divined the possibilities with them. Her attacks, while often unpredictable and wild, were always limited by what she perceived herself able to do with her fans. She had a natural talent and he harboured no doubt that if the girl put her mind to it, she could flap her wings and fly with the damn things, once she got good enough.

But now was not that time. She needed to expand her consciousness.

Sun Jian saw her almost in slow motion, sliding forward subtly, her feet once again concealed by her fans. She understood that one of her advantages lay in hindering her opponent's view of her and what she planned to do. Unfortunately, her eyes still telegraphed her intentions. As she swept forward, she jumped and snapped two kicks at him, one after the other. As the second kick measured Sun Jian and lined him up, both fans flared around in a wide arc and closed, attempting to trap him between their wide spans. Sun Jian was momentarily shocked as he felt a blaze of power and could almost _see_ the ethereal crane that was her battle aura surrounding her.

She almost got him.

Sun Jian ducked the strike and his palm thrust forward, driving into her chest as she landed from her snap kicks. She wheezed heavily and staggered back, the wind knocked from her. She slammed back against the wall and by the time she straightened herself, the point of Sun Jian's blade was pressed into her throat, the warlord pinning her at arm's length, out of reach of her own weapons, which hung at her side.

Da's eyes were wide and her chest heaved as she stared at Sun Jian. Even though she was pinned and had certainly lost, she felt a tiny glimmer of satisfaction in seeing a sheen of sweat on the lord of Jiang Dong's forehead.

"Well, done, girl…" he said finally, lowering his blade and allowing her to slump to her knees. "You are certainly progressing. You gave me a much harder time than I would have expected, I must admit. You are no Hua Xiong, but you certainly made me work for it."

"It helps that… you are perhaps… reluctant to kill me?" Da Qiao panted.

"Learn from this, Da Qiao, if you wish to be the great commander my son deserves. Invulnerability is in one's self, vulnerability is in the opponent."

"You… you have no weak points, sire." Da Qiao said.

"None you could perceive, child. But do you think I am a match for my son or Zhou Yu? How would they create vulnerability in me? What makes them more powerful than me?"

Da shook her head. "I… I do not know…"

"You do not know _yet_, my daughter." Sun Jian said encouragingly. "Ce, Zhou Yu, Lu Bu, Guan Yu… what do these mighty warriors know that we do not? They are made of the same stuff, but each is invincible for one reason or another. So too was Hua Xiong, who killed so many generals in the Coalition army. But in the end I found his weak point and triumphed. He was stronger and faster than me, so how did I prevail?"

Da Qiao thought about it but ultimately shook her head again. "I do not know yet, sire. My eyes are not enlightened to such subtleties."

Sun Jian nodded and held out his had. "Give it time, Da. Even Ce did not become invincible overnight. One day you will awaken and all these things will simply be self-evident. Believe in that and believe in yourself. You are not using your fans to their fullest potential, believe me."

Da took his hand and let him pull her up. "I try to work with their limitations, sire."

Sun Jian smiled. "You cannot possibly work with their limitations when you have not explored them fully, my dear. While I _could_ find someone to instruct you in their usage, I believe you will find it much more fulfilling if you discover this on your own. Think about where I countered you and what you might have done differently. You might have to think several steps back, but that is where true genius in combat comes from."

Da smiled. "Controlling your enemy and his movements, yes? I tried that with the double snap-kick at the end there, attempting to force you into a certain position where I could strike you with both my fans at once."

"And you nearly had me." Sun Jian admitted readily. "Combat is like a game of _Go_… the farther ahead you can plan and think, the easier it will be to manoeuvre your foe. Once you understand this principal, you will no longer have anything to show your opponent in your eyes. They will be depthless and hold no clues for him."

"Thank you, my lord, for fighting me," Da Qiao said finally, bowing and then hugging her father-in-law. "And thank you for having my best interests at heart, even if I could not see that initially."

Sun Jian smiled and hugged her back. "Of course, child, you are my family. I will always look out for you, whatever the cost to myself."

He slung an arm around her shoulder and walked down the hall. "So then, how about preparing an old man some tea, young lady?"

Da Qiao smiled and leaned her head against him. "It would be an honour, my lord."

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**Author's Notes: **So the daughter's name ended up being Kai-ying, which means 'Exceptionally Bright'. The English translation was nice enough, but my darling wife and I really liked the sound of the entire Chinese name, Sun Kai-ying. So there you have it, the Sun family's heir is a girl named Kai-ying.

Lots of fighting in the upcoming chapters, I promise!


	20. Chapter 20

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 17 – Sun Jian's Gambit**

It had taken some persuading, but Sun Jian knew he was right. Every single commander in his army had protested attacking Liu Biao and he'd been forced to overrule them. Even Sun Ce had been against it, which was surprising, given that his eldest son seemed to enjoy nothing more than a good fight.

He had taken all of their concerns into consideration and then ordered each of them to return with the problem solved- then they would march on Liu Biao. Dutifully, the generals had gone away and returned within a week, their suggestions in hand. Satisfied with the results, Sun Jian ordered a general muster and prepared to move out against his sworn enemy.

Between Jiang Dong and Liu Biao's territory of Jing was a swathe of open lands that belonged to no lord and it was Sun Jian's intent to move swiftly through this region and surprise Liu Biao. Their first target was the strategic city of Fankou, which guarded the passes into Jing.

Sun Jian took many months to prepare his assault, not only because he wished to rebuild his army, but because he wanted to give his son Ce time with his wife and new child. Da giving birth to a daughter had thrilled Sun Jian, and he was enjoying being a grandfather at the tender age of thirty-seven. His daughter-in-law was positively glowing. Sun Jian had never seen a woman look happier, even his first wife when she bore Ce.

Da Qiao had somewhat foolishly assumed that she would come on the campaign, now that she was a regimental cavalry commander. Sun Jian had made sure this would not happen by assigning Huang Gai's corps to defending Jiang Dong in the lord's absence. The old warhorse Huang Gai had protested, but once Sun Jian explained his reasoning, he acquiesced. Nobody wanted to see Da Qiao heading into danger, and nobody wanted to face Sun Ce's wrath if anything happened to her, not even Huang Gai.

Da Qiao had been distraught, especially once she found out her younger sister Xiao was going, but Sun Jian finally put his foot down and would hear no more of it. Cherished daughter-in-law or no, Da Qiao would still obey him and that was the end of it. She meekly submitted and preparations continued uninterrupted.

On the morning of their departure, Sun Jian was strapping himself into his gold and crimson armour. The burnished metal and tough leather of the cuirass strapped and clamped easily into place and he rotated his shoulders in satisfaction- even in his middle age, he was still brawny and strong, powerfully built but with the speed of a striking serpent. Even Huang Gai did not relish wrestling matches with the lord of Jiang Dong.

He thought back to his childhood, growing up in Fu Chun in the southlands, the ancestral realm of Wu. He had learned the art of the mariner and the skills of war necessary to inherit his father's fiefdom; at the age of seventeen he took part in his first engagement, routing a band of pirates they had found on the coast. Occupied with dividing their booty, they were not prepared for Sun Jian's sudden assault. He tricked them with waves of his sword into thinking they were being attacked from all sides and they tried to flee. Sun Jian did not stop chasing them until he had taken several dozen heads, including that of their leader. With this single act he won great renown and was esteemed by all the people as a hero, worthy warrior and heir.

Not long after, though, his family had been given the governorship of Chang-sha and Jiang Dong. Soon after his first wife bore his eldest child, Sun Jian's father died and he assumed the mantle of authority over the fief.

Grief struck again soon after the birth of his second son, Quan; Lady Wu died of an illness. Sun Jian eventually married his deceased wife's younger sister and she would bear him two more children, Kuang and his beloved daughter, Shang Xiang.

Though he always yearned for his homeland of Wu, Sun Jian was beloved by the people of Jiang Dong and they were fiercely loyal to him. His armies never wanted for volunteers and his artisans and weapon smiths were some of the most able in the region, always supplying him with fine blades and armour. The great smith Hong Lu himself forged Sun Jian's famous blade, _Manfu,_ The Savage Tiger.

His battledress was fringed in gold and his supple waist was girt with a strong belt, the clasp of which was fashioned after the head of _fu-chi,_ a demon-tiger. A long length of tiger skin hung from the back of his battledress, protecting his rear from arrows. His tough leather boots were strengthened with bronze fittings, as were the vambraces that protected his forearms.

Finally, he donned his tall helmet, topped with a spike of iron and a crème-coloured plume of horsehairs. He strapped it under his chin and turned his head about, making sure it was secure. He slapped his hands against his thigh-guards and nodded grimly. His squires backed up and bowed respectfully. His standard-bearer knelt before him and offered the warlord his sword, _Manfu_. Sun Jian secured the baldric around his waist and headed toward the great double doors to greet the host of Jiang Dong.

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Sun Ce waited in front of his host patiently, astride his horse. His _Huben_ guard, five hundred-strong and led by Mo Jing stood behind him, also astride their steeds. Each man wore a coat of sturdy mail and a stout iron helmet, covered by a vermillion and gold battledress that featured tiger motifs. They carried long, keen-tipped lances and each wore a two-handed _dadao_ on his belt. A quiver and a composite bow were slung from their hips. They were fearsome warriors, tough and flexible in battle, happy in either the thick of an assault or providing fire support for nearby units.

Zhou Yu's unit stood nearby, more lightly armed and armoured, but no less fearsome in reputation. Zhou Yu was a master of the quick attack and the running battle, but his charge was like a thunderbolt when melee was called for.

Sun Shang Xiang's amazon guard had not only been brought up to full strength but expanded, standing at a full five hundred warriors, just like Ce's and Quan's units. The Bow-hipped Princess herself had recovered admirably and sat proudly astride her chestnut mount, eager for the campaign to begin. Fu Chin Ran stood next to her mistress, as did Xiao Qiao, her fans at her side.

Lu Meng led his corps of infantry, tough mariners from the coast. They fought with halberds and short, broad-bladed swords. Crossbows were their missile weapons of choice, short-ranged but deadly against even the heaviest armour.

Lu Meng was something of an anomaly amongst the generals of Jiang Dong; he was a straightforward warrior, something of a brawler. He was not given to subtle tactics and his grasp of logistics was still rudimentary, but at Sun Jian's behest he had spent a great deal of time taking instruction on such matters from Zhou Yu and occupying himself in the library with battle manuals. He was making steady progress, but it was clearly going to take some time.

Ling Cao was commanding the other corps that would be coming along. His son Tong stood alongside him, proud and ready for action. Ce realized that the son was not actually any younger than himself but merely seemed so on account of his slim build. He wore a pair of nunchaku on his belt and Ce knew how deadly he could be with them.

The war host that was set to march on Liu Biao was not as large as the one that had warred on Dong Zhuo, but it was even tougher and splendidly equipped. Liu Biao would be hard-pressed to counter this invasion, no matter how great his numbers.

As Ce watched, the great palace doors opened and he thrust his fist into the air in salute. The entire host cheered loudly, twenty-five thousand strong as Sun Jian exited the palace and stood at the top of the flight of stairs. The warlord looked out over his warriors proudly, his keen eye taking in every detail; beside him stood his younger sons, Quan and Kuang. Slightly behind and off to the side stood Da Qiao, along with Lady Wu, her mother-in-law, who was cradling her granddaughter in her arms. They waited patiently while Sun Jian addressed the host. Da Qiao noticed Ce smiling at her and blushed, her cheeks feeling warm. His gaze always had that effect on her, no matter how long they had been married.

Sun Jian's booming voice was heard across the great square. "Warriors of Jiang Dong! The day of reckoning has come for our sworn enemy Liu Biao! His misdeed to us shall not go unanswered any longer! Great hardships did his interference cause us and they shall be visited upon him in kind! But unlike his failure against our splendid host, we shall prevail and take his lands from him!"

The great host shouted out in response, their spears raised in the air. They cheered three times and Sun Jian finally raised his hand to silence them.

"This man shall pay for his crimes and he shall not know of his folly, for we have prepared quietly and we move out with the speed and stealth of a tiger on the prowl! But this tiger has wings, and he shall not be aware of us until we are camped on his doorstep!"

The army cheered again, led by Sun Ce and Zhou Yu.

"Fear not defeat in this campaign, my friends, for we strike without warning, swiftly and with deadly intent! Our foe is no Dong Zhuo, guarded by monsters such as Hua Xiong and Lu Bu; he is a treacherous snake and he will be rendered helpless when I plant my foot firmly on his neck!"

Ce smiled as he led another cheer. His father had always been an inspirational speaker and knew how to motivate troops. Not that the host of Jiang Dong needed any encouragement.

"Cast aside fear, cast aside doubt! Keep only victory in your heart! Jing shall fall to us and great glory and renown shall be yours! Onward, warriors of Jiang Dong!"

A thunderous cheer arose and hundreds of great horns were blown, causing the entire city to echo, the noise reaching out into the surrounding plains. Sun Jian descended the steps of his palace and mounted onto his splendid roan horse. He thrust his sword into the air and assumed his place at the head of his bodyguard and royal crops. The host then began slowly moving out of the city.

Da Qiao watched quietly, her eyes glassy as Ce's unit rode down the broad boulevard and disappeared from sight. She stood still for some time afterwards, not moving. Nearby, Huang Gai, charged with defence of the city, had muttered and gone inside to arrange his troops. She remained unmoving for several minutes until a gentle hand on her shoulder caused her to turn and look. Lady Wu, Sun Jian's wife, smiled at her and turned Da Qiao to lead her inside. It was the beginning of a long couple of months for them both and keeping themselves busy was all that could be done.

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The march out of the city had been methodical and carefully orchestrated for the citizen's benefit, but once they were in open ground, Sun Jian ordered the pace to be picked up. Their greatest assets were their speed and secrecy. To that end, he had sent hundred of scouts and spies out into the countryside between Jiang Dong and Jiang, clearing the land of any who might be able to tip Liu Biao off about the approaching threat.

He also sent agents into the vast, unclaimed lands between their two realms, spreading rumours about how Liu Biao had become cruel and was sending peasants to work in the salt mines in the north of Jing. The plan was to cause the peasants to fear Liu Biao and make them more receptive to Sun Jian as he passed through. He did not have the forces to occupy Jing and these swathes of unclaimed land, but the people's good will would always be an asset in the future.

The army had gone nearly one hundred _li_ (roughly thirty-five miles) by the first night and as they camped out under the stars, the generals met in Sun Jian's tent to form strategy.

Sun Jian was pointing to a map on the table between them. Several stones represented his various corps and stones of different colours indicated Liu Biao's forces and any local militia's his scouts were aware of.

"This pace suits me. We can reach the borders of Jing in just over ten days if we maintain it. As long as our secrecy is not compromised, we should reach Fankou without incident. That city guards the passes into Jing. Once we have Fankou, we will be able to determine if splitting our forces is reasonable or staying together. All shall be revealed once we take the city."

Zhou Yu was studying the map, looking at the placement of the peasant militias around the unclaimed lands. "These peasant militias… perhaps we can convince them to join us?"

Sun Jian nodded. "I have thought of that, in fact. While I do not doubt that they might very well do so, I believe we are not ready for such a proposition."

Zhou Yu looked slightly perplexed. "How so, my lord?"

Sun Jian smiled. "You are, of course, correct in assessing their good will, my friend, it is why you are one of my great strategists… but if I were to take their oaths of fealty, I would in turn owe them protection, something Jiang Dong cannot give them at this time. Such a vast land ruled by myself would surely attract unwanted attention from other lords. No, I shall require no obeisance from them and they in turn will quietly watch our rear as we pass through."

Zhou Yu bowed deeply in great respect. "There is still so much I must learn about human nature, my lord, whatever my skill with battlefield tactics. You are infinitely superior to me in this regard."

Sun Jian smiled and patted Zhou Yu on the shoulder. "Time brings wisdom, my friend. Skill and intelligence are gifts of heaven and a birthright- wisdom and insight come only with experience."

Sun Jian turned back to the map. Zhou Yu's astute question brings me to the next part of our plan, continual security. Every time we pass through a region, we shall give the elders both food and money. These lands may be fertile, but they are sparsely populated and the people are poor. I would have them remember us fondly for dealing with them fairly and not being arrogant. If we would one day rule these lands, we must respect them."

Lu Meng grunted. "I was wondering why we brought such copious supplies and large amounts of gold. Is this not a hardship, my lord?"

Sun Jian shrugged. "The mobilization and rebuilding of the corps was far more costly. Besides, Jing is a rich land, with fertile valleys, gold and silver mines, not to mention the salt flats. Recouping our losses will be quite easy, without bringing undue hardship to the people of Jing."

Ling Cao was studying the map carefully, eyeing the positions of the towns and populaces they would pass. "There may be few people, but we cannot reach and bribe them all, can we? What of those who feel some affinity for Liu Biao?"

Sun Jian nodded. "A good question. Ce, this was your problem to solve, please enlighten us."

Sun Ce smiled and folded his arms over his chest. "It was all part of our expenses, in fact. We're buying every horse we can find in the region, limiting the mobility of those who might try to warn him. Scouts and spies have been doin' that for a couple of weeks now. They'll meet us here…" here pointed to a place on the map. "And we'll have some extra horses. After we've captured Jing, we'll simply give the horses back to the hinterlands people as a gift and token of appreciation."

Ling Cao nodded, duly impressed. This was a risky campaign, but it seemed that virtually every possible complication had been addressed.

"Now, that being said," Sun Jian continued. "Once we leave Jiang Dong, I want our march to be as quiet as possible. Communications will be carried out by horseback alone. No horns, no smoke signals, no cymbals or drums. Also, the men will walk, they will not march- it will raise less dust and the ground will not tremor so at our passing. I expect complete compliance with these orders."

The generals all bowed.

"A few times a day, we shall have the men assume a loose formation and they will walk briskly or run as best they can. Keep them well-fed and watered for the forced marches and make sure they understand exactly why we are doing this."

Sun Jian slapped his thighs and nodded his head. "Make sure the sentries are posted and everyone gets some sleep. The night is warm and I want not a single fire to be lit, understood? We move out at dawn for the borders of Jiang Dong. Dismissed!"

The generals all bowed and exited the tent. Sun Jian, left to himself, sighed deeply and sat in his folding chair, picturing the map in his mind and what they needed to accomplish.

"_It is a daring strategy, to be sure. So much depends upon flawless execution of the steps leading up to the assault on Jing. If the inhabitants of the hinterlands do not receive us well, they could either warn Liu Biao or some other lord, who might then cut off our route back to Jiang Dong."_

He sighed and rubbed his eyes wearily. Although he was confident of their plans, the stress of mounting this campaign had worn on him. He knew full well that this was not a good war for Jiang Dong to fight, no matter how much he thirsted for vengeance against Liu Biao.

"_Are you actually doing this to honour your overlord's orders, Lord of Jiang Dong? Or were the orders merely an excuse for you to do something you were intent on anyway?"_

The question perplexed him slightly. He was aware that his generals were following him out of a sense of loyalty and duty, not because this campaign was a good one for their realm to wage. Indeed, what would they do once they had captured Jing? Yuan Shu would not let them keep it. Should he plunder it, then, before the overlord arrived, so as to recoup his expenses? What would the realm think of him then?

And what of the populace of the hinterlands? Even if they desired his suzerainty, he could not merely assume the mantle of authority over them. As had been pointed out, he simply did not have the resources or troops at the moment to garrison such a large area beyond his current borders.

One day, yes, but that day was not yet here.

He rose and began removing his armour, putting it neatly on its stand and then sliding onto his mattress. He closed his eyes, emptied his mind and willed himself to go to sleep.

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Xiao Qiao could hardly believe it. She had special dispensation from Sun Jian himself to camp not with Sun Shang Xiang's amazons but with her husband, Zhou Yu. Even though they were on campaign together, she had worried about even seeing him. The host of Jiang Dong was twenty-five thousand strong and she would no doubt be very busy in her own unit without trying to look for Zhou Yu.

She rushed now across the camp and skipped gaily past the guard perimeter of Zhou Yu's battalion, waving at the sentries, who smiled and nodded. Everyone adored her and she pretty much had run of the camp, provided she didn't interrupt any strategy sessions.

She spied Zhou Yu's tent, its stout wooden frame draped in felt and crimson silk. She squealed happily when she saw there was a light inside. He was still awake and probably waiting for her. He had promised to make the mattress extra plush and soft for her, just how she liked it.

She barely slowed down as she burst through the flap and ran towards the bed. Zhou Yu was already lying there, wearing simple, loose-fitting trousers and nothing else. His hands were behind his head as he rested against his pillow. He smiled as she entered, a warmth in his eyes that she knew was for her alone. Other people thought his eyes could be icy, analytical and distant, but she saw none of that.

"Hi, Zhou Yu darling!" she chirped as she ran to join him. She threw herself over him and landed on her side of the plush mattress; unfortunately, the bed was a little _too_ comfortable and she bounced up and off the far side, landing with a squeak and a crash.

Zhou Yu sighed and smiled, shaking his head. After a couple of seconds, a tiny hand appeared from beyond the mattress.

"A little help?"

Zhou Yu leaned over and pulled his wife back up onto their bed, where she rubbed the back of her head and grimaced.

"Owwww, that hurt… what the heck do you see in me, anyway?" she asked.

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean by that?"

Xiao tried to situate herself and get comfortable. "I don't know, I just… well, you're so smart and I… well, I can't even get into a bed without hurting myself. Doesn't that annoy you?"

Zhou Yu simply shook his head. "No, not really."

Her eyes narrowed as she looked at him. "So I amuse you when I dork out?"

Zhou Yu laughed and shook his head. "That is not it either, my love. The fact of the matter is, you are everything I cannot hope to be."

Xiao's expression went blank. "What?"

Zhou Yu shrugged. "It is true, of course. You are cheerful, energetic, spunky, always trying to make people smile…"

"Yeah, but I'm still a dunce." Xiao replied, turning to frown at the floor like it was at fault for the bruise on the back of her head.

"I do not think you're a dunce at all." Zhou Yu said quietly, taking her cheek in his hand. "I think you have remarkable insights into people and situations that surpass my own."

She cocked her head and made a wry face, like he was humouring her and she knew it. "No offence, Zhou Yu darling, but you're full of it."

"Think about it," he continued. "Let me give you an example… we had our strategy meeting tonight. Have you heard any of what we discussed?"

Xiao shook her head and rolled her eyes, blowing a few strands of hair out of her face. "You know I'd fall asleep the minute anyone began discussing that within earshot of me."

"Well, I suggested that we should try to engage the loyalty and fealty of the local militias in the hinterlands, in order to increase our security. What do you think of that?"

Xiao was silent for several moments, lost in thought. "It sounds good at first, but… well, wouldn't we owe them, then, and not be able to deliver? I've seen those maps, it's almost too big an area for me to comprehend."

Zhou Yu nodded. "That was precisely Lord Sun Jian's point, my dear."

Xiao's eyes went wide. "Lord Sun Jian agrees with my point of view?"

Zhou Yu smiled. "That is… one way of looking at it."

"But what if I just got lucky with that? I still fall off my horse and can't get into bed properly." Xiao insisted, trying hard to not be convinced.

"Xiao, you are an innocent girl and very pure of heart. A lot of people would assume that you were gullible because of that, but don't you always know when people are lying to you?"

Xiao nodded, not sure what this had to do with anything.

"That means you are good at assessing character. You have been as long as I have known you. Never once have you been wrong in determining a person's true nature and intent."

Xiao thought hard, trying to grasp what Zhou Yu was driving at.

"It's simple, Xiao… you complete me." Zhou Yu said tenderly, stroking her hair. "I am possessed of a keen and analytical mind, with a penchant for incredibly complex schemes and machinations. I am ruthless and held in awe and fear by many people. You, you are beloved by all, and with good reason. You are the sunshine in everyone's life. Nothing keeps you down and you see the good side of everything. And _that_, my love, is true inspiration."

The time for words was past and he drew her to him…

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Sun Ce was lying on his mattress, staring at the dark, peaked ceiling of his tent. The braziers were scented with jasmine, Da Qiao's favourite perfume. He smiled as he thought of her, back in Wuchang, taking care of their child. He'd been gone less than a day and he missed them already.

"_Well, Da, I guess we'll just have to make this one short and sweet, then. Liu Biao is what's keepin' me from you, so he's goin' down, fast and hard. The sooner his head is mounted on my father's wall, the sooner I come home to you."_

Outside he could hear some of his men, talking softly. They were sharing stories about their families and how much they would miss them in the upcoming months. Ce flushed somewhat angrily, realizing that this pointless war was tearing his soldiers away from those they loved. Hundreds or thousands would die, and what would Jiang Dong have to show for it? Glory? Honour?

Not good enough.

But his father had pledged to do his duty to Yuan Shu, no matter how undeserving the obnoxious toad was of such loyalty. Sun Ce would follow his father into hell itself and only would thing would _ever_ be able to cause him to defy orders…

Da.

Fortunately, she was safe and sound back in Wuchang. Ce had learned from the embassy to Dong Zhuo that she was to be guarded most zealously, even if she were not aware of it. Not only were there guards around her constantly, but priests of both the Tao and the Buddha had placed charms and wards around Baifu and were saying prayers daily for her continual protection form harm. That assassin Fang Yu had come _far _too close to destroying the Sun family. It would not happen again.

This campaign had to end in total victory for several reasons, the least of which was Sun Jian's duty to Yuan Shu. This war did not profit Jiang Dong in any tangible way, outside of enhancing their reputation as fearsome warriors. But now they would also be seen as aggressors. Everyone knew that Jing did not border Jiang Dong, so what possible reason could there be for such a war?

Sun Ce would see this campaign concluded as quickly as possible. That was all there was to it.

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Sun Shang Xiang laid quietly, her arms wrapped around her bed mate. She stared sightlessly up into the

darkness. This was her third campaign and she felt her heart pounding, eager to engage the enemy and prove her might to the world. But like her brother, she had misgivings about the justness of this war. True, Liu Biao was their sworn enemy, but to march and attack him like this, at Yuan Shu's behest…

Fu Chin Ran murmured in her sleep and Shang Xiang stroked her long, dark hair and kissed the top of her head. They had been lovers for some years now and were quite attached to one another. True, they both had other lovers, but the emotions were deeper between the two of them and went beyond the realm of mere physical attraction.

The devotion of Shang Xiang's women to her well-being was widely known, and Fu Chin Ran in particular guarded her with an almost jealous possessiveness. Only Sun Jian could see his daughter freely, without having to overcome Fu Chin Ran's formidable will.

Distantly, the princess heard the call of cranes soaring overhead and she smiled. Even as Jiang Dong marched to war, the world merely moved on, heedless of the petty bickering of men and nations. Creation simply did not seem to care. No matter how powerful the lord, he could only command the men he subjugated, he had no control over the land or the air. If the universe grew tired of a ruler's caprice, then famine often ended his reign in short order, when the mobs rose up in anger to avenge themselves against his depredations.

She pulled Fu Chin Ran's soft body closer to hers and settled into her bed, closing her eyes and shutting out the world. She knew not what tomorrow held. She was a warrior, first and foremost and would take whatever the world threw at her, one challenge at a time. She did not feel inclined to marry a lord and bear him heirs, but if such a man ever came along, she would address that issue as well.

Until then, she had her lover and she had her weapons and another challenge to surmount. Glory was calling and that was more than enough for now.

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Xiao Qiao lay against her husband's bare chest, her eyes distant as she traced a dainty finger over his well-formed pectorals. She had always been enthralled by Zhou Yu's body, since the first time she had laid eyes on it. Every detail of that first glimpse was etched into her mind and blazed like the morning sun. She and her sister had recently moved to Wuchang in preparation for their marriage to Sun Ce and Zhou Yu. Young, bedazzled by the city and still full of mischief, the two girls had snuck out of their compound and stolen some horses from the stables. They had been told that their husbands-to-be were going hunting and they wished to see them in action.

After all, they had only ever seen the boys under controlled circumstances where they were theoretically on their best behaviour. What were these two like when they thought no one was watching? They cloaked themselves well and rode out of the city gates and into the great fields, in search of the men they were betrothed to.

They rode for nearly three hours before finally catching up with the boys. Neither of them had any clue about how to track a target, so a great deal of guesswork and dumb luck was their only hope. Eventually, Da remembered that Ce and Zhou Yu had been taking falcons out to find pheasant. They stopped at a farmhouse and asked the old man who lived there where the best quail hunting could be had. He had pointed to the north and they thanked him and set off.

Da Qiao sighed. "We might have saved ourselves some trouble if we'd thought of that little tidbit when we first plotted this out."

Xiao merely shrugged. "If I thought about everything I was about to do, I'd probably end up doing nothing."

Unable to think of a response to that statement, Da rode on in the direction the farmer had indicated. Not long afterward, they spied a great forest, surrounded by lush fields. She pointed and brought her horse to a halt.

"The old man said the pheasants spent their days in fields near the safety of trees, right? We should dismount and proceed on foot. Xiao nodded and leapt off her horse lightly, crouching low, as if she were trying to sneak up on someone not far away.

Da frowned. "Erm, you needn't hunker down like that yet, Xiao… they'll be as much as a full _li_ away still."

Xiao sighed in relief and stood up. "Good. The grass was too tall for me to see over that way."

They crept forward as silently as they could, determined to not disturb any wildlife and give away their presence. Xiao stopped occasionally to pick any pretty flowers she saw, making herself a garland. It was already secured to her head when they finally got their first clue of their prey's whereabouts.

Overhead they heard the shrill, majestic call of a gyr on the hunt. As they looked up, the tiny figure of the falcon swooped lazily in the sky before plummeting down at something they could not see. This was followed by a whoop of triumph that could only have come from Ce. Da motioned Xiao to come forward with her.

Eventually, they came across the boys' horses, standing free and munching on the lush tall grass. Neither horse made a sound as the two girls crept up to them and patted their noses gently before moving on in the direction of Ce's voice. Their path took them through a stand of trees and they eventually heard splashing, along with Ce's jovial laughter.

At the far edge of the stand of trees was a large pond. Both Ce and Zhou Yu were taking a break from the hunt and were cooling off in the water. Zhou Yu had obviously just stepped into the water, for he was still wearing his loose trousers and a shirt as he waded in cautiously, as if wary of traps.

Sun Ce, on the other hand, burst up through the water at the center of the pond and swam towards his friend. As he reached a depth where he could stand, he strode out of the water and stretched. Da Qiao gasped almost reflexively but Xiao clapped her hand over her sister's mouth to keep her from making any sound.

Ce's body was powerful, his tan skin gleaming over his taut muscles. His shoulders were broad and muscular, as was his chest. His waist was small, his abdominal muscles deeply etched and well-defined. His hair was out of its characteristic ponytail and hung well past his shoulders.

Da let out a sigh as he came further out of the water, revealing that he still had his trousers on. She would never admit it, but she had been hoping that he… he would…

Da blushed and hunkered down farther in the grass, trying to control her breathing and her pounding heart. Beside her, Xiao was watching Zhou Yu intently, her eyes narrowed and flashing with a wicked light.

"C'mon, big boy, take it off…" she whispered.

Zhou Yu eventually stripped off his shirt, revealing his torso. Long and clean-limbed, he was not powerfully built like Ce, but his muscles were pronounced and spoke of a sinewy strength that belied his grace and high manners.

"Wow, did we luck out or what?" Xiao breathed, her eyes locked on Zhou Yu.

Da Qiao merely nodded, still lost in the valleys and ridges of Ce's physique. Were he was tan, Zhou Yu was pale, but it was perfectly obvious that both were in the prime of their life, perfect physical specimens who would ride forth to war and dominate any who opposed them.

Xiao sighed somewhat forlornly and Da turned to look at her. "What's wrong?"

Xiao clutched at the neckline of her blouse unconsciously. "I hope he's not a boobs man."

In spite of herself and her effort to remain quiet, Da choked on her laughter and lay against the ground, her face pressed into the grass. Her body quivered as she attempted to silence herself. When she eventually looked up, her eyes were shining with mirthful tears. She stroked her sister's hand and nodded encouragingly.

"Your outfits leave little to the imagination, Xiao, so if I had to hazard a guess, I would say he was fine with your… size."

Xiao sighed and smiled. "Well, that's a relief."

They both froze as a cheerful voice called out in their direction. "You two gonna lie there all day? C'mon, the water's great!"

Da looked at her sister and went pale. How did they know? What now?

Xiao did the one thing Da didn't want her to do and stood up, revealing herself to the boys. She waved somewhat sheepishly and blushed furiously when Zhou Yu turned to face her and smiled.

"So… can you swim?" he asked, his soft voice reaching her and striking her like a thunderbolt. She swallowed and nodded slowly.

"Good!" Ce called out. "But you've gotta ditch the blouse if you want to join this party! We're free of society today, after all!"

Both Da and Xiao could feel their hearts pounding almost unbearably as they thought about what Ce had just said. Did they dare? Did this not violate every single convention of civilized society? They shouldn't even have been here!

"What… what do we do, sis?" Xiao asked, seemingly paralyzed as she looked down at the boys in the pond.

Da took a deep breath and stood. "We… got ourselves into this, right? If we run away now, are we really worthy of them? They wouldn't back down and neither should we."

"So… we should take off our blouses and go down there?"

Da nodded and bit her lip, steeling herself. "What's the worst thing that can happen? They pin us down and take us?"

Xiao shivered for a moment. "Well, now that you put it that way…"

Her mind made up, Xiao pulled her blouse off blindingly fast and raced down towards the water, yelling to her Zhou Yu-honey. Da took several more seconds to ready herself before beginning to slowly pull her blouse over her head. The material felt like rasping fire against her skin and sounded like splintering steel. She was shocked as the material pulled off her breasts and they bounced back into their natural position with an audible (at least to her) _thump!_

With great effort she tossed the garment aside and because walking down the low hill towards the water…

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Xiao smiled down at Zhou Yu again as she lay against him. She poked him in the chest.

"Hey, remember that first afternoon at the pond?" she asked.

Zhou Yu nodded. "How could I forget?"

"I was wondering… when we got there, why weren't… why were you two still… y'know, clothed?"

Zhou Yu looked down at her, his eyebrow raised. She blushed and forced herself to continue.

"I mean… if you didn't initially know that we were around, why weren't you both naked? You were in the water but you both had your pants on still."

Zhou Yu made a wry face. "Maybe because we both like girls and weren't interested in seeing each other's manhood?"

Xiao shook her head of that rather horrific image. "That's not what I meant. I meant that… well, you two are so close and why would that bother you?"

"And I reiterate, because we're not gay." Zhou Yu said emphatically. "It's really that simple."

"But you've seen him naked since," Xiao pointed out. "You didn't seem disturbed by it then."

Zhou Yu shrugged and put his hands behind his head. "Truth be told, I had seen Ce naked before that incident at the pond. As for remaining clothed, think of it as a mutual respect thing."

Xiao pondered that notion. She wasn't embarrassed about being naked in front of her sister, but she tried to be clothed. Maybe it was the same thing.

"Besides, you have seen him naked now too." Zhou Yu said in a matter of fact tone. "All four of us have seen each other naked while bathing on campaign, it is simply no big deal."

"No pun intended, right?" Xiao quipped, smirking.

"Just be thankful that you're not marrying Ce," he remarked. "You can barely handle me and I'm bigger than your… what did you call it? Hanwei?"

Xiao nodded as she thought of trying to accommodate Sun Ce. "Yeah… my sister is some sort of freak. But we've been discovering that about her recently."

Zhou Yu suddenly burst out laughing, sitting up as his chest heaved. Xiao knelt back, giving him room to move, but he then pulled her to him and crushed her in an adoring hug.

"Is it any wonder I love you?" he said with uncharacteristic cheer. "You are the light of my life, Xiao. Nothing will ever change that. You are everything I desire. You are cheerful, good-natured, soft-hearted, unintentionally witty and a demon in bed."

Xiao giggled contentedly as she snuggled against his body. "Well, I must be doing something right…" she said, her earlier worries forgotten. It was a good day to be her.

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The army had spent the entire next day preparing for travelling at night. The generals had all agreed that moving under cover of darkness presented both benefits and risks, but that the positive outweighed the negative in this case.

True, at night there was less ambient noise and the tread of tens of thousands of men and horses would perhaps more easily be heard by those still awake, but if torches were not lit, then the risk of being seen on the move was significantly reduced. The men were also ordered to not march in unison so as to dull rhythmic vibrations that could carry for many _li_ if they were not careful.

Marching in the dark with few or no torches might prove difficult, but the scouts would simply have to be exceptionally vigilant in finding the easiest, quickest paths. With this in mind, Sun Ce's battalion would be taking the van, since it included many squads of outriders and Ce himself was a renowned scout and tracker.

The sun was setting as the men broke down the camp and prepared to move beyond Jiang Dong's borders. Ce was wandering around and found Zhou Yu packing his gear. He clapped his friend on the shoulder and smiled.

"So, how'd ya sleep?" he asked.

Zhou Yu shook his head as he continued to pack. "It is well that I took several naps today, because I got no sleep last night."

Ce laughed. "And you're complaining?"

Zhou Yu sighed wearily. "She has the ability to truly drain me, actually. And she knows all my ticklish spots."

"Whoah, too much information there pal!" Ce said, raising his hands defensively. "Keep it in the tent, okay?"

"You're just jealous." Zhou Yu retorted.

Ce nodded. "Yeah, I guess I am, but it's for the best, you know? It's gonna be kinda weird, actually, not needing to wonder what sort of trouble Da is getting herself into. I'm hardly gonna know what to worry about."

"I'm sure plenty of such opportunities shall arise. Care to help me carry all this over to my unit's wagon?" Zhou Yu asked.

Ce picked up a few sacks and began walking. "Sure, what are friends for?"

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Although they were not making the progress they had made by daylight, their speed was still impressive. The host of Jiang Dong headed westward under the cover of night, intent on arriving at the borders of Jing before Liu Biao knew they were there.

Ce rode at the head of a squad of his cavalry, his keen eyes peering out into the night. He heard a horse ride up beside him and he smiled and nodded as he was joined by Xiao.

"Lord Sun Ce, I… I have a favour to ask of you…" she began.

Ce nodded, wondering what his sister-in-law could possibly want.

"I… I think you might be the only person who can help me here." Xiao said, still unsure of herself; now would not be a good time for her to sound stupid.

The young warlord smiled and nodded again. "Go on."

"Could… could you teach me how to be a commander?" she asked sheepishly. She squeezed her eyes shut, waiting for the hysterical laughter, in spite of Sun Jian's command of no loud noises.

Ce nodded and patted her on the shoulder. "I'll do what I can, Xiao. I think you'll make a fine commander one day, if you just listen to people and believe in yourself."

Xiao's eyes went wide. This was the answer she had _least _expected. "Really?"

Ce shrugged. "Sure, why not? I'm not sure I can teach you all that much about how I command, since my style is rather… unique and instinctual, but I can teach you about how to learn and listen to what you need to know."

"So… so you think I might be able to command one day?" Xiao asked, hoping against hope.

Ce pondered her question. "Why do you want to?"

"Because I want Zhou Yu to be proud of me," Xiao said firmly, her voice leaving no doubt as to her sincerity.

Ce nodded. "That's just about the best reason I've ever heard. To be honest, I want him to be proud of me too. Alright, you've got yourself a deal, lady. But you're gonna have to work hard, got it? Command ain't easy, even for naturals."

Xiao nodded eagerly, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "I promise I'll try my hardest! I won't let you down, my lord!"

Xiao wheeled around and rode off, obviously pleased. Sun Ce smiled and shook his head. The girl had potential, even if it was buried deep within her and he had no clue how to bring it out. This would not be an easy task, even if it would prove amusing.

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Beyond Jiang Dong, the lands were unkempt and wild. This was one of the reasons Sun Jian's realm was not attacked- few rulers could bring themselves to attack an enemy lord without also claiming these vast tracts of territory for themselves as well, and next to nobody who bordered them had the resources to accomplish the task.

So for Sun Jian to be passing through these hinterlands without seeking control of them would no doubt come as a shock to just about anyone. Probably even Yuan Shu, nominal overlord of the region, would expect his vassal to try and assert himself here. But the ruler of Jiang Dong had no intention of playing out anyone else's expectations. He would get this war over with and go home. Liu Biao's head and treasury would be his.

Before two days had passed they came across a settlement, a peasant village of several hundred led by an elder. Informed of the army's approach, the elder and his advisors were waiting outside of the village's palisade, their foreheads pressed into the dirt in abject obedience. Sun Jian and his generals rode up and stated a respectful distance away.

"I am Sun Jian of Jiang Dong. Thank you for coming to meet us."

Sun Jian now dismounted and knelt in the dirt, returning the bow. He could hear the whispers of shock from the peasants who looked on.

"We need to pass through your lands to accomplish our task and I wish to inquire as to what you might consider fair recompense to your people for this trespass."

The village elder looked bewildered at Sun Jian's statement. "Sire, I do not understand. You… you are the renowned Tiger of Jiang Dong. What could you possibly owe us?"

Sun Jian gestured around to the surrounding lands. "This is not my home and these are not my lands. I am not some tyrant who would do as he sees fit, whatever the cost to others. I would not have people equate me with despots such as Dong Zhuo or Liu Biao."

The elder bowed again, his followers doing the same. "As I said, my lord, we require no recompense from one such as-"

Sun Jian smiled as he cut the elder off. "I appreciate your courtesy and respect, but the question here is satisfying my honour and integrity as much as anything. I am leading twenty-five thousand troops, including several hundred cavalry, across your territory. The horses alone will doubtless consume much of your pastures and I would not have it said that I did not deal fairly with you."

The elder still looked uncertain and was obviously at a loss for what to say. Sun Jian gestured to an attendant who ran to the baggage train and returned with a small chest. Sun Jian opened the chest and pushed it forward.

"Would three thousand pieces of silver be a fair settlement?" he asked, smiling. He was rewarded with more gasps and whisperings from the gathered peasant. The elder was speechless and bowed repeatedly, his head knocking against the soft ground.

"I'll take that as a yes, then?" Sun Jian said, smiling.

The elder looked at Sun Jian reverently. "My lord, you are too generous! You have just funded several major projects that my humble village sought to undertake! On my people's behalf, I would gladly pledge our allegiance to you. I would be only too happy to call you lord!"

Sun Jian smiled warmly. "I am flattered, and I shall one day gladly accept your fealty. But today shall not be that day, for my forces cannot yet garrison this area _and_ Jiang Dong. But I shall give you this pledge- should your people every be suffering, be it from famine, plague or the approach of a tyrant, call on Jiang Dong and we shall come to your aid."

The villagers bowed low. Their fealty was assured.

The march through the hinterlands had been swift and easy. Every village they came across reacted most favourably to Sun Jian and his army. Never had he thought that bribing people could be so cheap or easy. Less than fifteen thousand pieces of silver had been given out to the people of these unclaimed regions and their undying devotion to the Lord of Jiang Dong was assured. They were not his subjects yet, but they eagerly anticipated the day they could pledge fealty to him.

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The night was wearing on and dawn was mere hours away. The army sped forward and the town of Fankou sprung into view as the sun appeared over the horizon. As the army of Jiang Dong took up position on the great plain to the south of the city, horns and gongs of alarm blared inside the city and fires sprung up along the great walls.

Sun Jian peered out at the defences that they would have to surmount and bit his lower lip as he pondered. A great river protected the approach to the city and either side was flanked by the walls of the mighty pass that Fankou was built into. Beyond the city were the passes into Jing and the road to Liu Biao.

Though they were still a few _li_ away, they could hear the voices of the defenders raised in alarm, punctuated by the drums and cymbals that called for help.

Sun Ce, Quan and Shang Xiang rode up beside their father as he looked toward the imperilled city. Ce nodded and spoke softly.

"Alright, let's do this…"

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	21. Chapter 21

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Author's Note: **After a two month absence I shall not bother to explain, I am back and TYC is as well. I hope you all enjoy the direction we shall now be heading…

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**Chapter 18**

**The Siege of Fankou**

While Sun Jian wanted the assault on Fankou to be swift and decisive, it soon became apparent that this would be a siege like no other. The river his troops would have to cross was within bowshot of the city's massive walls and even from this distance, it was quite plain that row upon row of archers were stationed atop the parapets, waiting for the men of Jiang Dong to approach.

"Damnation…" the patriarch growled, his jaw clenched and his eyes flashing. "It looks like they were ready for us. I was sure we had the advantage of secrecy."

Sun Ce shrugged unconcernedly as he sat astride his steed, observing the distant enemy. "That's war for you… gotta do the unexpected and rely on the enemy doing it too. So what does our ancestor say about a situation like this?"

"That proceeding would be absolute folly." Sun Jian replied, racking his brain for ideas. "Even those new catapults of Zhou Yu's are useless if they must be built within bowshot of those archers and ballistas high on the walls of the pass."

"I know you don't like it, pop, but I think we're gonna have to get devious again…" Ce said quietly, seemingly not at all perturbed by the task that awaited them.

Sun Jian turned to look at his eldest boy, wondering what he had in mind.

"Go on…"

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The archers waited patiently, watching out form their high walls as the army of Jiang Dong sat on the far side of the river. Company after company, battalion after battalion of them waited to rain their deadly missiles down on the forces of the despised Sun Jian, who had humiliated their master so.

What folly to attack Fankou from the plains! Did the fool not understand that this city, the pass into Jing, was one of the most impregnable locales anywhere in the empire? The mighty cliffs of the pass could not be scaled or crept through and the walls themselves were lofty and strong. Any who approached would be obliterated by a torrent of arrows that not even the heaviest armour could stop.

Seeing the pause that the city's defences gave the enemy, the defenders began to jeer at them and sing, taunting them. While there was no visible sign of a reaction form the men of Jiang Dong, the captain in charge of the walls knew it had to be getting to them. To have marched countless _li_, only to sit there on the plain, stymied by what awaited them would be a blow to anyone's morale.

Long swathes of silk or canvas, held aloft on poles, gave shelter to his archers from the midday sun, while the invaders suffered on the plain below. The river was so close, but to visit it would mean certain death at the hands of the city's archers. He distributed water freely, knowing that the artesian wells below the city would keep him supplied. Keeping his men's morale up while making the enemy's suffer was one of the true arts of war, something he had practiced for nearly four decades now. He grinned down from the wall at his hapless foe. He was Huang Zu, and he was the greatest general in Liu Biao's army. He would make Jiang Dong pay for the defeat visited upon his forces the year before.

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The night was quiet and Li Sou, archer from the Third Company of the Defiant Dragons, leaned on his long bow and sighed as he peered out into the darkness. Below him, the plain was quiet, the army of Jiang Dong settled in for the night. He yawned and scratched himself wondering if the enemy planned to do anything at all. The city was not under siege, there was merely a hostile army sitting before Fankou, doing absolutely nothing.

The semi-circular wall that protected the city was garrisoned by several regiments of archers, nearly two thousand men. Li Sou was on watch for his company and dearly wished he were asleep. The news of the arrival of Jiang Dong had come as a shock to the city's defenders, but now they were mostly just confused about why they were sitting there impotently.

General Huang Zu had warned his men to beware of Sun Jian's guile. His sudden, lightning-quick attack on Tiger Trap Pass had won him great renown, for he had triumphed against great odds. Li Sou did not know how Sun Jian could accomplish such a feat in this circumstance, but he vowed to be ready, no matter how tired he might be.

His eyes snapped open as hundreds of fires sprang up along the edge of the river, along with the clarion call of war horns and the thunder of drums. He shouted in panic and fumbled to bring his bow into play. Along the walls, guards blew horns and called their regiments into action. Torches streamed toward the river, obviously heralding a sudden and swift assault, just as Huang Zu had warned.

"_Not on my watch…"_ Li Sou said darkly to himself as he knocked an arrow into his string. Dozens of his fellow archers lined up beside him and drew their strings back, the long arrows pointed down at the torches on the plain below.

"They're trying to ford the river!" shouted a watch captain. "Aim forward of the torches, the assault troops will be there! Fire at will!"

The guards on the walls began laying down a withering hail of fire, determined to protect their city and repel the invaders. Volley after volley, thousands of arrows rained down toward the river, followed by further waves of iron-tipped death.

Someone began singing an inspirational martial song and soon the wall rang with the voices of men chanting to Fankou's guardian deities. The warriors atop the wall continued firing resolutely, hearts blazing with ferocity and the will to survive. They would continue firing all night if they had to. More and more archers joined them and Li Sou could not imagine anything surviving their barrage.

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From his command tent atop a small knoll, Sun Jian watched placidly, his jaw set. Even at this distance, he could hear the whine of the defender's arrows, raining down like a deadly hail onto the river below. Thousands of torches blazed brightly on the close bank, streaming out into the river.

Beside him, Zhou Yu stood like a statue, his hands resting on the pommel of his great curved sword. His keen grey eyes were staring off into the distance and he seemed unmoved.

"Patience, my lord," he said in his mellow tenor. "Your son will make sure that our plan works. You needn't fear."

Sun Jian grimaced. "I much prefer straight-forward battles, I confess. But you are no doubt correct in your assessment- this assault is significantly different from that on Tiger Trap Pass. The defences there, while strong, were improvised, while Fankou is an old city with its walls hewn from the bones of the earth itself."

Zhou Yu nodded once, indicating his agreement. "My catapults will bring them down, my lord, once they can be safely hauled into range."

Xiao Qiao rode up beside the two of them and dismounted, bowing to Sun Jian and turning to observe the proceedings.

"So… we're _not_ crossing the river?" she asked.

"Their archer regiments are too strong, my dear." Zhou Yu replied. "We cannot assault the walls until that threat is neutralized. That is what Ce is dealing with right now."

Sun Jian nodded. "The morning will determine if we were successful. Let us pray that they fall for this ruse. We must move on from Fankou with all possible speed…"

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The sun rise and the walls were buzzing with astonishment. Thousands of soldiers were huddled on the stout fortifications and pointing out toward the plains below. Huang Zu stormed up a stairway, pushing men out of his path as he went to see what was causing all the commotion. He reached the wall and gaped down in amazement.

The river below was lined with rafts, all of which were being dragged back to Jiang Dong's camp on long, tough ropes. Treated cow's hides lashed to the rafts were riddled with tens of thousands of arrows, shot from the wall throughout the night.

Huang Zu went pale as the scale of the deception became apparent to him. He began waving wildly, cuffing his soldiers about the head and shouting in fury.

"Fools! Don't just stand there, we need more arrows! They're certain to assault us now!"

One of his captains shrugged helplessly. "Sir, we are scouring the city for arrows, but we have found less than three hundred! We have sent messenger to Jing, but even at full speed, such a payload as we need will not arrive in less than two days!"

Huang Zu raged and struck the officer's head form his shoulders with a single sweep of his sword. The man's head tumbled from the walls and struck the plains below. Huang Zu pointed his sword at another man and began shouting.

"I care not for excuses! Their assault is less than three hours away, forget three days! Find those damned arrows or you will see your city destroyed by-"

Horns called from the plains below and the men cried in dismay as catapults and ballistas were rolled forward within ranged of the walls. Slowly, inexorably, the hide-covered rafts made their way back to Sun Jian's camp. Fankou had just given their hated enemy over a hundred thousand arrows to use against the city.

Men shouted and sporadic arrows sped from the walls, but to no effect. Huang Zu bit his lip as he saw ordered companies of swordsmen and cavalry moving forward toward the river. How? How had this happened?

The catapults reached the far river bank and small, but efficient teams of workers began preparing rocks to sling at the city's defenders. To either side of the mighty siege machines, the ballistae were set up, threatening to annihilate any who stood atop the walls, exposed.

Sun Ce nodded grimly and gestured to his rock-throwing crews. "Fire at will. Bring me into that city, boys…"

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Rocks crashed into the great walls, the rumbling booms echoing throughout the city and the plains beyond. Zhou Yu's face was impassive as he gazed at the progressing assault. Breaching the walls was inevitable, but it would take time- by his estimate, the best part of daylight. Taking Fankou was only the beginning; it was his job to make sure Jiang Dong's casualties were minimal so that the assault on Jing could progress.

He turned away and walked down the small knoll he'd been standing on and returned to his tent, leaving orders that he was to be summoned when a breach was imminent. He sat at his table and began examining the maps laid out before him. Someone entered his tent and dainty feet began shuffling about. Xiao Qiao continued about her business quietly until her task was complete. She set the jar of heated plum wine in front of her husband and poured him a cup.

Zhou Yu sighed and smiled up at her. "I do not deserve you, my love, do you know that?"

Xiao blushed. "Nonsense, you deserve a hundred of me. That didn't sound quite right, did it?"

Zhou Yu chuckled and took up the cup and sipped at the sweet, pungent draft. "I know what you meant, Xiao. What would I do without you?"

She grinned and sat on his lap. "Wither away and die, I suspect. But why are you here inside our tent when you should be out there directing the siege?"

"Because I am the grand strategist, my love. Sun Ce is our grand commander and he is more than capable of directing so simple an assault. The true battle where my tactical capacities are to be tested is on the other side of Fankou, deep inside Jing."

"You don't like that we're doing this, do you?" she asked, removing a strand of raven hair from his face. It was obvious in his eyes, at least to her.

Zhou Yu pursed his lips and nodded slowly. "It is difficult. If we are to take China in hand, we must conquer the land, 'tis true. But even if we win here, Jiang Dong will not profit by it. Yuan Shu will, but not our lord Sun Jian."

"Then why are we here?" she asked, discomfited by his unusual candour.

"Because Lord Sun Jian is the very bent of honour and will obey his lord, no matter what the cost. It is an abstract principal for most people, but nothing matters more to Sun Jian, except perhaps his family. But his children are equally committed to his vision and ideals."

Xiao looked confused. "But… did he not readily refuse Yuan Shao's orders during the war against Dong Zhuo? Didn't he break his allegiance back then? Why is this any different?"

"Because it killed him inside to do so, my love." Zhou Yu replied. "Yuan Shao proved greedy and faithless and even though it went against every principal he held and every fibre of his being, Sun Jian was forced to stand against his liege lord. Yuan Shu's motives are questionable, but Lord Sun Jian has no basis for disobeying. The other nobles of the empire already suspect him for his break with Yuan Shao; to do so again would doom our cause forever."

Xiao sighed and curled up against him. "It's too much for me, Zhou Yu. It's all too complex for my little brain. I wish things were just simple right and wrong, because that I can deal with."

Zhou Yu cradled her and just allowed himself to enjoy holding her. "I agree, my love, but the gods have declared things shall not be so easy for us."

"I guess nothing worth fighting for is ever easy, huh?" Xiao murmured, staring into the flickering fires of a brazier.

"Hence the curse 'May you be born in interesting times.' my wife." Zhou Yu said quietly, drawing a quilt around them.

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Sun Ce watched from atop his horse as the catapults and ballistae pounded tirelessly against the walls of Fankou. The ramparts were strong, but he would see them undone. The city would fall and the Pass into Jing would be taken.

Spies had climbed up high onto the mighty stone bluffs that anchored the city's defences and were watching the action below. They were not to infiltrate, they were not to give any hint of their presence- their only job was to observe and report. And the news they had was most interesting.

People were apparently trying to flee the city. They had been streaming out in long columns until Huang Zu had shut the city gates tight, prohibiting anyone else from leaving. The only was out, according to the general, was to be the plains, where the enemy waited.

Sun Ce's spies were equipped with long, light bows that could fire messages quickly and quietly down to the plains. Men designated to retrieve the messages attached to these missiles waited patiently and brought them to Ce as soon as they arrived. The army of Jiang Dong had undisputed control of the plains and the surrounding region, at least for now, so sending messages was a reasonably easy task, as long as the spies remained hidden.

He gazed up at the walls again, not more than half a _li_ away. They were at least fifty feet tall and nearly half as wide, by his scouts' estimates. But rock and masonry would not stop him. His father's will was to be carried out and glorious victory would be theirs. They would take the impregnable Fankou and the realm would tremble at the name of the Sun family.

A small hail of arrows from the wall began landing in the midst of the siege engines. Ce had made sure that his men were protected by large expanses of tough, cured hide. One man cried out and gripped his shoulder as a single arrow passed over the hide and struck him, but he was quickly replaced by another man. They machines would fire relentlessly until they broke or the walls came down.

The barrage from the walls did not last and soon silence reigned again. Obviously the defenders had found a small store of arrows and had just squandered it, desperately trying to disrupt the operation of the siege engines. Ce smiled and pointed the ballistae towards the great gate that blocked their path into Fankou.

Even as the men slung their deadly bolts into position, the iron and heavy wood barricade drew back and a host of fleet cavalry poured forth from the breach. With a great cry they charged toward the siege engines in the center, determined to silence them once and for all.

They were met with a deadly response as bolts the length of a man lashed into their midst, destroying both man and horse as the ballistae unleashed their wicked salvoes. Hard on the heels of this unexpected counter-attack, hundreds upon hundreds of arrows rained down on them, felling dozens and disrupting their formation.

Cries went up and all cohesion was lost. The assault was over before it had even really begun and men wheeled about in a panic, looking for safety. Their leader, a tall, fierce-looking man swung his sabre in a circle over his head, yelling for order. The words died in his throat as a single arrow embedded itself in his chest and he swayed drunkenly for several seconds before collapsing from his mount and landing in the dust.

Sun Ce's eyes flashed as he slowly lowered his strong bow and made an almost dismissive gesture for his cavalry to sweep forward and clean up the survivors. The horsemen of Fankou shouted in fright as they saw their enemy approach and wheeled about to flee back inside the walls. Imagine their confusion and terror when they saw the mighty gates already closing, leaving them trapped outside, with their ruthless enemy!

The survivors of Ce's counter-attack threw themselves on their knees and pleaded for mercy. When it looked like none would be shown, Ce raised his hand sharply and his herald blow forth a single, clear note on his war horn. The cavalry of Jiang Dong reigned in their charge and began rounding up the shattered prisoners, preparing to take them back to the camp. Jeers of venomous hatred were thrown from the walls, along with small rocks and any other disposable items the defenders could find. At first, it seemed they were aiming for the enemy, but soon it became apparent they were lashing out at their own men, furious that they would dare surrender to Jiang Dong. With a simple wave, Sun Ce silenced them by having his archers lay down sheets of withering fire up onto the parapets while the cavalry made its withdrawal.

Ce watched silently as the prisoners trudged by, miserable, their eyes blank and hollow. He promised himself that every one of these poor souls would give their allegiance to him before this foul campaign was over.

"Make sure they get food and water!" he called out, knowing that the prisoners had heard him. Several of them looked back at him, more than a few in surprise and even awe. It made Ce wonder how nobles in the rest the realm treated their peasants and prisoners. Could they possibly make his job of pacifying and conquering the land any easier?

"_Da, be patient and trust me… this is going well and our daughter's future should be a peaceful one. I will do everything in my power to return swiftly to your side. Liu Biao is what keeps me from you, so he shall be destroyed. By all that I hold holy, this I vow…"_

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Huang Gai strode down the corridor of the great palace, the dull, heavy tread of his boots echoing all about him. He chafed at the boredom he felt, but also acknowledged the necessity of it. First and foremost, he was a protector of the Sun family, and if that meant protecting the lovely Lady Da Qiao, then so be it. Just once, he would sit this fight out.

He reflected back on his long service to this ancient and noble clan. Sun Jian's father had originally received his oath of loyalty and the mighty warrior had served the patriarch faithfully for many years until he passed on and Sun Jian assumed the mantle of power. He had proven a great, generous and capable lord, fiercely dedicated to his subjects, his family and his principals. Jian and his twin brother, Qiang, had been formidable warriors, but Qiang had died while in his early twenties and Sun Jian took on the burden of ruling alone.

Sun Ce had been born, followed by Quan, Shang Xiang and Kuang. The children were all splendid example of their illustrious heritage- Ce was fearless and unstoppable in battle, a born leader of men. Quan was thoughtful and sought to know men's hearts, to prove himself worthy of his name. Shang Xiang was fiery and brash, determined to be renowned amongst the great warriors of the era. Kuang, the youngest, was patient and studious, watching and learning everything he could about ruling men and the lands about him.

Each of these gifted youngsters intrigued the old warrior, for they represented a shift in the future of China. Gone were the days of brawlers like himself, career soldiers who simply dedicated themselves to whatever war their lord was fighting. Warriors such as Sun Ce, Guan Yu and Lu Bu were fearsome young men who would stop at nothing to see the land pacified and brought under a single man's rule. The old etiquettes and methods of more meant nothing to them, results were what counted. The result was wars of ideas and ideals, but the cost was horrendous in terms of lives and damage to the land, for nothing could so inflame a nation or people as much as an ideal they believed in. Was the yellow Turban Rebellion not a supreme example of this phenomenon?

He sighed heavily to himself and shook his head as he walked down the hall. His hands almost ached to hold his great club, to swing it ferociously and lay his enemies in the dust. He could picture the army of Jiang Dong as it marched on toward Jing, determined to lay waste to Liu Biao and his realm.

A flurry of movement to his right caught his attention. Someone leapt toward him with astonishing speed and obviously deadly intent.

His great hand thrust out and drove straight into his assailant's chest, sending them flying backward against the wall. There was a splintering crash as they impacted with a wooden stand on which sat a Xia-era vase. Huang Gai whirled to face his foe but his eyes widened in sudden horror.

Lying amidst the ruins of the wooden stand and the shards of the ancient vase was Lady Da Qiao, her tiny body crumpled against the wall, her eyes squeezed shut as she attempted to breath. He could hear her gasping and saw her limbs twitch as she attempted to sit up.

He rushed to her side and knelt before her, unsure of what to do. His great hands flexed in anxiety as he attempted to find the words he wished to speak.

"My… my lady…" he managed to squeak out.

Da Qiao's eyes fluttered open and she attempted to smile. The result was somewhat disconcerting, as it was obvious that she was in a great deal of pain. Huang Gai grimaced as he gently reached out and placed his hands on her shoulders. She finally focused on him and drew a shuddering breath.

"Ow… didn't anyone teach you not to hit girls?" she warbled.

"Can… can you stand?" he asked.

Da shot him a wry look, though she winced as she attempted to laugh. "What… do you think?"

"Why… why did you…" Huang Gai stammered, unable to give voice to his confusion.

"I… thought I should test myself…" Da confessed, straining to take a deep breath. Every tiny movement sent slivers of fiery agony through her torso. Huang Gai had messed her up but good.

No, she had messed herself up, he had nothing to do with it. What had she expected, ambushing a warrior like Huang Gai?

"Test yourself, my lady?" he asked, obviously perplexed.

"General, if I am to be a commander in my lord's army, I must become a warrior as well as a tactician, yes? Lord Sun Jian appointed me as a commander and I am determined to fulfil my potential and make him proud."

"What does this have to do with jumping out of dark corners and attacking people?" Huang Gai asked reasonably.

Da blushed. When he put it that way, the whole endeavour does sound rather silly. "I… look, it makes sense to me, okay? Trust me, I have to do this, just never to you again."

"A wise decision, my lady, for I do not think even Lord Sun Ce could easily survive a direct hit from my open palm."

Da nodded and allowed Huang Gai to pick her up gingerly. "Yes, I dare say. What style did you study, General? I must remember to not be on the receiving end of it again."

Huang Gai sighed as he began carrying her down the hallway. "A little-known _hakka_ style, my lady; the only person who has ever effectively countered it is your husband, who commands the Tiger, Dragon and Crane styles of the unarmed art."

Da winced again as she tried to get comfortable, but the effort was wasted. She could feel the cracks in her ribs; if Huang Gai had hit her any harder, her insides would have been pulped.

"To the healers, please, General," she said weakly, feeling a black swoon coming on. "I think a numbing tea and an herbal bath are probably my rewards for ambushing you…"

And then everything went dark.

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Ce could feel it… Fankou was about to be breached. The walls, so stout and strong, were finally going to give way. Night was almost upon them and the time for the final assault drew near. As he sat astride his horse, he could sense his men forming up on either side of him, a long line of cavalry in scarlet and gold. Their eagerness was palpable. Mo Jing waited patiently at his side, fingering the ring-shaped pommel of his curved blade, _Baihui_.

"Our time is nigh, my lord," the veteran warrior said quietly, as he watched the walls. "Nothing will stop us as we swarm into Jing and finally extract our revenge on Liu Biao."

Sun Ce's response was a grim nod. Zhou Yu's company formed up on his right and Sun Jian's on his left. On the flanks, Sun Shang Xiang and Sun Quan's cavalry completed the battle line. The fire of torches glinted off burnished breast plates and deadly lance tips.

Zhou Yu nodded silently to his friend and raised his great sword overhead. Several of the catapults changed their trajectory and began hammering the great doors of the city. Strong though they were, the constant barrage of heavy stone would prove too much. They would give way and Fankou would finally be theirs.

The commanders gathered around Sun Jian as the assault on the gate commenced. They all bowed their heads as he stared at the beleaguered city, his eyes hard.

"Very well, our victory is at hand," he said, his hands gripping the reins of his horse. "Remember to tell your men that there is to be no pillaging or harming of unarmed civilians, on pain of death."

"One second, father," Sun Ce said, smiling slyly. "Zhou Yu and I have one final gambit to play."

Sun Quan pursed his lips. "Brother, I believe in clever strategies as much as the next person, but we have been assaulting the city all day and into the night. It will not be long before reinforcements arrive for them."

Zhou Yu bowed respectfully to Sun Quan. "My lord, I beg your indulgence for just a few moments more. The purpose of today's bombardment was not merely to weaken their mighty walls…"

Even as he spoke, there was a great screech and grinding noise. Dimly they could see the great gates opening, allowing passage into the city. Someone had finally had enough.

Shang Xiang put her war horn to her lips and let forth a great call before spurring her horse into a gallop. Her father, brothers and Zhou Yu rode alongside, followed by thousands of cavalrymen. The thunder of hoofs echoed widely across the plain and deep into the city.

The wooden gangways that had been moved silently across the river now resounded with the clatter of their charge. Defenders high on the walls cried in despair as the enemy approached and wailed in fright as they realized someone in their midst had opened the gates. The constant noise and the promise of impending doom had proven too much. Obviously a few people were not willing to die for Liu Biao and Huang Zu.

Sun Jian sped on, his sword high overhead, leading his men in a loud battlecry. Ce smiled grimly, gripping his tonfa and spurring his horse onward. As he passed beneath the gate and into the vast boulevards of the city, he laughed gaily, seeing that many enemies remained to be fought. Dozens of companies of spearmen and swordsmen stood their ground, determined to not run.

It mattered not. Fankou was theirs.

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Huang Zu rode at the front of his company of horsemen, his mood dark and evil. They had fled Fankou once he'd received reports that some fool had begun opening the gates, hoping to spare themselves once the enemy was let in. He hated to admit it, but Sun Jian was proving a much cagier foe than he had anticipated.

What mattered now was escape and living to fight another day. He had received word than Sun Ce was leading the assault and while he was proud of his own skill with a blade, he remembered as well as anyone that it was the eldest Sun boy who had fought Lu Bu to a standstill. Huang Zu did not feel like throwing his life away in a useless show of bravado.

"Sir, what of Fankou?" asked a lieutenant. "What will we tell Lord Liu Biao about how we lost it?"

"We will tell him exactly what happened here," Huang Zu replied, scowling. "That Sun Jian outsmarted me, not once, but twice! First, he deprived me of every arrow in the city and _then_ he terrified my men into allowing them passage through our gates."

His heart pounded in fury as he rode, humiliated by yet another loss to the lord of Jiang Dong.

"Mark my words, Sun Jian," he growled to himself. "This will be the last time you humiliate me. Our next encounter shall be your undoing…"

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Sun Ce had attacked the squad of men head on and they were simply not prepared for the ferocity of his assault. They had been twenty swordsmen, all armed with sharp blades and he had shown no concern whatsoever as he launched himself bodily into their midst.

The narrow street had been to his advantage, since everywhere he struck he landed a blow, but his foes had to be careful not to injure one another with their swords. His tonfa were a blur of motion, flashing in the moonlight. As their resolve failed, several swordsmen broke and run, much to the outrage of those who were resolved to stay and fight.

One swordsman thrust his blade forward and Ce turned to his inside. The man had anticipated the move and now thrust with his palm toward Ce's chest. The young warlord was too quick, however, and had already moved further to the outside. His leg lift and his knee clamped down on the Fankou man's arm; the defender's eyes widened and he tried to stab Ce again. Ce merely flicked the sword arm away with a push of his knee and then slammed his shin across the man's face, sending him to the ground.

One foe remained and he seemed somewhat reluctant to engage the invader. Ce smiled at him and the man cried out and dashed forward, his sword raised overhead. Ce did not even attempt to dodge but rammed the butt of one tonfa into the man's stomach. The victim came to a sudden stop, his eye wide and the air rushing from his body. As he staggered, Ce prepared another blow, but then just pressed his palm to the man's forehead and pushed him down on his back. He stood over his vanquished enemy and stared down at him.

"You're getting off lucky, pal. Now who's in charge around here?"

The man stuttered. "Gen- general Huang Zu was in charge…"

"_Was_ in charge?" Ce asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, but he has already fled the city… once our gates were opened, he knew he could not stop you and he retreated."

Ce's mood turned dark as he thought about this. Liu Biao would not be pleased, but Huang's Zu's reputation as a cunning general was not to be underestimated. If he could not beat Sun Jian with force, he would doubtless resort to other means. He took the man by the scruff of the neck and shoved him off into the darkness.

"Get outta here," he muttered. "Find your family and stay with them. We'll be out of your hair before you know it."

He sprinted off into the darkness to find someone else to fight.

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The fight for Fankou was swift and brutal, lasting less than three hours. True to Sun Jian's word, the civilians were unharmed as much as possible. Some defenders hid themselves in private homes and tried to fight from there, meaning they had to be flushed out. But there was no looting or reports of vandal activity by the soldiers of Jiang Dong, which pleased their lord immensely.

Dawn found the city pacified and quiet, with the remaining defenders rounded up in the city squares, quietly awaiting their fate. They looked pale and sullen, knowing that they had been betrayed, both by their own comrades and by their general, who abandoned them when the fight was lost. Thousands of men on their knees, their hands bound and their spirit broken.

The squad of guards who had opened the gates for Jiang Dong's army had already been slain by their fellow defenders, something Sun Jian regretted but could do nothing about. He rode up and down before the long lines of defeated soldiers, musing as he observed them. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu rode alongside him, silent while he pondered his options.

"The sensible course is to behead them all, my lord." Zhou Yu said in his soft voice, but just loud enough for the prisoners in front of them to hear. Several men flinched and went pale at his words, trembling in fear. This was what they had expected.

"Perhaps, but that is the way of other lords," Sun Jian replied, shaking his head. "These men are not my enemies and I will not act in so base a fashion."

He slide down from his horse and stood in front of the prisoners, his hands on his hips. His strong voice carried out over the square.

"I release you now to your families and homes," he said loudly, making sure they could all hear him. "But only on the condition that you never take up arms against myself or Jiang Dong ever again. My quarrel is with Liu Biao, who wronged me and I would not see you suffer for his arrogant follies."

One prisoner stood up, his head bandaged from a wound he had received in the fight. "I fought against both the Yellow Turbans and Dong Zhuo, Lord Sun Jian, and I know you to be a man of peerless honour. I fought for Fankou, but now that it is yours, I would willingly pledge my life and my sword to you."

Many men nearby muttered and growled at this seeming act of betrayal, but several others also stood and began begging to enter his service. Sun Jian smiled grimly. _This_ was true leadership and true loyalty. While generals and leaders had to recognize excellent qualities in subordinates, common men learned to recognize magnanimity and mercy in their lords. A lord who looked after his people and was their shepherd would always have their fanatical loyalty, and he drew men to him through his devotion to their well-being. In this manner, he and Liu Bei were very much alike.

"Those of you who wish to enter my service are free to do so." Sun Jian continued. "Those of you who do not, I honour your devotion to your master, though he be my enemy. We may cross blades again one day, though it shall not be soon."

Those who wished to join the army of Jiang Dong were freed and brought back to the supply depots. Those who were left behind had their bonds cut and were allowed to return to their homes, once the city had been secured of weapons; and although the lament of families for those slain was loud, so too was the rejoicing for those spared. Fankou had been humbled, but she would know peace still.

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Sun Ce stood on the tall walls of Fankou, looking out toward the sunset. Beside him, Zhou Yu, Shang Xiang and Quan were contemplating the deep scarlet and ochre sky. The moment was serene and reflective; even Sun Ce could not bring himself to disturb it with a quip.

"Beautiful," Shang Xiang said finally. "Everyone should be allowed moments like these."

"That is why we fight, my lady." Zhou Yu replied quietly. "When we have subdued the land, people all over China will be able to look out and just contemplate a sunset or enjoy a sunrise. In place of the ruthless and greedy lords and eunuchs, we shall install men of virtue and mercy to rule the provinces. The people will know peace, finally."

"Well, not too much peace, I hope," Ce finally said, smiling lightly. "We don't want 'em getting all fat and lazy, after all. There'll always be enemies to fight."

"Agreed, but the strife between China's brethren must end." Sun Jian commented, walking up, his hands behind his back. "The tiger will stand up and face the chaos. We will not back down or surrender until we have prevailed."

They all bowed humbly as he drew his sword and pointed the gleaming tip out toward the setting sun. No one noticed the solitary silhouette sitting on one of the mighty bluffs that anchored the city. The man stroked his white beard thoughtfully.

"Indeed, Jiang Dong's destiny will be written across the land," Zuo Ci mused quietly, smiling to himself. "But there is another change that must take effect before fate can fully run its course…"

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	22. Chapter 22

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Author's Note: **After a two month absence I shall not bother to explain, I am back and TYC is as well. I hope you all enjoy the direction we shall now be heading…

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**Chapter 19**

**Invincible**

Sun Shang Xiang rode forward, slashing in great sweeps with her gleaming chakrams. Men fell before her as she rampaged, driving the troops of Jing before her. She had been given command of the van, charged with sweeping Liu Biao's soldiers out of the way.

Fankou had fallen and been pacified with surprising ease. A minimal contingent had been left behind, composed largely of the city's militia, who had surrendered and then pledged their loyalty to Sun Jian. The lord of Jiang Dong wasted no time in pressing on further into Jing, determined to finish off the hated Liu Biao once and for all.

Shang Xiang's heart pounded in her chest as she remembered the war council that morning. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had both recommended that her forces be given the task of clearing their path to Xiangyang, Liu Biao's capital. Sun Jian had readily agreed, although it was quite obvious that Sun Quan was rather unhappy, as was Ling Cao. Zhou Yu was ready for such objections, seemingly, and pointed out that Shang Xiang's battalion was the fastest and most flexible that the army of Jiang Dong had available, making them the natural choice to act as forward scouts and skirmishers.

This was her opportunity to show that her amazons were the equal of any other unit in her father's army. True, they had gained great glory in the battle of Hu Lao, but their glorious victory had been more or less a side-note to the actual battle itself, waged by her elder brother Ce against Lu Bu.

This time, though, her warrior-women were the first into battle, charged with destroying any enemy forces that sought to block their path to the capital. And this is what she intended to do. Come hell or high water, she would prove herself to the warriors of this land.

She took a small squad up the center and attacked Liu Biao's troops bodily. Fu Chin Ran and Xiao Qiao had taken the rest of the cavalry around the flanks and were harassing the enemy as they fled. Form horseback, the amazons fired a withering hail of arrows into their foes, never slowing down and never letting up. Men fell in droves, cut down by the uncanny accuracy of Shang Xiang's women.

The Bow-hipped Princess laughed as she rode, striking down any who came within reach of her weapons. Blood flew in crimson ribbons from the blades and the cries of the dying rang over the plain. The grass was stained red as the sun glinted off the scale armour of those slain.

A fleet-footed bowman whirled about and drew his bow, determined to shoot her off her horse. She let out a great cry and hurled one of her chakrams at the man. Before her could react, the great, circular blade embedded itself in his chest. Even as he stiffened in shock, his life already shuddering from his body, she rode by and deftly yanked the weapon out of his torso, accompanied by the dreadful _crack_ of his ribcage being torn apart. She gave a loud battle-cry, exulting in her strength. On the battlefield she felt truly alive, master of her own fate and in pursuit of a great destiny that she alone could realize.

The center of the enemy's formation was broken and the survivors fleeing. She swept her bow off her back and began firing, even as she rode at a full gallop. It would take all her willpower to keep from chasing them all the way to Xiangyang and storming the city, but her orders had been clear. She would sweep the enemy from the field and await Sun Jian's arrival. This was, after all, his grudge, against Liu Biao and it was he who would finish this war, once and for all.

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Sun Quan strode forward, his eyes flashing. A great stroke of his sword, _Daolang_ ('Wolf Blade') and another foe was brought low. His heart burned in his chest as he fought, leaving a trail of death and destruction behind him. He had been assigned the flank of the army's formation, charged with preventing the increasingly desperate enemy from effectively counter-attacking the army of Jiang Dong as it marched deep into hostile territory.

A cavalryman rode up, intent on swiping Quan's head from his body. Undaunted, Quan lunged in and caught the man's arm as his sabre flashed down. With a brutal yank he pulled the man from his horse and slammed him to the ground. His blade pierced the man's scale armour and pinned his chest to the ground. Quan did not even pause before sweeping the blade out and blocking a strike from another swordsman. A vicious swipe across the man's throat felled him. Quan rose and glared at another man, who stopped suddenly and fled before his piercing gaze.

Quan gazed around the field of engagement and nodded, certain that the enemy's attack had been broken. His regal battle robes streamed behind him, his broad, flat and well-muscled chest partially exposed. His build was lean and hard, unlike Ce's, whose physique was bulging and muscular. Quan was strong, but his bearing was different from that of his older brother. Quan's eyes were a striking greenish colour that pierced into a man's heart and intimidated. In combat, he lacked Ce's incredible finesse and fluid motion, but moved with deliberate force, always attempting to overpower his foe and defeat them through sheer strength.

Another foe lunged at him and he dodged and clamped down on the man's arm. As the man's eyes goggled at him, he rammed his blade into the soldier's midriff and then thrust him backward, leaving him to fall in the dust and die.

"_Father, we shall not fail you! Liu Biao did you a great injustice and if Heaven will not grant you justice, then we shall make Heaven understand what must happen when you cross the Sun family. Liu Biao shall beg for mercy at the point of my sword!"_

He swept himself back up into the saddle of his horse and pointed with his sword. "Forward! The honour of our lord shall not be tarnished by this villainous scum! Ride forth, and fear no foe!"

Quan snapped the reins and his horse leapt forward. His guards rode hard behind him and drove a wedge deep into the enemy formation. His sword swept from side to side, cutting down any who got too close. Quan's eyes were hard as he brutalized his father's foes, determined to bring glory to their family's ancient and illustrious name.

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Sun Jian rode slowly, flanked by Ce and Zhou Yu. He seemed quite casual in his pace, confident that Quan and Ling Cao protected his flanks while Shang Xiang was providing a fearsome and effective screen in the van.

He had been debating what the next move should be with Ce and Zhou Yu all morning as they rode. He often found himself at odds with Ce and Zhou Yu's point of view, but he had learned to never discount their advice. Besides, he had overridden them and gone to war, so the least he could do was conduct it on their terms. They all wanted this conflict over as quickly as possible with minimal loss to Jiang Dong's troops.

"So, then, father, have you reached a decision?" Ce asked, smiling. He could have been riding through the countryside of his home province for all the concern he was showing.

"I believe you are right, my son," the patriarch said, nodding. "My instinct would normally be to destroy his forces piecemeal, cutting off Liu Biao's limbs sequentially and leaving him isolated in Xiangyang, to humiliate him before forcing his surrender. But ultimately, heading straight to his capital and defeating him there will end the conflict sooner. If we destroy Liu Biao there, his other armies will lose heart and either flee or give in to us."

"My only concern is that these armies could go rogue and terrorize the local populace." Zhou Yu intoned thoughtfully as he rode.

"That is Yuan Shu's problem," Sun Jian said, frowning. "He has supposedly got his army ready to move out and pacify Jing, once we have taken Liu Biao. I've no intent of trying to occupy this land, but I will leave all who encounter me with a positive image of the people of Jiang Dong."

"We will cut off the serpent's head, even though it is the strongest part, and the body shall die." Zhou Yu mused, nodding. "Xiangyang, though a large city, is not so formidable to attack as Fankou. Our siege engines shall make short work of the walls and Liu Biao shall be caught, like a rat on a sinking ship. His true colours shall be shown soon."

"Perhaps, but we still have Huang Zu to deal with," Sun Ce said. "He may not be renowned as a warrior, but his cunning and guile are not to be underestimated. Be careful, father, he will certainly command the defence of the capital."

Sun Jian nodded. "I have not forgotten him, son. He too shall be dealt with."

In the east, dark clouds gathered and thunder rolled across the plain.

"How climactic." Zhou Yu remarked, his face uneasy.

"In these turbulent times, when the gods have forgotten men, we must create our own fates." Sun Jian said grimly. "I will see my duty done and my family name covered in glory. The Sun family shall be spoken with reverence throughout the land."

Ce pondered his father's words, but could not identify what had bothered him about them.

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Xiangyang was located on a broad plain and surrounded by hills. The walls were not high, nor very stout. But the constant vigil maintained throughout the ring of hills made approaching the city difficult. The army of Jiang Dong spent the better part of a day clearing out an approach to the target and securing the terrain. Once they had done so, the imposing corps of scarlet and gold took up formation outside Xiangyang.

The sky was dark and thunder boomed over the plain and echoed through the hills. The winds brought the sweet smell of incense from the city as thousands raised their voices to the gods, prayeing for salvation from the invaders. The haunting chants of monks could be heard faintly, reaching out to the soldiers of Jiang Dong.

Sun Jian, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were standing on a small knoll, looking out toward the city. The lord's face was hard as he peered toward Xiangyang, scanning it for signs of his mortal enemy's banners. He would not have put it by Liu Biao to flee the city, leaving the citizens to their fate; if he caught Liu Biao here, the war would end quickly, but if he had fled, morale in the forces of Jing would suffer and they would put up comparatively little resistance. Sun Jian just had to be careful and make sure his own forces were not surrounded and destroyed.

"The prayers of the citizens are reaching us," he growled. "It will not be good for the men's frame of mind to hear the enemy's piteous calls for supplication."

"Drums." Zhou Yu said simply. "We will have our drummers begin a constant war rhythm that will drown them out. They will not hear the enemy's calls for supplication and the martial cadence will prepare them for the battle ahead."

Sun Jian nodded. "Make it so. Perhaps it will cause the enemy to quail in fear as well. We can always hope."

Minutes later, a steady rhythm began, the almost hypnotic rumble of hundreds of drums. Men were given tasks to keep them busy while they pondered the music that sent tremors through the camp. Bands of soldiers would occasionally begin chanting, hymns and songs of war and destruction.

Ce listened to the drummers and knew the tactic would have the intended effect. He just hoped it would send the troops of Jiang Dong into a frenzy in which they would become uncontrollable and destroy the city. He loved a good fight, but wholesale slaughter was not their purpose here.

So loud and pounding became the drums that event the thunder overhead became a simple background noise. Wind whipped through the camp, setting pennants and banners fluttering madly. Ce found himself hoping that maybe the music and setting was a little _too_ dramatic for the coming attack.

The wind grew stronger and stronger, until only the stoutest men in the camp could stand unaided. Orders were given to lash everything down until the blustery weather had passed. Sun Jian stood unperturbed beneath his great banner, scarlet and gold, which proudly proclaimed his family name and lineage for all to see. His hands rest on the pommel of his sword and he merely gazed out toward the city, undaunted by nature's assault on his encampment.

There was a loud _crack!_ And the sturdy pole that supported Sun Jian's banner snapped in half, sending the standard tumbling to the ground. A herald snatched it up immediately, but several men cried out in dismay.

"An ill omen, my lord," Zhou Yu said, observing the proceedings. "Many banners and pennants around our camp are less sturdy than yours and did not break in this gale. Perhaps we should postpone our attack and withdraw for the time being?"

"Nonsense!" Sun Jian said, his eyes flashing with disapproval. "If we withdraw now, the men's morale shall suffer accordingly. I will not allow some adverse weather to hinder us in our goal, Zhou Yu. I am surprised at you for so ludicrous a suggestion. The men would expect me to beat any other commander who sounded so faint-hearted and supersticious."

Zhou Yu simply bowed his head quietly, accepting the reproach.

"The time is now," Sun Jian continued. "The wind will work against them every bit as much as it will against us. Ready the men for a general attack following our bombardment."

Zhou Yu bowed and ran off to carry out his instructions.

"You were really hard on him, father," Ce said quietly. "Have you ever known Zhou Yu to say anything without sound reasoning behind his words?"

"No, I have not," Sun Jian replied, still looking out toward the city, even as the horns sounded the muster. "That is why I retain his services, my son. But several times over the past year I have acquiesced to his metaphysical advice and it has rankled, I must admit. This battle will be decided with cold iron, not the will of the gods. You have never backed down from a fight, do _you_ think we should withdraw?"

"No," Ce said in almost a whisper. "But I think you should, father."

Sun Jian was quiet for several seconds before finally speaking. "That cannot happen, my son. My destiny lies here, on the plains of Xiangyang. I will not let an unlucky wind drive me from the field, no matter what the wise might portend. With this victory, we shall because our campaign to pacify the land."

Sun Jian drew his sword and pointed it toward the city. Horns blew loudly and Zhou Yu's catapults began hurling rocks toward the city.

"Go now, son," the patriarch said grimly. "You shall lead the assault on the city once we have breached the walls. My corps shall act as a tactical reserve. Have Zhou Yu and Quan circle around to the right while Shang Zhang and Ling Cao head around the left. They shall assault the city walls and spread the defenders thin while our siege engines make a breach."

"At once, father." Ce said and rode off to ready his men.

Sun Jian gave the city a final look as he sheathed his sword. He had fought bigger battles than this, assaulted stronger fortifications, but he could not shake this feeling that his entire life was leading up to this point. Destiny called to him and he would meet it head on, with no quarter asked or given.

He was a warrior, and he would acknowledge no fear.

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"Forward! Now!" Ce shouted as a great expanse of wall finally collapsed under the catapult's onslaught. Dozens of horns rang as his battalions drew their weapons and charged forward, the thunder of hooves ringing over the plain. A great cry rose as they hurtled toward the breech, intent on destroying those who hid behind the billowing clouds of stone dust that arose from the ruined walls.

Ce knew that the flanking corps had spread the enemy thin and hoped it would be enough. Shang Xiang's furious assaults on the walls to the north had required a great deal of the defenders's efforts to contain. He smiled as he remembered reports of his younger sister actually scaling the wall, leading her men, only to be barely turned back by the foes's spears. Seven times she had thrown herself at the city and while her frustration grew, Ce held no doubts that her name would echo through history as men sang of her bravery and passion.

Zhou Yu and Quan had found a postern gate and a bitter battle had been fought for control of the secret entrance into the city. The battle raged even as Ce rode toward the gaping hole in the eastern wall. Xiangyang's defenders were needed everywhere at once, and now nothing could stop Jiang Dong from pouring into the streets and wresting control from Liu Biao.

Ce held one of his tonfa in the air and whirled it around his head. His cavalrymen instantly split into two groups, veering off left and right. Even as they did so, a horn blew from inside the city, behind the breech in the wall. A wall of deadly arrows sped out of the gap, but found few or no targets as Ce's men had dodged to the side. Panicked shouts from the walls called for more fire, but Ce's men were already closing back together and streaming into the hole. Ce's warhorse crashed bodily into the defenders, trampling them to the ground as he pressed on, flailing with his weapons. Behind him his men gave a blood-curdling cry and began a bloody rampage, striking down any within reach.

Xiangyang was doomed.

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"My lord, they have forced their way into the city!" a herald said breathlessly as he kow-towed before Liu Biao. The ruler of Jing scowled, rising from his throne and heading over to a window to look out over the city. His sumptuous palace was going to provide him with little defence if the troops of Jiang Dong reached its doorstep.

"What do we do, my lord?" a eunuch asked, his face pale with fear.

"The only thing we can do, of course." Liu Biao said gruffly, his eyes hard. "We rely on Huang Zu to redeem himself and hope his little scheme works…

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Sun Jian watched the assault on the city continue and felt his ire rising. He chafed at having to remain behind and oversee the battle unfolding without him. Could not Zhou Yu, who had orchestrated most of this campaign, have remained safely on this hill while Sun Jian threw himself into battle?

What was there to fear? Had he not bested the invincible Hua Xiong at Tiger Trap Pass? Had he not sired the mighty Sun Ce, whom not even Lu Bu could defeat in pitched battle? This entire assault was carefully conducted by a mastermind, was Sun Jian's sword not better used in the thick of the conflict?

He gripped the haft of his Tiger Blade tightly and glowered. The captain of his bodyguard, Cheng Pu, recognized the signs and bowed deferentially. "My lord, Xiangyang's forces are still formidable, even if we are guaranteed of victory. Your son shall surely call upon you when the true battle begins in the city. They cannot have engaged Liu Biao's veterans yet."

"Perhaps, but maybe I should have called upon him when reinforcements became necessary. It should be me fighting deeper into the city at this moment."

"I also crave battle, my lord, but it is best you conserve your strength for the final assault on Liu Biao's palace, yes?" Cheng Pu pointed out.

"If Ce does not carry all before him and finish off Liu Biao himself." Sun Jian replied, unwilling to be placated in this mattered.

Cheng Pu smirked. He did so rarely, at it was an odd expression to see on the man. He was tough and grizzled, strong as a leather hide and brutal in a fight. Few enjoyed sparring with him, not even Huang Gai.

"I would not worry about Ce, my lord, at least form that point of view. Remember that he does not consider Liu Biao his personal enemy. Your daughter and younger son, however, in their eagerness for glory, might very well take it upon themselves to rid you of your nemesis."

Sun Jian grunted. "You may have a point there. Still, I chafe at the lack of action I have seen in this campaign. I am only thirty-six; I am not some silken-armed girl or wooden-jointed elder who creaks when he swings a sword."

He was about to complain some more when a cry went up and fires flared to the rear of the camp. Sun Jian whirled around, his blade flashing in his hand. A contingent of enemy cavalry had burst into the Jiang Dong encampment and was wreaking havoc.

Cheng Pu wasted no time in drawing his bow and shooting the enemy commander from his horse. Sun Jian sprang forward and swung himself into his saddle, calling for a counterattack. He thundered toward the foe, his heart pounding with battle-lust.

If the cavalrymen of Xiangyang were hoping for disorganization, they were fatally disappointed. The men of Jiang Dong did not panic but quickly organized themselves into solid groups and attacked in formation. Sun Jian ploughed into the raiders, swinging his sword savagely. Less than three minutes had passed before the Xiangyang warriors were in full retreat, heading back out toward the hills they had emerged from.

"Follow!" Sun Jian called loudly, charging out after them. His cavalry reserve streamed after him, hungry for the kill. They pressed after their foes, determined not to lose sight of them.

"My lord!" Cheng Pu shouted, running on foot after his liege. However, he could not keep up and the lord of Jiang Dong disappeared into the night. Cheng Pu bit his lip and began rounding up horses to chase after his commander. Sun Jian's blood was up and there was no way to stay him. They would simply have to find him and fight until there were no foes left.

He paused suddenly as he remembered something Sun Ce said to him the day before. A cold sweat beaded on his brow as he thought back to what the young heir had related.

"_Cheng Pu,_ _my father must be protected. He believes not in the movement of the Heavens, or at least will not let them dictate his course of action. I fear this campaign may be his last if we do not look after him. Should harm be imminent, alert me at once and I shall come to you, wherever I am. Xiangyang be damned, my father's life is more important!"_

Cheng Pu looked around and found a herald standing nearby. He grabbed the man's great horn and blew several great blasts upon it, signalling a counterattack. He could only hope that the desperate notes reached Sun Ce's ears and would be understood.

Time was not on their side anymore.

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Ce had dismounted in the narrow streets and fought against the companies that guarded the route to the palace. They were stout spearmen and halberdiers, protecting rows of archers and crossbowmen. He threw himself bodily into their ranks, intent on disrupting their formations and keeping them from harming his own troops with withering volleys.

He knew that Shang Xiang, Quan, Zhou Yu and Ling Cao had finally forced their way into the city and were making their way towards Liu Biao. He smiled grimly. No troops had been seen fleeing the city and their exits were now all blocked. Liu Biao was trapped, forced to await his final showdown with the lord of Jiang Dong.

A strange sound caught his ears and he gave pause as the enemy fled before him. A familiar, ululating note came from the east. It seemed out of place, but it was obviously a counterattack signal, and it was emanating from Jiang Dong's camp.

_Father…_

"Retreat!" he shouted, sprinting back to his horse. His men looked confused and perhaps even outraged. Mo Jing seemed baffled.

"My lord, what is the meaning of this? Victory is within our grasp! To run now would be-"

"My father is in danger! Damn the city and damn Liu Biao! We ride to protect the lord of Jiang Dong!"

Little or no other incentive was needed at that point. Ce's warriors leapt onto their mounts and began a mad dash back toward the hole in the wall. The city and Liu Biao were forgotten as they rode to the defence of their lord.

Ce rode like a bolt of lightning, letting nothing slow him down. He knew that if Quan, Shang Xiang, Zhou Yu and Ling Cao had heard the call they would be doing the same.

_Father, I am coming! Please, do not let your passion overrule your judgement! Jiang Dong needs you and China has no future without you!"_

He outran the wind, but something deep inside Ce told him it would not be enough.

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Sun Jian snarled in fury. In the darkness and the maze of hills, he had lost sight of his foes. He held up his sword and called for a halt. As his cavalrymen gathered about him, he listened intently. He heard hooves off to the right and whipped his horse into a gallop, intent on catching up with them. Only thirty retainers had kept up with him but he cared not- his blood was burning in his veins and not three hundred or three thousand enemies would be able to stop him.

He bellowed in triumph as he burst into the rear of the enemy's column. He laid about with his blade, felling opponents with every stroke. They seemed stunned by his sudden appearance and could not organize themselves effectively. The cavalrymen of Jiang Dong attacked savagely, matching their lord's ferocity with their own.

Sun Jian's horse screamed and tumbled as a lance pierced its flank. The lord was thrown but rolled deftly to his feet, his sword glittering balefully in the moonlight. He charged into a knot of men and slew their commander almost instantly. The men did not flee but were taken aback by his ferocity. His blade was a blur of motion, whirling about in a form expertly devised to deal with multiple foes. Blood flew from the blade as he dispatched the enemy. His war-cry sounded through the hills, letting his adversaries know that the lord of Jiang Dong had come for them.

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Huang Zu waited in the shadows of a hilltop nearby. He was surrounded by an elite squad of archers and swordsmen who stood silently, awaiting his orders. He observed patiently, knowing that the time to avenge himself was fast approaching. Sun Jian was finally his.

"We will not have much longer to wait, my friends," he whispered. "The fool will soon learn he may not trifle with Huang Zu."

Tonight was to be his greatest triumph. The lord of Jiang Dong would know who his master was.

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Sun Jian leaned on his sword, panting. Around him were strewn the corpses of Xiangyang warriors, all victims of his peerless skill. His heart thundered in his chest and his ears rang with the sudden silence that surrounded him.

Wearily he stood straight and turned around to give his orders but froze in shock- his own cavaliers all lay on the cold earth, their swords and lances still in their hands.

They had been slain to a man.

A sound behind him snapped him back to the present and he turned swiftly, his blade ready for action. From the hills emerged entire companies of enemy soldiers, all advancing on him steadily.

Fury roared in his heart as the scale of his folly and dilemma were revealed to him. His thrust his blade into the sky and let out a great cry, committing his soul to the god of war. He charged forward and slashed down with _Fujian_, cleaving his first foe right in two. Even as he whirled about, he slashed another across the throat and then a third. He was hopelessly outnumbered, but so swift and deadly was his assault that his enemies could seemingly do little to stop him. They fell back before his onslaught, even as the other companies closed in behind. He slashed with his blade one-handed, even as he picked up a horn and let forth a great call, hopefully summoning aid.

A savage kick into the midriff of one swordsman drove him back into his comrades and Sun Jian pressed his assault. He leapt over a downed man and wrapped his arm around another's neck, wrenching it until the vertebrae snapped. A blow glanced off his helmet and knocked it askew. With a roar he tore it from his head and slammed it across the face of another foe, spinning them backward and to the ground.

He ducked a determined strike and thrust his sword into the forehead of the attacker. This proved too much for those remaining and they broke, racing back along the path they had emerged from. With a howl of triumph, Sun Jian sprinted after them, not only hot for battle but knowing that he was safest if he stayed in their midst. He slashed indiscriminately, dropping men even as they fled. His heart soared as he thought of the glory this battle would bring him. In this engagement in the hills, he had slain over a hundred men thus far and his rampage showed little sign of abating, as long as his strength held out; and this he did not fear, because he felt stronger with each passing moment. It was as if some mighty spirit of battle had possessed him. He was unstoppable. The world would fear his name.

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"Now!" said Huang Zu harshly, making an almost contemptuous chopping motion with his hand. Fires sprang up and drums began to roll as his trap was unleashed. This was to be his greatest moment.

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Sun Jian's eyes widened in shock as rocks, boulders and arrows began to pelt and rumble down into the narrow defile he found himself in. He leapt aside, avoiding a huge, rolling rock, obviously meant to squash him. Searing hot pain shot up his leg as an arrow embedded itself in his calf. Even as he staggered, he swept his blade in a wide arc, deflecting an incoming volley of arrows. He kept moving, in spite of the pain, certain that to stand still meant instant death. His only remaining chance was to keep avoiding these assaults until reinforcements arrived.

His foes had fled while those behind barred his exit from the trap, watching coldly as he fought for his life. He dashed to and fro, desperate for respite from the relentless barrage. He shouted angrily and dashed toward a narrow pass, hoping to engage the stoic guards and escape, but was suddenly spun about by a rock that collided with his breastplate. The world blurred and the breath left his chest as he collapsed to one knee. He sucked in air as forcefully as he could, determined to rise and continue the fight.

He surged to his feet and staggered as an arrow pierced his breast, driving deep into his ribcage. He stumbled forward, plucking the dart from his chest as he attempted to reach his foes. Another arrow buried itself in his thigh and he ignored it until the leg went limp. Even then, he forced himself forward, dragging the leg behind himself.

"_I… will not… yield… my folly may be my death… but I will not yield…"_

A large rock slammed into him, knocking him flying. With his chest burning in pain, he rose to his feet and held his sword in front of himself. Though his vision swam, he could see that _Fujian_ had broken, the mighty blade snapped a few inches above the hilt. Swaying drunkenly, he tossed the useless weapon aside and trudged toward a mass of men. The agony of his broken body fled and he felt nothing except the burning desire to take just one more foe with him into the eternal night.

Darkness crept in at the edges of his vision as he advanced and he fought it with every fibre of his being. Distantly he could see an enemy archer, his bow drawn back and an arrow aimed at him. The man released and the missile crawled toward him, impossibly slowly. He did not really feel the dart as it entered his body and blackness enveloped him as he fell backward, his fists still clenched in defiance.

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Huang Zu was striding down the hill, determined to witness his handiwork first-hand. Although he could plainly see that Sun Jian's body was battered, broken and pierced with many arrows, he wanted to make absolutely certain that his aim was achieved. He was unwilling to risk anything at this point.

His guard of crossbowmen surrounded him, pointing their weapons at the fallen man, as if afraid that he might suddenly spring up and attack them in a fresh fury. They stopped and waited quietly as Huang Zu approached, observing his foe intently. Sun Jian was lying on his back, his limbs twitching as he struggled to remain alive. His eyes fluttered as he tried to keep them open. Huang Zu knelt down next to the defeated man, no longer afraid. He reached down and gripped Sun Jian by the back of his neck and lifted, bringing his face closer. He scowled as he looked down into Sun Jian's glazed eyes.

"Fool!" he sneered as he gave the neck a squeeze. "You thought you could master _me_? Yes, you had your moments of triumph, but it matters not how many times you lose as long as you win in the end!"

Sun Jian shuddered and his eyes flared open as he recognized Huang Zu. Even through the haze he could see his foe, a man he had disliked ever since meeting him in the council meetings of the Coalition against Dong Zhuo. His cunning and guile could not compensate for his treacherous and cowardly nature. Sun Jian would never understand men such as this.

"Now the only question that remains is how to present you to my lord," Huang Zu mused, enjoying this moment of victory and his foe's final discomfort. "Should I be formal and present your head to Lord Liu Biao or shall I bring your broken body back to him, perhaps to hang from pikes over the gates of Xiangyang, a warning to those who would trifle with Jing?

Sun Jian's eyes flashed and he attempted to speak, blood-flecked foam dribbling from his lips. His ragged breath came in sharp, gurgling gasps as blood continued to seep into his lungs. He wished only to curse Liu Biao's name, condemning him to the eternal dark. To his dismay, no words came, just the incoherent blubbering of his shattered mouth.

"Or perhaps," Huang Zu said slyly, an evil smile spreading across his face. "Perhaps I shall keep you alive for now and bring you back to Liu Biao, broken but living. He might keep you alive for days or even weeks while my interrogators devise clever ways to torture the life out of you."

A thin, wicked knife was suddenly in Huang Zu's hand and his eyes hardened. "No," he said with a grim finality that chilled even his men. "You have humiliated me for the last time, Sun Jian. I will know no satisfaction unless I kill you myself. With this blade I shall end your life and my name shall be renowned as the man who slew you. Farewell, Tiger of Jiang Dong!"

His knife pulled back for the fatal thrust when a cry arose and suddenly mayhem surrounded him. Hundreds of riders burst into the narrow vale, their blades flashing while their crimson and gold banners fluttered in the air. Huang Zu cursed as his men grabbed him and fled, pulling him away from his victim. He struggled wildly but they were too many and would not let go.

"No, damn you!" he shouted angrily, glaring at the chaos that erupted before him. "I must kill him! We must be sure! Sun Jian must die by my hand!"

"We must go, general!" cried one man as he dragged Huang Zu away. "Our only chance to save you is now!"

Over Huang Zu's outraged cries of protest, they disappeared into the foothills, under the cover of dark. Their mission was accomplished and all that remained was to return alive to Xiangyang.

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The vale had been secured and Ce had ignored battle to leap from his horse and rushed to his father's side. He knelt and cradled Sun Jian's head in his hand while supporting his upper back. Tears stung his eyes as he gazed down at what was left of the lord of Jiang Dong.

"Father! Father!" he said desperately, trying to call Sun Jian from the edge of death. He bit his lip until it bled, feeling utterly helpless. He had not been fast enough.

Sun Jian's eyes slowly opened, gazing almost sightlessly. The dying man mustered all his strength and focused on his son's voice, finally coming back to his tortured, broken body. He shuddered and finally managed to speak, happy he had not wasted these finally breaths on Huang Zu after all.

"M-m-my s-s-s-son…" he sputtered, gazing up at his heir. Ce caressed his father's cheek, trying to sound confident and consoling.

"Rest, father," the young warrior said soothingly. "Zhou Yu will be here soon and we will treat your wounds and send for-"

"It is… too late… my son…" the patriarch murmured, reaching a trembling and bloody hand up to rest on Ce's forearm. "Do not… rob me of dignity… by telling such lies… I am to die here…"

Ce said nothing but just gazed down into his father's face. As Sun Jian fought to hold on, his eyes cleared up and his bearing seemed to return some. Those gathered around bowed deeply, their foreheads touching the ground.

"Ce…" Sun Jian said, his voice barely a whisper. "Quan… Shang Xiang… Kuang… where… where are…"

"Quan and Shang Xiang are riding to meet us here, father. Please stay with me, they'll be here soon." Sun Ce answered quietly. "Kuang is back in Wuchang, safe and sound with mother."

Sun Jiang nodded, remembering now. "Your wife… and my granddaughter… they are…"

"They're fine." Ce said firmly. He knew how important this was to Sun Jian.

Horses came galloping into the vale and the riders dismounted. Ce heard Shang Xiang gasp as she spied their father. Quan swore and came racing up, barrelling through any who stood in his way. They both knelt by Ce's side, gazing sadly down at the father. Quan's eyes seemed almost haunted, as if he did not comprehend what he was seeing. Shang Xiang's eyes glistened with tears that streamed down her lovely cheeks.

Zhou Yu came walking up slowly, his face grave, long since having discerned what had unfolded here. Xiao Qiao walked alongside him nervously, unsure of what had transpired. When she saw Sun Jian she gasped and buried her face in Zhou Yu's shoulder.

Ling Cao, Fu Chin Ran and the other commanders all remained quiet and kow-towed, each fighting the welling grief and misery that filled their hearts.

"M-my children…" Sun Jian warbled. "I… have failed… our people… I… was not… strong enough…"

"Nonsense, father!" Quan said desperately, kneeling down on all fours to make sure Sun Jian heard him. "There has never been a more valiant or benevolent ruler than you! You are the greatest lord in the history of our clan!"

Shang Xiang gently took one of Sun Jian's hands and brought it to her lips, kissing it reverently. However much she aspired to glory and honour, nothing could compare to her love for her mighty father.

"Father…" she said tearfully. "What shall become of us without you?"

Sun Jian stared past them all, up at the dark night sky. He felt the movement of the stars fill him, explaining the course of time and history in perfect clarity. His own star, for so long bright and promising, glittered dimly, begging for release.

Ce's, on the other hand, burned strong and brightly overhead. In it he could see the natural order of things, certainty and fulfillment…

All was going to be well.

"My children," he said, gathering the last vestiges of his strength. "My time has ended. A new future awaits you, and indeed all of China. Ce, you will lead our people to an age of peace and prosperity. Quan, Shang Xiang… you must give your brother all your support. The road before you all is long… but I see now that… that…

Sun Jian's body was wracked with spasms and he gripped Ce's arm fiercely, focusing all his attention on his eldest son.

"Ce…" he wheezed, fighting to remain alive. "Ce… the stars… I see it now… you and Zhou Yu… were… right…"

His hand remained clenched on his son but the strength fled from it. His eyes remained open but the spark was gone.

Ce bent over and kisses his father's forehead before slowly shutting his eyes. He laid the Lord of Jiang Dong's head gently on the ground and rose, his eyes shut as he murmured a final prayer. The vale was silent as everyone quietly mourned the passing of the mighty patriarch.

Ce finally opened his eyes and they were hard with resolve. "Lord Sun Jian is dead," he said, his voice untouched by emotion. "That being said, our quarrel with Liu Biao ends here. The army is regroup and we shall quit the field. We are going home."

There were gasps all around the vale. No one had expected this reaction, from Ce of all people.

"Brother, you cannot be serious!" Quan snapped. "How could you even consider such an option? Surely this would dishonour father's efforts and trivialize the deaths of all those who sacrificed their lives so far in this campaign!"

"This war should never have been fought!" Ce said sharply, his voice so commanding that dozens of soldiers and commanders dropped to their knees in deference. "Father chose to discharge a duty that none of us agreed with and now he is gone! If we continue to fight, what will we gain except for more useless deaths?"

Everyone was silent, stunned by what they were hearing, except for Zhou Yu, who kept his eyes shut while Xiao Qiao wept against him, her face still hidden.

"Yes, Liu Biao is still our enemy and a reckoning will be had- but it will be on _our_ terms, not Yuan Shu's! If we conquer Jing today, who shall remember the glory we gain? Who here will remember anything but the death of my father?"

Ling Cao strode forward and bowed before Sun Ce, offering his sword.

"My lord, though it burns me to leave the field with a fight unfinished, I shall always yield to your decisions. Command me!"

Ce drew a deep breath and looked around. "Nobody wants to stay and finish this fight more than I do, my friends. But foremost in my mind is bringing my father back to Jiang Dong and seeing that he is properly buried and all the necessary rites given. Nothing else really matters to me right now…"

Everyone nodded their assent, understanding Ce's desire in this respect.

"Ling Cao, send a herald to Liu Biao, telling him that we are quitting the field and returning to Jiang Dong. We mean him no further harm but make it plain that pursuit would not be in his best interests. I remain his enemy but there will be peace for now."

Ling Cao bowed, mounted his horse and rode off to deliver his charge.

Ce nodded and began gathering his thoughts. "Quan, your corps will bring up the rear, guarding against Liu Biao's forces, in case he's foolish enough to give chase. Make sure he pays dearly if he does."

Quan nodded and clasped his fist into his hand.

Ce looked at Shang Xiang. "Sis, you'll take the vanguard again, spreading out in a screen to protect our front. Our only concern is retuning to Wuchang as swiftly as possible. Dispense gold amongst the people of the hinterlands, asking them to erect shrines in our father's memory"

Shang Xiang nodded, from where she knelt, still holding her father's hand to her breast.

Ce turned to face Cheng Pu, who dropped to his knees and pressed his forehead to the earth.

"Lord Sun Ce! I have failed your father as his guardian! I deserve no mercy for this transgression! If you have any fondness in your heart for this lowly warrior, allow me the simple honour of ending my life and perhaps finding ways to atone in Heaven!"

"You're not getting off that easily, Cheng Pu," Ce replied. "You did indeed fail to protect my father. You shall have to do a much better job from now on, serving as a field commander. Your tactical skills and sword arm are still of use to me, even if I can no longer trust you to guard anyone."

"Yes my lord!" Cheng Pu said, tears streaming down his face.

"I imagine that Liu Biao will grant the truce, at least long enough to gather up his own dead and repair the damage we did to his walls," Ce mused as he mounted his horse. Ling Cao shall act as honour guard for my father's body during the march back. We shall head through Fankou and thence out of Jing. Nothing is to delay us, understand? The lord of Jiang Dong must have his proper burial! Dismissed!"

The officers and soldiers assembled all bowed and went about their assigned duties. The only ones who remained were Sun Jian's children, Zhou Yu, Xiao Qiao, Fu Chin Ran and Mo Jing. They all gathered around the patriarch's body and gazed down at him. In spite of the grievous damage he had received, he seemed somehow dignified and at peace. Shang Xiang fought back her tears and turned away finally, to be alone with her thoughts. Quan knelt and began muttering a prayer, invoking the God of Fire and the spirits of the Uttermost West to guard over his father's spirit.

Ce sighed as Zhou Yu approached him and put a consoling hand on his shoulder. Xiao stood beside her husband, looking devastated. She seemed completely withdrawn, as if her world no longer made sense. Life without Sun Jian seemed almost inconceivable to her.

"I have never before regretted being right, my friend," Zhou Yu said quietly, his eyes deep with grief. "I cannot express my sorrow for your loss, for Jiang Dong's loss. You know I revered him as my own father. More so, in fact."

"I know…" Ce said quietly, nodding. "No man can defy Fate, Zhou Yu, not even my father. This was his time, and his life was a glorious chapter in our realm's history that none shall forget. I guess it's down to you and I to carry on his work, then."

Zhou Yu squeezed Ce's shoulder, confirming the thought. "We shall not fail him, Ce. Your father may be lost to China, but we will see his vision of a peaceful future realized, I promise you."

Ce looked up at the night sky and watched as his father's star slowly faded out. He mourned its passing, but saw the others glittering even more brightly in its place. He had never considered the possibility that his own destiny came at the expense of his father's.

"_Watch over us, father. We will always need your guidance for the trials ahead…"_

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	23. Chapter 23

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 20 – Immortal**

Da Qiao sat quietly inside her bedchamber, reading a poetry scroll while gently rocking Kai-Ying's cradle with her foot. There was a profound sense of serenity and peace in her life right now- the only thing that was missing was her husband.

She smiled as she pondered the ironies of her 'predicament'. She wanted Sun Ce to be with her, but she also loved welcoming him home when he returned in triumph from his campaigns.

What was a conflicted bride to do?

She closed the scroll and sighed dreamily. So often in these love sutras she read, she found the characters replaced in her imagination by herself and her mighty husband- a god of war and his graceful, beautiful consort, immortals bonded in eternal love and bliss.

She thought of Ce's words to her on that final night together, before he rode off to fight Liu Biao, the promises he had made. Her heart fluttered as she remembered- China was his gift to her and their daughter. He would bring about an age of unity and peace, a realm Sun Kai-Ying could grow and flourish in, free of turmoil and the chaos of war.

She also thought about what it would mean if Sun Ce achieved these ambitions. A peaceful realm? Sun Ce was not just a warrior, but a born fighter. There was nothing- well, almost nothing, she thought, blushing- that Ce enjoyed more than a good brawl. She giggled as she thought of some of the terms she had people use to describe fighting- her favourite had to be 'slobberknocker', although she had no clue what that actually meant.

What would her husband do if he pacified China? He would doubtless make a fine ruler and patriarch, but what else? He was a warrior through and through. Who would he fight?

The Jurchens or the ferocious steppe nomads from beyond the great walls? Did she want him spending all his time in the far north, defending his realm from the barbarians? Would he have to move the capital to Luoyang?

Da Qiao had hated the cold. She loved the balmy, warm breezes of the coasts. Besides, how long could those nomad savages possibly hold out against her husband?

Would he feel the need to campaign beyond the borders of the Han? Would he turn his attention to the Nanman or Viet tribes of the jungles in the deep south? Would he dare the impossible and take his armies through the Barrier Mountains to Ind and whatever lay beyond?

She thought of the dozens of military and tactical manuals she had read from other lands. There was a mighty empire in the far West, ruled by a city-state named Lum or Rum or some such thing. According to the texts, their armies in efficient, self-sustaining groups called 'legions'. These foreigners were men of science and technology. She could not readily conceive of their soldiers being a match for Sun Ce, Lu Bu or Guan Yu, but she could appreciate their ingenuity and militaristic efficiency.

Her eyes widened slightly as she realized what she was pondering. What silly thoughts! What did she know of logistics or military strategy? Obviously she missed Ce more than even she realized.

She winced as she laughed, her chest seizing up. She squeezed her eyes shut and concentrated on breathing, allowing the pain to subside. The healers were happy with her recovery but had warned her that there would be pain and discomfort for several weeks yet.

Kai-Ying shifted and sighed as she slept, her face a picture of angelic serenity. Da Qiao leaned forward and stroked the back of her daughter's tiny hand, smiling lovingly. It was apparent to her what Ce would do once China was pacified- he would not go off to fight some foreign war, she had seen how he looked at their daughter when he was with her.

Ce was a wonderful father.

The realm would still live on peacefully, even if Sun Ce were not always on guard, defending it. Sun Jian, the great patriarch, had two other great and glorious children who would guard China... green-eyed Quan, the deep thinker, a man given to achieving morality, and Shang Xiang, fiery warrior-princess whom few could equal in force of arms. Surely these two, along with men such as Zhou Yu, Huang Gai, Zhou Tai and Ling Cao could keep the peace for decades to come.

The Sun family had come to mean so much to her, even young Kuang. He was different in demeanor form his siblings, peaceable and mild-mannered. All four of the Sun children were very intelligent, but only Kuang openly displayed a scholastic bent. Shang Xiang studied any and all things martial, while Quan willingly applied himself to any subject or challenge that came his way. Ce seemingly gave little or no thought to any issue, but Da knew this was a ruse. He had clearly mastered strategy, tactics, administration, diplomacy, poetry and even the Tao. What was annoying about Ce was how effortless he made it all look. He was, however, perfectly happy to allow others to assume responsibility for such affairs, hence his close friendship with the brilliant Zhou Yu.

She smiled as she thought about Ce and his seemingly carefree nature. It was not a façade, per se, but he devoted much more time to correct thought and the Way than he would ever willingly let on; the commonly perceived image of the solemn sage was quite obviously not her husband's model of universal wisdom.

The past month had been quiet, with almost no messages or communication from Sun Jian's expeditionary force. This was done to ensure secrecy about the campaign and the army's movements. Da Qiao was not worried, however. Sun Ce could not possibly lose to a scoundrel like Liu Biao, so Jiang Dong's victory was assured.

In spite of this confidence, she missed her husband a great deal. She wanted Ce to be with her, watching over their beautiful daughter. If she did not keep herself occupied, she sometimes found herself in tears, crying quietly. To that end, she made sure she was busy most of her waking day.

Reading, writing poetry, practicing with an instrument or singing, studying manuals about, logistics, tactics or strategy… the healers had forbade her from engaging in vigorous exercise or sparring, but she still stretched and did her breathing exercises. As soon as her injuries had completely healed, she intended to throw herself back into combat training, even over Huang Gai's objections.

Poor Huang Gai! He felt so terrible about what had happened and now hovered over her almost constantly, keeping her safe and trying to make amends. She in turn felt bad about how she had scared him, but she knew full well she was going to do it again once she had recovered and Huang Gai was just going to have to deal with that fact.

Distantly she heard horns and drums sounding from Wuchang's walls. Her heart leapt in her breast, rejoicing, knowing that the calls heralded the return of Sun Ce and the army of Jiang Dong.

She rose and was about to pick up her daughter when she paused. Kai-Ying had slept fitfully the previous night and had cried a great deal of the morning. Did Da Qiao really want to disturb the child now that she was finally sleeping peacefully?

She walked over to an antechamber and gestured to a nursemaid, instructing the woman to to care for her daughter until she and Sun Ce returned. The nursemaid bowed dutifully and Da left the room.

She began with a slow, deliberate stride, but eventually found herself picking up the hem of her elegant, formal skirt and running through Baifu's hallways. Pain from the unwelcome motion jolted through her ribcage, but she ignored her body's protests and sprinted out of the pavilion and across the inner courtyard toward the palace.

"_Ce is home! He has returned to me! The conquest of Jing is complete and he returns, covered in glory! Lord Sun Ce has come home!"_

She ran through the courtyard and up the palace's back steps, ignoring the guards who bowed respectfully. At the top of the steps she skidded to a halt and turned about, bowing hastily to the men before sprinting through the doors. The guards chuckled at her urgency and resumed their duties. Life was never boring with the Qiao sisters around.

She was panting from the exertion of running but willed herself to not slow down. She rounded a corner and stopped dead, confronted by Lady Sun. The regal patriarch observed her daughter-in-law passively, her dainty hands tucked into her robe's voluminous sleeves. She smiled as Da Qiao bowed formally, but the action was accompanied by an air of exasperation at being held up.

"My darling girl, what of decorum?" Lady Sun asked gently. "What of your dignity? Would it be right for all of Jiang Dong, to see you thus, breathless and dishevelled, as you race to attend your husband?"

Da Qiao drew herself up to her full height (which did not help much) and looked proudly at her mother-in-law. "I am proud to be the wife of Lord Sun Ce and I maintain that no woman alive could know or understand my pride, or my eagerness to be by his side once again. He has been denied to me for over a month now, by the affairs of men and I care nothing for conformity or etiquette in this regard. I race to my beloved's side, as only he deserves."

Lady Sun smiled and pushed a stray hair from Da Qiao's face. She remembered being young and in love with a mighty lord and how irrational it could make you.

"Then, my dear child, do it not for your dignity but for his. Ce may very well surpass his father, but if this is so, then he is the greatest lord in all the land and his wife must reflect this singular status. Be mindful of your husband's station and show the world what it means to be consort to Sun Ce Bofu of Jiang Dong."

Lady Sun was right, of course. Lord Sun Ce's wife should be the most beautiful, dignified and regal lady in China. Da Qiao would have to do more than act the part- she would have to _be_ that most prized of consorts.

She took several breaths to calm herself, but her heart still raced as she listened to the gongs and drums. She could now feel a tremor in the floor as thousands of men and horses approached the palace.

Lady Sun patiently tucked Da Qiao's hair back into place and rearranged her robes. She loved Da dearly, like she was another daughter, only a feminine one, for a change. She was classically beautiful, possessed of a grace and allure beyond mortal ken. Da Qiao was demure and soft-spoken, with a voice that would enchant nightingales. When she finally came into her own, she would truly be the greatest lady in the realm.

With Da properly put back together, Lady Sun took her by the arm and led her toward the front of the palace. She may have preached patience and dignity to her daughter-in-law, but she also found the excitement and unbearable anticipation. Her heart soared as she thought of her lord's return.

As they walked, an unusual sound reached their ears. A slow drumbeat accompanied by a deep dirge sung by countless men. Da's brow furrowed in confusion. Why such solemnity when they returned flush with victory?

Someone had died.

Da grew worried as she thought of the possibilities- one of the commanders? Zhou Tai or Ling Cao, perhaps? By the celestials, what if Quan, Shang Xiang or Zhou Yu had been killed?

What if Xiao had been slain?

She felt Lady Sun slightly increase their pace, obviously haunted by the same concerns. The drums and dirge grew louder as they approached. From the sounds, apparently the army was already arrayed in the parade grounds before the palace. Da's mouth grew dry as they walked toward the great doors, but the portal never seemed to grow closer. Dread began to gnaw at her and her stomach grew cold. Hours seemed to pass before the sentinels bowed and pulled the doors open.

Sunlight poured in and momentarily blinded Da, accompanied by the loud and mournful dirge for the fallen. She squinted and held up her hand to block out the sun's rays while they walked out onto the palace's landing. As her eyes adjusted, she began a frantic search for her husband.

She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Ce sitting astride his roan steed at the head of his battalion. She realized how silly it was for her to have worried, but she couldn't help herself. She was his wife, after all.

Behind Ce's troops she sighted Shang Xiang and her amazons; both Xiao and Fu Chin Ran were with her, looking fine but stricken with grief. Seeing her sister's face, Da searched for Zhou Yu and thanked the gods when she found him.

Zhou Tai sat still as a statue, his face betraying no emotion, as usual.

Da's eyes finally came to the center of the formation, resting on Ling Cao's corps. When she saw Ling Cao and his son Tong alive, she was wondering if there had been some kind of mistake. But then behind Ling Cao's cavalry guard, she saw a tall pole, snapped in half where a banner should have fluttered proudly. In the center of Ling Cao's corps was a great litter.

Within the litter lay Sun Jian.

Horror washed over Da Qiao as her eyes flew back to her husband's position. Their eyes met and Ce turned his gaze away, unwilling to yet convey the grief he felt. Da now looked for the first time at the banner that fluttered above Ce's unit. The words scrawled across it in gold pierced through to her heart…

_Lord of Jiang Dong_.

Something inside Da Qiao shattered and she let out a cry of agony as she dashed down the white stone steps toward the parade square. Searing tears blinded her and blackness engulfed her heart. Grief and despair she could not begin to describe overwhelmed her as she ran toward the litter.

The entire square was silent except for Da Qiao. When she reached the litter she collapsed against Sun Jian's body, sobbing loudly. This couldn't be! Not this! Of everything that might have gone wrong on this campaign, only the death of her husband and Sun Jian had never occurred to her.

She buried her face in his tunic, clutching the fabric in her little fists and she wailed hysterically. She had come to love this man as her father; he was the pillar of her world. Fate had cruelly torn him away and in his place was left only profound loss and pain beyond power of speech.

Da's cheeks were pale as she took Sun Jian's face in her hands, as if willing him to open his eyes. Glittering tears fell on his cold skin and against all reason she called out to him.

"My lord! My lord! Father! Please!"

He couldn't be gone. He couldn't.

A gentle hand was on her shoulder and she almost swooned, the world fading away for a moment. Ce took her into his arms and hugged her tight, before turning and walking her toward the steps of the palace.

Ce felt numb as he climbed the stairs, his legs like great stone weights. He knew that behind him, Quan, Shang Xiang, Zhou Yu and Xiao were dismounted and following, each struggling with their own profound sense of loss.

Almost reluctantly, he cast his sad gaze up the stairs to the landing before the great doors. His mother, Lady Sun, stood there silently, flanked by the massive Huang Gai. She was a portrait of dignity and pride, although her skin was ashen grey and her hazel eyes glistened with grief that no one should have to bear alone.

He allowed the others to catch up, although they stayed one step behind him and Da Qiao. Finally he reached the landed and came face to face with his mother. He was about to bow to her when she knelt and touched her forehead to the cold, white stone.

"Lord of Jiang Dong… welcome home…"

Ce was unsure of how to respond and turned to find Zhou Yu. His lifelong friend, however, was also kow-towed toward him, as were Da, Quan, Shang Xiang and Xiao. His eyes gazed out over the great square- thousands of soldiers waited and watched silently, flanked by throngs of citizens from Wuchang, tens of thousands of them.

Ce closed his eyes as he struggled with what to do. It all seemed so wrong. He had not foreseen the rulership of Jiang Dong being thrust upon him like this. He had not yet given himself time to grieve for his father.

Must he assume this burden already?

He steeled himself and drew a deep breath. Above all else, his duty here was clear and he would see it done.

"People of Wuchang!" he said loudly, his voice carrying across the square. "Lord Sun Jian was taken from us by treachery and cowardice He shall not walk among us again."

Cries of both grief and outrage sprang up from the crowd while the soldiers merely bowed their heads in silence.

"We do not return in shameful defeat and yet we were not victorious either. On the very eve of our triumph, Lord Sun Jian fell victim to a coward's ambush. This we do not forgive, nor shall we ever forget!"

He felt the others rise to their feet behind him, lending their support. Whether he liked it or not, he was now the lord of Jiang Dong and this was to be his first act in that capacity.

"My father died, my hand clasped in his, charging me with your protection. This duty I hold sacred and shall discharge to the best of my ability. In return, I ask for your support in creating a land my father would have been proud of!"

Almost as a single entity, the civilians bowed low, a sign of their loyalty, respect and devotion. Sun Ce was every bit as beloved as his father, and although Sun Jian would be sorely missed, everyone could feel that a new era was rising before them.

"We did not conquer Jing, not because it was not within power to do so, but my father's death took precedence over the defeat of some distant enemy. My father's demise is tragedy enough without thousands more being slain in his name."

They were words no one had expected to hear from Ce, but everyone understood his reasoning. Some things were more important than the ephemeral notion of glory. Was family not the best example of this?

A dainty hand came to rest in Ce's and he turned to look down at his wife. Her eyes were deep and misty with loss, but she was by his side, where she belonged. She was, after all, the Lady of Jiang Dong, now.

"Preparations shall be made to lay my father with his ancestors on the plains of Qu'e. A month of mourning shall be observed, along with the erection of a great shrine in his memory. Mourn not overmuch, for mighty was the fallen and his deeds shall be sung until the end of days! Return now to your homes and spread the news across the land!"

The civilians and the soldiers all bowed silently while Sun Ce turned and walked into the palace, taking Da Qiao's hand. A new era was indeed to begin, but it was tinged with an air of sorrow that even the greatest poets would have trouble describing.

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_Slain by Huang Zu in the hills of Xiangyang_

_The great tiger died_

_While the foe cries triumphant_

_Home is Sun Jian led_

_To raise a new shrine_

_The mighty lord brought to earth_

_Marks a new time in the Han_

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

Da Qiao wept, holding herself against her husband's chest as they lay together in their bedchamber. She had been crying for several hours now, since they had left the parade grounds. Sun Ce was silent, his arms wrapped around her and his eyes distant. His heart was heavy in his chest, but more than anything, his wife needed him now.

Da choked back her sobs, trying to speak. Her face was pale, although her cheeks were scarlet and her eyes bleary and red.

"I can't believe he's gone…" she said in a whisper. "Ce… he… he was my father… he meant as much to me as my own father did. And he's gone."

In spite of how quiet and calm she sounded, he could feel her body trembling with barely-suppressed agony. Da had been fanatically devoted to her father-in-law.

"The last time I saw him… I attacked him…" she sobbed, crushing her face to Ce's chest again.

He stroked her long, black hair, trying to console her.

"It's okay, Da," Ce replied. "My father knew that you loved him. He was very proud of you and couldn't have been happier to call you his daughter."

Da Qiao sniffled and looked up at Ce, her eyes glassy and moist.

Ce smiled. "I think he was always kinda baffled about my choice of bride, but also very pleased, to be honest."

"Baffled? How?" Da asked, thankful for the conversation. She had cried herself hoarse.

Ce caressed her cheek gently. "I think he always expected me to end up choosing some wild, crazy girl for a wife, a lunatic."

Da smiled weakly. "I'm glad to hear he didn't think I was a lunatic."

"You are," Ce said, poking her nose. "You're the craziest one of the whole lot of us. But it was a good kind of crazy. I think he half-expected me to marry someone like Fang Yu."

Da's eyes darkened at the memory of the blood-crazed assassin who had been sent by the emperor's Eunuchs to deal a fatal blow to the Sun family. Her first target had been Da Qiao and she had nearly succeeded in her endeavour. She had been poisoning Da Qiao slowly, torturing her by destroying her mind and perceptions of reality, all the while pretending to be her devoted servant and closest confidant while Ce was on an embassy to the Imperial capital.

Ce saw what she was thinking about and hugged her close. He knew that Da still occasionally suffered from nightmares about the whole ordeal. She had barely survived and it was only after their daughter had been born that she was willing to sleep in darkness again.

"Ce, what are we going to do without him?" she murmured, comforted by his heartbeat.

The young lord sighed and gazed at the ceiling. He knew what had to be done, but his reluctance was quite evident, at least to himself.

"I dunno, Da. First thing is making sure he's sent properly to our ancestors. After that, we'll have to see. I've got a lot of people to ask advice from."

"How is your mother?" Da asked. She couldn't begin to imagine how Lady Sun felt right now. She had lost her mighty husband, the father of her children, Shang Xiang and Kuang.

"Kaung is with her right now," Ce replied, nodding. "Neither of them was there when he died, so they can share that grief for a while, I guess."

"How is Shang Xiang?"

"She's more torn up than she's willing to admit, but she'll be fine. Sis is strong." Ce said. "Besides, she's got Fu Chin Ran to look after her."

"I feel bad for Quan, too," Da added. "He's got no one except the generals and teachers he surrounds himself with. Your father was his closest advisor."

"We've each gotta deal with this in our own way, Da," her husband mused, gently pulling her up to sit in his lap and hugging her close. "Don't worry about Quan, maybe it's time he stopped having my father to rely on in any event."

"And what about you, my lord?" she asked, looking into his eyes. "I fear for you the most."

Ce smiled at her warmly. "I'm gonna miss him, Da, more than I can say. But we've gotta go forward and create the China he was dreaming about."

Da nodded slowly, her eyes closed.

"Besides," he added, stroking her cheek. "I've got you, don't I? Nobody could ever ask for a better pillar of strength and support than that."

Da looked at him for a long moment, her eyes raw with emotion before bursting into tears and crushing herself to him again. In her cradle nearby, Kai-Ying shifted and whimpered in her sleep before calming down again.

"Our daughter will never know him…" Da whispered against his shoulder. "He was taken from her before she would ever know the joy of being his granddaughter."

"That happens in war, Da." Ce said, trying to console her. "Men die and families are diminished because of it."

"This is different, Ce," Da replied, a hint of insistence in her voice, even though she would not look up from his shoulder. "He was Sun Jian, patriarch of the greatest family in the Han. He was father to the most glorious children of the realm and he was _my_ father as well…"

Ce listened to her silently, somewhat surprised at her tone. He felt her demeanour changing somehow, although he couldn't put his finger on it.

"Lord Sun Ce… I want you to promise me something…" she said very quietly.

His arms held her tight as he hugged her. He knew how devastated Da Qiao was by this loss and would do whatever it took to help her heal.

"Anything, my love. Name it."

Da Qiao finally looked up at him and her eyes, while still red and glassy with tears, were now hard as dark iron. Deep within flashed a wrath he had never seen before.

"Kill Huang Zu and avenge my loss..." she said in a voice like ice.

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Ce knelt in his mother's chambers, surrounded by the dim glow of the braziers along the wall. She had yet to leave her ornate, covered bed after three days since the army's return. Only her children and a select few servants had been allowed to see her, and Kuang had been her only constant attendant through this ordeal.

"Mother, I have come, as you asked." Ce said, his fists on the floor and bowing low.

"Thank you, my son," came her quiet voice from the darkness near the back of the room. "Please come to me…"

Ce rose and strode towards the canopied and covered bed, concealed behind vermillion and gold silks, all showing motifs of tigers and sweeping flames. Kneeling just off to the side, Ce's younger brother Kuang knelt quietly, his eyes closed. He said not a word.

Ce knelt outside the drapes that concealed the bed. "I am here, mother. What can I do for you?"

The silks slowly drew back and Lady Sun revealed herself. Ce had been worried that she was not eating or doing immeasurable harm to herself in her soul-wrenching grief. To his relief, she seemed perfectly healthy, although drawn and pale.

"I weep not just for the murder of my husband, but for you, my children," she said, her voice uncharacteristically thin. "Especially you, Ce, on whose shoulders our protection has fallen so prematurely."

"Don't worry about me, mother," Ce replied, bowing his head. "I'll do whatever is necessary to look after Jiang Dong."

Lady Sun smiled. "I know you will, son, for you are even more capable than your father. But I ache inside that this responsibility has been thrust on you so soon. Not only the lordship of Jiang Dong, but it's guardianship from the evil abroad in the realm."

Kuang grunted and looked away. Ce turned his head to gaze at him.

"Kuang, say what you need to, I am your brother." Ce said gently.

Kuang drew a deep breath and turned to stare at Ce, his dark eyes flashing accusingly.

"Father died fighting some stupid war that was not in our best interests and now you, his heir and prodigy, must continue on fighting. Do you not remember how intrigued I was when the Yellow Turbans first appeared and professed the Way of Peace?"

"And we all remember what a crock that turned out to be," Ce pointed out.

"But peace _is_ the natural order, brother!" Kuang insisted. "You are my eldest brother and I revere you, though we have different mothers… but you are a warrior, first and foremost, and this I find abhorrent in more ways than I can describe."

Ce sighed, knowing his brother was in earnest and not merely speaking out of hurt for loss of their father. Kuang believed in peace and harmony, whereas Ce's apparent motive for his lifestyle was the love of a good brawl. Which philosophy stood strong in the eyes of Heaven?

"Kuang, I know you believe in peace. To be honest, I do as well, in a way I did not understand before Kai-Ying was born. If I could, I would spread peace throughout the land today, seeing swords beaten into ploughshares."

"But war is the way of our world and you will continue to fight, yes?" Kuang said coldly.

"Yes, I will." Ce replied, his tone firm. "I may love to fight, but I love my family more, and my people. If we stop fighting, Kuang, what then? Do you think Dong Zhuo will simply refrain from violence as well? Will the Jurchens stop raiding the north, carrying off innocent children and women?"

"I do not charge you with everyone else's actions, brother, only your own." Kuang shot back. "I do not want to see my brother charged before the Celestials for a life wasted on war and violence."

"Kuang, maybe your resistance to violence makes you stronger than me, I don't know… but I cannot in conscience allow the helpless to fall prey to monsters such as Dong Zhuo or the savages of the north. I do not fight to impose my will or indulge my whims, like Dong Zhuo. I want to liberate the people of the Han from this sort of violence."

"And install yourself as the greatest lord in the land?" Kuang demanded.

"If I were, would you follow me?" Ce asked, his voice calm and honest.

Kuang wasn't prepared for this question and paused for a long time before answering. Finally he bowed, his forehead to the floor.

"Of course I would, brother," he said quietly. "I may not approve of violence, but I trust to your good will on behalf of our people. I know there is a world of difference between yourself and men such as Dong Zhuo."

Lady Sun smiled and moved forward in her bed, taking her boys by the hands. "That is why the Sun family is the greatest in the land," she said, sounding more like herself. "In spite of your differences, you will always stand united."

She turned to look at Ce, her eyes glittering with tears. "I know you will bring about your father's dream of a peaceful, strong China; if you must fight to bring that about because other men will not see the way, then so be it."

She took Kuang's hands in hers and kissed them gently. "My son, your virtue brings you such pain… have faith in your older brother's intentions. He will bring about a peaceful realm that you will love and cherish."

"I… I know, mother," Kuang said, his voice trembling with emotion. "I pray that I live to see the day when his promise is fulfilled."

"But what of you, mother?" Ce asked, turning his attention back to her. "I cannot bear to think of you lying in this room, languishing."

Lady Sun rose and stepped out of the bed, wearing a gold silk robe. She strode toward a window and looked out, staring at the blue sky.

"I will be fine, my son," she said finally. "Your father's loss was like a knife in my heart, but he shall always be with me and there is much yet for me to do, yes? I assume your have room is this great realm of yours for a woman of modest talents?"

Ce bowed low. "Always, mother…"

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Ce had not often visited Shang Xiang's pavilion before. It was not as large as Baifu, nor as ornate, but it suited her mentality perfectly. Event he outside had a martial bearing to it, adorned with symbols and images of war or celestial hunters. The tiles of the peaked roof were lacquered red, as were the wooden beams that supported the structure. It reminded him of a shrine to the war god, Huang Di.

As he approached, he saw the ever-present unit of warrior-women guarding the entrance. Their scale armour shone brightly, the tips of their lances glinting in the afternoon sun. They watched him climb the steps and then crossed their spears as he reached the top. The squad leader bowed deeply.

"We mean no disrespect, Lord Sun Ce, but our lady has asked to not be disturbed".

Sun Ce raised an eyebrow. "Was my father ever refused entrance, even when Shang Xiang was in one of her moods?"

The woman seemed reluctant to answer, but Ce waved dismissively.

"It doesn't matter. I'm going in and you are going to help me. She's been locked up for three days now. Go ahead and tell me you're not getting worried about her."

"We are, admittedly, my lord." The other women nodded in agreement.

"Well, I need her and Jiang Dong needs her. If you cannot coax her out of bed, then I guess I'll have to. The sooner she leaves her pavilion, the sooner you gals are back in the field, got it?"

The women all seemed to brighten up noticeably at the prospect. They readily pulled back their spears and allowed him entry. With a smile and a wink, he walked through.

He smiled and shook his head as he walked down the corridors. The walls were festooned with armour, weapons and the skins of animals she had hunted. Banners her unit has seized on the battlefields of the west and north were proudly displayed, although none from the recent campaign adorned the walls, at least not yet.

He went up the flight of wooden steps to the second floor, moving quietly. As he approached her bedchamber, the two guards outside the door looked at him in astonishment. He waved them aside and they bowed respectfully and stood out of the way. He pushed the door open and went in.

The room was quiet and the torches in the corner smouldered low, casting a dim ochre light around. Weapons, armour and other trophies were spread seemingly carelessly about, but their arrangement was meant to impress the viewer with their abundance. Naturally, the colour theme of the room was scarlet and gold, in keeping with the tradition of the Sun family.

Two figures moved swiftly forward from the back of the room, two women scantily clad in partial armour and accented with diaphanous silks and gossamers. Their spears were levelled but dropped in confusion once they realized who the intruder was.

The great bed in the center of the chamber was quiet, occupied by two sleeping figures. Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran lay tangled in one another's arms, the sheets covering them to their waists. Ce shook his head and sighed, gearing himself up for what would come next.

"Sis, get up. It's time."

There was a low mumble, followed by Shang Xiang slowly sitting up, rubbing her eyes. She seemed to not recognize at first the voice but slowly looked over at her brother. Her eyes flew open and she gasped in shock and outrage. She hastily gathered the sheets over her naked body, pulling them off of Fu Chin Ran, who now lay uncovered and equally nude.

"What the hell are you doing, Ce?!" she yelled furiously. Fu Chin Ran bolted upright in alarm at her lover's yell, but upon seeing who had disturbed them merely groaned and flopped back onto the bed covering her eyes.

Shang Xiang, however, was not so easy-going and stood up on the bed, still clutching the covers to herself.

"Answer me, you pervert!" she shouted, grabbing a vase from a bedside table and hurling at his head with uncanny accuracy. Ce merely tilted his head to one side, allowing it to sail by harmlessly and smash against the wall behind. With a snarl, Shang Xiang leapt from the bed and tucked into a roll. When she stood up, she had her chakrams in hand and was lunging toward him.

"Whoah, hello…" Ce said in surprise. "Where the heck were you keeping those?"

"Agh, you… you… male!" she bellowed, swinging at him as she rushed in. Ce bent backwards, allowing the blades to slice over his head in a deadly arc. He tumbled out of the way and came to his feet, grimacing at the necessity of waiting out his sister's fury. She had never been very pleasant upon waking up.

Shang Xiang shouted again and slashed, her blades cleaving the air in deadly patterns. Ce dodged the attacks, but she was coming closer than he would have liked. His sister was certainly not someone to be trifled with.

She lunged again, swinging low and up. Ce vaulted backwards, landing on the bed. He lost his footing on the silken sheets and fell, landing on top of Fu Chin Ran, who yelped in surprise.

"Ow! Hey, buy me dinner first!" she said hotly.

Shang Xiang was on him like a demon and he rolled backward off the bed, yanking the sheets from beneath her. With a howl of anger, she flipped into the air and fell, landing on her lover, who wheezed under the sudden impact.

Shang Xiang left Fu Chin Ran lying stunned on the bed and launched herself at Ce again, but this time, he was ready for her. He had swept up a straight-bladed _jian_ and blocked her deadly attack. She snarled as she rained blow after blow at him, never quite able to penetrate his superb defence.

The two attendants watched silently in astonishment, as did those outside the door. The sound of feet in the hallways indicated that the guards at the pavilion's front steps had come rushing to witness the wild melee as well. Everyone wanted to know how good their mistress was compared to her invincible brother.

Ce had to admit, she was making him work harder than expected. He ducked another blow and parried two more furious strikes. His sister's eyes flashed with an almost demonic fury. She was faster and stronger than anticipated. Why, then, had she been so ineffective against Hua Xiong? Had she improved so greatly in the time since that dreadful encounter?

He leapt over a foot sweep, spun low and blocked overhead, his blade catching her chakrams as they slammed down to bifurcate him. Shang Xiang strained against him, but his arm held her still. He was hunkered down, facing the bed. Fu Chin Ran was now sitting on the edge of it, a look of exasperation on her face.

Ce twisted out from beneath Shang Xiang's blades and spun to his feet. His sister was not caught off-guard and whirled about, attempting to behead him. The gleaming wheels met his sword once again, biting deep into the blade. They stood still, straining against one another, faces inches apart, chests heaving from their exertions.

"So… still angry?" he asked.

"Yes!" she hissed.

"Still missing pop?"

"Yes!"

"Ready to go and do something about it?" he queried, smiling slyly.

"Yes!" was her response.

The women all cheered.

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The large council chamber was filled with generals and their advisors, all of whom clamoured amongst themselves as they waited for Ce's appearance. Only the commanders of the outermost borders of Jiang Dong were not present, instructed to be on guard in case Liu Biao of Jing decided to attack.

The commanders were all present- Zhou Yu, Lu Meng, Zhou Tai, Ling Cao, Huang Gai, Quan, Shang Xiang and all their sub-commanders. Da Qiao, Xiao and Lady Sun were also present, as everyone valued their presence in such matters.

The doors to the great chamber opened and in strode Sun Ce, resplendent in his armour and wearing a great scarlet cape, embroidered with a gold tiger. Da Qiao's heart leapt at the sight of him. She had never seen her beloved husband looking more regal.

"Alright, we still have a lot to do," Ce stated as he approached the great round table they stood at. "Today we chart the course of Jiang Dong and what steps we must take to do so. My father shall be buried in Qu'e once we have finished."

"Brother, what of your succession?" Quan asked. "It should be made official, if for no other reason than to make sure the rest of the lords of the Han recognize your legitimacy."

Ce nodded. "You are right, of course, Quan. Once father is buried, we shall have a ceremony that legitimizes my succession by Han standards."

"Are there other standards we should be aware of, my lord?" Ling Cao asked.

Ce was silent for a moment and then drew a deep breath.

"The Han is no more, my friends," he began. "We all know that the emperor is but a puppet in Dong Zhuo's hands of whoever else can assert control over the Imperial court. But with Dong Zhuo holed up in his fortress of Mei far to the west, we must do what we can to prepare ourselves for the coming turmoil."

Everyone around the table knew what he meant, but he was going to say it anyway.

"The Han has collapsed and many lords shall seek to replace it. Men, the likes of Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Liu Biao, Cao Cao and others… they seek only their own aggrandizement, and while they may not be as cruel or perverse as Dong Zhuo, their aims are not much different."

Several people around the table murmured their agreement to this assessment.

"I have decided, aided by the counsel of several advisors that the best course is to strengthen ourselves against any and all foes. Jiang Dong is simply not large enough to stave off continuous attacks by all of our potential enemies."

Huang Gai nodded. "Aye, my lord. This last expedition has proven that. Our warriors are skilled, but any losses we suffer hurt us more grievously than another more populous region might feel."

Ce folded his arms. "Exactly. And that's why we're gonna do something my father had dreamed of doing, folks- we're gonna conquer the Southlands."

There were many gasps of surprise around the room. Only Zhou Yu and Da Qiao seemed to not be affected by the revelation. Even Zhou Tai raised an eyebrow. Lu Meng, ever eager for a good fight, thumped his fist into his hand and nodded approvingly.

"Excellent, my lord! I knew that your father had always wanted to return to his ancestral homelands. He may not march at our head, but we will certainly see his wishes carried out."

"But is this even possible, my lord?" Ling Cao, a cautious strategist asked. "Surely this would be seen as a campaign of undue aggression by the other lords of the Han."

"It's gonna be fine, Ling Cao," Ce said easily. "Yuan Shu is gonna grant me permission to take the southlands for the Sun family."

"Are you certain of that, my lord?" Zhou Tai now asked in his deep, gravely voice. "Your father did not trust him, and with good reason. He is a snake, not prone to generosity unless it benefits him directly. What assurances do you have?"

"Because it will secure his flank," Ce replied. "He counts us as a vassal and an ally. He is, technically, our overlord, right? Well, he and Shao are gonna come to blows soon and he'll feel safer with his south-eastern flank firmly controlled by one of his own."

"I thought you wished to be free of him, brother." Quan stated.

"I do, of course. But in allying ourselves with him, we will gain the southlands. It is a large territory, with fertile valleys and swift rivers. The lords who currently administrate it are few, petty and despotic. The people remember our family and will welcome our return."

Zhou Yu nodded, finally weighing in to the discussion. "The southlands are only the beginning, my friends. From there we shall build our strength and then begin our campaign to pacify the realm. The Han may be no more, but in its place we shall build a glorious new empire with Lord Sun Ce as our emperor. It shall be a realm of prosperity where people can live in happiness."

Although several generals seemed encouraged, a few looked wary. "You would replace the Han, my lord?" one asked.

"The Han is dead, the question remains who shall ascend in its place." Zhou Yu pointed out. "It can be us, whose motives in this matter we know and trust, or we can allow some other lord to take China in hand. Would any of you bow your knee to Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao or Yuan Shao?"

The mutterings and shaking of heads made it unanimous.

"Alright," Ce said, nodded. "Then from here on in, we prepare for our campaign in the southlands. The Sun family is returning to Wu!"

The cheer from those assembled was one of excitement. Their once ambivalent future was clear again.

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The plains of Qu'e resounded with the chanting of monks, whether they were the high-pitched and warbling prayers of the priest of the Tao, or the deep, sonorous droning of the adepts of Buddha. Both raised their voices to the Heavens, beseeching the Celestials to receive the former lord of Jiang Dong into their blessed presence.

The shrine and mausoleum raised for Sun Jian were easily the most impressive to be seen anywhere on the ancestral burial ground; only the burial site of the hallowed forefather Sun Tzu came close to matching its splendour.

Scarlet and gold banners fluttered in the breeze over the tumulus that Sun Jian had been buried in. Sun Ce had been the last person to exit the burial chamber, and those assembled waited for him patiently, while he held a final communion with his departed father.

Sun Jian's armour and his mighty sword, _Fujian_ were buried with him. The broken blade was laid across his chest, his hands clasped over the hilt. A great scarlet cloak was wrapped about him, his habitual skirt of tiger-skin around his waist. His peaked helm was fixed to his head and everyone agreed he looked ready to fight in the next life.

Outside, offerings for his safe passage were burnt, chants continued for several hours and the people of Jiang Dong gathered and mourned loudly at their lord's passing.

Sun Jian was gone, and the world would not see his like again.

The hallway of the royal palace seemed intolerably long to Ce as he slowly strode its length. In his hand he held a rod and a small hammer, the seals of his governorship. The great vermillion cloak over his shoulders flowed behind him, while his slow, firm footfalls echoed down the wooden-walled passageway.

The doors to the throne room crawled toward him, far too slowly for his liking. He did not doubt his ability to rule this land, for he almost never doubted himself about anything… but he did find himself questioning Heaven's wisdom in robbing the realm of Sun Jian, replacing him with a son that had yet to really administrate anything substantial. The time did not seem right.

"_Father… though you are no longer with us, lend us your strength and guidance."_

The sentinels opened the door, revealing the throne room, formerly Sun Jian's.

Now it was his.

The entire assembly kow-towed as he entered, silently acknowledging his leadership. He stepped up onto the dais and sat regally on the throne. It felt at once both unfamiliar and very natural, like he belonged there. And small wonder, since this throne had been the seat of power for his forefathers over the last six hundred years. Over the ancient seat hung a banner, given to him by Yuan Shu, that designated him _"General Who Cherishes Loyalty"_ and was now the symbol of his regency over Jiang Dong.

Several seconds after he sat, his court slowly rose and waited for him to speak. Da Qiao stood beside his throne, while Zhou Yu also waited nearby on the dais. Ce felt the weight of Jiang Dong's future on his shoulders, weighing so very heavily. He stole a glance over at his wife, to see what she was seeing and perceiving in him.

She smiled and in her eyes she saw love and unfailing faith.

Sun Ce breathed a sigh of relief and his concerns melted away. Jiang Dong was his and the future would also be. There was simply no question about it.

"_A new day and a new era… this is gonna be fun…"_

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

**End of Part I**


	24. Chapter 24

**The Young Conqueror**

**SD Omake Theatre 3**

_Author's Note: My apologies to the anime Blue Seed and my fellow Cursed Fanboys for this opening…_

(Cue the cutesy rainbow arcing towards the reader, over which marches SD forms of the Sun family, along with their various commanders and generals)

**All: **"Wumake! Wumake! Wumake! Wumake!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **looking around "Hey guys, wait up, wait up! Has anyone seen Da?"

**(Everyone pauses and looks around, but Da Qiao is nowhere to be seen.)**

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"What, nobody's seen her? C'mon, guys, you can't just misplace a hot babe like that."

**Chibi Sun Shang Xiang: **frowning "No offense, brother dear, but we've all been kind of distraught lately about father, may I point out. _We_ didn't lose our hot wife, _you_ did."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"This isn't about me, it's about Da. Besides, pop's fine. He doesn't have to do these Wumake things anymore, right?"

**(Cue Sun Jian fading in suddenly right beside Sun Ce.)**

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Oh, hey, pop! See? Told you he was fine."

**Chibi Sun Jian: (**grrrr!) "Ce! Did you seriously think the author wouldn't put me back in a Wumake after you said that?! What the hell were you thinking?!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**shrug) "Look, these Wumakes may be your only option for keeping your fan-base happy, pop. If I were you, I'd be trying extra hard from now on, given that you're only gonna be showing up at the end of every story arc."

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"I hadn't thought of it that way, I admit. Since I'm probably not coming back to life, I guess I should make the most of it."

**Chibi Sun Quan: **(grousing) "You know, it's really hard to surpass you and Ce if even being dead can't keep you down, father."

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **"Oh, stop whining, Quan. God, you're such a little girl sometimes! We need to figure out what happened to Da and you're bitching about not measuring up to dad and Ce! Get your priorities straight!"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**nodding) "It is rather odd that she is nowhere to be seen. Usually the author has her roped in tight for one of these omake things because she's such an easy target."

**Chibi Zhou Tai: **"That's because she's mostly sane."

**(Everyone turns to look at Xiao Qiao who just stands there, looking somewhat blank. )**

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Xiao, have you seen Da recently? You spend a lot of your free time with her, after all."

**(Xiao looks up at Sun Ce and sort of shrugs, her eye twitching.)**

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **(taking her by the shoulders) "Xiao, sweetie, darling, honey gem-jewel… are you alright? You're looking a little green. Are you feeling well?"

**Xiao Qiao: (**shrug!) "Iono…"

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**replacing Zhou Yu and staring deep into Xiao's eyes) "Xiao, listen to me very carefully… do you know where Da is?"

**(Xiao points to the other side of the Wumake, where Da is standing still, doing not much of anything.)**

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**crossing over to her, relieved) "Alright, there you are, Da, I was beginning to- what the… this isn't Da! It's a really bad replica of her, made out of straw!"

**(The cast comes over to examine the forgery. Gan Ning pokes at it experimentally.)**

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"You sure it's a fake? Man, I hope you're right, because if the carpet matches the drapes, that's gotta feel real harsh on the ol' windsock!"

**(Shang Xiang smacks Gan Ning on the back of the head, scowling at him.)**

**Chibi Gan Ning: (**rubbing back of head) "Ow! What didja do that for?! You like girls, so I would think you'd agree!"

**(Shang Xiang blushes and shuts up.)**

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**taking something from Straw-Da's hand) "Hey, there's something in its hand… it's a note…"

**(Sun Ce opens the note and reads it aloud to those assembled.)**

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Let's see. 'Dear stupid goatee human…'"

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"That would be you, brother."

**Chibi Sun Ce:** "Thanks, Quan. 'Congratulations on seeing through my brilliant ruse, finally. I have taken your wife and she is now prisoner in my lair. You will not get her back until I have the full cooperation of your entire cast. Bwa-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!' What the hell? Whoever this is actually wrote the maniacal laughter into the message. I'm not kiddin', here it is, look!"

**Chibi Huang Gai: **"Someone has kidnapped Lady Da Qiao? What could be their purpose?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Hang on, there's more. 'The cast of Dynasty Warriors 5 is required to march forth and conquer the earth for me….' This person doesn't seem to realize we're video game characters, huh?"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**taking note from Sun Ce and reading further) "By the way, I happen to know you're all video game characters, but that is part of my plan. You will help me take over the minds of all the meat-children, lowly video-game drones, or you shall never see the quiet Qiao female again."

**Chibi Sun Jian: **"I don't suppose they identified themselves or left instructions about how we were to do this, hm?"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**shaking head and giving note back to Ce) "I'm afraid not; that part of the plan seems to have escaped them. We're not dealing with a mastermind here, but deranged idiots can be more dangerous than any savant."

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"Yeah, just ask your wife."

**(Sun Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran both bap him across the back of the head again.)**

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**looking around in annoyance) "Y'know, it's gonna be real hard for she and I to play Zipper Ninja this afternoon if she's been kidnapped."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**dryly) "Your concern for her well-being is touching, Ce, but we're no closer to finding her, even with this note. What do you suggest we do? Who was the last person to see her?"

**(Everyone turns to look at Xiao again.)**

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **"Xiao, as your commanding officer, I am ordering you to tell me what you know about-"

**Xiao Qiao: **"Only if you dance with meeeeeeeee…"

**Chibi Shang Xiang: **"What?"

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"What the hell's the matter with her? She sounds even stupider than normal and like she's on helium. Is she hitting puberty or somethin'?"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"Enough with the pedophile jokes! We have to find Da Qiao!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"I just hope she's alright…"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**(Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Omake and deep, deep below the earth's crust…)**

Da Qiao, manacled upside-down to the wall of the laboratory, glowered at her captor and squirmed uncomfortably.

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"Could you at least turn me right-side up? I have to pee."

**Da's Captor: (**working at a computer bank) "Shut your noise tube, fan-girl! You think I am stupid enough to fall for such a transparent ruse? You will simply store your excess fluids in your third bladder and that is the end of it."

**Chibi Da Qiao: (**scowling) "Third bladder? What do you think I am, a space marine? You don't know anything about human physiology, do you?"

**Da's Captor: (**turning and striding toward her) "Oh, but you are so wrong, girl-human! I know so very much about your species. That is why I was sent ahead! I was to learn everything there is to know about your pathetic race and I then I would conquer this world and enslave you!"

**Chibi Da Qiao: **"You? Enslave humanity? You're even shorter than Xiao. What makes you think anyone will even notice you trying?"

The captor thrust a shaking, gloved finger at Da Qiao and shouted, his pointy, eel-like tongue thrashing maniacally within his maw. His eyes were wide and filled with frenetic loathing. He looked like a hateful green squirrel.

**Da's Captor: **"Silence! You shall pay for your insolence, meat-being! Your fellow humans are so stupid they probably haven't even taken notice of my clever doppelganger, yet!"

**Chibi Da Qiao: (**eyebrow raised) "You mean that appalling straw effigy? Please, little green man! Zhou Tai and Lu Xun both have hay fever… they'll sneeze their way to discovery before you-"

**Da Captor: **screaming "Enough! You speak lies! No human is smart enough to see through Irken strategy! You will all bow before me! You will all bow before Zim! MWA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-!!!!"

**Chibi Da Qiao: (**sweatdrop) "I _really_ need to find a way of getting out of these omake contracts…"

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**Meanwhile, back in the omake proper…**

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**looking around) "This kidnapper, whoever they are, is so stupid that they may have inadvertently stumped us. We've no way to contact them or even comply with their wishes."

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**thumping fist into palm) "That's it, we're gonna need help! ALRIGHT, EVERYONE GET IN HERE!!!"

**(There's a great deal of grumbling and muttering as the rest of the Dynasty Warriors 5 cast shuffles into the fic, looking put out. Cao Cao scowls at Sun Ce, still wearing his pajamas.)**

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Alright, thanks for coming on such… Cao Cao, do your pajamas really have little pictures of your face all over them?"

**Chibi Cao Cao: **"So what? Don't yours?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"No, mine have images of my naked wife all over them. You've got some serious ego issues, buddy."

**Chibi Cao Pi: (**quiet and arrogant) "Naturally my pajamas have images of myself on them, but that is because no one else deserves to grace them."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Dude, if you haven't got images of _your_ naked wife all over your pajamas, then I'm ordering you to turn in your hetero membership card right now. (**Ce snaps his fingers) **C'mon, right now… give it to me."

**Chibi Cao Pi: (**rolling eyes) "I'm not gay."

**Chibi Zhen Ji: (**walking up in slinky, transparent negligee) "So why am I _not_ on your pajamas, then?"

**(Everyone just stares slack-jawed at Zhen Ji. Shang Xiang claps her hand over Lu Xun's eyes before he faints.)**

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**dryly) "Well, now that Zhen Ji has everyone's attention… we have a small problem, folks. Da Qiao's been kidnapped and we need to find her."

**Chibi Cao Cao: (**snort!) "Like hell we do. If Wu lost one of its girls, Wu can bloody-well find her on its own. As far as Wei's concerned, it's one less frat animal to deal with. We're not helping."

**Chibi Sun Jian Ghost: **"You might want to reconsider that, Cao Cao."

**Chibi Cao Cao: (**scowling) "Who cares what you think, dead man?"

**Chibi Sun Jian Ghost:** "Think about it this way. This omake is not going to end until we find her. You're stuck here, along with us, until we get Da Qiao back."

**Chibi Cao Cao: **"…"

**Chibi Zhang Liao: **"Why don't we start by asking the pinhead? She's always following her sister around. She probably knows what happened to her."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Yeah, about that… Xiao's not exactly herself today. She's kinda spastic and dumb."

**Non-Wu DW5 Cast: **"…"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"More so, I mean."

**Chibi Sima Yi: **"It's still a good place to start. Whatever made her dumber is probably related to your wife's kidnapping. So let's start there."

**Chibi Sun Ce: (**gesturing) "Be my guest, Feathers…"

**Chibi Sima Yi: (**going up to Xiao and confronting her) "Now look, stupid… we all want to go back to what we were doing before this omake began. But we're stuck here until we find your sister. So fire up that sparkly pink little brain of yours and try to remember where-"

**Xiao Qiao: (**screaming happily and waving arms) "TACOS!!!"

**Chibi Sima Yi: **"Erm, right, tacos. Now what about when you last saw your sister?"

**Xiao Qiao: **"Taco taco taco…"

**Chibi Sima Yi: (**looking at Zhou Yu) "You voluntarily sleep with this thing? Does it have a warranty?"

**Chibi Zhou Yu: (**pinching eyes) "I threw it away…"

**Chibi Liu Bei: **"Well, this is exciting. Anybody aside from the man in the purple dress have any ideas?"

**Chibi Zhuge Liang: **"I have a suggestion."

**Chibi Liu Bei: **"Oh, just one?"

**Chibi Zhuge Liang: (**ignoring Liu Bei) "It will not reveal Lady Qiao's location to us, but it's a first step in terms of getting this enterprise off the ground."

**Chibi Cao Cao: **"Oh? And pray tell, what would that be, hippie?"

**Chibi Zhuge Liang: **"We must de-chibi ourselves."

**All: (**????????) "What?"

**Chibi Zhuge Liang: (**nodding sagely) "We must no longer be chibi. We have been presented with a serious challenge and when we are super-deformed, as we are now, we cannot accomplish anything that is not comical in nature. Ergo, we must assume our normal proportions so that the fanficverse takes us seriously again."

**(Everyone covers their eyes as a bright green flash happens off in the Shu group. Seconds later, Guan Yu is his enormous, imposing self again.)**

**Guan Yu: (**grunting and nodding) "Zhuge Liang is right! I can already feel myself thinking more clearly. This is indeed the answer."

**(Another green flash and Zhang Fei is back to his normal self. Zhao Yun follows suit, as does Ma Chao and Huang Zhong.)**

**Chibi Cao Cao: **"C'mon, people! If those wusses from Shu can do it, so can Wei! Everyone de-chibi, now! Just don't stand too close to-"

**(There is a blue flash, followed by a loud 'THOOMP!!!' and lots of Wei characters rolling over in all directions.)**

**Cao Cao: (**sweatdrop) "Xu Zhu when his stomach returns to its normal size. Never mind…"

**Xu Zhu: **"Duhhh, sorry, Lord Cao Cao… I made a goof."

**Liu Bei: **"Got a problem child on your hands, Cao Cao?"

**Cao Cao: (**growl!) "At least _my _problem child doesn't talk like Cookie Monster!"

**Liu Bei: (**giving Wei Yan another cookie) "Ignore him, Wei Yan, he's just jealous."

**Wei Yan: (**Auhm-num-num-num-num!!!) "C is for cookie… is good enough for me!"

Once the cast had finally returned to their normal forms… well, everybody except one person…

**Chibi Lu Bu: (**throwing a hissy fit) "This isn't fair! I shouldn't have to be the only one that's left chibi!"

**Sun Ce: (**laughing) "I disagree, pal. You're even less help than Xiao, all you ever do is break stuff. So you can stay chibi and do less harm for a change, got it?"

**Chibi Lu Bu: (**raging) "You think I'm scared of you?! You think I'm gonna take orders from you?! Taste my halberd!"

**(Chibi Lu Bu rushes Sun Ce, determined to bifurcate him, but Ce picks him up by the back of his battle-jacket and holds him at arm's length, where he spins and thrashes, sputtering and swears impotently.)**

**Sun Ce: (**grin!) "Awwww, isn't he cute… when we get Da back, maybe I'll give you to her as a pet."

**Zhu Rong: **"Just don't feed him after midnight."

**Chibi Lu Bu: (**enraged) "graaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!"

**Sun Ce:** (laughing) "Looks like somebody already has! Yo, Diao Chan! He's yours to look after until the omake's over!"

**(Sun Ce tosses Lu Bu to Diao Chan, who catches him like a medicine ball. The little psycho scrambles inside her top and then pokes his head out from the neckline, glaring at everyone and hissing hatefully.)**

**Sun Ce: **"Well, that gives him a hobby. Alright, now that everyone's back to normal…"

**(Ce pauses as he watches Xiao Qiao hugging Zhou Tai's shin, rubbing her cheek against him.)**

**Xiao Qiao: **"It's got chicken legs!"

**Sun Ce: **"Well, almost everybody, anyway. Now that we're our regular selves, we can finally start working on figuring out this mystery and ending this omakefic.

**(Ce points to the strategists of the Three Kingdoms )**

**Sun Ce: **"Zhou Yu, Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi… you three are gonna be our think tank. You'll analyze anything we come across and come up with ideas and courses of action. Is that clear?"

**Sima Yi: **"_No habla, senor_."

**Zhen Ji: (**grappling on to Sima Yi's collar and snarling at him) "Oh yes you will habla, little man! I got called away from a massage for this awful little omake and you are going to do everything in your power to correct that, understand? If I think you're tanking on this, I'll shove my Dark Moon flute so far up your butt you'll be sneezing in E Flat for weeks!"

**Sima Yi: (**ack!) "Alright, alright! I get it, I get it! Help out the girly-man and the hippie! Back off already and pop some Midol!"

**Sun Ce: (**shaking head) "Damn, Cao Cao, why do you use Xu Zhu and Dian Wei as enforcers instead of her? She's scary, dude. Alright, next group, the brute squad… the assignment for these guys is gonna be smashing stuff until people give us answers, got it?"

**Sun Jian: **"That doesn't sound too productive, to be honest, Ce."

**Sun Ce: **"Yeah, but they'll just be getting in the way and trying to help if we don't divert them."

**(Sun Ce points to Zhang Fei, Xu Zhu, Wei Yan, Dian Wei, Taishi Chi, Gan Ning and Meng Huo.)**

**Sun Ce: **"Alright, guys, you smash anything we point at, got it?"

**(The brute squad nods.)**

Sun Ce: "Okies, let's give it a test drive, then."

**(Sun Ce points at Meng Huo. The other brute squad members whirl around and begin pummeling on him.)**

**Meng Huo: **"Ow! Cut it out! I have a wife and children to feed!"

**Sun Ce: (**nodding in satisfaction) "Alright, the brute squad works… and now the rest of us-"

**Xiao Qiao:** "I wanna be a mongoose!"

**Sun Ce: **"That is, everyone except Xiao… we're gonna split into two-person teams and begin searching. Don't team up with anyone you're married to."

**Zhu Rong, Yue Ying and Zhen Ji: (**nodding) "No problem."

**Sun Ce: **"Wow. Pick your partner, someone you work with, and begin scouring the fics. If you don't find her here in TYC, spread the search out a little more, starting with Dynasty Warriors fics and then moving on to others."

**Sun Jian: **"I'll start by looking at the Dynasty Warriors lemonfics, specifically the yuri ones."

**Sun Ce: **"Yeah, there's a big surprise… take mom along with you, to make sure you don't enjoy the search too much, okay?"

**(Sun Jian's wife trounces onto the scene, grabs Sun Jian's ghost by the ear and drags him off.)**

**Sun Ce: **"That should keep pop out of trouble. Now we just need to- hey, sis! Get back here with Fu Chin Ran! You two are _not_ searching together!"

**Sun Shang Xiang: (**scowling) "But you said we shouldn't pair up with people we were married to!"

**Sun Ce: **"Oh, and I suppose the little weekend you two shared in New Jersey recently was an Amnesty International expose, hm? Forget it! Fu, you go with Wei Yan. Sis, you go with Liu Bei."

**Sun Shang Xiang: **"Ew! But he's a guy! Sorta…"

**Liu Bei: **"Why are you complaining? I was hoping to get teamed up with an actual woman."

**Sun Shang Xiang: (**pulling out her chakrams) "Hey!"

**Zhuge Liang: **"My lord, _please_, attempt to be a gentleman. Treat her more kindly than you treat your son."

**Zhang Fei: **"Yeah, don't bounce her noggin off the ground, brother! I'm sick of feeding Liu Chan apple sauce every morning; he's twenty, crying out loud."

**Liu Bei: **"Alright, alright… Lady Shang Xiang, that is a wonderful outfit. Did Olivia Newton-John mind selling it to you?"

**Sun Shang Xiang: (**leaping on Liu Bei and doing him horrendous violence) "GRAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

**Sun Quan: **"This omake's off to a brilliant start. Then again, what else is new?"

**Sun Ce: **"Just spread out and start looking. Her abductor can't be too far away just yet…"

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Zim was making some final calculations on his computer when Da Qiao called for him.

"Hey, Zip, or whatever your name is!"

Rolling his large red eyes, Zim turned to look at the human female, who, thanks to her constant whining, had finally been taken down from her inverted position on the wall and strapped down in a chair. She scowled at him, obviously unhappy at her continued confinement.

"What do you want, Earth-girl?" he asked, walking over to her. He was trying to look menacing, but since he was shorter than even her, the effect was minimal. "I have a planet to enslave, I cannot waste time catering to your inconsequential needs."

"I have a question is all," Da said, staring at him. When she was seated, he could look her in the eye; she wondered how the little green man saw without pupils. "I've been restrained for hours now. Xiao, on the other hand, has free run of your little lair here. Why is that?"

Zim looked over at Xiao Qiao, who was sitting in a corner, happily playing with some squeaky dolls and giggling to herself.

"The other meat-girl designated Qiao-"

"She's my younger sister, Dim." Da Qiao added, wondering how her captor's species ever managed to stand upright if Zim was one of their storm-troopers.

"Irrelevant," Zim snapped, cutting her off with a chopping motion of his pointy, gloved hand. "The other female has been assessed as not a threat to my mission, given her sub-standard intelligence and comprehension. Rather than waste resources and power keeping you both detained, I will let her roam as she pleases. I suspect she would be even more whiney than yourself were I to-"

"Hi, Zim!" Xiao chirped, skipping up to join the conversation. She paused as she looked at Da Qiao. "You're not manacled upside down to the wall anymore, Da," she observed."

"Thank you for noticing, Xiao," Da replied dryly. "Has it occurred to your pretty little head that maybe we're in trouble here and that's why I was chained upside down to the wall? Vim, Dim or Bim here has abducted us and is planning to us against the others in a plot to take over the world."

Xiao made a wry face and looked at Zim, as if this possibility had never crossed her mind (it hadn't). She grinned and swept Zim into one of her lethal, crushing bear hugs, swinging the little green alien back and forth.

"Awwwww, don't tease poor Zim, sis!" she squeaked. "He'd never do anything like that, he's too cuddly-wuddly! Isn't he, yes he is…"

Zim gasped and struggled as Xiao squeezed. "Ugh! No! Let go! Gnnnnnnnn, my organs!"

"Sure you don't want to chain her up to the wall, Jim?" Da asked pointedly.

Zim finally managed to activate his cybernetic spider-legs and hoisted himself clear of Xiao's death grip, wheezing and clutching his chest. Truly, the meat-girl designated Xiao was deadly, but he was unwilling to concede such a point to his other captive. He would simply have to keep the brainless female occupied.

"She is completely harmless," he concluded in an authoritative voice. "But perhaps I will find some constructive use for her during your stay."

"Oh, this ought to be fun." Da said, smirking.

As Zim lowered himself down and his spider-legs retracted back into their compartment, Xiao looked downcast. "Zim, I'm really sorry, but I think my sister and I have to go. We've been playing with you for a long time and we should get back before the others start to worry."

Zim's brain raced for an answer that would appease the Xiao. "Ummmm… it's alright," he lied, patting her on the shoulder. "I… I already talked to your human friends and the one you are closest to…" He let the sentence trail off, fishing for a clue.

"Zhou Yu?" Xiao suggested helpfully.

"Yes!" Zim said jubilantly. "Zhou Yu! I have already talked with him and he said you were free to stay. We are having… a… a sleep-over."

"Really?" Xiao squeaked, clapping her hands together with delight. "Do you mean it? Oh, that'd be so cool!"

"Yes, yes it would." Zim said, nodding. "And, while you are here, Xiao-girl, would you be interested in helping me in my lab?"

"Would I?" Xiao exclaimed. "Just point me toward the explosives!"

"Such an eager helper." Zim mused, pleased. "Very well, go and wait by the console over there!" he commanded, pointing toward a computer bank on the far side of the room.

Xiao nodded eagerly, waved to Da and skipped off. Zim turned back to face his prisoner, his eyes glinting with smug satisfaction.

"As you can see, there is no problem Irken guile and ingenuity cannot overcome, worm-girl. Now if you will excuse me, I have a lab rat to train."

"What about your little robot thingy?" Da asked. "What happened to him?"

Zim considered for a moment. "You are my prisoner, so I see no harm in telling you. Gir has infiltrated your little group and is masterfully masquerading as your sister, the Xiao. Even if they somehow manage to see through my clever double of you, Gir is always sending me back data and reports of their positions and intent. There is nothing that escapes my watchful gaze."

Zim turned away from Da, his arms behind his back and took a deep breath, sighing in satisfaction.

"Yes, the Tallest will be very pleased with my progress. I shall message them once Gir has reported back to me."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zhang He was twirling about in a graceful, seductive circle, one hand behind his head while the other was caressing his stomach as he gyrated his hips. The dance floor was a mass of grinding, undulating bodies, while the club's light's strobed and pulsed. The techno-trance music flowed through him.

Just to his left, Xiao was hopping back and forth, flailing her arms and making strange, shrilling sounds he assumed were cries of delight. After all, who wouldn't be in bliss at the privilege of dancing with Zhang He in public?

As he danced, he watched the girl while she pumped and flounced about. She seemed her normal, clueless self, but something was different somehow. She looked vaguely unwell, a little green around the gills. He assumed she had been sick recently and was recovering. Certainly she danced with unbridled enthusiasm, which was a good sign, although she had all the grace of a baby elephant, an odd trait in a courtesan…

"Wheeeeeeeeeeeeee!" Xiao squealed, dropping onto her side and doing a Curly shuffle in a circle.

"Indeed," Zhang He replied, nodding while he threw a large bump and grind in the direction of a hot young guy on the far side of the dance floor. "It is indeed a wonderful, thrilling thing to be dancing with me, is it not, girl?"

"Piggies!" Xiao screamed, hopping up and down madly.

"Er, yes, piggies…" Zhang He reluctantly agreed, wondering what had been slipped into the girl's drink. She was unusually hyper and incoherent, even for her.

And what the heck was that beeping light on top of her head about?

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Gir! Gir!" Zim shouted heatedly at the screen while he watched his diminutive cybernetic minion dance with the girly-man. Frustrated, Zim slammed his fist against the console, shutting off the image.

"Gahhhhhhhh, how do the Tallest expect me to finish my mission when my personal servitor is _so_ stupid?" he ranted, flailing his arm's about in his barely contained exasperation. "Gir should be with the goatee-human, not dancing with some gender-confused butterfly-human!"

"Awwwww, what'sa matter, little green man?" Da Qiao sneered from her chair, where she was still tied down. "Things not working out how you planned? I would think you'd be used to that by now, Tim."

"Shut your noise box, video game-girl!" Zim screamed, his body quivering in revulsion as he looked at her. "You know nothing of Irken strategy or cunning! Your filthy, puny race cannot possibly comprehend the glory of my genius!"

"I'd say that's a fair bet," Da Qiao agreed willingly. "There is simply no comprehending you, Kim. But who are these Tallest you keep babbling about, anyway?"

Zim shot her a haughty look, his antennae twitching proudly as he thought of his mission, assigned to him personally by the Tallest.

"They are our great and glorious leaders, the driving force behind the invincible Irken military," he proclaimed, his chest/thorax puffed out.

"And… they're your leaders because they're _taller_ than anyone else?" Da asked, her eyebrow raised skeptically.

"But of course, human." Zim confirmed, nodding.

"That's just stupid." Da said, scowling. She thought of some of the taller members of the Dynasty Warriors cast, such as Lu Bu or Meng Huo or Zhou Tai and what would happen if they were in charge, merely because they were vertically superior to everybody else. "Being taller doesn't mean you're smarter, or most fit to lead. Besides, how smart can these tallest be if they sent _you_ to conquer earth?"

"You speak craziness!" Zim shrieked, his tongue lashing about madly in his jaws as he hissed hatefully. His squeaky, sing-song tenor made her ears hurt. "Tall humans cannot compare to the Tallest! It takes true genius to command the Irken Armada and direct Operation Impending Doom II! No mere human brain, no matter how tall the container it is housed in, could ever approach the Tallest in intellect or greatness! The Tallest shall always-"

"Would you please stop using the word 'tallest'?" Da Qiao pleaded. "You've said the word so often it's lost all meaning for me. Couldn't we just refer to them as something else, like the Greenest?"

The comm screen beeped and Zim stormed away from the infuriating girl to see what was happening. He hit the 'Receive' button and was confronted with the dual images of the Tallest, of both the red and the purple variety.

"My Tallest!" he squealed, bowing hastily. "I see you have come to eagerly check in on my monumental progress."

"Sure, Zim," Red Tallest said in a bored tone while sucking on a soda. "So what have you got to report today?"

"My newest plan is sheer genius, my great and glorious Tallest!" Zim said proudly, rubbing his clawed hands together in glee. "I have kidnapped two earth-human girls, thereby forcing their mates and friends to act on my behalf and conquer the world for me!"

The Tallest were silent for several seconds, staring at Zim in disbelief. "You… kidnapped two girls so their friends will conquer Earth for you?"

"Yes, yes I did." Zim replied quietly and with great pride. "But these are no ordinary humans, I must remind you."

"Oh… and what type of humans _are_ they?" Purple Tallest asked warily.

"The most dangerous kind, at least as far as their pathetic species goes." Zim said, nodding. "They are video game humans, intriguing characters that the human meat-children are addicted to. With their help, I shall enslave the minds of the human worm-babies, guaranteeing that an entire generation of these filthy h-h-h-h-h-h-hu-mans…"-Zim could barely bring himself to spit out the word- "will be loyal to the glorious Irken race!"

Red and Purple Tallest looked at each other for a moment, perplexed. Could even Zim have concocted an idea this stupid?

"Those are your vaunted Tallest?" Da Qiao quipped, scowling at the comm screen. "They got food on their faces, for crying out loud!"

"Who's that?" Red Tallest asked, staring at Da.

"That is one of the video game girls, my Tallest." Zim replied, gesturing to his captive. "The other one is not a threat to the mission, so I have not restrained her."

There was suddenly a loud crash and explosion in another corner of the lab, coincidentally in Xiao's last known location.

"Excuse me!" Zim said hastily, scampering off, leaving Da and the Tallest to stare at each other.

"Soooooooo…" Purple Tallest said slowly, uncomfortable with the way Da was staring at him. "How's it going?"

"What do you think?" Da retorted, glaring at them. "Bug-boy here has had me tied up for two days now, hasn't let me go to the bathroom and worse, he keeps babbling at me and telling me all about how smart he is!"

"Yeah, that sounds like Zim," Red Tallest said dismissively. "But I guess its better that you're dealing with him and not us. It's nothing personal, you understand."

"You two had better hope that I don't get out of these restraints or I'm gonna track you down and jam that junk food so far down your-"

"Gotta go!" Purple Tallest said suddenly, switching off the monitor and disappearing. Da glared at the black screen, fuming at the stupidity of this situation.

"_Lord Sun Ce, please hurry and rescue me… I'm not sure how much more of this idiocy I can take…"_

_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_

"Well, I hope she's not here." Liu Bei muttered as he watched the horrific scene unfolding in front of him. The circular, ancient stone chamber pulsed with unnatural, sickly energy, centered on an obscene, glowing portal into which stared the three young wizards.

"Don't do it, Harry…" whispered Pang Tong, biting his lip. "Send Ron down first."

Liu Bei elbowed his strategist in the side, silencing him. "We're here to find Da Qiao, we don't care what happens to these three. We just want to make sure she's not tied up in this scene somehow."

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Pant Tong whispered as the unhealthy, alien energies poured through the ethereal gateway. "I don't see her anywhere in this room, so I think we can assume she's not here."

Liu Bei nodded, more than happy to retreat from this horrific scene. "Whatever's about to happen, I doubt we want to be here for it."

"But… but… what about Harry?" stammered Pang Tong, seemingly distraught by his lord's uncharacteristic lack of compassion. This was, after all, the great and powerful, popular Harry they were considering abandoning to some gruesome fate.

"Watch me cast a spell on myself, Pang Tong…" Liu Bei said, hunkering down behind the pillar and turning to face his strategist. His normally smiling lips were curled in a heartless sneer.

"Not-caringus!" he spat. He then pointed at Pang Tong. "Hobo-lookus-begonus! Replaceo Giorgio Armanius!"

Pang Tong made a wry face. "Those spells cannot possibly be canon from the books; let's face it, they-"

"Gah, no wonder I paid one of my own friggin' archers to shoot you in the back at Fallen Phoenix Ridge!" hissed Liu Bei in disgust.

Pang Tong's eyes widened. "What?"

"Nothing, let's go, Lady Qiao isn't here." Liu Bei growled, turning on his heel and exiting the scene. Pang Tong made to follow, but turned around to take one last look at his beloved Harry. He and Hermione were standing at the entrance to the unearthly portal, having sent Ron through to scout things out.

Ron's screams of agony and terror seemed to indicate that things weren't progressing as they might have liked.

The Elder Gods would feast well tonight. Redhead is, after all, a delicacy…

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zhou Yu, Sima Yi and Zhuge Liang were standing in a corner, bickering. They had yet to agree on anything remotely resembling a strategy and even Rock Paper Scissors could not break the deadlock.

Sun Shang Xiang's suggestion of _'Rock Paper Scissorfight'_ was met with great enthusiasm, but finally overruled by Sun Ce as useless for the task at hand.

Sun Jian, having come up empty-handed in his search, had been relegated to keeping the brute squad entertained. They laughed and used their weapons to poke at his ethereal form while he drank beer and let it fountain out of the holes they created. Xu Zhu laughed and clapped while Zhang Fei kept trying to lie underneath one of the little geysers and get smashed. A fistfight broke out when Dian Wei took Zhang Fei's wish literally.

"I really don't know," Zhao Yun said, leaning against his spear and sighing. "When I signed on with Lord Liu Bei to become a fine and upstanding warrior, this is not exactly what I had in mind."

Next to him, Xiahou Dun grunted, tapping the back of his Kirin Fang blade against his shoulder. "These stupid omakes are the problem. They're nothing but a break in the story while the damned author thinks up new material."

"Yes, and we're simply stuck doing them." Zhao Yun replied, finally sitting down. "I feel about as useful as Wei Yan in a spelling bee."

Xiahou Dun grunted again but said nothing. Zhao Yun looked up at him. "So what's bothering you?"

Xiahou Dun scowled. "Sun Ce told me to 'keep an eye on things'."

Zhao Yun burst out laughing. "I don't care if he's from Wu! That guy rocks!"

"Oh, shut up, you brown-noser…" Xiahou Dun snarled before stomping off to join the brawl the brute squad was engaged in.

Zhao Yun was still chuckling when Sun Ce arrived back on the scene. He seemed more than a little weirded out and puzzled.

"Oh, I know that look…" Zhao Yun said, smirking. "You just had to wade through some really twisted fanfiction, didn't you? What was it, a yaoi lemon about you and Zhou Yu?"

Sun Ce just shook his head.

"Da Qiao and Lu Xun?" Zhao Yun prompted.

Ce shook his head vigorously.

"What, then?"

"Anime…" Ce said quietly, rubbing his temples. "Have you ever read the 'Curse of the Fanboys' series?"

"Not sober, no." Zhao Yun admitted. "And when I wake up I remember blissfully little. What on earth possessed you to check there? The damned series goes on forever."

"They have done some MSTfics, at the behest of deranged villains. I thought maybe whatever looney-tune had been tackling the Fanboys was also our culprit here."

"No luck, I take it?"

"Nope." Ce said, sighing. "It wasn't. Guess I'm back to square one, huh?"

"Do not worry, Sun Ce, other people are still out looking. Maybe they'll have better luck…"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He stalked through the streets of the city, his quiet stride belying his great size. In his hand, his deadly halberd glinted beneath the streetlights. His long flowing beard rustled in the wind, straining to become one with the night. He looked around and scowled. He wasn't sure what fic or universe he was in, but some instinct told him he was on the right track. Beside him, Lady Xiao skipped along, humming some bizarre tune that vaguely hurt his ears with its dissonance. He had found the little twit dancing in a club with Zhang He and liberated her from the girly-man's excesses. While it had been a noble gesture, he was now stuck with her.

The streets were decidedly dingy and depressing to look at. He missed the vibrant colours of his own fanfic. He could see old people- ugly, misshapen old people, sitting on their verandahs, staring at him vacantly. If seeing a six-foot-ten Chinese warrior in green carrying a mighty halberd didn't faze them, then perhaps making a little noise wouldn't either.

He stood in the center of the road, held the Green Dragon over his head and bellowed into the night.

"I am Guan Yu!" he roared, his booming voice causing the whole street to tremor. "You who hold Lady Da Qiao captive, release her or taste the wrath of the Green Dragon!"

"It's called the Blue Dragon, you jerk!" came an adolescent kid's voice from a house off to his right. Guan Yu went crimson with fury and stormed over to the door of the house the voice had emanated from. His boot crashed threw the door and sent it flying down the hallway. He strode in to the living room and glowered down at the twelve year-old punk who had dissed him.

"What did you say, n00b?" he growled. The kid goggled up at him with wide eyes, holding a trembling controller in his hands, which was connected to a game console.

"Did you really just tell me what my own weapon was called?" Guan Yu asked, his eyes flashing beneath his bushy eyebrows. "Get this straight, you little brat- the people at Koei North America made a mistake! My halberd is called the Green Dragon! It is also called 'Frozen Glory'. Nowhere, anywhere, in the Three Kingdoms Book or actual history was my weapon ever called Blue Dragon, got it?"

The boy just nodded silently, hoping the massive warrior wouldn't notice that he was peeing himself.

"For the record, the fine folk at Koei also decided to give my Elder Brother only one sword when it clearly states in the book that he fights with two. Then they go and give that runt Lu Xun two swords? What's that all about?"

He paused in his rant and looked down at the boy's TV screen. The game was paused, but he could clearly see that the Boy was playing Dynasty Warriors 5.

In fact, he was playing Guan Yu.

"Go on…" Yunchang said levelly.

The boy gulped and turned back to face the game again and hit the continue button; Guan Yu's brow furrowed deeper and deeper as he watched.

"What the hell?" he groused loudly. "Why aren't you using my best combo? I can beat anyone with my juggle combo! Haven't you got a Fire Orb equipped?"

"No?" the boy squeaked.

He then watched the boy execute a Musou attack and snorted in disgust. "Let me guess, you don't have the 'Way of Musou' scroll, right?"

"I… can't beat Xiahou Yuan in time at Mt Ding Jun in order to get it…" the boy admitted.

"What do you mean you can't beat Xiahou Yuan?" Guan Yu exclaimed. "He's a lard bucket! And he sounds like Bobcat Goldthwaite! Give me that!"

He snatched the controller out of the boy's hands. "Let me show you how it's done."

Thirty seconds later, Guan Yu stomped out of the house, crimson with embarrassment. Diao Chan, of all characters, had handed his ass to him. At least it hadn't been Zhang He. That would have been too much to bear.

"My fingers were too big to properly hit the buttons…" he grumbled. He resumed his search.

Some minutes later, he found a house that seemed out of place; it was tall, thin and pink, with a peaked green roof. It seemed to be wedged between two other houses, both of which were boxy and drab grey. Long, snaking metallic tentacles or cables had punched through their walls from the out-of-place house. The look of confusion on his face spread as he saw the horrid plastic pink flamingoes on the front lawn, alongside a small flag that proudly claimed "I Love Earth". The lawn gnomes with laser cannons for eye stared vacantly in silent vigil.

"Well, it seems fairly obvious…" he muttered to himself. He took a deep breath and began striding toward the house. As he passed through the picket fence, the lawn gnomes of doom whirled around and took aim.

Unfortunately for them, Guan Yu's reach with his halberd was most impressive, especially since he was carrying a Wind Scroll. They fell to the earth in little heaps of sparking metal.

Guan Yu stood at the door and looked down at Xiao. She looked back up at him and shrugged, her tongue hanging out of the side of her mouth. He just shook his head and punched the door, sending it flying into the room. As he strode inside, red lights and claxons began going off.

"INTRUDER ALERT! ALL DEFENSIVE MEASURES ACTIVATED!"

Guan Yu was quite happily ignoring the noise when Lady Xiao vaulted overhead (in slow motion, an excellent trick) and landed in front of him. Her tiny hand was thrust out in a gesture of warning and her eyes were glowing red.

"None shall pass!" she said in a tinny voice. She obviously needed a lozenge.

"Lady Xiao, it is I, Guan Yu," he protested, confused by her behaviour. "We have come to rescue your sis-"

She somersaulted (again, in slow mtion) on the spot, shedding her cute outfit. When she landed, Xiao suddenly looked like a weird little green dog.

"None shall pass!" the Puppy Qiao declared. Somewhat perplexed, Guan Yu merely made to move around her.

Then the puppy outfit was gone and in its place stood a tiny, odd-looking robot. It's head opened and a great tangle of lasers and missile launchers sprang out and leveled themselves at the Dynasty Warrior.

"I will defend my master! None shall pass!" the robot said in a comically menacing voice.

"Where is your master?" Guan Yu asked.

"Over this way!" the robot formerly known as Xiao Qiao said, grinning stupidly, its eyes now glowing a passive blue and waving for him to follow.

They stepped onto some sort of turbolift and waited patiently as they descended into the floor.

"I like muffins, do you like muffins?"

"Shut up."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Da Qiao was merely watching, a hint of a smirk on her face while Zim stood in front of the ruins of some great machine; Xiao Qiao also stood there, looking rather sheepish.

The Irken Invader's eyebrow was raised while he awaited an explanation.

"Ummmm… you did it." Xiao said finally. Da just rolled her eyes. Her sister had always been a terrible liar.

"If you do not learn to keep your hands to yourself, Xiao-human, I shall be forced to have you restrained, as I have already done with your sister-unit." Zim warned, his eye twitching.

"It's not like I didn't warn you, Rim." Da sneered. "Five more minutes of Xiao running free and your little base is going to look like a Mid-East Victory Strategy from the Bush Administration."

"Silence!" Zim screeched, whirling around to face her. The spider-like legs emerged from his little ladybug-shaped backpack and he scuttled up to tower over her. She was not intimidated, however.

"You puny human!" he hissed with obvious loathing. "Even your brainless sister cannot overcome my tactical genius! Not to mention that this base is a product of the best technology the Irken military can provide!"

"Uh-huh." Da replied, obviously not convinced.

"Shut your noise-tube!" Zim spat. "This base is a marvel of ingenuity! I have customized it myself! Anything than is destroyed can be easily replaced! Any requirement can be met at the push of a button! My lair's defenses are totally impenetrable!"

"Don't turn around, then." Da said simply.

"Huh? Wha?" Zim said, turning around.

Before him stood the largest being he had ever seen. The behemoth stared down at him, his eyes nestled beneath great eyebrows. The long, black beard seemed to flow and curl gently in some invisible, dramatic breeze. A great and terrible weapon that radiated power was held tightly in his grip.

And he was so very, very green.

"My Tallest!" Zim squeaked, dropping to his knees and bowing repeatedly. "This is such an honour! You have come to oversee my conquest of these pitiful Earthanoids firsthand! Words cannot express the depth of my gratitude!"

One of Guan Yu's mighty eyebrows raised.

Da Qiao sagged in despair. Could this omake get any stupider?

"Ummmm, Zim?" she began, using his proper name in a desperate attempt to get his attention." Zim, that's not a Tallest, that's actually Guan Yu and he's here to-"

"Silence!" Zim screamed, whirling about and clamping some sort of cybernetic gag over the lower half of her face. She glowered at him in exasperation. The omake had just gotten stupider.

"My tallest, please forgive the Earth female's outburst. They're stupid." Zim said hastily, worried that Da might have made him look bad in front of the ultimate leaders of the invincible Irken war machine.

"What _are_ you?" Guan Yu asked, obviously perplexed.

Zim laughed. "I see! A test! Very well! I am Invader Zim, conqueror of the dirt ball known as Earth! My Tallest, this plan I am currently implementing sure to bring these foul meat-beings to their-"

"I am not your 'Tallest'." Guan Yu growled, rapidly losing patience with the small green bug-thingy.

"Ohhhh, _of course_ you are not." Zim said in a sly voice, tapping his face where a human nose would normally be. "I understand, you are here covertly; very well, we shall pretend I have not seen through your disguise and you can watch my impending victory and evaluate me as the mastermind we both already know me to be!"

"Whooooooooooo!" said the Xiao-Puppy-Robot thingy for no apparent reason, other than reminding everyone it was still there.

"Gir!" shouted Zim, seemingly noticing the retarded little cyborg for the first time. "What are you doing here? You are supposed to be keeping an eye on the surfer-human and the other Dynasty Warriors for me! I will not have my mission compromised by your stupidness!"

"Okie-dokie!" Gir squeaked before blasting off through a hole in the ceiling and disappearing from this chunk of the fic.

"Goodbye, robot-puppy!" Xiao said, waving after Gir.

With the distraction gone, Zim bowed again to Guan Yu. "Now, my tallest- please sit back and watch as I finally triumph over these humans and annex them into our mighty empire!"

"Actually, I have to go." Guan Yu said. He reached down and pulled Da Qiao's chair out of the floor, restraining straps and all. She squeaked in fright and remained still. Xiao laughed and clapped.

"I shall take the Qiao-humans with me." Guan Yu said, hoping to emulate the bug-thingy's peculiar speech pattern. He removed Da's gag and she sucked in lungfuls of air. Whatever creature had last used that thing really needed a breath mint.

"But, my Tallest…" Zim stammered. "They are my bargaining chip! I need them for leverage against the other Dynasty Warriors!"

"I am certain your plan will succeed brilliantly even without them," Guan Yu suggested. "After all, what pitiful human brain would ever compete with… with…"

"Irken." Da prompted.

"Irken strategy?" Guan Yu finished. "These two earth-females will simply be in your way. I shall take them back to the… the…"

"Flagship." Da whispered.

"to the flagship for further observation. Yes, that is what I shall do."

Zim sighed. "Very well, my Tallest. You know best, I suppose."

"Yes, yes I do." Guan Yu rumbled, turning and striding toward the turbolift, with Da and her chair tucked under one arm. "Lady Xiao, follow me!" he called out. Xiao squeaked and scampered after him.

Guan Yu stood in front of the turbolift door "Take me to the main level!" he commanded.

"_Unable to comply!"_ the house computer replied. _"The base is in lockdown mode and unauthorized biologicals of non-Irken designation cannot pass."_

"What?" Guan Yu shouted in exasperation.

"I am sorry, my Tallest," but it seems that your brilliant disguise has worked a little too well," Zim said as he rushed up, trying to sound both apologetic and impressed. "The house computer cannot tell that you are merely masquerading as a human, it thinks you really _are_ a human. So while the base is in lockdown, it will not let you leave."

"So override it." Guan Yu growled. His patience with this omake was rapidly wearing out.

"Oh, I cannot." Zim replied. "My mission is so top-secret that even I do not know the safety protocols for shutting down the system."

"So I am stuck here… with you." Guan Yu said in a deadpan tone.

"Oh, not at all, my Tallest." Zim said, grinning. "After all, the computer still knows that I am Irken. Therefore, I can leave."

And with that, Zim walked into the turbolift and disappeared from sight.

"My hero…" Da said, looking up at Guan Yu, unimpressed. "Anything else you'd like to accomplish while you're here, God of War?"

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Can you at least turn me right side up? I have to pee." Da said, once again manacled upside down to the wall.

"Lady Xiao, please find some sort of organic replicator and grow your sister another bladder, will you?" Guan Yu said unconcernedly, sitting in a chair and reading a magazine.

Da Qiao glared at the massive warrior's back. "Guan Yu, when I get myself down from here, I'm gonna-"

"Shut your noise-tube, Fangirl. This is going to be a long omake."

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**End of Omake III, Part I – The Dynasty Warriors vs Invader Zim**

**----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**Author's Notes:** Somebody recently suggested to me that if I could actually pull off a Dynasty Warriors/Invader Zim crossover, as I had planned, then I was some sort of mad, deranged genius. Not sure whether to take this as a compliment or not, I forged ahead with the idea.

The problem is, the damned fic just keeps getting bigger and bigger. I promise I will try to keep it down to two parts. It was my intent to have this as the great comedic break between Part I and Part II of TYC. I guess I'm not spoiling anything by stating that Sun Jian will continue to show up in the the omakes, yes?

However, those of you who suggest that I rip off the Thundercats and have Sun Jian keep re-appearing in the main storyline, ala Jaga, will be hunted down and killed slowly by having Oscarfics read to you.

Speaking of fics, please forgive the shameless plugs. First, for 'Harry Potter and the Seal of the Elder Gods', a short fic I wrote because I despise Harry Potter. Sorry. Second, the 'Curse of the Fanboys' series. It is an anime parody series my friend and I wrote for YEARS, starting in 1997. If you love twisted anime humour, check it our at guess I'd better get started on Part II of this omake, if we ever want to see the campaign to conquer the Wu territory, right? Wish me luck!

The Author


	25. Chapter 25

**The Young Conqueror**

**SD Omake Theatre 3 Part 2**

_Author's Note: My apologies to the anime Blue Seed and my fellow Cursed Fanboys for this opening…_

Cue the cutesy rainbow arcing towards the reader, over which marches SD forms of the Sun family, along with their various commanders and generals

**All: **"Wumake! Wumake! Wumake! Wumake!"

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"Has anyone ever noticed that I'm usually the guy with the opening dialogue in these stupid things?"

**Chibi Sun Shang Xiang: **"Yeah, I have noticed that, actually. Out of the four Wumakes so far, you've opened three and Ce has opened one. It's not fair, if you ask me. I should get to open at least one! I've been more involved in this fic than Quan has by a country mile!"

**Chibi Sun Ce:** "Sis, he gets the Wumake openings _because_ he isn't too involved yet. It's kinda like compensation."

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"Hey! I don't need anybody's charity!"

**Chibi Ghost Sun Jian: **"And why are we all chibis again? When we ended the last fic, weren't we all back to our normal selves?"

**Cue Diao Chan, running through the fic, screaming in terror, chased by a Chibi Lu Bu.**

**Diao Chan: **"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!! GET AWAY FROM ME, YOU PSYCHO!!!!"

**Chibi Lu Bu: **"Get back here, wench! I need something to pillage! And it was nice and snug and warm between your boobs! Let me nest, damn you!"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **thumbing at Lu Bu "That's one of the reasons we started chibi, no doubt. As soon as we've got Bam-Bam contained, we can de-chibi and get on with the fic, just not while he's around."

**Chibi Sun Shang Xiang: **watching Diao Chan run off "Wow, sucks to be Diao Chan at the moment. But I've always wanted to do a lemon with her."

**Shang Xiang looks expectantly at the author**

**Chibi Sun Shang Xiang: **"C'mon, I know you wanna, you perv."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Some other time, sis, we've got a mystery to solve! Da is still missing and now so is Yunchang."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **"Are you sure that referring to Guan Yu by his style name isn't going to confuse people, Ce?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Hey, the author is giving his readers credit for being smart enough to remember. Besides, I'd say it's rather obvious who's missing, wouldn't you? Hard to misplace a seven-foot Chinese guy in green with a big-ass can-opener."

**Xiao Qiao: **screaming in delight "MUFFINS!!!"

**Chibi Huang Gai: **boing! "Food? Muffins? Where?"

**Chibi Ghost Sun Jian: **"Then, of course, there's the whole problem concerning Xiao and her increasingly strange behaviour, ne? I mean, even for her, she's been rather spastic and dumb recently."

**Chibi Fu Chin Ran: **"She's not still eating those two-thousand dumplings from her wedding, is she? Those'd be kinda rancid by now, but they'd account for her mental meltdown."

**Chibi Zhou Yu: **shaking his head "No, she finished those off in about three days after our wedding. Besides, I have yet to see anything that girl can't metabolize; she ate one of Huang Gai's clubs once, when she got really hungry."

**Chibi Huang Gai: **aghast "Is _that_ what happened to my Great Rod?"

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"What's that? Xiao swallowed Huang Gai's great rod?"

**Gan Ning nudges Huang Gai and winks**

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"Hey, I'm totally impressed, old man! Didn't know ya had it in ya! So ya like'em young, huh? Ha! You old lecher!"

**Chibi Huang Gai: **horrified "What? No! I… that is… I never! I couldn't… my Great Rod is-"

**Chibi Sun Shang Xiang: **rolling eyes "Could we PLEASE stop talking about Huang Gai's ding-ding and get on with this travesty?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Yeah, let's try to focus here… until we find Da's kidnapper and rescue her, we're never gonna get outta this fic… and I'm really eager to start the next story arc now…"

**Chibi Ghost Sun Jian: **indignant "Oh, so now that I'm out of the way the _real_ story can move ahead, is that it?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Face it, pop, this fic ain't about you, it's about me- y'know, the Young Conqueror. Besides, you still get to show up in these omakes, right?"

**Chibi Ghost Sun Jian: **scowling "Whoopee."

**Chibi Sun Ce: **gesturing "And look at all the fan mail you get! You've become a really popular character and lots of people got a teary-eyed and weepy when you kicked off. Dyin' was the best thing to ever happen to you, kinda Elvis or Kurt Cobain."

**Chibi Sun Jian: **blushing "Well, I guess I _have_ become pretty popular…"

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"Alright, now that the dead guy's been pacified, can we get on with this turkey?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Love to."

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"But I got a complaint first."

**Chibi Sun Shang Xiang: **"Oh, for… what is it now? Are you tattoos smearing or something?"

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"Nah, I wanna know why I was put in the brute squad! Why ain't I out searching for Ce's broad?"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Because we're searching stealthily for her and you wear those stupid bells all the time. You couldn't sneak up on a rock, pal."

**Chib Gan Ning: **"Yeah, well… I don't gotta wear 'em, y'know…"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Oh, really? Alright, Ink-boy, take 'em off. Right now."

**Chibi Gan Ning: **long pause "No…"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **goading "C'mon, you can do it, they're only bells, right? Besides, you're chibi right now and each bell is the size of your freaking head. They look like brass-coloured personal floatation devices for a kiddy-pool."

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"C'mon, Gan Ning… ditch the bells or get back with the other lugnuts already. If this intro goes on for too long there's going to have to be a Part Three to finish this omake."

**Chibi Gan Ning: **pissed off "Alright, alright! I'll stay with the morons! What a waste, just because I wear bells…"

**Gan Ning heads back to the Brute Squad staging area, stripping off his belt and nuzzling the bells to his cheek tenderly**

**Chibi Gan Ning: **"It's alright, guys… those meanies don't understand us, that's all… there, there… shhhhhhhhhhh… loo-loo-loo-loo-loo-loo…"

**Chibi Sun Quan: **"Could this omake get-"

**Chibi Sun Ce: **cutting Quan off "Don't say it, Quan, trust me. Do what you're best at and keep your trap shut, at least for now."

**Quan goes to brood in a corner**

**Chibi Sun Ce: **"Alright, now… is Lu Bu looking? Everyone, de-chibi!"

**The Wu cast exits super deformed mode in a series of crimson flashes and gold whirlwinds**

**Sun Shang Xiang: **"Well, there goes this chapter's special effects budget, totally wasted on our transformation scene. At least we're not required to use those goofy little Sailor Moon henshin sticks…"

**Sun Ce: **"Awww, but Zhang He looks so cute with his. Anyhoo, let's get this show on the road, shall we?"

**The Wu cast members all assemble around Sun Ce and punch their fists into the air**

**Sun Ce: **"Alright, time for the Wu cheer! On three! One… two..."

**The cast is about to cheer when the lights for the fic sputter and fade in and out before going totally dark.**

**Sun Ce: **"What the hell?"

**Everybody turns and stares at Xiao, who had pulled a large plug out of the wall and is sucking the electricity out of it**

**Sun Shang Xiang: **"That's it, I'm outta here. If anyone needs me, I'll be in my trailer, listening to Indigo Girls."

**A Voice: **"No! All of you! Stop where you are!"

**Sun Ce: **looking around "Huh? Who said that?"

**The Voice: **"I did. I, the one person in all the world who can help you stop Zim."

**Sun Quan: **"Who are you? What's your name?"

**The Voice:** emerging from the shadows "My name… is Dib. This is my sister Gaz."

**Gaz: **standing behind Dib, playing a hand-held video game "Hey."

**Wu Cast Members: **"…"

**Dib: **"There isn't much time. Zim will not wait to hatch his next plan to enslave or destroy the earth! We must-"

**Sun Ce: **walking over to Dib "What's the deal with your head, kid? Thing's huge."

**Dib: **screaming in frustration "LEAVE MY HEAD OUT OF THIS!!!"

**And so, without further ado…**

**The Young Conqueror SD Omake Theatre 3 – Part 2**

**The Dynasty Warriors vs Invader Zim**

**(Or 'How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love Tacos')**

Da Qiao sighed as she wandered around the lab, examining the strange alien equipment. It had taken several hours to convince Guan Yu to let her down from her inverted position on the wall. Her first plea had simply been that she needed to pee, a request that feel on deaf ears. She threatened to actively pee herself, hoping his innate sense of decency might take over.

Guan Yu's response was to train all the security cameras on her and hook them up to Russian fetish websites with a 24-hour Free Access period.

"Evil bastard, aren't you?" Da Qiao muttered.

But finally, even the jolly green giant needed to sleep and she convinced Xiao to let her down from the wall- which wouldn't have been so bad if the little twit hadn't released the clasps all at once and dropped her older sister on her head.

"Ow… couldn't you have come and let me down earlier, Xiao?" Da asked, rubbing her skull.

The younger sister shrugged. "To be honest, I thought it was just some sort of kinky game, sis. Let's face it, you are a bit of a freak, after all."

Da looked at her sister with one eyebrow raised. "Me, a freak… with Guan Yu."

Xiao shrugged again. "Meh, I've learned not to judge."

"I'm _not_ doing anything with Guan Yu, you idiot." Da hissed, gritting her teeth. She turned to glare at Guan Yu, who had fallen asleep in a chair, snoring loudly. She stomped over to him and grabbed a random piece of machinery, smashing it against his head.

Guan Yu mumbled and turned onto his side, seemingly unfazed by her brutal assault on his structural integrity.

She glowered at him and moved around to the other side, where the mighty halberd Green Dragon was propped against the chair's armrest. She attempted to lift it, hoping to swing the weapon around and decapitate him, but she could barely even budge it.

She paused to catch her breath. "What… the hell… is this thing made of?"

She looked over at Xiao, who was quickly leafing through a Cliff Notes version of '_Three Kingdoms'_.

"Lessee here… Chapter One… yeah, the Green Dragon, also known as 'Frozen Glory'… oh jeez, it weighs almost a hundred pounds, sis. That means it's heavier than either you or I. Who can lift it? Probably only Lu Bu, Zhang Fei or Rip van Winkle here. There's no way even the two of us are lifting it."

Da sighed despondently and crossed her arms, wondering what to do.

"I suppose I could just tip it over on his head, but that'd only wake him up, and he's already in a bad mood. I guess I'll let sleeping Green Dragons lie and try to get us out of here."

"But won't Zim be upset and hurt if we leave without telling him?" Xiao asked.

Da took a deep breath and calmed herself. She took Xiao by the shoulders and held her as firmly as she could without throttling her.

"Xiao… sister… sweetheart… Zim is… not our friend. He never was. He's a little green alien monster who's trying to use you and I to coerce the Dynasty Warriors 5 cast into conquering the earth for him."

Xiao made a wry face, obviously not believing her sister, a dilemma she was not used to.

"But… he's so nice and harmless," she protested. "He's been nothing but flowers and sunshine to me."

"Xiao, you thought that Dong Zhuo was Santa Claus last year when the jerk attempted to infiltrate our castle and assassinate Lord Sun Jian by sitting on him."

"But… he looked so much like Santa." Xiao whined. "How was I to know?"

"Here's a clue…" Da growled, losing patience. "If he kicks you in the stomach, it's _probably… not… Santa!"_

Xiao deflated somewhat and gave her sister the puppydog eyes treatment. "I know you're probably right, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. So we need to escape from here, huh?"

Da nodded and patted Xiao on the head. "We do. I'm sure the boys are worried about us by now. Ce must be getting frantic, we were supposed to play Zipper Ninja yesterday."

Xiao just shook her head and muttered "Freak" under her breath.

"I suppose we'd better wake up Sleeping Beauty here, too." Da said, pointing to the enormous slumbering form of Guan Yu. "But how? We can't seem to do enough damage to even get his attention."

Xiao thought for a moment and stared down at the green-garbed warrior. Soon, however, she grew bored with applied thinking and took out a marker to begin doodling on his face. She couldn't really draw a beard, moustache or bushy eyebrows on him, since he already had all three in profusion. Eventually she simply pressed a piece of paper over his face and used a piece of charcoal to make a rub. Da watched in increasing bewilderment.

"What in the name of Koei are you doing?" she asked.

"Just something to remember the big lug by." Xiao said cheerfully, continuing to rub the charcoal stick over the rather uneven surface of Guan Yu's face. "Face it, sis, he's actually a pretty nice guy. I mean, how bad can he be if Lord Sun Ce likes him?"

"He manacled me upside down to a wall, you twinkie, remember?" Da replied, scowling.

"Oh, you had that coming." Xiao pointed out. "You've been so crabby since this Wumake began. We all know what you get like when you're not getting a regular amount of… well, you know…"

Da went crimson with embarrassment. "Xiao! Ot-nay in ont-fray of the eaders-ray!"

Xiao looked at her sister in confusion. "What did you say? Were you just speaking in tongues, sis? When did you become a Pentecostal?"

"GAHHHHHHHHH!" Da screamed, feeling her brain pulse inside her head as it tried to protect itself from Xiao's stupidity. Her hand lashed out and grabbed the paper rub out of her sister's hand, but Xiao resisted and they grappled and wrestled for the thin scrap. Eventually, they both lost their grip and the paper floated gracefully out of their hands and down…

Grazing the back of Guan Yu's hand and giving him a tiny paper cut.

"OW OW OW OW OW OW!!!!!!!" the giant howled as he sprung to his feet, dancing about in a circle and holding the back of his hand. "PAPER CUT!!!!"

"What… the… hell?" Da asked quietly, watching the scene.

Guan Yu finally noticed that he had an audience and froze, his hand still clamped down over the devastating wound. He swallowed and then composed himself. He stood tall, towering over the two girls. He glowered down at them and then the piece of paper on the floor. Obviously he was awaiting an explanation.

"Ummmm… you did it." Da said somewhat awkwardly.

Xiao rolled her eyes.

Guan Yu sighed and began looking around. "We need to find a way out of this place," he rumbled. "Lord Liu Bei has need of me."

"Ahem!" Da Qiao coughed, obviously annoyed at the Shu warrior's exclusionary tone. "And what about Xiao and I?"

Guan Yu looked down at her for a moment. "Oh, are you going to be missing a kegger or something back at the frat house? Wouldn't want you to miss out on an opportunity to collect more beads by flashing your goodies, would we?"

Da glared at him. "You know, you're a lot more respectful of women in the regular series and the original novel."

"You've become a regular harpy yourself in these omakes, lady." Guan Yu pointed out. "Even Zhen Ji is nicer than you are."

"That's because she's usually drunk so she can deal with Cao Cao trying to grope her all the time!" Da Qiao roared. "I wish I were drunk right now."

"Hey, isn't Gan Ning supposed to be holding a kegger tonight, sis?" Xiao mentioned.

"Augh! I have to get out of here!" Da wailed, clasping her hands to her face.

"I'm afraid you will find that impossible, little Dynasty Warrior…" said an irritatingly familiar voice from another corner of the room. The three of them looked over and spied Zim leaning against a wall, looking arrogantly at them.

"You there!" Guan Yu boomed, hefting the Green Dragon and striding forward, pointing the massive halberd at the tiny alien. "Release us from this place at once!"

Zim merely grinned evilly and winked. "Oh, my Tallest! This is such a fine ruse you are putting on… but I really do not see the point. I saw through your disguise moments after you got here and these girl-meat-beings are simply not worth the effort."

"I AM NOT YOUR TALLEST, YOU STUPID LITTLE BOOGER!!!" Guan Yu roared in fury. The mighty warrior began to glow with musou rage and Da Qiao grabbed Xiao and dove behind a large computer bank.

Guan Yu whirled around and unleashed a devastating barrage of sheer destructive force toward the door of the turbo lift. Unfortunately, even one of the most powerful warriors of the ancient world was no match for Irken technology and the door's force fields held.

Worse, the electromagnetic shield merely bounced Guan Yu's attack around the room, annihilating everything it touched.

"GAHHHH!" screamed Zim as he dove for cover. Guan Yu merely stood there, watching in disbelief as his musou assault ricocheted about the lab.

"Now _that's_ a crowd-clearing attack," he mused. "I'll have to remember how to do that on the battlefield."

"Xiao!" Da hissed from behind the computer bank that protected them. "That gives me an idea!"

"Does it involve cookies?" Xiao asked.

Da scowled at her. "No… why would it involve cookies?"

Xiao pouted. "I dunno, I'm just kinda hungry."

"You're an idiot." Da exclaimed.

"Yes, yes, we know that already," Xiao said testily, her blood-sugar obviously low. "I'm dumber than anyone except Xu Zhu, right? What's your plan already?"

Just at that moment, Guan Yu's energy attack obliterated the computer bank they were hiding behind, leaving both sisters exposed. Da Qiao blinked for moment and then screamed "RUN!!!"

"This? This is your plan?" Xiao groused as they sped about the room like chipmunks on crack. Da Qiao was obviously completely panicking. The omake had finally gotten to her.

Guan Yu was still pondering the massive destruction his attack was doing. Zim, on the other hand, had fallen to his knees and was crying out in terror.

"EEEYAAAAH!!! NO!!! MY BEAUTIFUL BASE!!!!"

Guan Yu took note of the little green thing's despair and unleashed another blast, doubling the mayhem.

Then Xiao, of all people, had an idea.

"Sis!" she called out. "Guan Yu is right! Maybe we can blast our way out of here!"

Xiao swept out her fans and concentrated as she ran, building up the power inside her body. Brimming with energy, she twirled about gracefully and with a sweep of her deadly twin fans…

Released a cute ring of smoke.

She stopped dead in her tracks and scowled at the weapons. She whirled about again and this time was rewarded with a sizzling sound, as well as a small puff of smoke.

"I AM NOT SON OF GODZILLA!!!" she shouted angrily. "Da! Step on my tail, please!"

"You don't have a tail, you moron!" Da shouted back, having regained her composure and now following her sister's example. Unlike Xiao, however, Da had known how to throw musou fireballs from her fans since Chapter 11. She twirled about with balletic grace and poise before unleashing a great swathe of fiery energy, which joined Guan Yu's attack in rebounding around the room, glancing off the Irken force fields and destroying Zim's lab.

"GAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!" wailed the tiny alien. "YOU MONSTERS!!!!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!!?"

Da was actually beginning to enjoy herself. She pirouetted and unleashed another fireball, giggling at the ease with which she did so. She was about to send forth another when she suddenly was struck by something. She felt all her limbs contracting and her brain filling with silly thoughts.

In horror she looked over at Zim, who had scampered behind some weird console and was firing wildly with some sort of ray gun. The beam it shot was pink and sparkly.

"_No! A chibi-gun! He's reverting us to our harmless SD modes! Limbs… growing… smaller… brain…overpowered by… cute and… fuzzy thoughts… must… fight… the… evil… chibi…"_

But it was no use. Zim's gun had nailed her fair and square. She plopped to the ground, landing on her butt. She looked around in chibi-confusion and then glared at Zim.

"Thanks a lot, jerk-wand!" she squeaked. "Not only don't I have boobs or any other erogenous zone, I won't be able to get into the damn kegger tonight! I didn't bring any ID with me and I look like I'm six years old!"

"MWAH-HAH-HAH!!!" Zim cackled, as he continued to unleash a chibi-beam barrage around the room. "YOU FILTHY HUMANS ARE NO MATCH FOR ME!!! FEEL MY PINK, SPARKLY WRATH!!!"

Da Qiao sulked on the floor until Zim had finally had his fill of trigger-happy insanity. He let out a sigh of deep satisfaction and strolled out from behind his beam-cannon. He smirked at Da Qiao.

"So, stink-girl…" he said haughtily, standing over her. "You see now the futility of trying to escape. You might as well just surrender to my genius and await the inevitable, human."

"You sound like Wile E. Coyote." Da Qiao groused, still vexed about being trounced by this little green bug-man. "Don't you have a plan to unleash?"

"Why yes, yes I do." Zim said. "I shall leave you here, where you can do no further harm. You might as well begin cleaning up the mess you made, it will give you something to do. It will also provide you with valuable training for you future career as a scrub for the Irken military."

With that final snub, Zim turned and exited from the remains of the lab.

Da Qiao sighed and stood up, toddling over to SD Guan Yu. He was sitting on the floor, cross-legged and glowering at the far wall.

"Guan Yu, we have to-"

"I am NOT speaking to you…" the Shu warrior growled.

Da Qiao looked around despondently when something occurred to her.

"Hey… where's Xiao?"

Guan Yu grunted but didn't look around or otherwise respond.

"No, I'm serious, I don't see her." Da said, scanning the room for her younger, dopier sister. She began to search the places she had last seen Xiao. If she had become frightened, she might have ducked behind a piece of machinery.

Nothing.

Da then searched the fridges and food storage units, to see if Xiao had maybe become hungry.

No sign of her.

"Guan Yu, my sister is missing!" Da finally shouted at his back.

"We're all missing, may I point out," Guan Yu shot back.

"This omake won't end if one of us goes unfound, you insensitive lout!" she bellowed. "Get off your behind and help me find my sister!"

"Alright, alright!" Guan Yu grumbled, finally rising. He was about to pick up Green Dragon when he noticed that it remained unchanged. It had not been chibi'd along with him. It was now about four times larger than he was.

"Stupid artificial chibi beams…" he muttered to himself. He then began searching for Xiao.

They searched every corner of the trashed lab thoroughly but could not find her. Da Qiao scratched her head in bewilderment.

"I don't understand…" she murmured. "Why can't we find any trace of her?"

"I think I may know." Guan Yu rumbled, standing on the other side of the lab. Da hurried over to his position and he gestured to a spot in front of himself.

There was a faint pink aura and a cute little scorch mark on the floor.

"What… what does that mean?" Da asked, not sure she was ready for the answer.

"You sister is so impossibly cute and bubbly to begin with that she never needs to be chibi, right?" Guan Yu asked.

Da nodded.

"Well, if a chibi beam had hit her…"

Da Qiao gasped, her hands clapping to her mouth in shock.

"No! Xiao plus a chibi beam! There was too much cuteness in one location! She became a chibi singularity and collapsed in cutely on herself!"

Guan Yu nodded grimly.

Da fell to her knees, her eyes wet with cute tears. With Xiao gone, sucked into a cosmic pink hole of cuteness, how was anyone supposed to know _she_ was the smart one?

"CURSE YOU, ZIM!!!" she screamed, looking at the ceiling. "I WILL GET YOU FOR THIS!!!"

"That would be a lot more effective if you weren't surrounded by rainbow sparkles when you did it." Guan Yu commented.

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The Dynasty Warriors cast (minus Da Qiao and Guan Yu) were gathered in a large circle, staring down at the frenetic kid with the big head. He stared back at them, not sure what to think of this situation.

Sun Ce finally spoke. "So… you can help us find Da?" he asked.

"Yes," the big-headed kid said. "I, Dib, Zim's nemesis, am the only person capable of aiding you."

"What's a Zim?" Sun Shang Xiang asked. She had no clue what the boulder-headed kid was talking about.

"Zim?" Dib exclaimed. "You don't know who Zim is?"

Zhou Yu shrugged. "No, should we?"

"He's the one who has taken your girl and is holder her hostage." Dib explained. His eyes flashed as he considered Zim's machinations.

"We know that much now, but who the heck is he?" Liu Bei asked, wondering where Yunchang was.

"Zim is an alien," Dib continued. "He is a storm-trooper for same terrible race called the 'Irkens'. They're out to conquer the galaxy and enslave humanity."

"Why's that our problem?" Cao Cao asked, annoyed. "We're video game characters, not actual humans."

"There are two problems with that statement, Cao Cao." Zhuge Liang interjected, nodding sagely. "First, if the Irkens enslave the world, there is a good chance children will be enslaved and never allowed to play video games again."

Cao Cao went pale. "You… you mean… no one would play with me?" he stammered in disbelief.

"Duh, I'll play with you, Lord Cao Cao." Xu Zhu offered helpfully.

Zhuge Liang ignored the fat kid. "Second of all, and far more troubling… it simply would not do for something other than video games to enslave the world's minds now, would it?"

This struck a chord with everyone present. It touched the very core of the being and indeed their entire _raison d'etre. _Video games were the natural masters of the human mind and condition. Not aliens.

"Alright, then," Ce said, cracking his knuckles. We've gotta save Da and then save humanity so _we_ can enslave it! What do we do, Dib?"

Dib paused for several seconds. "I… don't… know…"

"Ugh, you're such a loser, Dib," his sister Gaz said in disgust. "We need to wrap this up so that you and I can go with dad to Bloaty's Pizza Hog tonight."

"Me… love… Bloaty's!" Wei Yan rumbled from where he stood.

"You… love… eat glue…" Zhuge Liang said, sneering at Wei Yan and tapping the side of his head. "You… not so good… up here."

Wei Yan's lower lip trembled and he looked at Liu Bei, his eyes glistening with hurt. Liu Bei rolled his eyes and threw the berserker another cookie.

"Ahem…" Gaz said, wanting to get on with things. "We know where Zim's lair is. It's an underground alien fortress full of unbelievable technology."

"So we need to get in while he's not there and get the girls out." Zhou Yu said.

"No." Gaz replied.

"No?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because."

Zhou Yu looked at Dib. "Care to elucidate?"

Dib nodded. "Both Gaz and I have been in Zim's lair. Once you're in, escape is impossible, unless Zim is there as well."

The Dynasty Warriors frowned. "Why?"

"Because Irken technology is impossible for us humans to challenge." Dib said. "The only way to get out is to trick Zim into telling you how to get out. Gaz once asked him where the escape pods were and he just told her. So we escaped."

"So this Zim is an idiot," Ce mused, nodding to himself. "His ransom note kinda gave that away."

Dib nodded. "Zim is treacherous and evil, but he's not too smart."

"What does he look like, so we can recognize him?" Sima Yi asked.

Dib nodded and began drawing a picture on the screen of his laptop. A few button clicks later, a life-size image of Zim was printing out from the back of the tiny computer (hey, it's a cartoon, suspend some disbelief already!)

Dib then presented the image to the Dynasty Warriors cast.

Not even Zhuge Liang or Zhou Tai could keep from laughing hysterically.

"What? What?" Dib asked, confused. "That's what he really looks like."

Sun Ce was still laughing but came over and patted Dib on the shoulder. "We know, we know… but… but… THAT'S Zim? Oh, man, Da's gonna eat him for breakfast! We might as well just wait around another few hours and she'll show up on her own."

"You don't understand!" Dib protested. "Zim may be a moron, but he's backed by an arsenal of Irken technology! If he's already got your Da Qiao in his base, she won't be able to escape!"

Ce shrugged. "You said it yourself, Dib, all she has to do is ask Zim and he'll probably let her out. Right, Zhou Yu?"

Zhou Yu was pensive and rather silent.

Ce elbowed him. "Right ol' buddy?"

"Ce, there may be a complication here…" Zhou Yu said in a soft voice. "I'd normally agree with you, but this is a Wumake."

"Yeah, so?" Ce replied.

"We all had the chance to de-chibi, but if your wife started off this fic in chibi form…"

"She wouldn't have the common sense to escape." Ce said, aghast. "Xiao's gonna be the smart one until we get her back!"

"Exactly." Zhou Yu said gravely. The two of them looked over at Xiao, who was humming a silly tune to herself and spinning on her side, oblivious to what was going on around her.

"Ummmm… that's not Xiao Qiao." Dib pointed out.

"What?" Zhou Yu said in confusion. "Of course it is."

"No it's not. Watch." Dib said. He then held up a small bag of Crazy Tacos.

"Gir! I've got tacos!"

The disputed being squealed in delight and literally vaulted through the air, shedding its disguise and landing in front of Dib; the tiny, gleaming servitor snatched the bag from Dib's hand and began munching happily.

"I love the little tacos. I love them gooooood." Gir squeaked happily.

Everyone merely stared at Zhou Yu, who was unusually pale. He swallowed and then looked back at them.

"Hey, it's not like any of you noticed either."

"But… didn't you… notice… when you two, you know… went to bed?" Ce asked, afraid of the answer.

Zhou Yu was about to respond when Gir leapt up and hugged his neck tightly. The loopy cyborg gave him a loud, metallic kiss.

"I'm'a go pick out drapes!" he said cheerfully before disappearing.

Everyone stared at Zhou Yu in a mixture of shock and disgust.

"Is there no end to your sick debauchery, man?" Sima Yi spat.

"I'm not the one wearing a dress, thank you." Zhou Yu shot back. "And if you must know, I have not slept with the robot since this omake started."

"Can we pick on Zhou Yu's proclivities in another omake?" Ce asked, wearying of this line of fanfiction. "We've still gotta find my _normal_ wife-"

"That's not what I hear," Zhen Ji said snidely. "I hear you and she like to-"

Cao Pi saved everyone the gory details by handing Zhen Ji a Bud Light. Her eyes lit up and she began guzzling. Suddenly, another day with the Cao family seemed a little more manageable.

Now if only she could get that hunky Ma Chao to join Wei…

Dib cleared his throat and continued. "Anyways, we can take you to Zim's lair, but if he's not there you're not going to get out."

"Well, it's a start," Ce said, not seeing much else in the way of options. "A few of us will head to Zim's pad while the rest of you split up and see if you can find him."

He was about to dismiss everyone when a final thought occurred to him.

"And while you're at it, make sure everyone is still enslaved to video games. If you see someone who ain't…" he now looked at the Brute Squad. "Feel free to knock their house down until they learn their lesson!"

"RIGHT!" the Brute Squad chorused, happy to finally have something to do. The cast split up and went about their various assignments.

Everyone except Zhen Ji, that is, who merely sat in the middle of the fic and knocked back her bottle, thanking the video games gods for Ratings Warnings about alcohol usage…

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Zhang Fei bellowed loudly and spun his Viper Spear overhead before thumping the butt against the earth, sending out massive shockwaves that sent his foes flying. A lithe man clad in black leapt high in the air and descended towards him, blades gleaming wickedly in his hands.

With a great shout, Zhang Fei swung his spear in a wide arc and slamming it into his opponent. The smaller man was sent sailing into the distance, probably dead before he had even gone ten feet.

"Four!" he shouted in his deep, gravelly voice.

"Ooooh, nice," Meng Huo said, shading his eyes to watch the victim disappear into the sunset. "He won't be back until this game is re-released. What game is this, outta curiosity?"

"How the hell would I know?" Zhang Fei grunted, turning to grin at another knot of enemy troops, who suddenly looked very worried. "I just followed Sun Ce's orders and began tearing up other video games, looking for Lady Da Qiao."

"How is this looking for Da Qiao?" Meng Huo asked, slipping on his battle gauntlets and identifying his own targets.

"Who cares, this is fun!" Zhang Fei laughed. "If this Wumake doesn't end, I can just stay here and beat the snot outta these guys forever!"

Meng Huo nodded. "Yeah, that's true. But if we don't get her back, Sun Ce'll have to pick another wife eventually… unless I'm mistaken, I think the only unmarried gal in our game is your daughter, Xing Cai, right?"

Zhang Fei just stopped, as if someone had hit his pause button. Scores of enemy troops rushed in and began attacking him, but to no avail. Their blows simply did not faze or harm him in any way.

Suddenly Zhang Fei gave out an earth-shaking cry of alarm and dashed through his attackers, rampaging his way toward the side of the fic. His eyes were wild with paternal desperation.

"HANG ON, SWEETIE! DADDY'S COMING!" he roared.

Meng Huo grinned evilly to himself and rotated his wrists as he turned to face the ever-growing hordes of foes.

"Well, that was easy. Now… bring it on, ladies, you're all mine!"

The mini-boss he was squaring off against scowled. "You look like some kind of giant mutant mole, you know that?"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Zhou Yu and Sima Yi sat and waited sullenly on the row of gleaming white steps. This was not exactly how they had featured spending the rest of the fic.

"I don't understand," Sima Yi said finally. "Why is Zhuge Liang in the Capitol debating with Congress and the Senate?"

Zhou Yu just shrugged. "I don't know, it started out being about Net Neutrality and then it kind of morphed into a showdown about ideals and virtues where they started impugning one another. Want to watch the Podcast?"

Zhou Yu pulled his iPod out and they sat and observed the proceedings. Sima Yi scowled and wrinkled his nose in disgust.

"What are they arguing about? Why is Zhuge Liang criticizing the Administration's policy? His own methods are virtually identical. He believes in a virtuous, homogenous state with strong religious principals, he believes in pre-emptive war and Liu Bei is a complete idiot as well. The parallels are endless."

"Perhaps, but Zhuge Liang is actually competent, something nobody can claim in the opposing camp." Zhou Yu pointed out. "We could always give these guys Zhuge Liang, maybe one of their plans or ideas wouldn't be stupid for a change. Then we could give Karl Rove to Liu Bei and that would knock Shu out of the war almost instantly."

All around them, alarms started going off, with scores of secret service agents scurrying into the capitol. Seconds later, Zhuge Liang came sprinting out of the building and up to his fellow grand strategists.

"Alright, for future record, guys…" he said, panting. "Never criticize the Vice President, it makes the President cry. And NEVER fire up a joint in Congress, trust me on this."

No sooner had he finished making the point than scores of angry congressmen and senators came pouring through the doors of the Capitol, carrying torches, pitchforks and already burning effigies of Zhuge Liang.

"Does _anybody_ like you?" Sima Yi asked, scowling at his rival. "Does this have _anything_ to do with finding Da Qiao?"

"Must run faster!" Zhuge Liang responded. However, the three strategists found themselves at a distinct disadvantage, since they were all wearing long, ornate and heavy robes, whereas their pursuers were merely wearing suits.

"Ummmm… hey, look, two gay guys trying to get married!" Zhou Yu shouted, pointing off their right.

Half of the politicians immediately howled in moral outrage and sped off to where he was pointing.

"Oh my god, it's Ann Coulter calling someone a homo!" Sima Yi shouted, pointing to the left. The other half of the Congress sped off in the direction indicated.

Zhuge Liang pulled a can of oil from inside his voluminous robes and dashed it against the ground, spilling the glistening contents all over the sidewalk. In a flash, a small, Gollum-like creature with a button that read '43' was hunkered over the oil slick, greedily gathering it into his palms as the strategists made good on their desperate escape.

"Musssst have it…" the little moronic creature hissed as it glanced around furtively, trying to keep the oil from running through it fingers. "Musssst have the Precioussssssss…"

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Well, there it is." Dib said, pointy to the strangely cutesy little house that sat between two larger domiciles. "Zim's lair. Isn't that the most stupidly obvious thing you've ever seen?"

"Yeah, I get a kick outta the 'I Love Earth' sign on the lawn, I admit." Sun Ce replied, smirking. He waited patiently while the rest of the Wu crew joined him on the street. The last one to arrive was Zhou Yu and he seemed really out of breath, his normally pale face crimson with the effort of extended flight.

"Do I even wanna know?" Ce asked, his eyebrow raised.

"If you think Zhuge Liang is a pain in the ass now…" Zhou Yu panted, leaning on his friend's shoulder. "Just wait 'til you see what he's _really_ capable of. There is no one that man cannot manage to offend or outrage."

Ce nodded. "Well, don't worry about that right now, we're finally here an' it's time to end this."

"Do we wait for the rest of the cast?" Sun Shang Xiang asked.

Ce shook his head. "No, I'd rather get this done before Cao Cao shows up and tries to steal any of this Zim's technology."

"So why'd you invite them into the fic at all, brother?" Quan queried, frowning.

"They'll make a great distraction, y'gotta admit." Ce answered. "They'll keep this Zim or anyone else busy while we're trying to free Da."

"But the kid with the big head said we wouldn't get out without Zim." Sun Jian pointed out. "And if we don't escape, the stupid fic never ends."

"So we get stuck for a little bit. Zim'll show up sooner or later." Ce replied casually. "Besides, just because I don't want Cao Cao or Zhuge Hippie to see this alien tech doesn't mean I don't want _us_ having access to it."

"Greedy thing, aren't you?" Sun Shang Xiang scoffed.

"Hey, he may have access to unlimited internet lesbian porn." Ce said slyly, giving his sister pause.

"You really think so?" Shang Xiang mused. Fu Chin Ran thumped her on the shoulder and scowled at her.

"A'ight, let's do this already!" Ce said. "Huang Gai, go knock politely for us."

The huge, grizzled veteran warrior strode up to the front of the house and planted a fuse bomb at the foot of the door. He then turned and sped out to where the others were standing. Seconds later a flash and a blast blew in the door. The Dynast Warriors covered themselves until the smoke cleared and the debris was finished flying. Car alarms began sounding and strangely-shaped neighbours began poking their heads out to see what was amiss. The sight of several oddly-garbed Chinese legends seemed to not phase them in the slightest, so they just shrugged and went back into their distressingly bleak abodes.

Ce stood and waved for the others to follow him. He entered the yard seemingly without fear and proceeded into the house. He had just passed over the threshold when Dib stepped in front of him dramatically.

"Wait one second," he said, fumbling about in his schoolbag. He hauled something out and strapped whatever it was to his head.

"I ordered these from 'Young Conspiracy Nut Magazine'!" he said, displaying his new enormous goggles to his comrades. "With these I'll be able to see through Zim's defenses and analyze whatever technology he can throw at us!"

"I thought you said This Irken technology was superior to ours." Gan Ning pointed out, scowling.

"Er… it is." Dib admitted.

"Wow, even Sony's technology?" Sun Shang Xiang asked. "Maybe we should upgrade to an Irken game system, then."

Sun Ce just rolled his eyes. "Let the kid with the big skull do what he likes, we've gotta save Da, okay?"

No sooner had Zhou Tai (who was brining up the rear) passed through the door than several red lights began to strobe and alarms blared. The door slammed shut and bolted itself tight. The windows all disappeared and suddenly scores of weasels with lasers implanted in their foreheads came scampering out of trap doors, discharging beams of colourful death at the intruders.

"Laser weasels!" shrieked Shang Xiang as she dodged a beam that sheared the corner off a couch. "Who the hell invents a laser weasel?!"

"Just don't ask about his experiments with cows!" Dib called, hiding behind a toilet in the corner of the kitchen. "All of you! His underground is this way!"

"Oh, I am NOT getting flushed down a toilet!" Zhou Yu hissed, clutching his flowing silken locks defensively. "I'll just find a spoon and dig my way-"

Zhou Yu did not finish the sentence before Huang Gai had grabbed him and pitched him through the air toward the toilet. Dib stepped on the level and Zhou Yu disappeared with a nauseating _'galook!'_

"Well, that's prissy boy out of the way…" Ce called out. "Move it, this fic's over 90k already!"

One by one, with varying degrees of reluctance, the warriors rushed toward the toilet and threw themselves down the hole. Ce held his ground and swatted away the encroaching laser weasels until he was the only one left. He took a deep breath and vaulted backwards into the unknown…

He landed wetly inside a large room that glowed and hummed with devices and technology he'd never even dreamed of. He stood and looked around before giving out a cry of exasperation.

"Aw, fer… can't you guys do anything right?!" he demanded, looking at his invading crew, who were now all suspended inside nets and hanging form the ceiling. Huang Gai pouted, obviously heartbroken that Sun Ce was disappointed in him.

"Does anyone want to explain what happened?" he asked, looking up at them.

"Maybe you have other matters to attend to…" a small voice said from a corner of the room. Ce spun around and rushed toward Da Qiao, sweeping her up in his arms and hugging her tight.

"Oh, babydoll!" he said in relief. "I'm so sorry!"

"Oof!" Da grunted as he crushed her tiny frame to his. "Thanks, but I-"

"No no, it's alright," Ce said soothingly, stroking her back. "It's okay, don't try to think, Da."

"What?" she said, her eyes widening. "What did you just say?"

"There there, I'm here now," Ce continued, ignoring her. "Don't worry about anything, we'll get you out of here, I promise."

"Ce, I'm chibi, I'm not retarded." Da said, her cheeks colouring with fury.

"I'm sure this was just awful for you, being stuck in a strange place and not being able to form a coherent thought." Ce said consolingly and stroking her hair. "But don't you worry, we'll be outta here and then we'll get you back to your OWWWWWWWW!!!!!! SHE BIT ME!!!!"

Da Qiao leapt out of Ce's arms and glared up at him from below, her teeny, fingerless mitten-hands on her hips.

"Damn right I did, you patronizing bastard!" she growled. "Do it again and I'll bit your ankle off!"

Sun Ce rubbed his ear, grimacing. "Damn, is Mike Tyson stuck here too? Where are Xiao and Yunchang?"

Da went suddenly silent, looking forlorn. Guan Yu toddled out of a corner, trying to look grim.

"Lady Xiao is… she was… well, we don't know, really. She got hit by a sparkly chibi beam and then she was gone." To emphasize his point, he gestured to her last known position, where a bright pink scorch mark remained on the floor. Several of the Wu warriors gasped in horror.

"This is awful," Lu Meng said. "Now Lady Da is the cute one."

"Watch it, buster," Da warned, glaring up at him. "I can see your man- jewels through that net and there's plenty of debris for me to throw down here…"

Lu Meng gulped and tried to shift his groin in a different direction.

"And if you must know, I haven't been chibi this whole time," Da pointed out. "Zim hit us with a chibi beam just a few hours ago. Until that happened, we were doing a great job of destroying his lab."

"Oh, is that what had happened," Quan said, looking around. "I thought maybe Xiao had been trying to cook again."

Shang Xiang thwapped her brother across the shoulder for being an insensitive jerk while Da Qiao began to bawl loudly, ridiculously large tears geysering out from her eyes.

"Ummm, okay, this is not good." Ce said, watching as the water level began to rise with comedic quickness. "We don't have to worry about dying at the hands of advanced alien technology because we're gonna drown."

Seconds later, Da Qiao flood of tears seeped into the various conduits and cables lying around on the floor, causing a shower of sparks and causing the lights to fizzle out.

"In the dark…" Ce added dryly.

"Now would've been a good time for Pang Tong and one of his goofy Harry Potter spells." Zhou Tai commented. "Especially since Gang Ning seems to be afraid of the dark and won't let go of me."

"Hey, shut up!" sputtered the pirate. "Everybody's got a hang-up, don't they?! At least I'm not afraid of Fraggles!"

Sun Quan screamed and began thrashing around inside the net.

"Urkg! Thanks, Gan Ning, now Quan's boot is in my spleen!" Lu Meng groused. You know not to say the F word when he's around!"

Ce just pinched his eyes. "Wonderful. I guess it's up to me to get us outta here."

"I am afraid you with find that impossible, pathetic earth-human-stink…" announced a menacing voice from somewhere in the room. They all watched as Zim strode out of a corner, his red eyes glinting in the dark. "You will all stay here until my experiments have rendered you into so much goo."

"Look, pal, I don't know what Irken boys and girls do for fun, but you are sure gettin' in the way of how I like to pass my time!" Ce said, advancing on his diminutive foe. "I want my wife back and you're gotta-"

Ce dodged suddenly as a sparkling pink beam shot directly at his head. He hated it when chibi beams hit him head-first because he could feel his head shrinking and it pinched his neck something fierce.

"Hey, watch it with that thing!" he shouted angrily. "You already messed up three of us and we can't even find one of 'em."

"That's right!" Zhou Yu hollered from above, thrashing his way into position inside the net to get a shot at Zim. "Tell me what happened to Xiao or I'll fry you like a grub in a charcoal pit!"

Even as his body began to glow with ferocious _qi_ and he prepared to throw a fireball, Zim seemed unconcerned, content to suck away on his cup of Poop Soda. He carelessly pointed the chibi pistol at the huge net and pulled the trigger, striking the suspended warriors as a group.

"No! Zhou Yu, you're chibi! Don't try to throw a-"

_**KA-THOOOOMMMMMMP!!!!!**_

"Fireball…" Shang Xiang finished, scowling at the strategist. They were all charred black and smoking since Zhou Yu had, in his mindless chibi rage, detonated the fireball inside the net.

Zim turned his attention back to Ce, who was the only one remaining free _and_ un-chibi. He pointed the chibi-gun at his foe, along with several more firearms of alien design that unfolded out of his hemispherical backpack.

"You cannot win, meat-human." Zim declared. "You may as well surrender and serve me, for as you can see…"

Zim now pushed a button and a huge panel on the wall moved aside, revealing that all the rest of the Dynasty Warriors 5 cast had been captured, chibi'd and chained up, posing no threat to their captor.

Ce made a wry face. "Okay, I see you've got our whole cast, but why do you also have Super Mario and Sonic the Hedgehog chained up?"

"Oh, they're just annoying and I'm going to obliterate them," Zim replied casually. "Bujt back to the matter at hand… only you are left and you have no allies."

Zim paused as Gaz walked by unconcernedly, focuased totally on the video game she held in her hand.

"Yeah? What about her?" Ce sneered.

"It's not Family Night at Bloaty's Pizza Hog, she is no use to you!" Zim shot back, certain of his plan's success. "Now then… surrender to me and your death shall be quick and painless."

Ce looked up at his comrades, rotating slowly and helplessly in the air overhead. He then looked down at Da Qiao and Guan Yu, both chibi and utterly useless to their cause.

Were there some obstacles even a Dynasty Warrior could not overcome?

He felt a tiny hand in his. Even though the room was still black, he could feel Da Qiao's eyes on him, shining with love and faith.

"Lord Sun Ce," she said softly. "No matter what you choose to do, I love you and will respect your decision."

Ce's mouth was dry and his tonfa felt heavy in his hand. He closed his eyes and began slowly to bend to one knee, his head bowed…

There was a sudden rumble that shook that room to its foundations and knocked Ce off his feet. Seconds later, the wall exploded as a huge mecha came stomping into the lab, staggering about and creating general terror.

"EYAAAHHHHHHH!!!" Zim squealed as he dove aside. His scream of fright was echoed by the pilot, who turned out to be none other than Xiao. She cried out in panic as she wrenched the control sticks back and forth desperately, fighting for control of the vehicle. Sitting on the back of her head, Gir shrieked in fright, his tiny metallic hands clamped over Xiao's eyes.

"Gir, I can't see!" Xiao protested, shaking her head violently to remove the cyborg. But her trashing merely translated into ever-more spastic movement for the mecha, which pitched and staggered about almost drunkenly, its weapons firing off almost at random.

"AIEEEEEE!!!" screeched Zim in horror. "My Megadoomer! Not my Megadoomer! Get out of there you crazy stink-girl!"

"KYAAAAAAA!" wailed Xiao and Gir in tandem. The robot careened around the room, firing missiles and emitting beams of deadly focused radiation. The Wu warriors scattered like cockroaches when someone turns on the light. Ce grabbed Da Qiao by the middle and dove for cover behind a console.

"Remind you of our first date, Da?" he asked, panting and wiping the cold sweat form his brow.

Da Qiao blushed. "This isn't what I remember it for…" she said quietly.

Ce held his diminutive wife tight and listened to the mayhem out in the room. The explosions and shrieks of laser fire grew in intensity, as did Xiao and Gir's ululations of terror and confusion.

Han Dynasty technology may have been no match for Irken armour and force fields, but the Megadoomer seemed up to the challenge. Great, searing blasts from the lascannons ripped long gashes in the metal walls and punched holes in advanced machinery while missiles shredded and blew apart consoles and containment chambers. All the while, Zim knelt in despair, wide-eyed as he witnessed the annihilation of his beautiful, perfect base.

"STUPID HUMANS!!!" he ranted, his eyes blazing with horror and inhuman rage. How could the stupid Xiao-girl be capable of such wanton and idiotic destruction? Even with Gir's help…

Console by console, device by device, there were getting to be fewer objects in the room that the Megadoomer could destroy- sooner or later, people would be the obvious targets.

"Xiao, you moron, quit pushing buttons!" Da Qiao yelled to her sister. "Pushing buttons never helps, how many times do you have to be told that?!"

But Xiao either couldn't hear her older, wiser sister or was too frightened to care. Desperate to stop her involuntary rampage, the little twit pushed every button she could find, as many times as possible.

Xiao, I'm warning you…" Da called, trying to sound menacing.

The response she received was less than optimal- Xiao finally dove out her seat and hid in the back of the cockpit. The autopilot took over and the massive robot whiled around and bent over, pointing all of its lasers and missiles straight and Sun Ce and Da Qiao.

"Eep…" Da Qiao said quietly.

As the weapons hummed and powered up, the muzzles of the cannons glowing, Ce took Da Qiao and held her tight.

"I love you, Da… I always will…"

Da whirled about and looked at him, wide-eyed. "That's it?! We're about to die at the hands of this Bubblegum Crisis refugee trashcan and you say 'I love you"?! Why aren't we diving out of the way, you drama queen?!?

Ce was looking at his cutely irate wife in shock when the weapons glowed brightly and began to shriek.

"_System overload… unit powering down…"_ came a metallic, computerized voice. No sooner had it spoken than the mecha slumped drunkenly and the weapons began droning, dispersing the energy from their capacitors.

For several seconds, nobody moved. The only sound was the hiss of the Megadoomer's heat sinks, which steamed fitfully. Convinced the danger had passed, Ce finally heaved a sigh of relief and stood up.

"Well, that was exciting…" he said in as casual a voice as he could manage. "Everybody alright?"

"Tastin' yer own intestines is probably a bad thing, right?" Gan Ning said from beneath a heap of shattered machinery, his legs poking out of the mess.

"Huang Gai, get him outta there.." Ce said while he lifted Da Qiao out from behind the console they had hidden behind. He walked around to the cockpit of the Megadoomer, which seemed to have opened itself somehow. Xiao was climbing backwards out the aperture, hoping to sneak away. She saw Sun Ce and squeaked, throwing herself back into the cockpit. A few seconds later, her head poked out.

"Are you mad?" she asked in a small voice.

"No, I'm ecstatic." Ce replied dryly. "Get outta the mecha, you pinhead, you've done enough damage for one fic."

"This is intolerable!" Cao Cao raged, storming up to Ce and getting in his face. "I demand compensation for the people of Wei!"

"your compensation is gonna be my foot up your butt and on the back of your tongue if you don't stop invading my personal space, Moo-boy." Ce shot back. "What the hell do you need compensation for?"

"This outrageous treatment!" Cao Cao answered, gesturing around the room. "Our treatment in this fic has been horrendous! We have been chibified, chained up, dressed down, restrained…"

"Sounds like a pretty standard evening for Zhen Ji to me…" Ce commented, folding his arms and smirking.

"That's beside the point!" Cao Cao raged. "I will not suffer such humiliations any further! I am the Prime minister and Regent of the Han Empire and you shall treat me accordingly!"

"Whatever, gramps. Shut your yip for a bit and let me figure out what to do next, okay?" Ce said dismissively. He surveyed what was left of the room and began giving instructions for their escape.

"NOT SO FAST!" shrilled a hateful voice. Everyone turned around to see Zim pointing a strange, ornate pistol at the group. His saucer-like red eyes flashed menacingly.

Gan Ning sneered. "It's one green booger of an alien with a pop-gun, why are we all standing here?"

"Ummm… that's actually a Galaxy Gun." Zhuge Liang pointed out, refusing to budge an inch.

"Stolen from the hip of Captain Harlock during one of his famous drunk-fests!" Zim added, aiming the pistol at Da. "Now everyone, down on your knees and hands behind your heads!"

Slowly, everyone did as they were told. Those who didn't know what a Galaxy Gun could do nudged along the other. Liu Bei kept Wei Yan from trying to eat it. The last thing he needed was a berserker with heartburn.

"So, you thought you had one…" Zim sneered, his eyes glinting with malice. "But for all your stupidity, you could not overcome true Irken genius."

Everyone was silent as they tried to make sense of what he had just said; most of them gave up rather quickly.

Zim now turned to Guan Yu and bowed low. "My Tallest," he began, his tone one of reverence. "Though these earth-monsters made the game interesting, you can clearly see that they were no match for my skill and guile."

Guan Yu rolled his eyes. "For the last time, you little beetle-thing, I AM NOT YOUR TALLEST!"

Zim bowed again. "I understand, my Tallest. You are still in disguise and wish to remain incognito."

"Could he get any stupider?" Zhu Rong whispered to Yue Ying.

"Could this fic get any stupider?" Zhuge Liang's wife replied.

Zim's head snapped around to look at Yue Ying. "What? What did the ugly female say?"

"She asked if this fic could get any stupider." Ce reiterated.

Zim trembled for a moment as he thought about what had just been said. One could almost hear his fragile mind shattering.

"AAAAIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!" he screeched in mental anguish, grasping his head. "NOOOOOO!!!!!! THIS CANNOT BE!!!!"

Zim began to run in chaotic, pointless circles, followed by Gir, who seemed to feel the need to be included in the frenetic activity.

"ANOTHER FIC!!!" Zim wailed, yanking on his antennae. "ANOTHER FIC!!! I CANNOT TAKE OVER THE WORLD FROM INSIDE A FIC!!! A WASTE!!! EVERYTHING!!! RUINED!!! EEEEEYAAAAHHHHHHH!!!"

The tiny alien then ran out of the room.

"Um, yes, well…" Ce said, clearing his throat. "Uh, okay. Shall we go home, then?"

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With little or no fanfare, people began to disperse, using the various holes blown in the wall to exit the scene and return to their kingdoms.

"Well, don't say I never show you an exciting time, Da." Ce said as he picked up his wife and began the walk home.

Da Qiao sighed and rested her head against his shoulder. "It is true, Ce, you never let things get dull. Although I must admit it might be a nice change of pace."

"Maybe, but first thing's first- let's get you home and de-chibi you. After all, some of our favourite games can't be played with you in this mode, eh?"

"Oooooh, zipper ninja tonight?" Da asked, her eyes lighting up.

"You know it, babe." Ce replied, winking.

Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao walked along, slightly behind Ce and Da, lost in though. Well, at least Zhou Yu was.

"So, did you miss me?" Xiao asked, tugging on her husband's sleeve.

"Er.. yes, of course." Zhou Yu replied, going slightly pale.

"What about you, Guan Yu?" Liu Bei asked, walking between his massive and imposing oath-brothers. ""What was it like to be the object of such unwavering and unquestioning devotion?"

"Wouldn't you like to know…" the mighty warrior replied with a snort.

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"Well, at least we know we're safe from Zim," Ce replied as he cradled an arm around Da Qiao, who lay against him. She purred and snuggled into his chest.

"At least until he forgets we're in a fanfic and tries again…" she murmured. "I really hope that this Wumake isn't an indication of how any future ones might go. I'm not sure I could handle anything quite this dumb again."

"How ya feeling, now that you're back to normal?" Ce asked.

"Fine, I guess," Da Qiao mused. "Except I have this real bad craving for tacos."

"Forget it, Mexican makes you impossible to sleep with." Ce replied. "I wonder how Zhou Yu's doin'."

Da qiao shuddered. "I don't know. After Xiao found out that he had mistaken the little stupid robot for her, well… she wasn't too pleased with him."

"Think she'll ever allow him to stop sleeping in the menagerie?" Ce wondered aloud.

Da giggled. "He's probably safer off with her salamander as a bedmate right now…"

They were silent for several moments.

"Ce," Da Qiao began, not really wanting to talk but obviously having something on her mind. "What Cao Cao said to us back in Zim's lab… what are we going to do about that?"

Ce shrugged and smiled. Already taken care of, babe. He wants the respect due to his office, he got it."

"How so?"

"I sent him the bill for the damages and the fic's special effects budget. That _is_ one of the Prime Minister's duties, after all…"

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Behind his desk, Cao Cao was grumbling and rubber-stamping his way through a mountain of claims and lawsuits. Nearby, Cao Pi and Sima Yi watched quietly, seemingly unconcerned by the patriarch's vexation.

"Stupid frat boys…" Cao Cao muttered. "Make a fool out of me…"

"Father, what if I said I could make this pile of paperwork disappear?" Cao Pi asked in his quiet tenor.

"Then you will truly have earned your place as my heir." Cao Cao said wearily.

Cao Pi and Sima Yi both bowed and then bolted for the door. Cao Cao looked confused for a moment before the wall burst apart as the Megadoomer came stamping through, its lasers and missiles firing.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!" screamed Chibi Lu Bu and Gir from inside the cockpit.

"KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!" shrieked Cao Cao in fright. "I HATE YOU, LIU BEI!!!!!!"

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_** fin**_

**Author's Notes: **I know, I know, it's been almost three months. I'm sorry about that, folks, and I know I promised you already that this wouldn't happen again. But between finding a new job and being involved in one of my wife's shows, I didn't really have much time to do any writing.

Finally, the Zimake is finished. As a bonus, I also have finished the next three of four chapters of TYC proper. If I publish a chapter every two weeks, I should be able to make some headway.

Once again, my apologies about the delay. I've missed writing this story and look forward to keeping you entertained and hearing your comments. Peace.

The Author


	26. Chapter 26

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 21- The Dream**

_Three nights in a row I dreamed of the marvelous city, and three times it was snatched away from me by the intrusion of the waking world. I was standing atop a mighty palace, surveying that which lay spread out before me._

_And it was mine._

_All golden lovely it blazed in the sunset, surrounded by mighty walls, dotted with beautiful temples, colonnades and graceful bridges that spanned the rivers. Silvery fountains gave off prismatic sprays of pure, glittering water in broad squares, surrounded by perfumed gardens. Wide streets of carved white stone marched between rows of fruit-laden trees, while urns spilled over with blossoms and great statues guarded the passers-by. Beautiful birds of jewel colours sang and warbled sweetly, delighting all who could hear._

_Beyond the mighty walls, up the steep northward slopes, orchards attended by fat, happy farmers and their families filled the vale with the ripe scent of their produce. The markets were gay and festive, with musicians and performers entertaining those who came to buy wares. _

_It was a vision sent to me by the gods, a fanfare of supernal horns and a clash of immortal cymbals and drums. Joy hung about the city as clouds about a fabulous, unvisited mountain. And as I stood breathless on that balustrade, looking over the unearthly beauty of that wondrous city, I could feel a great pang inside me, a sense of yearning that became almost physically painful. _

_And each night as I gazed out at this spectral dream, I could feel the bondage of the real world's tyranny, clawing at me and drawing me back. I could never leave that spot, or descend to those luxurious streets, whose walkways and grand squares lay outspread and beckoning to me._

_When I awoke that third time, once again robbed of that golden city, I silently made my way to the great shrine of my ancestors, deep within the palace. The hallways were drafty and the torches along the walls guttered and spit fitfully. Reverently I knelt before the shrine, praying fervently for insight or an answer to this mystery. But the gods and my ancestors made no reply, at least, none I could as yet understand. I was, after all, only eight years old._

_I had always had vivid dreams, and even waking dreams. They would occur during moments of serenity and often took those around me off-guard. The most poignant memory of these occurrences was to happen soon after my seventh birthday. I was playing Go against my father, and for the first time ever, I was actually winning. It was seemingly out of nowhere that I then heard his voice, calling me._

"_Ce? Ce!"_

_I blinked slowly. "Yes, father?"_

_My father seemed somewhat confused, more than exasperated. "You have been sitting still for over fifteen minutes, boy, staring at nothing. It is your move."_

"_I am sorry, father, I was having my vision."_

_He looked at me oddly. "Your… vision?"_

"_Yes, my vision." I replied simply. _

"_What do you mean, son?" he asked._

_I frowned, not sure of how to explain myself, and to be honest, rather perplexed by why he was asking at all._

"_I… was in my waking dream, I guess." I said rather unsatisfactorily. _

"_A waking dream." _

"_Of course."_

"_Explain what you mean, son…" my father pressed._

"_What is to explain?" I queried reasonably. "I was one with the grass, the wind, the rolling waves, the scent of flowers."_

_I watched him watch me as I explained and it became apparent to me that he had no clue what I was talking about._

_It had never occurred to me that this was a trait or ability unique to my own self._

"_You… become one with everything?" he asked._

"_Well, yes, of course." I answered. "My apologies, father, but is this not a common thing for all people?"_

_He then did something I did not expect and laughed. "No, Ce," he said, smiling at me. "What you have is a truly wonderful and unique gift. I dare say I know of no others, except perhaps the sages, who could ever make such a claim of serenity and oneness with nature. What is it like?"_

_This was a remarkably difficult question to answer, since it defied articulation. How could something so simple and natural be put into words?_

"_I… I will try, father, to make myself understood." I said somewhat uncertainly. "I… it… well…I simply become one with everything around me. I lose my body, I guess, and I merely exist as the trees, as the air, as the ground. There is no me, and everything is me, all at the same time. It… it is… fulfillment. I guess that is the best way to say it."_

"_And you lose track of time when this happens, my boy?" my father asked._

_I shrugged. "There is no time when I am dreaming, father."_

_I could see that he did not fully comprehend what I was telling him, but I also could see a tint of envy deep within his eyes. It was not jealousy, but obviously I had revealed to him something that I alone could touch upon and commune with. Never would I have guessed that people did not share this wondrous gift._

_How could they live without it?_

"_Son, you have perhaps the greatest gift a mortal has ever been given by the gods, for I believe you see the Tao," he said earnestly. "Cherish it and never let it go."_

"_Of course not." I said, perhaps with a hint of possessiveness. He heard it in my voice and his next question made me uncomfortable._

"_Son, gifts can also been taken away. I pray it would never happen, but the ways of the universe of unfathomable, even to the greatest sages. Reveal to none or only to those closest to you that you have this unique gift."_

_I nodded warily, for the first time ever fearing what might happen._

"_What would you do, son, if someone were to take this oneness with everything away from you?" he asked me._

_My answer required only a brief pause for thought. "I would kill them."_

_My father nodded somewhat sadly and then gestured toward the Go board._

_I had him beaten with the next thirty-nine moves and never once did I fade out on him._

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Blackness, and then the fabulous city was gone. Ce blinked and sighed at he stared at the ceiling. The dark room was silent and cool. Da Qiao, ever dutiful, sensed her husband waking and turned into him, snuggling her body against his. Her dainty finger traced over his shoulder and neck, caressing him lovingly.

"Your city, my love?" she asked. She felt sorry for him, for she knew that these dreams had haunted him for well over ten years now.

"Yeah," he replied quietly, still looking up into the darkness. "I haven't seen it very much recently, but that only makes it harder when I do."

She nodded and rested her chin against his chest, thinking about the marvelous city he had described to her. "Baifu."

He tilted his head to look down at her. "What?"

"That is its name," she said. "Your city's name is Baifu."

"So certain, are we?" he asked, smiling.

"What else could it possibly be?" she replied. "This great and mighty city is your capital, once you have conquered the realm. I see that as the most likely explanation."

"It might just be a dream to, you know." Ce pointed out.

"No, my lord," Da whispered, her voice serious. "This is no dream. It is a vision that has been with you for years. It is a vision of the shape of the world to come, a world that only you can make come about. The city is Baifu, the great and glorious capital of the Dynasty you will sire."

Ce's hand came up and rested on the back of her head, stroking her luxurious, dark hair. What if Da was right? He had never desired to rule China, at least, not for his own edification. But what if great leadership was never about that to begin with? Were the greatest rulers in history determined to rule so that others could live happily? Was altruism the driving force behind such leadership?

That would certainly agree with the universal principal of the Tao.

Da Qiao smiled gently and looked deep into his eyes. "My lord, why is this the one and only thing you ever balk at? Taking the realm in hand cannot sound odious, your city is proof of what will be. Do you not believe yourself to be a great unifier?"

Ce did not answer her.

"My lord, the people of Jiang Dong love you. Why would the people beyond our borders be any different?"

"Because we have to conquer them." Ce said simply. "People don't take well to being conquered."

"Think about the people of the Hinterlands as you marched through them to attack Liu Biao, my lord…" Da suggested. "Did they not willingly pledge themselves to you?"

"They had no master, Da." Ce countered. "The people of the Southlands do, and they will not accept our suzerainty without a fight."

"Perhaps the petty nobles will fight, but you yourself said the people will welcome you." Da replied, smiling. "And you will make life better for them. When people around the Han hear about you and your benevolence, they will pray for your arrival to liberate them."

"Not all the other rulers in China are despots, Da. Certainly Liu Bei is not, nor would I say that Ma Teng or Kong Rong are." Ce said, sighing. "True, there are many tyrannical rulers, such as Dong Zhuo, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, but if I am to rule China, I will have to fight them all."

"Perhaps," Da conceded. "But maybe those of virtue will also flock to your banner. I do not see Liu Bei being a man of great personal ambition, I am certain he would pledge his loyalty to you."

"I dunno," Ce said. "He spends a lot of time talking about virtue; virtue in the abstract sense that the vast majority of people wouldn't understand. I think his China, while peaceful, runs by a strict moral code that would have to be enforced. And that's not my vision for China."

"Mmmmmm, I love your vision of China, my lord," Da purred, nestling against him. "It is a land where everyone is happy, from the lowliest peasant or farmer to the wealthiest lord; a land of respect and harmony. What could be wrong with that?"

Ce was silent for a few moments. "There's nothin' wrong with it, Da. But some people just need to impose their personal will on others, even if it's cruel."

Da Qiao nodded. "Nobody who knows you thinks you wage this war for your own aggrandizement, my lord. Those who do not know you shall soon understand that as well. Those who fight you will soon know defeat. No man can own China, my husband, but only one man can rule its people."

Sun Ce smiled down at her. "I know that tone… you're champing at the bit to get back in the field and fight, aren't you?"

Da blushed. "I…"

Ce laughed. "If you're gonna be my warrior-empress, you'd better keep working on your skills, lady. You can't let Huang Gai keep handing your ass to you, he must be almost four times your age, for crying out loud."

Da self-consciously ran a hand tenderly over her rib cage, remembering the damage Huang Gai had done to her with a casual swat. True, she'd had it coming, ambushing him like that out of nowhere, but still… ow.

"Don't worry, we'll have a rematch." Da replied darkly.

"Oh, should I be worried as well, then?" Ce asked, smirking.

Da Qiao flushed crimson. "No…" she said hastily. There was no way in the Nine Hells she was repeating _that_ mistake again.

"Aw, too bad." Ce teased. "I kinda enjoyed our little sparring match."

"You would, you pervert," she groused, scowling as she pressed her cheek to his chest and looked away. She may have enjoyed that whole altercation immensely, but that didn't mean she had to admit it to anybody, even her husband.

In the nursery room off to the side, they could hear Kai-ying awake and begin crying. The looked at one another for a moment before Ce shrugged.

"Don't look at me, I ain't feedin' her."

Da Qiao sighed and rose, loosening the top of her robe while she made her way over to their daughter. Ce lay back in the pillows and stared at the ceiling, lost in thought.

"_Father…why do I hold back? What is it that keeps me from reaching out and taking hold of this destiny? Everyone seems to see it so clearly except for me. I am not afraid of battle, I am not daunted by the burden…could it really be as simple as I don't wanna be away from Da or that I'm afraid she'll get herself killed?"_

He flushed angrily as he realized what he was saying. He had no business having so little faith in his wife. She may never be the greatest warrior in China, but she had proven repeatedly that she could indeed handle herself admirably. And she had by no means tapped her full potential on the battlefield, not by a long shot.

"_So what if you're reluctant? Just start doin' it. Deal with the problems and consequences as they arise, that's how you handle everything else. The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."_

Very well. Come the morning, it would begin.

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The herald bowed low before Sun Ce as he stood in front of the dais that held his ornate royal chair. He knew it would have been more correct to greet Yuan Shu's messenger seated, but rules and traditions weren't really his thing. He felt comfortable standing, so he was going to stand.

"Lord Sun Ce of Jiang Dong," began the richly-robed man. Sun Ce could tell by his brown, wrinkled complexion that he was a Uyghur. Long-renowned for their dedication to scholarship, they were considered the most literate people in the empire. "I bring tidings from overlord Yuan Shu, who values you and your people highly. He has been heard to proclaim that if he had a son such as you, he could die without regret."

"I'm honoured," Ce replied, nodding. "Please give my regards to Lord Yuan Shu upon your return. What news do you have for me?"

The messenger bowed again. "He sends word that Dong Zhuo's crimes against the people continue to mount. From his impregnable fortress of Mei in the far west, he continues to be a source of terror and discord."

"Yeah, I heard that too," Ce said, his face grim. "Please inform your lord that I am currently doing everything I can to strengthen and fortify Jiang Dong, in case that purple rat attempts to wrest my lands from me. Please say to him that I advise a similar course for action for all other lords. We shouldn't strike at him again until our own lands are safe."

"He concurs, young lord," the herald said, smiling and spreading his arms. "He commends you, the General Who Cherishes Loyalty, for setting such a fine example for your peers to follow. But he worries that Jiang Dong is not strong enough to withstand Dong Zhuo, my lord, nor will it ever be."

There were mutterings around the throne room as Sun Ce's retainers and generals took exception to the herald's assessment of their battlefield prowess. He could feel Da Qiao stiffen slightly as she stood beside his throne. Only Zhou Yu seemed unmoved.

"But please, my friends," the heralds said. "By this I do not mean to impugn your worth on the field of battle, for surely no people has proven themselves as clearly as the steadfast and doughty warriors of Jiang Dong."

The muttering subsided, at least for now.

"What I mean is that Jiang Dong is but one small territory and no matter how doughty its warriors may be, it cannot sustain them forever, as you well know. It is therefore with my master's blessing that Lord Sun Ce has been given permission to conquer the Southlands, as soon as he can pacify them."

The whispers returned, but they were now tinged with an optimistic excitement. Lord Sun Ce's plans for returning his family to the ancestral homelands of Wu were well-known, but this declaration form Yuan Shu amounted to an Imperial sanction. Sun Ce's conquest of the Southlands would not be seen as the act of a rogue or ruthless state.

Sun Ce bowed deeply at the waist. "Thank your master once again for his consideration, herald. Let him know that the pacification of the lawless Southlands shall begin soon. I have already been preparing my army. We shall soon be so strong that Dong Zhuo and his like would not _dare_ oppose us."

Ce didn't know if the messenger caught his true meaning with the statement but it didn't really matter, either. If Zhou Yu was right and Yuan Shu would also have to be disposed of in the future, Jiang Dong had to be as strong as possible.

"Please, come and enjoy our hospitality," Sun Ce said, smiling and gesturing for the herald to follow him. "I hope you will join me for dinner and we can discuss events of the realm."

The man bowed again. "It would be my honour, Lord of the Southlands."

Ce smiled and nodded. It was as good a sanction as one could hope for in such turbulent and unpredictable times.

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The Valiant Cavaliers were arrayed in ranks, waiting for the appearance of their commanding officer. They had been informed, to their relief that they were not going to be left out of the upcoming campaign. Several of the men were still nursing grudges about being forced to sit out Sun Jian's assault on Liu Biao. These same men made it quite clear it was because they were now commanded by a woman. Even if she were Lord Sun Ce's wife, the fact that she had recently given birth meant that they were not to see action in Jing.

Eventually the doors of the palace opened and Da Qiao stepped out to face the parade grounds. Led by their sergeants, the Cavaliers snapped to attention as she descended the steps. She noticed, however, that a few of them were less than precise in their movements.

She walked slowly by the front rank, observing their equipment and their posture. For the most part she was very pleased. She felt their eyes on her and she willed herself not to shrink away from the scrutiny. If she was going to command them, she had to be able to look them in the eyes.

She turned to face them and took a breath. She could do this.

"An injustice was done to this brave unit when it was left out of the war against Jing," she began, echoing a sentiment she suspected was quite prevalent in the unit. "It is true you were left behind because I had recently given birth, but I promise you now that the opportunity to prove your worth is soon to arise."

Several of the men nodded in approval, but most were silent, still assessing her. One man in the second rank made no attempt to conceal his yawn. Da Qiao stiffened slightly but let it go. She understood this was going to be a challenge, winning the respect of the tough warriors.

"In my husband's name we go forth to conquer the Southlands and I have requested that we be allowed to spearhead the assault when we cross the Great River."

More nods and looks of approval, but the one man just snorted. Da Qiao ignored the slight yet again and continued with her speech.

"The petty lords of the Southlands will fight hard to keep their holdings from us, but we are stronger and more skilled. Our army is unified and coordinated whereas they-"

She was interrupted once more by the sound of a long, casual burp. Her eyes flashed to the offender, the man in the second row, who didn't even bother to look back at her, but just stared straight ahead in boredom.

"Han Dan!" hissed a man nearby. "This is no way to behave!"

The man, who's name was obviously Han Dan, replied by way of shrugging and then farting loudly. Several men nearby could not suppress a chuckle.

Da Qiao bit her lip, wondering what she should do. She had expected to have difficulties, like the men questioning her orders on the battlefield because she was a woman and a novice to war, but this was blatant disrespect, something she had not anticipated.

What should she do? Other commanders would have the man beheaded on the spot. Could she really do such a thing? Was that how she wanted to establish her authority?

"Do you have a problem with my command, soldier?" she asked levelly.

The man just ignored the question, as if he didn't hear it.

"Lady Da Qiao!" said a man in the front rank, dropping to his knees and bowing. "Forgive me for the swine-like behaviour of my comrade! He-"

"Shut your mouth, fool!" Han Dan spat, shoving his foot into the man's back and sending him sprawling. "You would beg forgiveness from this _lanbi_ when all she will ever do is disgrace us?"

Dozens of the man gasped in shock at Han Dan's language. Da Qiao herself went red in humiliation. Never before had anyone ever used such language in her presence, let alone directed such a horrid epithet at her.

The man who had been kicked down snarled and surged to his feet, prepared to teach Han Dan a lesson. Da Qiao felt paralyzed. What was she to do? Her mind, still reeling for the insult, floundered. She willed herself not to cry.

She thought back to everything command had taught her- every rule and regulation she had ever read about, every precedent.

And yet she could not act.

"This? This is what will lead us to glory?" Han Dan said contemptuously, gesturing to Da Qiao. "She is so frail she cannot abide by a simple insult and yet we are expected to follow her to certain death when she fails to make a sensible decision?"

Nobody responded but she could feel that the sentiments of several of the men lay with Han Dan. They too were shocked by his animosity, but that didn't mean they didn't agree with his assessment of her ability, or lack thereof.

An older warrior finally spoke. "Han Dan, you have doomed yourself. Even if you do not respect her, word of this is sure to reach Huang Gai. He will beat you senseless and then behead you."

"Pah!" Han Dan spat, his features contorted in a snarl. "What of it? Look at my choices- death at the hands of a great warrior like Huang Gai or ignonimous death on the battlefield when the enemy destroys us because of her incompetence. I choose death at my _actual_ commander's hands."

She wanted to run. She wanted to turn and run away. All she wanted to do was escape from this hateful place. She wanted to run into Ce's arms and cry until she fell unconscious.

She saw his smiling face and what he would say to her- exactly what he had said to her when she commanded Sun Shang Xiang's amazons.

"_They're your troops now, Da… you've gotta reward 'em and punish 'em. That's a commander's job, y'know."_

She didn't feel she had the authority yet to punish this man for his intolerable impudence, but she was well within her bounds to smack him into next week, wasn't she?

"Well, since you feel that way, soldier," she said quietly, pushing her way through the front ranks to confront him. "Then perhaps I should demonstrate why exactly I have been put in charge around here, _shi_?"

Han Dan was suddenly at a loss. He hadn't expected this reaction from her at all. Mostly he had expected her to retreat in quiet humiliation, or perhaps to scream, cry and throw a temper tantrum… but this was not at all what he had anticipated.

The tiny girl looked up at him, her body language showing that she was not intimidated by his superior size.

"Is that it?" she pressed, not giving him time to think. "Perhaps you would care to demonstrate to your peers why I am not fit to lead the Valiant Cavaliers? I am right here, waiting."

Han Dan glanced around furtively, unsure of what to do. His fellow warriors were all staring at him, intrigued to see what his response might be. He shifted from one foot to the other, knowing that he was caught.

But Da Qiao was not about to let him off easy. She was not going to take this humiliation lying down, and certainly not be slandered by this punk.

"I stood against Hua Xiong at Si Shui gate… where were you, Han Dan?" she sneered. "Did you show any such daring during the assault? I navigated a treacherous mountain pass with the Lady Sun Shang Xiang and was fighting inside Si Shui before you had even seen the enemy."

Han Dan swallowed nervously. She was forcing his hand.

Da Qiao's voice was soft, almost a whisper, but everyone nearby heard her clearly.

"I have had a child with Lord Sun Ce… have you seen the size of his skull? Imagine what I went through. I am not afraid of you, little boy…"

Han Dan snarled and cursed at Da Qiao, his temper finally getting the better of him.

"_Choubiaozi_!" he shouted, his face colouring. "I will put you in your place!"

Da Qiao spun on her heel and marched back out in front of her unit. She turned to face Han Dan and waited silently, her arms folded.

"Come then, _Hun Dan_!" she taunted, deliberately abusing his name to disparage his parentage. "I await your pleasure."

Han Dan stormed forward, drawing his sword. Da Qiao didn't move but waited for him to approach. He pointed the tip of the blade at her, shouting so hatefully the flecks of foam gathered about his lips.

"I may die for what I am about to do, but I would gladly accept such a death over suffering the indignity of being commanded by a mere whore!"

Da Qiao nodded and drew the sword that rested at her side. She held it out on front of herself, feeling how ungainly it seemed in her hand. She had not often practiced with a sword and she was certain that she would be at a disadvantage here.

"Not going to use your fans, bitch?" Han Dan sneered.

"I don't need them to deal with the likes of you, turtle." Da Qiao replied coldly, once again mocking his ancestry.

Han Dan howled in range and lunged at Da Qiao, stabbing at her heart.

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Sun Ce, Zhou Yu and Huang Gai watched from a window high in the palace. The old veteran stiffened and coloured furiously.

"That impudent bastard!" he growled, his great hands flexing. "I will skin him alive for this."

Ce merely put up a hand and shook his head. "Down, big guy," he said, smiling. "Da can handle herself. And she's gotta teach them to respect her. She knew this was gonna be rough."

Huang Gai took a deep breath and calmed himself. Sun Ce was probably right as usual, a trait the old warrior found most irritating.

"Very well, my lord," he said finally. "But what if, Heavens forfend, anything should happen to Lady Da Qiao?"

Ce didn't seem to react for a moment but then just nodded ever so slightly.

"She'll be fine. Trust me."

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Da Qiao ducked a savage swipe of Han Dan's blade and countered with a thrust of her own. The cavalier leapt backward, glaring at his nimble foe. She was proving more difficult to deal with than he would have ever imagined, not because she was skilled with a sword, but because she was quick and agile, with a healthy respect for her own continued existence.

It soon became obvious to him that she was trying to figure out how to use the blade as she fought- what its abilities and limitations were. He opened himself on one side and she darted in, thrusting again with her sword. He glided smoothly to the side and brought the sword around in a quick, lethal arc. Da Qiao yelped and dove out of the way, the point of the sword catching in the fabric of her battle gown and tearing it open.

The men of the unit all gasped as she spun about and held the torn fabric over her chest with one hand, glaring at Han Dan. Her free hand still held the sword but her knuckles were white from clenching it so hard and it trembled in her grip.

"You will pay for that…" she said icily.

"Save it for the dung demons that shall defile your cheap body once I have sent you to hell with the other whores." Han Dan sneered.

Da Qiao knew she was not ready to beat a skilled swordsman with a blade, at least not yet. Her only advantage thus far was her agility and speed. She had to create openings and opportunities for herself, cause him to get careless and make mistakes.

She darted in again and he spun around her thrust, his sword sweeping up and nearly opening her back. But Da Qiao was ready and whirled about, her own blade flashing through the air at her foe's midriff. Han Dan barely caught the counterstrike on his sword, swearing as he did so. Da Qiao then pressed her attack, getting inside his longer reach and unleashing a flurry of ill-disciplined by blindingly fast thrusts and slashes. Han Dan back up, cursing, baffled by her speed and determination; could she really be giving him this much trouble? He was considered one of the best swordsmen in the entire company, no small feat.

Da Qiao wheezed as Han Dan's fist rammed into her stomach and she doubled over and fell backwards. He glared at her and raised his sword in the air for a final stroke.

"In sacrificing myself I will save my unit from certain death and your hands, bitch!"

He was about to strike when Da Qiao's foot found its mark, slamming into his groin. Han Dan grunted and staggered backward. Da surged to her feet and stormed toward him, unleashing a furious assault on her stunned opponent.

"Don't… call… me… bitch!" she shouted as she struck repeatedly.

Han Dan barely managed to ward off her attacks, but was growing weaker. His vision swam and his stomach felt like ice. The pain between his legs was searing and hideous.

He struck at her but she caught the blade on her own and made a wide, sweeping arc, sending Han Dan's blade sailing into the air. As he watched his weapon spiral off, she slammed the pommel of her sword into the side of his head, sending him to the ground. Dozens of men shouted in shock at this turn of events, although whether it was in surprise, disgust or delight she did not know.

She also didn't care at this very moment.

She stood over Han Dan, her legs on either side of his chest and pointed the sword down at him, pressing the tip against his throat. He seemed to come back to himself a few seconds later and goggled up at her, victorious and avenged for his treatment of her.

Da Qiao said nothing but inwardly she begged with him to let this all go.

"_Han Dan, please… it does not have to be this way…"_

His eyes hardened and a look of wild hatred flashed in them. His body tensed as he prepared to surge up and attack once again.

Da Qiao thrust the sword down, through Han Dan's throat and pinning him to the ground.

The courtyard was deadly silent but for the screech of nearby birds. Da Qiao could hear nothing but the pounding of her heart.

She had just coldly executed a man.

"_Do not cry… show no weakness… if you break down now then you will not have their respect and this poor, stupid man will have died for nothing…"_

Da Qiao slowly pulled her blade out of Han Dan's throat, horrified by the way the neck sagged and moved with her sword as she withdrew it. Han Dan's eyes were wide but sightless. Crimson blood glistened on the tip of the hateful weapon.

Slowly she turned and faced her men. With all the control she could muster she twirled the sword about, flicking the blood off the blade. She stared at them all, awaiting their next move.

One by one they dropped to their knees and kow-towed, murmuring oaths of obedience and unwavering loyalty.

Da Qiao let out a trembling sigh of relief. She sheathed her sword and put her hands on her hips, her eyes hard as she assessed her new command.

"Arise!" she said in a clear voice. The men leapt to their feet, awaiting their leader's orders, whatever they may be.

"Who among you agreed with this dog's point of view about me? Answer me?"

Nearly twenty men timidly raised their hand.

She nodded solemnly. "I spare you lives, because you have sworn to serve me, but your insubordination with not go unanswered. Report to General Huang Gai and tell him you are each to receive ten lashes for your crimes."

Several of the men went pale but they all nodded, accepting their punishment dutifully. She then took a small bag from her belt and shook it. Inside, ingots of gold clinked and jingled.

"I had planned to give this to the man you each deemed most worthy in your unit's service, but…"

She now gestured down at Han Dan. "Did this man have any family?"

One man bowed and nodded. "Yes, my lady! He has a wife and daughter in Ni Jiu."

Da Qiao sighed and tossed the bag on Han Dan's chest somewhat carelessly. "I will not see them suffer for his foolishness. Once his body is buried, choose one of your number to bring this gold to them, with my condolences. Make sure they knew exactly what happened here today."

The men all kow-towed again, murmuring their obedience.

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Ce laughed. "Wow, is she hard-core or what?"

Huang Gai just shook his head. "She has a toughness to her the likes of which even you would be hard-pressed to equal, my lord."

"Nah, I ain't her match," Ce said dismissively, waving the comment off. "Da's in a class all by herself, you know."

Zhou Yu nodded sagely, saying nothing.

"C'mon, let's go find a drink, guys." Ce prompted. "Looks like the fun is done with here."

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The twenty Valiant Cavaliers had reported to Huang Gai's headquarters the following day. The adjutant already knew the circumstances and was ready to say that Lady Qiao's orders were carried out. The men were all stripped to their loincloths and braced against stout trees or strong beams with their hands tied around the trunk.

Nearby, the other members of the company watched silently, witness to the justice that would be administered.

All twenty men were waiting silently as the corps' discipline officers readied their whips. The whips were cunningly designed, made of straps of leather twined about the supple green boughs of sapling trees. The resulting instrument could cause great pain and even death if applied often enough. Fortunately, this was not to be the case today.

Huang Gai towered over the proceedings. As the corps' commander, he often was present at discharges of corporal or capital punishment. There was thankfully little of the latter necessary in Jiang Dong's army, since discipline was high, often due to the application of the former.

He was about to give the order to begin when Da Qiao stepped into the circle. Everyone present froze in wonder, uncertain of what she was doing there.

Huang Gai bowed. "Lady Qiao, there is no need for you to witness this, I assure you I will see that the punishment is-"

"I am not here to see that these men are punished, general," she said slowly, her features somewhat drawn and pale. "I am here to receive my punishment alongside them."

The assembly gasped in astonishment. What could she possibly mean?

Da Qiao turned to address her unit, facing those who were tied to the trees. "It is true you have been insubordinate and for that you must be punished. But am I not to blame for this as well? I have failed you as a commander, just as surely as rebelled. I too shall suffer, then."

Huang Gai was pale with horror. "My lady! You cannot be serious!"

"I am in deadly earnest, Huang Gai, I assure you." Da replied quietly.

"I cannot and will not authorize this, commander!" the old warrior said angrily, trying to pull rank on his captain.

Da Qiao's eyes were glassy as she replied. "Huang Gai, my friend, it _must_ be this way. How am I to earn the respect of these men if I do not suffer at their side through every trial they face?"

Da Qiao then walked over toward an unoccupied tree trunk and stripped her top off. Those assembled gasped in shock as she took a piece of rope and wound it around the tree, symbolically tying herself to it, like her men were.

She looked at the old, weather-beaten trunk and spoke loud enough for them all to hear. "I am not a perfect commander… in fact, I am far from it. But whatever skills I may lack, whatever shortcomings I may have, I vow to you all that I shall never falter. I shall endure unto death for you. That is what a commander must do."

She slowly looked over at a nearby officer, still holding a whip. "This is an order from the Lady of Jiang Dong and it cannot be overruled- you are to lash me each and every time one of these men is struck…"

The officer was white with fright, but bowed. "My… my lady…"

One of the Valiant Cavaliers observing dropped to his knees. "My lady, no! That is over two hundred lashes! You will die!"

"I will endure!" Da said harshly, steeling herself for the hideous pain she would feel. "Officer! You are to begin!"

"But… my lady…" he protested in terror.

"Do it!" she shouted, her eyes welling with tears.

This exchange drew shouts and howls of protest from her men, both the observers and those bound to the trees. The free Cavaliers dashed forward while those restrained twisted and struggled wildly to escape their bonds and race to their commander's side.

One of the older veterans of the unit threw himself in front of her, his arms outstretched, glaring balefully at any officer who seemed to close.

"You will not harm our commander!" he growled. "I shall receive this punishment in her place!"

"As shall I!" declared another.

"My lady!" called out a bound man. "Please! Increase my punishment ten-fold if you must, but do not do this to yourself!"

The headquarters had become a mob scene of frantic, shouting men when Huang Gai finally bellowed so loud that everyone stopped dead, scared to even move. He stormed over to Da Qiao's position and grabbed the whip away from the officer standing nearby. He then turned and railed at them all.

"All of you, get out of my sight!" he thundered, brandishing the whip menacingly. He then shouted to his officers.

"Untie those men at once! And some one get that lunatic woman out of my headquarters! Punishment has been suspended until I review the facts personally!"

A great cheer went up as the Cavaliers unbound their comrades and then mobbed Da Qiao. She was hoisted into their air and ridden around the camp on their shoulders for several riotous minutes before Huang Gai threatened to use a fuse bomb to disperse them.

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Sun Ce was sitting in a reading room of Baifu, perusing a tactical manual when raucous cheering reached his ears. Moderately intrigued, he put down the parchments and wandered over to a window to look out.

He saw all one hundred Valiant Cavaliers whooping joyously and parading through the square, several of them wearing nothing but loincloths.

Da Qiao was sitting on their shoulders, wearing no top, her breasts bouncing freely as she tried to maintain her balance.

Ce just stared.

"What is all that ruckus?" Zhou Yu asked from his chair in the corner.

I don't know…" Ce said finally, his voice betraying his utter bewilderment. "C'mon, I need another drink…"

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Sun Ce walked slowly in as he inspected the Valiant Cavaliers. They were all standing rigidly at attention, their scarlet tunics spotless and weapons gleaming in the morning sun. Their battle banner fluttered overhead and he smiled as he noted Da Qiao's name had been threaded in gold characters at the bottom.

The commander of the Valiant Cavaliers bowed low as he approached, her hands flat on the ground and her forehead pressed to it.

"Lord of Jiang Dong," she said in a voice that was both humble and proud. "The Valiant Cavaliers await your orders."

Sun Ce nodded and Da Qiao rose slowly. She looked up at him finally and smiled.

"I like the outfit," Ce said casually, observing her new attire. "Even if the skirt's a little unconventional."

She nodded. "Sometimes one must obey the physics of being a girl," she replied cheerfully. "Pants restrict my range of motion."

"I'm also glad to see your new uniform includes a top." Ce commented blithely.

Da Qiao blushed furiously while a few of her men chuckled. Ce turned to face them all, nodding in respect to this venerable unit.

"I'm warnin' you guys now, she can be a handful." Ce said in a teasing tone. "She's a lousy drunk and she fights with fans."

The men laughed. "My lord, we will happily endure her. She is a worthy commander!" said the old veteran who had saved her from the lash.

"Glad to hear it." Ce replied, nodding. "The Valiant Cavaliers are gonna go ashore with me at Ox Landing when we cross the Great River. You're spearheading our thrust into the Southlands."

The men all bowed low, grateful for this singular honour.

"Our first opponent is gonna be a guy named Liu Yao. His holdings are large but his forces are scattered, so we shouldn't have too hard a time of it. I'm countin' on your guys to be my mobile strike force once we're ashore."

A cheer arose from the men, their spear blades thrust in the air. Ce nodded and began to wander off, but at the last second he paused and turned to face them.

"One last thing, boys," he said, his tone casual. "Just so you know… Da has this weird habit of getting naked. You guys are gonna answer to me for each and every article of clothing my wife loses…"

The men were silent, as was Da Qiao. Sun Ce turned and strode off.

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"That wasn't very nice of you, you know." Da Qiao said, poking her husband in the chest as they lay in one another's arms. Around them, Baifu pavilion was quiet, the only sound being the rustle of the wind through the gossamer curtains that covered the archway out to the balcony.

Sun Ce smiled and shrugged. "Eh, it's good for 'em. I don't want those guys thinkin' they can take too many liberties with my wife, just because she's their commander."

She frowned. "What makes you think they're allowed to take any liberties with me?"

"I'm a guy, I know how guys think is all." Ce replied, shrugging. "Besides, I think you're in for more than you understand, Da."

"Oh? How so?" she asked.

"Well, if you're gonna be campaigning in the field, sooner of later you're gonna have to take a bath, right?" he pointed out. "And traditionally, commanders bathe with their men."

Da Qiao was silent for several seconds. "Oh. What… what should I do?"

"I guess you're gonna have to bathe with them." Ce answered.

"But… they'll be _looking_ at me." Da said, the notion obviously worrying or repulsing her.

"Did it bother you when my sister's girls were staring at you?" Ce asked.

"Well, not after a while," Da admitted. "They were girls, after all."

"And each and every one of them would have gladly taken a roll in the wheat field with you," Ce pointed out, grinning. "You yourself said there wasn't a single day during the campaign against Dong Zhuo that you didn't get molested one way or another."

Da Qiao scowled. "You're not helping, you know."

"Take it easy, Da." Ce said cheerfully, hugging her to him. "It's not like any of these guys're gonna try anything with you. You're their commander and they respect you. That was quite a show you put on for them the other day."

"What show?" she asked.

"Oh, the whole lashes thing." Ce mused. "That was amazing theatre, Da. You've gotta be the best courtesan in the land, because you're a hell of an actor."

Da Qiao was silent again for several moments. "I wasn't pretending, Ce. I was determined to receive that punishment alongside them."

"I know that," Ce said, stroking her cheek. "It's weird and wonderful stunts like that one that keep me comin' back, yanno?"

"Thanks, I think." Da Qiao said uncertainly. "Glad to know it's not only my boobs."

"I think those belong to everyone now," Ce said casually, stretching. "At least, that's the impression I'm getting."

"You really are a smug bastard, you know that?" Da Qiao said.

"Yeah, ain't it great?"

"Good night, my lord. Tomorrow we begin the great task of conquering the realm." Da Qiao said, snuggling in and closing her eyes.

"Tomorrow's just another day, Da," he replied, stroking her silken hair and closing his own eyes. "As long as I've got you, I have everything I need…"

The great and glorious city dominated his dreams, but this time there was someone standing beside him atop the palace, holding his hand.

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	27. Chapter 27

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 22 – Invasion at Ox Landing**

Sun Ce stood on the bridge of the great barge as it plowed through the water, his arms folded across his chest. The breeze off the Great River ruffled the cloak he wore, a crimson field adorned with gold. At his side he wore the sword of his father, _Fujian_. It had been reforged after his death and he now considered it the heirloom of the Sun family. While other families had ornate fans or drinking chalices or silver axes that signified hereditary office, Ce felt that _Fujian _was the best symbol the Sun family could ask for- a broken blade that came anew, leading their way into the future.

Ce felt the anticipation of the troops behind him. His royal corps was arrayed on the deck, awaiting his orders. With Sun Jian's death he had restructured the elite regiments of the Jiang Dong army to better suit the style of fighting they would be engaging in from now on.

There was nothing wrong with how Sun Jian had employed their forces previously, of course, they had been suited perfectly for the battlefield environment they fought in- but new challenges awaited Jiang Dong, a fact both he and Zhou Yu had discussed. This would be a new style of warfare, with goals that would seem ridiculous or unattainable to earlier generations of strategists.

The conquest of the Southlands was to be rapid, performed by small but skilled army groups that might be outnumbered but had a cohesiveness and finesse that their foes could not match or deal with. When a fief or province was pacified, Sun Ce would immediately flood the region with trade and money, securing the loyalty of the citizens, who feared disruption of their lives more than anything. He would then find out from the people if the local rulers had been good to them; if the people were pleased, these men were allowed to keep their titles and rule in his name. Those who had been cruel or corrupt would be removed from office, replaced with a more suitable figure.

They recognized that this style of warfare might work for the conquest of the Southlands, since its rulers were petty, weak and disorganized, but when the time came to challenge lords to the north and west, a more conventional form of war might become necessary.

Ce didn't accept this fact. Things didn't have to be as they always were and common wisdom wasn't always the answer to everything. As a culture they were told to revere the wisdom of the ancestors, but who, then, did the ancestors revere? Surely they must have innovated ideas of their own, forsaking the traditions of those who came before them.

He looked across the deck of his battle barge to another ship on his right- Zhou Yu stood on the deck, his hands resting on his ancient curved blade, his steel-grey eyes looking off into the distance at their destination.

"_Yeah, am I supposed to believe that this guy isn't as smart or wise as our ancestors? Because I don't buy that. Zhou Yu's got the keenest mind we've seen since Sun Tzu. I'm gonna to miss you at Ox Landing, buddy."_

He watched as Zhou Yu raised a single hand and pointed off to his right. Slowly a small contingent of the ships peeled off and headed to a more eastern point in the river. Zhou Yu turned his head and nodded to Sun Ce as his battle group diverged. Hopefully they would not be gone long.

Ce now looked off to his left. He distantly spied Quan, also standing atop the deck of his command ship. Quan would be commanding the other battle group, securing the lands in the farthest east. Ce had designated his own forces to drive through the middle and take out the oldest and most established territories.

"_Quan…our family's destiny is beginning, but conquering the realm is gonna consume me. I'll need you to take care of everybody while I'm gone. Be careful, little brother."_

Quan saw Ce looking at him and nodded. His eyes were hard with determination.

Ce finally turned around and assessed his men. Three full companies of his personal guard stood there, waiting for him.

"Guy's we've got at least another two hours before we reach Ox Landing and you're standing here in full armour under the sun? Get outta here already! I'll call you when I need you."

The men all kow-towed and left, disappearing below decks to escape the brutal mid-afternoon heat. Ce just shook his head as Mo Jing joined him. The old warrior bowed humbly.

"My lord, they are just eager for the fighting to begin, yes?"

"Yeah, they're not the only ones," Ce replied, nodding. "This is gonna be a good fight."

Ce had reformed the units of his expanded guard, now divided into five companies. In the Han, such royal guard units were often known as '_Huben_', or 'Tiger Escort'. The Imperial Guard were called '_Yulin_', but they were more a ceremonial unit than anything. The Tiger Escort were composed of some of the most formidable and ferocious warriors in a lord's army, men known for their unwavering loyalty.

Sun Ce had disbanded his father's _huben_ corps and reformed it. Those who wished to retire were allowed to do so with generous pensions while those who pledged their personal loyalty to Sun Ce were allowed to retain their posts. The _Huben_ was now five hundred-strong and Ce had renamed them the 'Night Tigers', after legends of terrible tiger spirits who preyed on the unwary.

To designate them as a new unit representing a new form and philosophy of warfare, Ce had Da Qiao design their new uniforms- black as night they were, trimmed with silver or white to represent the predator's moon. They were all excellent warriors, thoroughly trained with the lance, bow and sword. They were all masters of several forms of unarmed combat and had superlative skill on horseback. They were the toughest, most flexible troops in Jiang Dong's army, its new flagship unit.

"So why didn't you accept your appointment as the head of the Night Tigers?" Ce asked, Mo Jing, his eyebrow raised.

Mo Jing bowed. "My lord, you are young and spry, gifted in ways I could never hope to be. Some even say you are prescient on occasion. But I see this world with an old man's eye and wisdom and I know that my place is at the head of my simple company. There is one who will come and serve as your loyal guardian, commander of your Night Tigers and a menace to all who oppose you."

Ce sighed. "Guess I'm just gonna have to take your word for it, huh?"

"That would be wisest, my lord." Mo Jing said cheerfully.

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The bridge dropped down with a solid _thump!,_ embedding itself in the soft sand. A warrior rushed up to Ce and bowed.

"My lord! The other ships have landed as well! There are reports of sporadic contact with the enemy and skirmishing!"

"Alright…" Ce said coolly. He stood before the bridge and looked out at the lands spreading before him and laughed.

"This place isn't so bad," he commented. "This'll be a great place to begin my conquest of the land. Get the men out let's get going!"

Ce knew it probably would have been more appropriate for his ship to land and make contact with the enemy first, but he had promised Da that she and her Valiant Cavaliers would spearhead the assault on Ox Landing. As his Night Tigers began trooping off the mighty barge and establishing a perimeter, he said a small prayer, his fist clenched in his hand.

"Watch over me, father. I promise you, I shall claim this land for us…"

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The arrows were raining down as Da Qiao yelled at her men to get off the ship and onto the shoreline. They were all rushing towards the gang-plank, large shields held overhead to protect themselves from the sporadic barrage. As they hit the sand they formed into squads, hunched low and waiting for orders. To the right and left, other ships of Huang Gai's corps were waiting to touch down and begin unloading their troops onto the shore of Ox Landing. Another company waited on the ship behind Da Qiao's, astride their horses and protected by a canopy of tough, wet leather hides. They were not many but they were a mobile unit that was meant to chase down the enemy's archers once a beach head had been established.

The Valiant Cavaliers were given the assignment of holding the landing site and Da Qiao was determined to do this job correctly, no matter what odds they faced.

The immediate problem was that even though the landing site itself was clear of obstacles, not far away, stands of tall trees concealed the enemy. The cavalry would have to enter the woods in order to engage the archers and this was certainly not to their advantage.

Da Qiao pondered allowing her squads to move out in a slowly expanding ring around the landing site, giving the other troops more room to manoeuvre, but she also knew that if she pushed too far then her troops would be spread thin and vulnerable to a concerted counter-attack. If any section of their perimeter collapsed, the ships would be in danger and there was no hope of retreat.

She hunkered down behind the sturdy prow of the ship as she waved her men onward. The squads had already been given their positions on the shore and she was waiting for just the right moment to begin the assault.

Finally, all of the Cavaliers were on the shore and had assumed their positions. They stayed locked in their tight formations, shields protecting them from the enemy's arrows. There were no casualties as yet, but she harboured no doubt that this would not continue to be the case and she had to be ready. She grabbed a shield and sprinted down the gang-plank, trying not to wince as she felt arrows strike the tough, iron-rimmed hides that protected her.

She hunkered down squarely in the middle of the ring her troops had created and called out to them. She was hoping the enemy would exhaust their arrows on her well-armoured troops, allowing the cavalry to storm the tree line relatively unscathed.

"Forward!" she called out loudly. "Keep under cover but spread out ten paces!"

Her men moved diligently and obediently, creeping forward under the cover of their stout shields. She couldn't help but beam with pride, knowing that of Huang Gai's thirty ships, her unit had been the first to touch down and make contact with the enemy.

Huang Gai's corps often acted as a rear guard or reserve, but given the nature of the terrain they were assaulting, these tough veterans were given the assignment of breaking through the enemy and establishing a secure base of operations for the army of Jiang Dong.

And it all began with her.

The squads all called out loudly, announcing that they had reached their assigned positions. Da Qiao scurried forward and peeked out into the trees. She could see squads of archers in the shadows, desperately firing at them in an attempt to damage their morale.

She pondered what she had been told about this Liu Yao; he was one of the stronger petty warlords of the region, but Ox Landing was squarely in his territory and he had several beach heads to contend with. He could not know where the Jiang Dong forces would touch down first, so chances were he had miscalculated about where to position the bulk of his forces.

The arrow barrage, while continuous, was comparatively thin; if she could stop it and gain the tree line, they would have a distinct advantage.

"Ten more paces and then we rush the archers in the tree line!" she called. Her men responded with a shout before standing and proceeding slowly. The barrage seemed to abate as they got closer. Were they readying to retreat?

"Forward!" she shouted, throwing down her shield and sweeping out her fans as she broke into a run. "Drive them back and secure the tree line!"

With a great shout the Valiant Cavaliers charged, their swords ready and gleaming. They kept their shields up as they raced forward but they were soon inside the tree line, laying about at any enemy they found. The archers did not put up a stiff resistance, breaking and fleeing moments after contact with their enemy. Behind her, Da Qiao heard the horn call of the cavalry unit, who cantered down onto the beach and waited patiently.

Wild cries sprung up on her right, followed by the clash and ring of steel. Calls for support were followed by wails of pain. Da Qiao turned and sped off in the direction of the sounds. Even in the shade caused by the dense canopy overhead, she could see something had happened.

The Valiant Cavaliers on the right flank were being forced back, attacked suddenly by a company of _dadao_-wielding soldiers. Da Qiao knew how deadly these terrible swords could be- she had seen Ce's personal guard use them to devastating effect in close-quarters combat. The troops that wielded them were assault specialists, units designed to smash enemy formation with brute strength and speed.

Even though her troops carried shields and heavier armour, they were fighting in the dense forest and their formations counted for little. The quicker _dadao_-armed troops pushed them back rapidly, threatening to turn the Cavalier's flank. Several men fell when their armour proved no match for the fearsome two-handed swords.

She had made an error, possibly a fatal one.

She knew what she had to do. Even as her men were pushed back, she threw herself into the fray, whirling about with her fans as she engaged the enemy. Several of the Cavaliers cried out in fright as they saw her surge past and stopped their retreat, frantically hacking and slashing their way toward her.

She had most certainly made an error. There were at least two hundred swordsmen hiding nearby and they were now rushing towards her, intent on her death.

It had been a simple ambush and she had fallen for it. Now she had to find a way out of it.

She whirled and spun about, slashing with her fans. She could see that her appearance had taken the enemy off-guard- a small woman wielding fans and dressed in little or no armour was not something they had expected to see on this battle field.

They attacked her fiercely and she was forced to defend herself. It was not long before she found herself overmatched, there were simply too many of them. She had received training in how to fight multiple foes, and had practiced diligently with her fans. She was aware of the fact that her fighting style was very circular and fast, ideal for such combat, but her skills were just not up to the task yet. She could barely see and she felt them pressing in around her, even as she fought madly to ward off their blows.

Her limbs grew weary and she felt her breath become ragged. She would not be able to keep this up for much longer.

"_I can do this!"_ she told herself. _"I will not give in and I will not lose! Lord Sun Ce! Give me strength and courage!"_

The thought of her husband sent a blaze of energy through her. Fire coursed through her veins and through her limbs, erupting in destructive swathes from her fans. Her foes cried out in terror as she bathed them in flames, like a great, fiery crane. She went on the offensive, attacking relentlessly. Striking, kicking and pummelling, she drove the enemy back with her sudden and furious onslaught.

She identified the _dadao_ company's commander and vaulted high in the air, her fans spread out like great wings. She landed in the branch of a tree high overhead and gazed down at the confused brawl, her eyes shining with an internal fire. The commander goggled up at her, as if what he was seeing simply could not be possible.

Da leapt from the branch and sailed down, her foot aimed straight at the man. He didn't even move and her strike slammed into his head, driving him to the earth. She crouched low to absorb the impact and then sprang at her remaining foes like a demon, slaying all within reach. She distantly heard a horn call and the enemy began a hasty retreat, no doubt falling back to another position.

Da Qiao stood straight and held a fan in the air, calling loudly for a halt. The Cavaliers ceased pursuit and rushed to her side. She ordered the squads to secure the tree line and make sure no enemy approached. They were joined by other units coming off the ship and soon the beach head was theirs.

Da Qiao was kneeling in the sand and taking deep breaths when the cavalry company's commander rode up beside her. She looked up at him and he bowed his head in respect.

"My lady, I must admit I am duly impressed. I was not confident in your ability to command or fight but had been told to give you the benefit of the doubt. I admit I was wrong in my assessment of you. It will be an honour to fight alongside you during this engagement. My men and the other companies will set up a perimeter if you wish to pull your men back and assess your strength."

Da Qiao exhaled deeply and nodded. The commander bowed again and rode off, leaving her alone with her thoughts.

"_Some commander…like anyone else would have fallen for such a simple trap. Why am I doing this? I obviously have no head for it!"_

Wearily she stood and called for her men to gather. When they had all arrived, she took stock of the situation. To her amazement, only three men had been killed and nineteen wounded. Of those injured, seven were serious enough to keep the man from fighting.

Ten men out of action, ninety still fit to fight. This single engagement had lasted no more than three minutes, so statistically speaking if she did not improve her combat ratio she would be out of troops in thirty minutes.

Despite this logistical stigma the men were in high spirits, cheering loudly as they gathered around her in a possessive circle.

"Well fought, my lady!" said one man proudly, bowing before her, his head touching the sand.

"Lady Da Qiao, the noblest and bravest commander in Huang Gai's corps!" shouted another.

Da Qiao frowned. "What are you talking about? I nearly got us all killed, walking into that ambush! No one else would have fallen for that."

The men all laughed and one of her squad leaders bowed.. "_Xiaowei_, they were very well-concealed and obviously under strict orders to not move until we had reached the tree line. If we had waited, we risked them reinforcing further. It just might be that the choice you made, while not ideal, was the best one available."

"You lot are in a forgiving mood, aren't you?" she grumped.

"Why should we not be overjoyed? Did we not triumph? We were outnumbered and we prevailed under difficult circumstances. Establishing beach heads is very dangerous, my lady."

Da Qiao refused to concede the point. "But we only won because… because…"

The men laughed again. "Because you fight with inhuman skill and grace, commander!" announced one man grandly.

"It is true," agreed the one squad leader. "They had nearly turned our flank when you came charging through. Even when they had nearly outmanoeuvred us, you showed no hesitation in throwing yourself into battle."

"Of course I had to; it was my fault we were in that position." Da pointed out.

The squad leader sighed. "My lady, give us, your troops, some credit please. We have been flanked before, at worse odds than we just now experienced. The situation, while dire, was _not_ beyond salvage. We were pulling back to keep our flank from being turned. When we saw you race by to engage the enemy, we halted our ordered retreat and sped after you, so frightened were we that you might be injured or slain."

Da Qiao flushed. "But… you looked like you were retreating in disorder… at least, to me you did."

The men laughed again. "Your perception of events was probably somewhat clouded, my lady. I am not suggesting that your valiant assault did not carry the day for us, mind you. You certainly won the battle almost single-handedly."

Da Qiao sighed and looked at the three dead men. "We must see to them and then we shall assume our place in the line. There is still much to do."

The men all bowed and then dispersed to carry out their assignments. Left alone, Da Qiao fell backward in the sand and stared at the sky for several minutes.

"I am _never_ going to get the hang of this…" she muttered to herself.

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Sun Shang Xiang led her amazons in a rapid flanking manoeuvre around the enemy. The horses she had chosen for this campaign were light and fast, worthy steeds for skirmishers. She may have preferred the heat of pitched battle and the thunder of heavy cavalry, but the prospect of such occurring seemed unlikely during these attacks on the Southlands.

Her warriors were spread out in a column and firing a shower of arrows into the harried enemy. They were darting back and forth, keeping out of range of the spearmen they had targeted. Any time the enemy rushed forward, they retreated a certain distance and then sped back in, laying down a barrage of fire. It may have seemed tedious, but Sun Shang Xiang knew better than to charge her cavalry into a formation of armoured spearmen.

"_Qiduwei_, they are beginning to waver!" Fu Chin Ran shouted and she twisted around and fired. Her shot was unerring and found a weak link in the armour of her target's collar, sending him tumbling to the ground.

"Be ready to charge!" Shang Xiang said loudly, spurring her horse. "If we can break through here we can flank Liu Yao's forces and drive into them from behind! Da Qiao may have been given the honour of landing first, but it is _we_ who shall gain glory for dealing the enemy a fatal blow!"

"Commander, to the east!" someone shouted. Shang Xiang looked and immediately whirled her bow in the air, calling for the battalion to wheel about and face a new foe. Not far off, a regiment of archers had appeared and was trying to get behind them. If they got trapped between the spearmen and these new foes, they would be cut to pieces.

"Take down the archers, they are the greater threat!" she yelled, spurring her mount into a gallop. With almost mathematic efficiency, her warriors wheeled about and charged headlong at the new target. The amazons fanned out in a wide front, minimizing their chances of being struck in the inevitable barrage they would endure before making contact.

Shang Xiang rode hard, her chakrams now gleaming in her hands. All she could hear was the thunder of her warrior's hooves. Her green eyes blazed as she closed the distance with her foe. She could see them readying their weapons, hundreds of bows pointed into the air, waiting for the amazons to come within range.

Everything about her seemed to slow, as if she had freed herself from the fetters of the present. She could clearly see the face of her enemies, and she could discern their fear. These men held their bows tight, arms quivering nervously as the amazons approached.

All it would take was one error on the enemy's part and she would have the mastery. She would use their fear as a weapon.

She let out a great, piercing war cry and her warriors took it up immediately. The terrible call reached the enemy and one man shuddered in fright and released his arrow prematurely. This had an immediate ripple effect across the regiment and a deadly cloud of arrows was released into the sky, even as the regimental commander called furiously for his troops to cease firing.

The amazons were at the farthest edge of the archers' effective range when the missiles began to land among them. Some women cried out as they or their mounts were struck, but the casualties were few. Shang Xiang now called for her cavalry to break into a full charge. The effect was telling. Even as the enemy commander called desperately for his men to reload, several broke ranks and began to flee, determined to not be around when the amazons reached them. Sun Shang Xiang's reputation preceded her and no one wished to face the Bow-hipped Princess.

Nearly half of the archers had turned to flight when the amazons collided with the regiment. What followed was a brutal slaughter, rarely to be rivaled during the rest of the campaign. Of the three thousand archers that had opposed them, less than four hundred would escape alive.

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Xiao Qiao rode amongst the fleeing enemy, striking from horseback with her fans and felling dozens. She was determined to make Shang Xiang proud of her, possibly warranting a promotion some time in the future. Even amongst these warrior-women, she wished to stand out.

She hoped Zhou Yu was faring alright without her.

One man who was fleeing looked behind himself and spied her. He then stopped, turned around and drew his sword, scowling at her. In spite of the fact that she welcomed the challenge, she couldn't help but feel slighted. Why had he stopped running the minute he noticed it was _her_ chasing him?

He would regret the mistake.

She brought her horse to a stop and hopped down out of the saddle, drawing her fans. She pirouetted prettily, flourishing her weapons.

"Stopping to challenge me was the stupidest thing you've done in your whole life!"

The man stood still, his weapon still in front of himself, not quite ready to advance.

"What's the matter, scaredy cat?" she taunted. "Can't fight a little girl?"

This proved to be too much and the man howled in anger and raised his sword over his head. As he broke into a charge, a horse galloped by and Fu Chin Ran struck at the man, her blade flashing in a lethal arc. The man staggered to a stop and then stood still while his head toppled off his neck. Fu Chin Ran didn't slow down but merely rode off after another victim.

"Hey!" Xiao shouted indignantly, stomping her foot. "That one still counts as mine, you know!"

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Sun Ce stood tall on a large rock, waving the troops forward. They had found an enemy fortress nearby and were surrounding it as quickly as possible, before it could be reinforced. This stronghold seemed to be a major staging area for Liu Yao's operations along the coast, so capturing it would secure his own lines and give him a base of operations.

He had received word that to the south, Da Qiao's Valiant Cavaliers had done an excellent job of securing a beach head for Huang Gai's corps. His dainty wife had apparently slain more than fifty foes by herself, something she was not cognizant of in the heat of battle. He smiled and shook her head, wondering if she would ever notice how far she had progressed.

"_She doesn't believe anyone's faith in her is justified. She's gonna be the last person to recognize what she's becomin'."_

His troops cheered loudly as they marched by, saluting their lord and commander. Scarlet pennants fluttered in the breeze as they moved to surround Liu Yao's fortress.

It was an imposing structure, made mostly of sturdy logs, rendered mostly fireproof by years of weathering and treatments. Stone that could be used to build large structures was relatively rare here in the south, so wooden edifices were far more common.

But even if this fortress was made of wood and not stone, Sun Ce had few or no siege engines available to bring them down with. Transporting the necessary troops, horses and supplies across the Great River had required most of Jiang Dong's ships, leaving little or no room for such luxuries as catapults, ballistae and their ammunition. Additionally, Zhou Yu had advised leaving these weapons back at Wuchang to defend the city, in case of attack.

No matter. They would not keep him out of anywhere he wished to go. This fortress would be his before the morning had come.

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Fires roared around Liu Yao's fortress, with Sun Ce's troops raining a withering hail of flaming arrows down on the troops trapped within. Troops with ladders had been sent against the walls but were invariably pushed back. There were still too many defenders along the palisades for such a tactic to work, but Ce was more interested in keeping them busy than actually forcing his way over the walls.

His plan was to get through the fortress' weakest point- the great gate. True, it was heavily defended, but compared with the immense girth of the logs that made up the walls, it would prove flimsy. And wherever he might have managed to get over the walls, it would hardly compare to the stream of troops he could pour through the gate once he forced it.

The night was black but the fires of Ce's troops lit up the area as if it was daylight. Ce watched patiently as his archers rained their deadly missiles down on the enemy. The fact that the besieged soldiers were not firing back was encouraging. Seemingly their forces were unbalanced and the majority of Liu Yao's archers were elsewhere. Word had reached him that Shang Xiang's battalion had decimated an archer regiment many _li_ to the west. This would prove a blessing in the days to come if he did not have to face prepared positions strengthened by archers.

The defenders showed little or no sign of flagging or despairing and at this point there was no particular reason for them to do so- that would change once he launched his assault on the gate, but he wanted the besieged men to be tired and stressed. Sun Ce himself might have loved a good fight against a fresh enemy, but he had his troops to consider. He owed them the easiest victory he could give them, so he would wear his foes down first before calling for the attack.

Distantly he heard horns blaring and the sounds of a confused melee. It seemed to be coming from the far side of Liu Yao's fort. Suspicious that it might be a ruse or a feint, he did not move but directed his men to continue with their arrow barrage.

Minutes later, a badly wounded messenger staggered up to him and collapsed to his knees. His wounds were fearsome, as if caused by some terrible bludgeon.

"My lord…" he gasped, panting and coughing blood. "The other side… a postern gate… they… a sortie… a huge warrior… we… couldn't…"

The man collapsed, dead before his face hit the soft earth.

Ce looked at the man for a moment and then ordered the body removed. He called for his horse and mounted up, his tonfa in hand.

"Mo Jing, let's take a ride," he said grimly. "I'm gonna go and have a talk with this warrior we just heard about…"

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Taishi Ci gave a loud shout and slammed his massive twin rods against the ground. His foes howled in fear and broke before him, leaving those who had already fallen behind. At least thirty men lay dead or dying around the massive warrior.

"Ha!" he laughed loudly, encouraged by cheers from those on the wall above. "Is this the best that the lord of Jiang Dong can offer me?"

Fresh troops rushed in, spears and shields gleaming in the light of the myriad fires, but Taishi Ci was unperturbed. He was the resolute defender of this land no one could put him to flight. He twirled the massive stone clubs in his hands and brandished them at his foes.

"Know me as Taishi Ci of Huangxian in Donglai!" he roared at them. "Face me and you will find only death!"

But these warriors were not to be scared away by words, nor by the brandishing of weapons, no matter how big the warrior wielding them. They attacked him bodily, determined to bring him down.

Taishi Ci, in spite of his imposing size, was very fast. His mighty clubs found their targets unerringly. In less than thirty seconds, another twenty soldiers of Jiang Dong lay dead at his feet. The defenders on the ramparts cheered.

"That is fifty men and our champion has yet to break a sweat!" one man called. "Surely there is none who can match Taishi Ci!"

In response, Taishi Ci thrust one of his weapons in the air triumphantly and the men responded with more cheers. He was enjoying his moment of victory when the voices of those on the wall died down. He turned around to see what had cowed them so quickly and scowled.

A large cavalry contingent was approaching slowly. They were well-armoured and their black and silver banners spoke of a royal unit, proudly proclaiming them to be the 'Night Tigers'. They were silent as they rode up to within fifty paces of the wall. At their head rode a dignified and dangerous-looking young warrior, his eyes shining with a hidden power.

"It will take more than a poetic name to intimidate me!" Taishi Ci shouted. "Come, Night Tigers! Come singly or all at once, it makes no difference to me! I shall slay you all and send you back to your lord in boxes!"

Mo Jing bristled and began to spur his mount forward but Sun Ce held up a staying hand. He rode out just ahead of his guards and stared at Taishi Ci.

"So you're the one causin' all the fuss, huh?" he said levelly. He looked at the bodies strewn around Taishi Ci. "Those men don't come cheap, you know. Forget a fair working wage, I also have to compensate their families."

"You dare mock me?!" Taishi Ci shouted, reddening. "Your fool mouth shall be the death of you! Come forward and I shall teach you the meaning of fear before I kill you!"

Sun Ce brandished his tonfa and glared at his foe. "Is that so? Then bring it on, big guy! If I were afraid of you, I wouldn't be Sun Ce now, would I?"

Taishi Ci could hear the gasps and whispers of astonishment form the wall. The lord of Jiang Dong himself was come to fight their champion. He pointed one of his rods at Sun Ce as he beckoned for his horse to be brought forth.

"I care not who you are, invader! On my mother's life, I shall defeat you and drive you back. You shall regret ever having crossed the river!"

Sun Ce was already measuring his foe, watching the way he moved and assessing his reflexes and power. This was going to be a tough fight.

"I fought Lu Bu to a draw, pal," Ce replied, his eyes flashing. "I ain't about to go down to the likes of you, believe me."

No sooner had Taishi Ci mounted than he spurred his horse into a gallop, heading straight for his foe. Ce did likewise and they raced toward one another. The clash was deafening and their horses screeched and reared as they began trading furious blows.

As Ce had already guessed, Taishi was immensely strong, with a power rivalling that of Lu Bu, Guan Yu or Zhang Fei. He was also deceptively fast and his control over his huge, ungainly-looking weapons was nothing short of amazing. Every blow Ce absorbed felt like he was blocking a hammer's strike.

Taishi Ci, in turn was stunned by Sun Ce's brawn, which matched his own. Never had he seen such speed and his finesse was beyond description. Blows from the wicked tonfas glanced off his armour, ringing through the night and denting it in several places. The stout iron held, but in places he could feel it threatening to give.

The horses circled as the riders duelled, neither willing to give a single inch before the other. The combatants all around the area had ceased to fight, mesmerized by the scene that unfolded before them. The fires seemed to blaze more brightly than ever in response, making sure everyone could clearly see what was happening.

Sun Ce ducked a terrifying blow from one of the mighty clubs and counter-struck, quick as lightning. Taishi Ci, knowing he was not fast enough to dodge this attack, threw aside one club and grabbed Ce's tonfa as it drove in, locking it against his side.

Even as they struggled for control of Ce's weapon, Taishi Ci aimed a mighty strike at Ce's head. Ce countered by dropping his other tonfa and parrying Taishi Ci's attack, locking the club against his flank. They struggled back and forth for advantage, knowing that whoever attained leverage first would gain the upper hand, perhaps irrevocably.

Taishi Ci strained, trying to use his superior strength and height to push Sun Ce backward, bending his spine. But Sun Ce was not about to be out-muscled and gave the larger man no opportunity to do so. He wrestled cunningly, conserving his strength and always making sure Taishi Ci was required to defend any ground he might gain.

Taishi Ci felt Ce give on one side and pressed his advantage, trying to throw Ce from his horse. It had been a ruse, however, and Ce used his foe's own momentum to twist suddenly and violently, throwing Taishi Ci out of his saddle and to the ground.

"Mo Jing, go!" Ce shouted as he dismounted and sprinted toward his fallen foe. Mo Jing snapped out of his reverie and pointed with his _dadao_, ordering the _Huben_ to charge. With a great shout they surged forward and assaulted the postern gate. The defenders also yelled out and worked vigorously to repel them, but without Taishi Ci to lead the defence, it was only a matter of time before Ce's elite troops forced their way in.

Taishi Ci, meanwhile, had scrambled to his feet, recovering quickly from his foes unexpected tactic. He spun about to face Sun Ce, who advanced slowly, rotating his shoulders and cricking his neck as he prepared to engage his foe.

Taishi Ci hunkered down into a low front stance and crossed his fists in front of his chest, awaiting his adversary.

"Your life didn't just get easier, once I was robbed of my weapons," he warned. "The monks of Kuaiji trained me very well when I lived there with my mother."

"Like I care," Ce replied, his hands already tensing as he made several ritual symbols of the tiger form. "If there's anything left of you when I'm done, I'll send it back to your monks for more training."

In spite of his size, every muscle in Taishi Ci's body was like a coiled spring, powerful and conditioned for long, gruelling combat. He lunged forward now, his foot lashing out straight at Ce's head. The lord of Jiang Dong moved deftly to one side, initiating his own counter-attack.

They fought savagely in the light of the fires, oblivious to the goings-on around them. They were completely focused on one thing only, and that was domination of the other.

Slowly, inexorably, Ce forced Taishi Ci away from the fires and away from his fortress. He would see to it that no reinforcements made their way to his foe's rescue. Ce took his duels very personally and this was no exception. Feet, fists, elbows, knees and open palms glanced and rang off armour, as they brawled their way into the dense foliage of the forest.

Taishi Ci dodged a blow by twisting around it and slammed his fist down onto the back of Sun Ce's shoulder. The pain was intense but Ce rolled with it, rather than fighting the force of the blow. He rolled forward, coming up low behind Taishi Ci and slammed his shin into the back of Taishi Ci's knee. The huge warrior grunted and his leg buckled, forcing him down.

Ce lunged in for another assault but was knocked away by a ferocious backhand from Taishi Ci. The blow was across his chest and he exhaled violently as he felt the impact, determined to not be winded by the unexpected strike. He understood how important breathing was to combat- to be robbed of air was to give the foe power over your life.

He skidded to a stop and smiled grimly at his foe, even as splinters of pain blossomed through his torso. If the blow had been any more solid, he might have been killed.

"Not bad…" he breathed, trying not to wince. "But you're gonna have to try a lot harder than that. I've had harder hits from my sister."

"Come closer and let me correct that little mistake." Taishi Ci sneered.

Ce lunged in and the duel was on again. They fought savagely for several minutes, neither one willing to give ground. Ce had finally had enough of Taishi Ci's armour- it was not slowing the warrior down appreciably, but it was certainly protecting him from the full force of Ce's blows. He therefore began systematically stripping the man of his armour plates.

Ce's blows, often open-handed or emulating a fearsome tiger-claw, began targeting the joints in Taishi Ci's armour, knocking it loose or tearing the protective plates and scales off altogether. He struck one shoulder plate so hard that it dented and pressed awkwardly against Taishi Ci's upper arm. The warrior was forced to take it off himself or risk losing mobility in the limb.

Ce did not wait peacefully for Taishi Ci to do this, however… he lunged in again and began hammering away at his foe once more. He was relentless, and no matter how many times Taishi Ci threw him off, Sun Ce was back on him before he could even breathe.

Taishi Ci's strength was not waning but his endurance was. It soon became clear to him that Ce's superior conditioning would become the deciding factor in this fight if it went on much longer. He also noted furiously that he had allowed Sun Ce to drive him away from the fortress and out into the forest where reinforcements were not likely to find him. He had to do something to turn this fight to his advantage, or, barring that, to escape back to the fortress.

He dropped his guard a fraction of an inch and Ce lunged in once again, hoping to strike a final blow. But Taishi Ci was ready and used the feint to throw Ce away a distance before beginning a sprint back towards his base.

"_By the gods!"_ he stormed inwardly. _"How did I let this man chase me so far out into the wild?! Where the hell am I?"_

He ran as hard as he could but Ce was like a tiger on the hunt. The smaller, faster warrior sprinted ahead, just out of reach, until he leapt back into Taishi Ci's path and collided with him, sending them both tumbling.

Ce struck and grappled with his foe, refusing to give Taishi Ci a chance to breathe. His punches to his foe's jaw snapped Taishi Ci's head left and right, wrenching his neck with the brute strength of the assaults. Taishi Ci roared angrily and pummelled him off, sending Ce backward several feet. Taishi Ci sprang up and charged.

"Allow me to finish this fight for you, lord of Jiang Dong!"

"Come and get it!" Ce replied, taking up a fighting stance.

They collided and once again Ce was staggered by Taishi Ci's brute strength. He may not have had Lu Bu's overwhelming _qi_, but he didn't really need it, either. He was incredibly powerful and just the force of the blows he rained down were enough to force Ce backwards.

He fought back, refusing to give ground. Taishi Ci snarled in rage, stunned by Ce's show of strength. He never would have anticipated that a foe nearly a span shorter than himself could match his physical might. And Ce was faster than he was.

One of Ce's fists slammed into the side of his neck and shivers of pain spread though his body. Taishi Ci rammed his elbow into Ce's torso and pushed him away before turning and sprinting, desperate to buy himself some time to regroup.

Ce was relentless in his pursuit, catching Taishi Ci by the legs and sending him toppling. He sprang onto his foe's back and got his hands onto the strap of his foe's helmet. With a demon's strength he began to tighten the strap, trying to choke the life out of his foe.

Taishi Ci fought wildly, raining blows on Ce, but the young lord refused to give.

"Either… I go down… or you do…" he grunted, straining to tighten the strap. "An' my money's… on you…"

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Dawn and the Night Tigers were assessing the remains of Liu Yao's fortress. Under Mo Jing's command, they had finally burst through the postern gate and streamed into the stronghold. The defenders had been taken by surprise, but the fighting was savage, without quarter asked or given by either side.

Mo Jing had found the garrison commander and slew him in single combat. The rest of the defenders were slaughtered to a man, nearly two-thousand soldiers. The fires that the Jiang dong arrows had started during the siege would burn well into the night and a few would still be guttering when the sun rose many hours later.

The problem was that Lord Sun Ce was nowhere to be found.

Mo Jing had sent out search parties, trying to track down their impetuous commander. He had been duelling with Taishi Ci but in the fury of combat, Mo Jing had lost sight of him. It had never occurred to the old veteran that his lord would simply disappear.

The bodies of the slain enemy were being piled up in one corner of the fortress while the warriors of Jiang Dong who had died were being laid out in the turf beyond the fortress. Less than a hundred men had been killed taking the fortress. It was a good fight and an important victory.

Until the scouts came back, he would simply have to trust that the young master was alive and unharmed. He continued directing operations until Lady Shang Xiang arrived on the scene. Once she had assumed command of the area, Mo Jing got onto his horse and selected a squad to help him search for Sun Ce. He had to be found before this operation could continue.

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"But commander, we have no idea whatsoever where he might be…" one soldier said.

"I know that," snapped Mo Jing. "But he must be found, yes? Now let me ponder this little mystery for a moment."

He was standing at the place where Sun Ce had begun his duel with Taishi Ci. The ground, of course, was completely trampled by the boots of hundreds of soldiers, making any attempts to track Sun Ce in the immediate region useless.

"Spread out and begin searching for unusual trails," he ordered. "Two sets of prints, both from armoured feet."

It was not long before a rather confusing tangle of footprints was discovered, leading away to the west. One of the sets of prints was very large and comparatively cumbersome in its movements. The other set seemed fleeter and circling.

"Let us assume this is Lord Sun Ce!" Mo Jing declared. "We will follow this trail until we discover its source. Move out!"

The tiny search party began tracking the path left by the mysterious warriors. Mo Jing was reasonably certain he knew who had made the trail, but why Sun Ce had handled this matter in such an unusual way was beyond him.

The trail became increasingly confusing, compounded by the fact that they kept finding small pieces of armour nearby, apparently ripped from the bearer. Apparently a running brawl had developed, but the trail carried on for several _li_.

"_He_ _fought hand to hand with that lumbering ox until he was hours from the camp?" _

"Someone approaches!" a warrior shouted. The squad halted and everyone drew their weapons, waiting for whoever was approaching to show themselves.

"Hold fast," Mo Jing said tightly. "It might be a simple peasant, do not strike without my orders."

The trees kept the approaching figure in shadows for some time, but it soon became obvious it was a man carrying a large sack or some other burden.

"By the gods!" Mo Jing shouted as he leapt off his horse. "Down on your knees, you fools!"

The warriors hastily dismounted and prostrated themselves as Sun Ce wearily staggered toward them, Taishi Ci's enormous form slung across his shoulders. Sun Ce looked like he had been trampled by a parade of horses. His normally flawless, tanned visage was a mass of cuts, bruises and lumps. One eye was black and swollen so badly he most certainly couldn't have seen out of it.

"My lord…" Mo Jing said, his head still pressed to the ground. "What… why did you…"

"Hey, I won, didn't I?" Sun Ce replied. At least his cheerful demeanour seemed intact. "Quit bowin' and get this guy off my shoulders already, willya? He's kinda heavy…"

Mo Jing directed the men to relieve Ce of his burden before helping the young lord sit down on a rock and began examining him.

"Don't worry, I haven't lost anything I can't grow back…" Ce said dismissively.

Whatever that meant.

"You look terrible, Lord Sun Ce." Mo Jing said finally.

"Yeah, well you oughta see the other guy." Ce said, gesturing to Taishi Ci's prostrate form. "Tie him up good, you don't want him wakin' up suddenly and thinkin' he can move."

The men did as they were told and bound Taishi Ci so securely that he could barely be seen for all the rope they had used.

"He's gonna be hurtin' when he wakes up, let me tell you." Ce commented, taking deep breaths and rotating his shoulders to expand his rib cage.

Mo Jing was still confused. "My lord, why did you chase him, unarmed, into the depths of the forest unescorted? He may have killed you."

Ce sighed. "I've heard of this guy, Mo Jing. He's upright and honourable. We want him, so I couldn't exactly kill him now, could I? I had to wear him down and beat the hell out of him. You know, make him submit."

"And did he submit, my lord?" Mo Jing asked.

"Nope," Ce said, wiping his hand across his sleeve to clear away the blood. "So I hit him even harder until he passed out."

Mo Jing's eyes went wide. "You… you beat Taishi Ci unconscious?"

Ce took a deep breath and shrugged. "Well, one of us had to go down, and I couldn't have Da worrying about me, could I?"

"No, I guess not…" Mo Jing replied, at a loss for what else to say.

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Sun Ce rode back to the site of the battle where the men cheered at his mighty deed. Taishi Ci remained unconscious, slung over a horse and securely bound. Ce, even though he looked like hell, was obviously feeling better, because he immediately took command and sent his sister's amazons out to scour the area for Liu Yao's forces.

Xiao gave him one of her brutal bear-hugs before riding off.

"I'm glad you're okay, my lord! But try not to be so clumsy from now on, okay?"

Ce nodded as he winced in pain. "Thanks, Xiao, I- _grk!_ promise I will try to- _gnnnnnnn! _be more careful… from _nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnowon!"_

"You do that!" she said cheerfully as she rode off after Sun Shang Xiang.

Ce immediately sat down and squeezed his eyes shut, willing the blistering pain in his ribcage to finally go away.

A messenger rode up and bowed. "My lord, we have a found a mystic who claims to be a healer of some repute in the area. Shall we bring him to you?"

Sun Ce opened one eye and looked at the man. "What do you think?"

The messenger bowed hastily and then sped off, returning a few minutes later with an elderly man walking with the support of a cane.

"What can I do for you, elder?" Sun Ce asked, nodding his head. "Please forgive me for not getting up or bowing."

The old man nodded sagely, leaning on his staff. "Sun Ce, Lord of Jiang Dong… your name is known far and wide as a just and able ruler who is kind to the common man. Why then, do you seek to invade our lands and conquer our humble people?"

Ce was silent for several moments as he considered how to answer this simple question.

"I'm gonna unite China," he said finally. "The Han is dead and lots of people are going to be fighting to take over- people like Dong Zhuo or Yuan Shao. If they win, the common people are gonna be miserable. I need a base to start from. These lands once belonged to my family and they are fertile and rich. I will treat the people well, make them strong and protect them from petty lords and corrupt administration. My conquest of the realm to make a better life for everyone begins here in Wu."

The old man got to his knees and bowed. "Welcome back to your homelands, Lord Sun."

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Ox Landing had been secured, along with Liu Yao's fortress. Ce knew that to the east Zhou Yu and Quan were attacking other petty lords while Lu Meng's corps had begun a drive to the west. Here in the center, Liu Yao's army was on the run and Huang Gai and Sun Shang Xiang's army groups were in full pursuit, giving him no chance to regroup.

As for Ce, he was sitting in a large, low makeshift basin that had been cut into the ground and lined with stone. The basin was filled with water and then the elderly healer had dumped several bags of foul-smelling herbs into it. The water began to actually glow green, becoming thick and oily, but his true consternation began when the old man instructed him to climb in it and soak.

"My lord, it will heal your wounds and soothe your many aches," he insisted. "This is a very old and little-known enchantment that has been in my family for generations."

"How can it be little-known when it smells like that?" Ce griped, making a wry face.

He had been steadfastly refusing to get in when the Valiant Cavaliers arrived at the camp, leading a long train of prisoners. Da Qiao had dismounted and walked up to Ce, her eyes hard with disapproval. She had been told that he was refusing treatment from a kindly old healer because it smelled bad.

So there Ce sat, in the basin, up to his neck in the thick, green water. Da Qiao had told him she had no intention of sleeping with anyone who looked _that_ hideous.

He scowled as he examined his hand, which now dripped with the vile green ichor. It didn't actually smell all that bad to him, but then again, Taishi Ci had punched him in the face so hard he couldn't really smell much of anything at the moment.

He also had to admit that the concoction was working. It may have looked and smelled like his sister's cooking, but it had the exact opposite effect- he was beginning to feel better. Already his cuts and lesions were healing and his myriad bruises were fading. The juddering pains and spasms of his mightily abused body were beginning to subside as well. He might actually be able to sleep tonight.

Nearby, the old healer was sitting in front of a smouldering fire, throwing herbs into it and mumbling some chant. Ce wondered if this man's miraculous cure could be used on his wounded soldiers as well. He would have to ask.

Da Qiao now wandered up and knelt next to the basin, smiling at him.

"Heya," Ce said cheerfully, holding out an oozing hand. "Wanna get naked and join me?"

"Ummm, no thank you." Da replied uneasily, leaning back slightly. "Maybe _your_ nose doesn't work yet, but to quote Huang Gai, you smell like a demon's ass."

Ce laughed. "This is the thanks I get for bringin' you on this grand adventure?"

Da smiled serenely. It was good to know that not even a savage and near-fatal beating could dampen Ce's spirits.

"I actually did want to thank you, my lord. I want to do my part in all of this."

"I hear you're doin' great," Ce said, winking. "You won your first engagement handily and really showed 'em how to fight."

Da Qiao blushed. "I fell for a really simple ambush, my lord. Even Xiao could have seen it coming and I still blundered into it."

Ce thought about that for a moment. "Well, looking back on it now, what other tactics were available to you?"

She grimaced. "That's the problem, my lord, I do not know yet. And that is why I am concerned about my fitness to command."

Ce sighed and shook his head. "Da, a couple of your men told me what happened. The fact of the matter is, you did the right thing, even though the conditions weren't ideal. The enemy isn't always gonna let you have your perfect little tactical way, y'know."

Da Qiao grunted petulantly.

"Look, Zhou Yu would agree with me on this one. Of the well-established and basic tactics available, you chose the right one. After you've been at command for a while you'll begin to think outside of the boundaries of tactical manuals and do some unorthodox things… but not without a firm grounding in the basics."

"You people are just _determined_ that I did the right thing, aren't you?" she groused. "And why would I listen to the advice of a man who abandons his army to get into a fistfight?"

Ce shrugged. "We weren't gettin' into that fortress until he was away from it now, were we? Who else was gonna fight him for several hours straight until he was worn out?"

Da's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. "You mean to tell me that your grand strategy was getting the daylights pummelled out of you so that your men could take a fortress?"

Ce nodded. "Liu Yao's fortress is ours, his great champion is my prisoner and I'm soaking in an enchanted healing bath that'll have me whole and happy by tomorrow. I'd say my strategy work out just fine, wouldn't you?"

Da Qiao rose slowly and wandered off, holding her head.

"All of a sudden, I need a drink…"

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Taishi Ci was kneeling before Sun Ce, who sat in a small gilded wooden chair on a low dais. The prisoner's hands were still bound behind his back and his legs were manacled. An entire squad of Night Tigers, commanded by Mo Jing, stood guard around him, their _dadao_ blades already in hand and ready for action if he made the slightest move.

The normally handsome champion of Liu Yao's army had certainly seen better days. As bad as Sun Ce had looked the previous afternoon, Taishi Ci looked a whole lot worse. Virtually his entire body was covered in black, purple and red welts. Both his eyes were swollen almost to the point of being squeezed shut and chances were that not a single bone in his ribcage was intact.

Sun Ce stared down at him, studying him. He remembered their duel vividly; he doubted he would ever forget even the smallest detail of it. He had fought this man for hours, finally gaining hold of the strap of Taishi Ci's helmet and strangling him until he fell unconscious.

"Well, Taishi Ci, thank you for a most interesting evening…" he said with humour.

The prisoner grunted. For all Ce knew, that's all he was capable of. He made a gesture to Mo Jing and the other guards.

"Cut him loose, that can't be comfortable."

Mo Jing looked worried. "Is that wise, my lord? You may have bested him, but he is still a soldier of our enemy."

Ce shrugged. "I'm whole and healthy, he looks even worse than I did. I think I can handle him if he gets outta line. Besides, that's gotta be uncomfortable for him, and he's not gonna be well-disposed to answering me if I keep him in constant pain, right?"

Mo Jing ordered the ropes and manacles removed. As the Night Tigers backed away, Taishi Ci slowly rose to his full height. Even though it obviously caused him a great deal of pain, he was determined to stand tall and proud before his captors. He stared at Sun Ce silently.

"I understand you might have a hard time speaking, so just respond however you can, alright?" Ce suggested, studying his foe. "After you've answered my questions we'll get you fixed up."

Taishi Ci made to speak. His swollen lips and tongue made forming words difficult.

"You… beat me… sen… senseless… now… you will… heal me?"

Ce nodded. "Some old healer livin' in these parts is using an enchanted herb bath to heal my men. It worked wonders on me already."

Even though his face was too swollen and puffy to register his surprise, the tidbit seemed to pique Taishi Ci's curiosity.

"Ren Neng healed you?" the captive asked.

Ce smiled. "Yeah, he found me and pledged his services to me. Nice guy, even if his remedies smell like rotting vegetables."

Taishi Ci's wonder glinted in his eyes. Old Ren Neng had willingly devoted himself to this man? Why would the healer have done so?

Taishi Ci's head craned slightly to the left, where he saw the ancient healer standing nearby. Ren Neng nodded to Taishi Ci, affirming that what Sun Ce had said was true.

"It comes down to this, big guy…" Ce continued. "I don't want you as an enemy, I want you on my side. The Wu territory is going to be mine and I have a lot of assignments to dole out to loyal officers. I need competent and skilled men to help me pacify China, Taishi Ci."

Taishi Ci said nothing.

Ce pressed him a little harder. "I'm not gonna just reward my loyal men by plundering the common people, that isn't my style. I reward loyalty, yes, but I also reward officers who look out for the peasants and make sure the people under their jurisdiction are happy. Once I've gotten rid of these petty lords here in Wu, I'm gonna need District Commanders (_Duwei_) to do things properly."

Taishi Ci's eyes were accusing. "You expect me to believe that when you invaded our lands without provocation?"

Ce nodded. "I have the blessing of Lord Yuan Shu of Huai, which means I have the sanction of the Son of Heaven himself as well. These are the lands of my forefathers, Taishi Ci, and I intend to restore them to greatness within the empire. The Southlands shall be the envy of all of China."

"I am not fit to be a District Commander, Lord of Jiang Dong." Taishi Ci replied.

Ce was silent, pondering his captive's words. "Well… my Night Tigers also need a commander, since old Mo Jing doesn't feel up to it."

Taishi Ci's eyes would have widened in amazement if they weren't squeezed nearly shut; several people nearby also whispered in shock.

"You want me to command your personal guard?" he asked incredulously.

Ce nodded. "I can't think of anyone better for the position. Hell, I know for a fact that you can fight. Even Lu Bu would have a hard time with you."

Taishi Ci was silent for several minutes. Everyone around him waited patiently, knowing what internal struggles he must be facing. Finally he looked up at Sun Ce.

"Lord, give me a healing bath and my freedom," he said slowly. "If I am destined to ride and fight at your side, I shall return within two sunrises."

Ce nodded. "Fair enough. I'll see you in two days. Ren Neng, an enchanted bath, please."

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"I do not believe that move was wise, my lord," Mo Jing said to Sun Ce as they stood on the ramparts of their new fortress, looking south while the sun was setting. "He is an incredibly dangerous man, a most lethal foe. We healed and released him, will he not merely ride back to his master, determined to fight us yet again?"

"I sure hope not," Ce replied, rubbing his jaw as he thought back to Taishi Ci trying to punch it off. "But I don't think he'll betray me. I think he'll be back, like he promised."

"Technically he didn't promise you anything, my lord," Da Qiao said, standing beside him and holding his arm. "He merely said that _if_ he was destined to serve you then he would be back. The decision is his alone to make, for not even the gods can force him to serve you."

Ce smiled. "It's a guy thing, Da, you wouldn't understand."

Mo Jing frowned. "Then why don't I understand either?"

Ce laughed. "Because I didn't say it was an _old_ guy thing, I guess."

Mo Jing scowled and crossed his arms. "And then you go and offer him command of the Night Tigers? After we just finished fighting him?"

Ce nodded. "Can you think of a better choice? Lu Meng and Huang Gai are already corps commanders and you turned the job down. Chen Wu is no longer fit for the post, so I need someone to take charge, right? Don't you agree he's perfect for the job?"

Mo Jing sighed and grumbled. "He's not going to come back, my lord."

Two hours later Taishi Ci arrived back at the fortress, leading fifteen hundred local youths who wished to join Sun Ce's army.

Ce clucked his tongue and turned to stroll down the palisade while Da Qiao and Mo Jing just hung their heads in resignation.

"Can I call 'em or can I call 'em?" the young lord said cheerfully as he walked off to greet his new commander.

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	28. Chapter 28

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 23 – Conquest of the Wu Territory**

"My lord, a message from Wuchang!" the messenger said, kneeling and holding out a small scroll that had arrived by carrier bird. Taishi Ci strode forward and took the message from the man, delivering it to Sun Ce, who waited in his chair on the low dais that had been constructed in the center of the fortress he had wrested from Liu Yao.

At Ce's left hand stood Da Qiao, silently observing. Standing at the steps of the dais on the right-hand side was Ce's corps commanders- Sun Shang Xiang, his formidable sister, followed by the tough veteran Huang Gai, and then Ling Cao and the dour Lu Meng. A company of Ce's fearsome Night Tigers stood guard around the perimeter of the courtyard.

Da Qiao watched Taishi Ci passively. Part of her still could not believe that this man, days ago her husband's most formidable enemy here in the Southlands, was now the commander of his Night Tiger bodyguards. But the past few years had also taught her that Sun Ce was a flawless judge of character and it was always best to give his instincts the benefit of the doubt.

How else could her current command of the Valiant Cavaliers be explained?

She observed Taishi Ci as he moved. He was exceptionally large and powerful, easily the largest man in the entire army of Jiang Dong- taller than Zhou Tai and brawnier than even Huang Gai. The only mortals she had ever seen who were larger were Hua Xiong, Guan Yu and the mighty Lu Bu.

Taishi Ci, healed and whole again after his savage beating at her husband's hands, was actually a rather striking and handsome fellow, with wavy black hair and steely eyes that were incapable of deceit. Here was a man of honesty and integrity, there was not a disingenuous bone in his entire body.

His body was powerfully built, not chiselled muscles like Ce's but sheer strength and mass, like Huang Gai. Interestingly, this incredible mountain of muscle did not slow him down. She had seen him practicing exercises some monks had taught him and his reflexes were deceptively fast. If she were to spar or fight with him, she was not sure what she would be able to do.

Taishi Ci was not wearing his customary armour, since the smiths had yet to finish repairing it after Ce had ripped and beaten it off his body. He wore a simple black robe decorated with stylized tigers made of gleaming silver thread.

He knelt before Sun Ce and presented the tiny scroll. The young lord took it and began reading silently. Moments later he whistled and sat back in his chair.

"Well, how about that…" he remarked to no one in particular. "Dong Zhuo has been murdered."

There were mutters and gasps of surprise around the courtyard.

"By whom, my lord?" Ling Cao asked, bowing.

"You're not gonna believe this… by his adopted son, Lu Bu." Ce replied. "Love the irony."

"And where is Lu Bu now, my lord?" Huang Gai queried.

"The letter's not too clear, but it says he fled from Mei and is now wandering the north, terrorizing everyone in sight." Ce said, musing as he reread the missive.

"The stark and barbaric north for the stark and barbaric Lu Bu," Da Qiao said quietly. "He can sleep in cracks in the Great Wall and make friends with the nomads beyond."

Ce shook his head. "I'd just as soon not think about Lu Bu teaming up with the Xiongnu, thank you very much. But hopefully this puts an end to the crisis Dong Zhuo created. Sounds like Cao Cao is already moving on Mei."

Lu Meng pursed his lips as an unpleasant thought occurred to him. "I am not certain I am pleased with Cao Mengde getting his hands on Dong Zhuo's riches, my lord."

Ce shrugged. "Perhaps, but there's not much we can do about it. Lots of lords who participated in the Coalition will be demanding a cut, but I won't be one of them. That money belongs to the people Dong Zhuo plundered."

Da Qiao put a gentle hand on her husband's shoulder. "That may be, my lord, but they will not see any of it, I think we can be assured."

"Yeah, but I won't be one of the rulers withholding it from them," Ce said firmly. "We will prosper without Dong Zhuo's gold. We came here to conquer the Southlands and secure territory for ourselves that was safe from aggression, right?"

The generals all nodded in confirmation.

"Alright then," Ce said, rolling up the scroll and passing it to a scribe. "On to business; we have Liu Yao on the run. In four days we've seized over half of his territory. What reports do we have from the scouts so far?"

Ling Cao bowed. The scouting units for this campaign had come from his corps. "My lord, they report that Liu Yao seems to have fled, taking shelter with another local ruler named Yan Baihu."

Ce nodded. "According to our spies who came south before we invaded, Yan Baihu is the strongest ruler among the warlords," he said, his chin on his hand as he pondered. "He's got a large army, although it's not well-trained, apparently. He also has Viet and Nanman mercenaries in his employ."

Da and Xiao Qiao both grimaced, along with Shang Xiang. They had fought Nanman troops during the campaign against Dong Zhuo and it had nearly destroyed their unit. Only the amazons' sheer ferocity and indomitable will had allowed them to prevail of the Southern barbarians and their exotic monsters.

Lu Meng now bowed. "Even if his troops outnumber ours, my lord, if we attack from several directions we will have the advantage, I deem. His so-called kingdom is central and he cannot defend everywhere at once, at least not equally."

Ce looked at Ling Cao. "What do we know about his troops?"

Ling Cao opened a scroll, handed to him by a nearby scribe. "A recent census estimates maybe a total of a hundred and twenty thousand soldiers, my lord, only ten thousand of which are cavalry. Horses are a rare and valuable commodity south of the Great River, seemingly."

Ce reflected on what Ling Cao said. "Well, then the cavalry will be well-trained at the expense of the masses of foot-soldiers. The tough troops will be the horsemen and the mercenaries, I guess."

He stood up and nodded, his hands on his hips. "We hit them hard and fast from several directions. We'll demoralize them so badly that his infantry will just not show up for battles. We sweep through a region and give the peasants gold to pacify them."

"What of Zhou Yu and your brother Quan, my lord?" Huang Gai asked.

Ce waved dismissively. "Zhou Yu'll know what to do and Quan will figure it out too, once he sees what we're doing. I'll make sure they get our intelligence reports."

The generals all bowed. Ce smiled and folded his arms over his chest.

"Now… I need a volunteer to destroy those mercenaries…"

Da Qiao closed her eyes and prayed that Huang Gai would not volunteer.

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"Y'know, Huang Gai was all set to volunteer, you didn't have to beat him to the punch." Xiao Qiao groused as she rode alongside her commander. True, the battle against the Nanman mercenaries had been over two years ago, but Xiao had an acute memory for unpleasant experiences. If she never saw another tiger or elephant in this lifetime, if would be too soon.

"Stop whining, Xiao," Sun Shang Xiang said plainly, looking straight ahead as she led the column of amazons south. "You are always complaining about wanting to distinguish yourself, so here's your opportunity. We've defeated the southerners before, why will this be any different?"

"We don't have my fireball-throwing sister, for one thing." Xiao grumbled under her breath. She reached up and grasped at the tiger tooth that hung around her neck. Normally she would never dream of hurting an animal, let alone a fuzzy cat, but there were exceptions to every rule and Nanman tigers happened to be one of them.

She didn't really share Shang Xiang's confidence; after all, Shang Xiang hadn't been the one swatting a six-hundred pound tiger with a fan. She had been trying all manner of dumb exercises, to try and figure out how to throw fire like her sister, but all she ever did was wind herself or fall on her butt. Xiao firmly believed that everyone had a special gift, even on the battlefield. Just what the heck was hers, already? She had to find out before she got killed.

"The last known location of the mercenaries is about ten _li_ to the south, commander." Fu Chin Ran said, pointing with her sword. It always amused Xiao had Fu Chin Ran addressed Shang Xiang formally in front of the troops, in spite of the fact that everyone knew they were lovers and both of them had spent time with most of these women. It no doubt had something to do with maintaining discipline or some such thing, but Xiao's eyes glazed over just thinking about it.

Shang Xiang nodded, her eyes still focused ahead. She had formed her regiment into a column, riding three horses wide, to help conceal their numbers. Speed and surprise were to be their principal weapons here, and she would use every advantage she could. They would doubtless be outnumbered, so a fair fight wasn't really at issue.

"We know of the Nanman beast masters, but what of these Viet troops?" she asked. "Did Lord Zhou Yu provide us with any intelligence on them?"

Fu Chin Ran unrolled a vellum scroll she had been keeping in her pouch and scryed it briefly. "Little of a valuable tactical nature, I think; mostly they seem to wear light armour, since the heat of their jungles would prohibit metal. Wicker and bamboo armour predominates and… oh, now this is rather interesting…"

"Are you going to keep it to yourself?" Shang Xiang asked.

"They are a very mystical people, seemingly, and they tattoo their bodies heavily, believing that it imparts divine protection." Fu Chin Ran said, still reading.

Sun Shang Xiang pondered that statement for a moment. "Normally I would be rather sceptical of such a thing, but given what I have seen in the campaigns of late, perhaps I should keep an open mind, yes?"

"Open-mindedness is good." Fu Chin Ran said, smirking. "After all, who had ever heard of a battalion of women-warriors before?"

Xiao pursed her lips as she pondered that point. "But… isn't it to our advantage for men on the battlefield to underestimate us? If they don't think we're a threat, doesn't it become that much easier to give them a good thrashing?"

Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran but went silent and stared at her. Xiao began to blush.

"Sorry, that probably was pretty stupid, huh?" she mumbled.

Shang Xiang laughed and Fu Chin Ran tittered behind her hand. "Actually, Xiao, I think that's quite possibly the smartest thing I've ever heard you say… it shows a grasp of tactical advantage."

Xiao brightened up almost instantly. "So I was right?"

"In a manner of speaking," Fu Chin Ran said, smiling gently. She really liked Xiao, even if she wasn't the sharpest sword in the armoury. "For now that is possibly true. But if we keep triumphing, it will not always be so, will it?"

"Hmmm, I guess not." Xiao admitted.

"Besides, I would rather be feared for our martial prowess than be underestimated." Shang Xiang added, nodding, a glint in her bright green eyes. Xiao had always thought the Sun daughter was beautiful, even if she had many qualities that most would consider 'mannish'. She was certainly afraid of no challenge, she kept herself physically strong and she could speak, ride and drink like a man.

But for all this, she was still a woman and these traits always shone through to Xiao. She revered Shang Xiang as a leader and a noble, but she held no mysteries for Xiao the way that Ce or Quan did. Quan seemed so distant and unfathomable while Ce was larger than life, like a legendary hero who insisted on being your best friend. Having Sun Ce as your good friend probably meant a lot more to you than it did for you to be a good friend to Ce.

At least, that's what Xiao thought.

"There they are." Fu Chin Ran said tightly, keeping her voice low and pointing. "An encampment, flying the Nanman symbols."

Sun Shang Xiang nodded, making gestures with one hand that her amazons understood and instantly obeyed. The women organized themselves into squads and began a slow walk forward, their hands on their weapon hilts, waiting to draw.

"Xiao, if I gave you command of a squad, would you be able to lead a diversion?" Shang Xiang asked quietly, not looking at the younger girl.

Xiao went wide-eyed at the question. "Me?" she squeaked.

"Yes you. You always said you wanted to try command, here is your chance. If you feel you're not up to it, I'll simply assign-"

"No, I'll do it." Xiao said hastily, cutting her commander off. "You just explain what a diversion is to me and I'll do it."

Fu Chin Ran pinched her eyes wearily.

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"Lord Sun Ce, I am Yan Yu, the brother of Lord Yan Baihu of Donghai." The man said as he knelt before the dais. "I come to you as an envoy of peace."

"Welcome, then, Yan Yu." Sun Ce said casually, resting his chin on his fist as he observed the man. His body language was unmistakeable- he was nervous and trying to steel himself, either because he expected to be seized and executed or because he was about to take some action that he was unsure of.

"Please, be at ease and make yourself at home in my camp. Envoys are always safe in my care, if they act appropriately."

The man seemed to relax, at least part of his fears allayed. "Thank you, Lord of Jiang Dong. Your reputation for magnanimity has preceded you, as has your martial prowess. I have come from my brother, the lord of Donghai, to speak with you about issues that concern you both."

Da Qiao, standing beside her husband's chair, watched the man intently. He was obviously referring to his brother as the ruler of the large and nebulous region he claimed as his rightful territory, to try and establish Yan Baihu as a peer of Lord Sun Ce.

It was ludicrous, of course. Yan Baihu was little more than a bandit-warlord, whereas Sun Ce was from a family of ancient lineage that came to conquer the south with the blessing of the Son of Heaven. The very notion that peerage was even considered sang loudly of Yan Baihu's pretence and desperation.

It also caused her to wonder, however; obviously if men such as Yan Baihu controlled large swathes of territory here in the south, the Imperial Family's power and influence had indeed waned. It was time to take these wild lands in hand- and who better than the renowned Sun Ce?

"I would be happy to discuss such matters, Master Yan," Ce said easily. His referral to Yan Yu as 'master' was courteous enough, but did not necessarily imply any sort of noble title, a veiled slight that was not lost on the messenger. "Perhaps we could discuss your brother's concerns in private over dinner in my tent?" he suggested, smiling amicably.

"Nothing would please me more, my lord." Yan Yu replied, still bowed. His body language once again changed, losing still more of its nervousness. Whatever he anticipated having to do, the security of a private audience seemed to embolden him slightly.

"Excellent," Ce said, rising and bowing. "Please refresh yourself and meet me in two hours in my tent. My personal guard, Taishi Ci, shall make himself available to you."

Taishi towered over Yan Yu, silently looking down at him. Whatever mischief Yan Yu had planned, it would most certainly have to wait.

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"This?! This is a diversion?!" Xiao Qiao squealed as she sped through the woods, dodging tree branches that threatened to knock her from her mount.

"Yes, Xiao, this is a diversion!" shouted back another girl who galloped alongside her, keeping her head low. "What exactly were you expecting?"

"I don't know!" Xiao complained, swatting her horse's flank in an attempt to get it to move faster. "I hate being chased by tigers!"

"You've never been chased by tigers before!" the other girl shot back.

"Yeah, well, I am pretty sure I'm hating it right now!" the diminutive squad leader retorted.

The diversion seemed to have worked. Xiao had been assigned ten women, all of whom were riding light steeds, ideal for scouting. The idea had been for Xiao to expose her little group to the enemy and then flee, as if they had been a scouting party. The Nanman and Viet mercenaries immediately sent swift units after the intruders. While their attention was diverted, Shang Xiang led the rest of the battalion in a sudden and savage attack on the camp, weapons ready and torches blazing.

Xiao hoped the attack was going well. She was certain that Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran would insist that _she_ had been given the easy assignment, but here, fleeing headlong before dozens of enemy horsemen and ferocious tigers, she wasn't really in the right frame of mind to agree.

She spared a glance behind herself, making sure all of her women were still present. So far so good, although a few seemed to be slowing down, wary of headlong flight through the trees. The tigers, keen on the scent of flesh, seemed to be gaining. Xiao's heart pounded in anxiety as she debated what to do. Her mission, as described to her, must have been fulfilled by now.

"_Well, I guess that means my next mission is to survive my mission. What would Zhou Yu or Sun Ce do if they were in this position?"_

What would her sister do?

She immediately slackened her speed and allowed her warriors to speed by. Several looked at her in confusion but she waved them on, insisting that they not slow down. She swept her bow off her back and knocked an arrow. She took a final look forward, making sure no low branches were destined to collide with her and then drew the string, taking careful aim at a pursuing rider…

The bow sang, the deadly dart hummed and then buried itself in the man's neck. He pitched from the top of his mount and became tangled on the horse's side. The animal screamed as it became suddenly unbalanced and crashed to the ground, head over heels. One of the tigers broke off the chase and pounced on the fallen animal and rider, savaging them. Several riders shouted and swerved to avoid the carnage, but many could not slow down quickly enough. Horse and cavalrymen piled and smashed into one another. Xiao swept out her fans and gave a loud shout, wheeling her horse about and charging back toward the confused foe. Her women hastily turned around and sped after the little lunatic, their blades now gleaming in their hands.

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Shang Xiang had dismounted and continued to fight on foot, once the press of bodies had slowed her horse's momentum. She didn't actually mind fighting on foot- in fact, she preferred it. She had so much more freedom of movement this way and her style of fighting was at its most lethal when she was slashing in great, graceful arcs with her chakrams.

She side-stepped a fearsome thrust from a spear, allowing the deadly point and the sturdy shaft to pass through the wide-open middle of her circular blade. She yanked down hard, pulling her foes weapon from his grip and slashed him across the neck with her other weapon. His body fell backwards while his head tumbled through the air, still registering the shock of his final moment.

She vaulted gracefully over the head of a man wielding two swords and landed behind him, slamming her foot into the small of his back. The man staggered and slumped to the ground, his spine crushed. Without wasting any momentum Shang Xiang spun around in a low arc, severing the legs from under another two foes, both of whom cried in anguish and fell.

"You're such a show-off!" Fu Chin Ran called out from nearby, squaring off against three opponents. She was effectively keeping them from surrounding her, feinting and thrusting, keeping them guessing as to where she was headed. The secret to fighting more than one foe was to always keep moving. The minute you were hemmed in or surrounded, you were dead.

Fu Chin Ran lunged in rolled, a risky manoeuvre, but she had determined that her foes could be kept off-balance in this manner. As she rolled up into a low crouch she stabbed, sending her blade deep into the vitals of one man. He wailed in agony and collapsed. Undeterred, the remaining two men rushed in and slashed at her savagely, but she was ready. She sprang forward, away from them and somersaulted. She spun about and faced them, her sword in one hand, a shield now in the other.

The men were on her almost instantly. She lunged forward, smashing the shield into the face of one foe, sending him tumbling backward, his skull broken. She spun behind the last man and drove her blade between his ribs. He crumpled to the earth silently.

Shang Xiang watched her lieutenant with admiration. Fu Chin Ran, with her no-nonsense style of combat, was the perfect foil for the princess, the dramatic warrior whose flair in battle distinguished her above all others, except, perhaps, her brother Ce.

There was a thunderous trampling sound and a shrill bellowing behind Fu Chin Ran while a harsh shout emanated behind Shang Xiang. With barely a nod, they raced by one another to engage their chosen foe. Shang Xiang would take on the war-elephant while Fu Chin Ran would attack the massive warrior who had emerged from somewhere in the camp.

Shang Xiang was reasonably certain that Fu Chin Ran might be able to handle the great beast, but she was not as agile as her commander, and avoiding getting squashed was obviously the priority when dealing with these monsters. Fu Chin Ran was, on the other hand, more than capable of taking down a large warrior wielding twin axes.

The elephant charged forward, its head swinging wildly. Its tusks were covered in fearsome spikes, as were its knees. The beast's forehead was protected by a gruesome bronze mask. The man riding atop the beast was guiding it by pulling on reins that were fastened to its ears.

Despite the fact that he was sitting nearly fifteen feet off the ground, he was still the most vulnerable part of this war-machine. She would defeat this foe and her exploits would be sung of for generations.

Do the unexpected.

She launched herself directly at the beast's head and as it swiped at her, she grappled on to its mask. Many people would have taken a moment to steady themselves, but she knew better. The elephant had but to shake its head and she would be impaled on the wicked spikes that adorned it tusks. She used her arms to push herself upwards, grappling onto the straps that held the bronze mask in place. The rider shouted in shock and attempted to draw his short sword.

Shang Xiang was too quick, however, and had already swung herself around and slammed her feet into the side of his head. With a cry, the man toppled from the back of the elephant and fell to his death. Wasting no time, Shang Xiang grappled onto the reins and attempted to turn the beast around. The elephant trumpeted in protest but began to wheel about.

The Bow-Hipped Princess let out a whoop of triumph, echoed by her warriors. She steered the animal back and forth, chasing down her foes, trampling them where possible and scattering them.

She had done it. She would bring this monster back as a prize and her renown would grow throughout the land.

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Fu Chin Ran eyed her foe warily. He was a huge man, a head and shoulders taller than herself, and she was not exactly short. He was easily the height of Huang Gai or Zhou Tai, perhaps even Taishi Ci. His build was massive and coarse, his features ugly and brutish. The tattoos that adorned his body seemed to writhe and move, as if possessed of a will of their own.

"_Well, now we'll find out of these mystic tattoos of theirs work…"_

The massive axes he carried were crudely constructed and the blades were ragged and uneven. She had no doubt that the wounds they inflicted were terrible and nigh-impossible to recover from. The heads glinted dully in the light of the camp's fires.

The warrior bellowed and stomped forward, swinging the axes about himself. Fu Chin Ran backed up slowly, gauging his speed and skill, relative to her own. He was quicker than he looked, and his strikes were fierce but controlled.

What about his defence?

She timed her attack and thrust with a spear she had picked up. She had discarded the shield, figuring that it would be little or no use against his power. The warrior seemed to ignore the strike, continuing to swing his axes about. The spear point struck his forearm and glanced aside.

Fu Chin Ran dodged hastily, avoiding one of the whirling blades. She spun behind him and drove the blade of her sword home. She stumbled as the weapon was turned. Cursing, she rolled away and spun about. She still had her sword but had lost the spear. The hulking brute grinned at her savagely and lumbered forward again, into on bifurcating her.

"_And to think I gave up fighting an elephant for this…"_ she thought darkly to herself. _"I guess there is some truth to the rumour about their mystical protection after all."_

He had to have a weak point- if these tattoos made them invulnerable, why would they need to fight at all?

If she was to find his weakness, she would have to convince him to commit to an attack that he would not readily recover from. Perhaps a precision strike was the answer.

She backed up and feigned a stumble over a body. Her foe shouted and slammed his axes down toward her in a great arc. Deftly she slipped between his strikes and, standing beneath him, she drew two thin daggers from her hips and rammed them into his flanks. She gritted her teeth as she fought against the enchantment that protected him but after what seemed like an eternity, she felt them slide into his body. The behemoth stiffened and let out a grunt but did not fall.

Fu Chin Ran tumbled aside, avoiding his savage counter-strike. He glared at her, flecks of drool flying from his craggy mouth. His brown skin seemed to writhe as the tattoos reacted to her violation of his body.

"So… not invulnerable after all…" she commented, a defiant smile crossing her face. She did not know if the savage could understand her words, but she was certain he would understand her expression. With a howl of rage, he charged after her, his axes whirling about in a frenzy of deadly motion. Temporarily devoid of weapons, she moved backwards, avoiding his window of death. The moment he was open, she would find a way to exploit his growing ferocity.

She stooped as she retreated and picked up a shield, flinging it at his eyes. He many not have feared direct injury, but being deprived of sight, even for a moment, could be deadly. As he swatted the projectile aside, Fu Chin Ran had made her move- she leapt in on the outside of his parry and rolled over his shoulder. She wrapped the crook of her arm around his neck and threw him backward, over his own body.

Anyone else would have been killed instantly, their neck snapped. But whatever enchantment protected this brute kept him alive, despite the horrendous damage her attack must have done. As he slammed to the ground he roared in rage and drove his fist into her midsection, knocking her away. She collapsed backward into the remains of a tent. Fu Chin Ran tried to rise but found she was stunned and winded, deprived of the ability to coherently defend herself.

Seconds after his fall to the ground, the man was back on his feet and stomping toward her, bellowing hatefully. She tried to back up but the loose folds of the tent and a grinding pain in her ribs prevented her from moving. She goggled up at him as he lifted a massive stone block over his head and glared down at her balefully. Her eyes never left his- she refused to die with her eyes squeezed shut in fear…

The man disappeared beneath a massive grey tree trunk of a leg, instantly crushed. Fu Chin Ran goggled up in disbelief. Far overhead, Sun Shang Xiang grinned down at her from atop the elephant.

"Ce's not the only one who can make a dramatic entrance or rescue…" she said, evidently quite pleased with herself.

"Don't make me come up there." Fu Chin Ran said testily, grasping onto one of the elephant's tusks as she wearily hauled herself to her feet.

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"So, Master Yu…" Sun C began as he sat across the low table from Yan Yu inside his elegant but not opulent tent. Scarlet and vermillion were the décor and racks of weapons and skins of animal provided the embellishment. This was meant to be the field residence of a warlord, there was no mistake. Da Qiao sat dutifully off to one side, kneeling patiently and staring at nothing in particular.

Ce let his first words hang for a few moments and then looked down at his food. The fare was simple but also exotic, composed mostly of local vegetables and roots, garnished some fish and a spicy sauce. He used his lacquered chopsticks to eat slowly and thoughtfully.

"What is it you wished to discuss with me?" he asked finally.

Yan Yu cleared his throat and composed his thoughts. He had contingencies planned, but he had to see if Sun Ce would accept compromise first. He seemed a reasonable man, in spite of his reputation for loving a good fight.

"Lord of Jiang Dong," he said, looking at his plate of food. "You and Lord Yan Baihu are two of a kind here in the southlands. Strong and able, no other rulers compare to the two of you. The southlands, so long neglected by the Han, have become wild and lawless, held together only by the will of men such as my brother."

Ce nodded. "Yeah, time the matter was seen to, I think."

He could see Yan Yu bristle at the statement but the man kept his head and continued with his train of thought. "Indeed, my lord. These lands are vast, rich and fertile- there is plenty of room for those who can effectively rule."

"So what's your brother's concern, then?" Ce asked.

Yan Yu frowned, obviously confused by Ce's question. Was it not obvious what Yan Baihu's concern was?

"My… my lord, there is no need for this impending bloodshed. My brother, lord of Donghai harbours no quarrel with you. If you were to agree to not invade his lands, Lord Yan Baihu would in return acknowledge your Imperial sanction to pacify such regions as you have already taken."

"So we would split the Southlands." Ce said simply.

Yan Yu nodded. "Yes, my lord, even so. There is more than enough room for two such munificent lords as yourself and my brother."

"I see…" the young warlord said, his voice betraying no inclination to agree or disagree with his guest. Yan Yu actually began to harbour some hope that his mission might be accomplished diplomatically. His brother had made it _very_ clear to him what the price would be for returning in failure.

"I have a few concerns, mind you…" Ce said as he took a sip of heated wine from the shallow cup that sat at his right hand. Da Qiao refilled it as he lowered the elegant vessel. "Y'see, your brother Baihu is currently harbouring a fugitive I am determined to capture and bring to justice. You might have heard of him, a little thug named Liu Yao."

Yan Baihu was silent for a moment. "He is known to me, Lord of Jiang Dong. And yes, you are correct, Liu Yao currently resides with my brother."

"Well, that's kind of a problem." Ce said, fixing his gaze squarely on Yan Yu. "As I've liberated the people in his lands, they've been tellin' me that he's a real bastard, who bled them dry for years with taxes, took the majority of the crops for himself and even took the attractive daughters and wives from their families. If people protested they'd be beaten or even killed."

Yan Yu bit his lip before answering carefully. "My lord, one must not put too much stock in the word of malcontent peasants- they no doubt told you what they thought you would want to hear, since you have entered their lands in force."

Ce eyes became hard now. They were discussing the suffering of the common people and he was not about to bandy words with this man. "I saw these people with my own eyes. They are malnourished and often starving. They bore scars the of savage beatings. Was Liu Yao looking thin and hungry when he fled to your brother?"

Yan Yu said nothing, temporarily at a loss for words.

"Let me make this very clear, Yan…" Ce said levelly. "As far as I'm concerned, all you so-called lords here in the South are the same- petty thugs who rule with fear and the threat of deadly force. Liu Yao is already convicted. If your brother expects me to think any different of him, he'd better not keep that little rat away from the justice I'm bringin' with me."

Yan Yu flushed. "Lord Sun Ce, I remind you that the rulers here in the South have held these lands together while the Han overlooked them, neglecting those who languished here. You say the Han turns its eyes here now and dislikes what it sees? I say to you that the Han need only look into a calm pond to see the cause of these people's suffering."

"I ain't the Han, pal." Ce replied. "The Han may be dying, that's no secret; but these lands belonged to my family once and I'm here to set things right. The people are gonna know peace and prosperity again. Your brother and the other punks like him are out."

Yan Yu was silent but growing paler by the moment as rage filled him. Who did this arrogant whelp think he was?

"Tell your brother this for me- if he hands over Liu Yao and submits to my authority, I might allow him to stay on as a local administrator, provided he can be trusted to treat the people well. Those are my terms and they are not negotiable."

Yan Yu's knuckles whitened as he fought to master himself. He seemed to have been making such good headway- had he lost Sun Ce or was the brat merely stringing him along?

Ce watched his guest casually, awaiting his next move. "Unless you've got another bargaining point I need to know about, I'd say we're done here."

"I do indeed have one last negotiating point, Lord of Jiang Dong…" Yan Yu said quietly, opening his eyes slowly and staring back at his foe. With the speed of a serpent he pulled a long knife from his sleeve and thrust the deadly blade at Da Qiao…

He keened in pain as Sun Ce's powerful hand clamped down on his wrist, crushing the bones within. As his eyes welled with tears, Ce twisted Yan Yu's hand around and slammed the knife back into the messenger's throat, still tight in his grip. Yan Yu's eyes widened in shock and dark blood began to pulse and flood from his mouth.

Within two seconds, Taishi Ci and Lu Meng had barged into the tent, ready to defend their liege. They watched as Yan Yu tottered and fell backwards, staring sightlessly at the ceiling. Ce's eyes were blazing and Da Qiao knelt quietly, her eyes still closed.

"You might say the negotiations are over…" Ce said, letting out a sigh. "Get this guy outta here before he bleeds on my stuff."

Lu Meng and Taishi Ci quickly and quietly removed Yan Yu's corpse. Ce now knelt next to Da Qiao, who knelt, unmoving. As he looked at her intently, he could see the beginnings of a tear glistening in the corner of her eye.

"Is that all I am to you? A diversion?" she asked in a tiny but poignant voice.

More than anything he wanted to reach out and hug her, to hold her tight. But he owed her an explanation first.

"Da, I told you that you didn't need to attend to us during this meeting. I wasn't certain that he'd try something, but I had to accept the possibility."

Her pretty eyes fluttered open and they stared at him, full of hurt. "Why did you not tell me?"

Ce drew a deep breath. It was always so hard to explain how he thought or acted the way he did. "Da, if I'd told you, you might have reacted differently than you did."

She nodded somewhat indignantly. "Yes, I might have decided to not serve you."

"Bullshit," he said firmly. He never used such vulgarity around her unless he meant business. "If I'd told you, you have been more insistent than ever that you belonged at my side, as my wife."

"You always have an answer for everything, don't you?" Da said, her voice quiet but carrying something of the sharp edge of accusation.

"Da, I did what I thought was best, given the circumstances." Ce insisted.

"And what circumstances were those?" she asked.

"That there was no way this meeting was goin' ahead without you. If I'd had my way, you would've been safe and sound somewhere else while I handled this."

"My place is at your side, Lord of Jiang Dong." Da snapped, her temper flaring.

"Yeah, and you were. And some bastard tried to stab you." Ce said quietly.

Da Qiao was silent.

"Da, I hate to say it, but if I'm gonna conquer China with you by my side, this is pretty much what we're in for." Ce said, regret tingeing his voice. "I didn't want this, remember? I wanted to be back home, with your and our daughter."

He now took her gently by the shoulders and stared into her eyes. She could see the earnestness in his expression.

"Da, I am sorry. I hated having to let that happen. I wasn't worried about being able to stop him, but that doesn't mean I liked putting you in that position."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Da asked again.

"Because you would have reacted differently if you'd known he was likely to try that. You might have unwittingly stayed farther away from him and he might have resorted to another tactic, like a poisoned dart- the only way to stop that would have been to get my body in the way of it."

"Oh…" Da said, looking down at the ground. She had no doubt that if Yan Yu had released some sort of poisoned dart, Ce would have readily thrown himself in harm's way. Then what?

"I knew about the concealed knife, Da, I could see it in his body language. And a knife is slower than a projectile. You know it is customary to not disarm messengers who come to discuss terms."

She looked at him with an expression that was a medley of wonder, exasperation and a desire to understand. "When do you have time to think of all this stuff, Ce?"

Ce shrugged. "I pretty much do all my thinking moment to moment. I was prepared for him to try something when I knew you were gonna be there. I knew a little more when I saw he had a concealed knife. So I just kinda forced his hand in the most predictable way I could think of."

"Why did he choose me as a target instead of you?" she groused.

"Because you were closer." Ce replied. "He knew he was a dead man and his little knife wasn't gonna reach across the table to do me any harm. Couldn't you tell how scared he was of me?"

"You're still annoying." Da mumbled, determined to enjoy her mad while it lasted.

"Sorry, babe," Ce said, taking her hands and helping her rise gently to her feet. "You know I would have had you somewhere else, right?"

"Oh, shut up and kiss me already," she said testily. "Has anyone ever told you that you talk too much?"

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The generals waited patiently for Sun Ce to speak. It was not often that he sat silently, brooding, but this seemed to be one of those rare exceptions. It would pass and they would have their new orders. The entire army knew what had nearly happened to Lady Da Qiao and everyone was in an uproar.

Sun Ce's fist thumped down onto the wooden armrest of his chair and his eyes flashed as he spoke. His voice rang through the camp, clear and forceful.

"Yan Baihu's goin' down, and I mean now," he said. "Not only is he harbouring Liu Yao in his capital, but his messenger attempted to kill my wife. I allowed him to dine with me and negotiate but he came prepared to assassinate someone."

The troops that stood at attention muttered and whispered amongst themselves about this outrage.

"We're gonna divide up the army and strike everywhere at once," Ce announced, standing up. "We know that their armies may be sizable but they're poorly trained and equipped. Even if our forces are smaller, with good planning and determination, they'll be no match for us."

He stepped down off the dais and strode forward toward his horse. The roan snorted and pawed the ground as Ce mounted.

"The Southlands will be ours!" he called out loudly. "I am setting a timetable of two weeks! You'll each be given a zone to capture and pacify! Call for whatever supplies you need, because failure is not an option!"

The generals and commanders all nodded, their minds already set to the task ahead.

"Each of you will report to me for your assignments! As for me, I'm headin' to Donghai. I've got some issues to bring up with Yan Baihu and Liu Yao." Ce announced.

A cheer went up from those assembled.

Standing amongst Huang Gai's lieutenants, Da Qiao nodded silently. While she might have desired revenge against Yan Biahu for his treachery, she knew that it belonged to Ce and not herself. Her revenge would come in excelling at her job and destroying her foes' forces systematically and with lethal efficiency.

No one would ever underestimate her again.

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"Well, I'm impressed, sis." Sun Ce mused, looking up at the enormous elephant she had ridden into the camp. Shang Xiang had dismounted and led the skittish animal away, since it terrified the horses. She slapped its side fondly and grinned at her brother.

"Has it got a name, yet?" he asked.

Shang Xiang made a show of thinking. "Maybe Dong Zhuo."

Ce scowled up at the grey beast. "It's not _that _fat."

"I meant for the purple and gold livery, dopey!" she said, laughing.

"Maybe you should allow Xiao to name it." Ce suggested.

"Oh, gods, no…" Shang Xiang said with mild horror. "She names her dumplings before she eats them, I'm certainly not letting her name something the size of a house. She named her dildo Hanwei, remember?"

"I was trying to forget, thank you." Ce said dryly. "But never mind that right now, we've got a war to fight."

"I heard about what happened with Da and Yan Yu." Shang Xiang said, her mood suddenly serious. She put a hand on her brother's shoulder.

"Ce, she is like a sister to me and dearer to me than almost anyone or anything. Please understand that if the Southlands have enraged you with this treachery, then I shall willingly tear it apart in revenge. _Nobody_ betrays the Sun family."

Ce nodded, his eyes grim. "Then you do understand. We're not gonna stop until every last punk despot in the Southlands is gone, sis. Rampage until they're destroyed. Just leave the people in peace. The sweetest revenge will be letting these bastards see the people embrace and revere us before I have their heads chopped off."

She gave his shoulder a gentle squeeze. "You have my word, Ce."

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The conquest of the Southlands proceeded with an almost inhuman rapidity. Town after town and fief after fief fell to the forces of Jiang Dong. Zhou Yu's plan had consisted of hampering the defender's ability to move or resupply. Large battles were avoided when possible; in favour of pitched battle, Sun Ce's troops engaged smaller enemy forces or obliterated munitions and captured baggage trains. As the disheartened southland forces retreated, streaming towards their strongholds or capitals, Ce took the supplies he pillaged and distributed them amongst the people. The troops of Jiang Dong were often greeted by cheering throngs and relieved citizens.

To those soldiers who surrendered, he granted a full pardon, allowing them to return home in peace or to join his own forces, acting as scouts and agents in areas his armies were advancing into. The only people not shown clemency were administrators or so-called 'nobles' who had been demonstrably cruel to the people. These individuals were brought before Sun Ce, bound and stripped to their loincloths. Those guilty of greed and impoverishing the people were lashed and expelled from the Southlands, while those who had been guilty of torture and murder were beheaded.

Before long, the thugs of outlying territories were suing for peace, vowing allegiance if Sun Ce would show them clemency. He accepted the surrender of some (those of milder temperament) while others were harshly rejected and their lands overrun.

Within a week, most of the Wu territory had been conquered, leaving only the major warlords to deal with, and their territories had been greatly diminished. Zhou Yu had anticipated a rapid pacification and was prepared- in addition to gold and food being distributed to the people, Ce appointed local scholars as interim regional administrators, bringing advisors from Jiang Dong to assist these men in assimilating the people into 'proper' Han society. Sun Ce told these men that if they performed their duties faithfully and with integrity worthy of the Tao, he would grant them permanent positions.

Everywhere the young warlord rode, he was greeted with cheers and tears of joy. The multitudes of marriage offers he received from men with pretty young daughters were politely but firmly refused, especially when Da Qiao was standing nearby, her look one of ice. Ce arranged for these women to married to exceptional officers in his army, a solution that fathers, daughters and officers all agreed to willingly.

"My lord, this is so inspiring." Da Qiao said as she rode alongside her husband at the head of a column of cavalrymen. "Word of your family's return is spreading through the lands like a fire and people everywhere flock to your banner."

Ce nodded. "Yeah, but the people need to be patient, Da. I don't want a repeat of what happened in the village of Yao two days ago."

Da Qiao nodded gravely. Not many days' ride away from their current location, a village known as Yao had become so inspired by Sun Ce's exploits that the people openly rebelled against their overlord. In an act of brutality worthy of Dong Zhuo, the overlord had every living thing in Yao put to the sword, down to the smallest child or animal. Ce's scouts reported the atrocity to him and Ce was visibly shaken. He had not been close enough to save these people from their enthusiasm. He sent word to his agents throughout the southlands to counsel the people to exercise patience, in the name of the people of Yao. He would come for them soon enough.

"There's not many foes left," he said, his eyes hard as he thought of what remained still to be done. "I think we can still do this quickly if we proceed with caution."

"Do you think some of these men might surrender?" Da asked.

"Not likely," he replied, shaking his head. "The guys who remain are the toughest bandit-lords in the entire south. They didn't get to where they are by being weak or compromising. They'll fight until all their people are dead. I'm gonna spare all the enemy soldiers I can, but it won't be easy."

Da Qiao was silent for a few moments, realizing that the hard work was yet to be done. Garrisoning the Southlands would be a challenge all on its own, but victory was doubly essential- any reversals of fortune could damage the fragile devotion and morale of the people they so recently liberated. Decisive victory was required the keep the region pacified, not just to defeat their remaining foes.

"Zhou Yu's wrapping up things in his zone already; hopefully he'll be joining us in the next two or three days, because we could use his troops for the assault on Donghai. Quan's still in the west, pacifying some really wild regions and fighting the Yunnan tribes."

"Will he be alright, my lord?" Da asked, concerned for her brother-in-law.

Ce nodded. "He'll be fine, Quan's tough in a fight and he's got a good head on his shoulders. He's methodical when he wants to be."

Da looked out toward the west, where the sun was now going down. Not too far behind, she could hear her Valiant Cavaliers, singing songs about her that old Ming Ji had composed, espousing her virtue and her martial prowess. She blushed as the words reached her ears.

"I really wish they wouldn't do that…" she said quietly so only could hear her.

Ce laughed. "Get used to it, they're devoted to you."

Before long, the other regiments in the column had taken up the songs, lauding Da Qiao and praising her limitless qualities. Only the Night Tigers rode silently, following their young warlord, menacing in their black and gold armour, their sable banners flowing in the evening breeze.

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	29. Chapter 29

**The Young Conqueror **

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 24- Hegemony**

The thunder of charging cavalry was all around Quan as he rode forward, his great Wolf Blade flashing in his hand. The rain lashed down and lightning flared overhead, illuminating the landscape like daylight. Behind him, his _Langbiao _(Wolf Guard) was fanned out n a deadly wedge, intent on their kill.

Before the warriors of Jiang Dong, hundreds of troops fled, their formation shattered by the sudden attack. Quan had been very clear about killing only those who offered resistance- the hope was that those who surrendered could be convinced to work for Jiang Dong, either by fighting or acting as scouts in these unfamiliar lands.

Quan grimaced as dozens of men were trampled beneath the hooves of his cavaliers. It could not be helped. He would spare all he could, but his own troops' safety was paramount, so they would stay in formation until the battle was completely won.

Behind the routing men, formations of archers were ready volleys, but he could tell their morale was wavering. The downpour was rendering their bows next to useless and the total collapse of their supposedly impenetrable spear hedge meant they were vulnerable unless they managed to kill every Jiang Dong cavalryman in these few salvos.

More and more of the archers were breaking off from their formations, streaming away from the killing zone they could see was about to develop. Officers screamed for their men to stand and fight, but it was a losing battle. Green-eyed Quan, Prince of Jiang Dong was come, and they would not wait to meet his famous wrath.

The Wolf Guard burst in on the archers battalions in a dramatic clap of thunder, destroying all cohesion between the defending units. With a wave of Quan's sword, the cavalrymen fanned out and routed any who opposed them. A single unit of light horsemen stood its ground and charged Quan's squad. The clash was fierce and deadly, but Quan would not be overcome. Within mere seconds, the defenders were dead to a man.

"Drive them back to their fortress!" the young lord shouted as he struck down another foe. His men shouted in response and redoubled their efforts. Entire companies of men fled in terror before the horsemen of Jiang Dong, seeking only to escape with their lives.

Quan rampaged about the battlefield, creating general havoc amongst his foes wherever he rode. He had become an unstoppable engine of destruction, limited only by his own battle frenzy. Blood flew from his keen blade as he slew dozens. His green eyes blazed as he fought toward his goal, the fortress city of Xuangcheng.

He had been given total command of this theatre by his brother, his only instructions being the pacification of the region. Zhou Yu had consulted with him, asking what supplies he might need and dispensing any advice Quan requested.

This was the younger Sun's first strategic command and thus far he was pleased with his own performance. The landing of his fleet had been contested but the defenders were easily pushed aside by his lightning assaults. He gave very explicit orders to his battalion commanders about their tactics and strategy, because he commanded from the front lines, never shirking from fighting. He kept efficient and active lines of communications so that his officers could contact him, but he also made it very clear that he expected a certain amount of self-sufficiency from each of them. Thus far they had given him no cause to complain.

The area he had been given to conquer was sprawling and wild. In the ensuing week he'd fought dozens of minor engagements and only one major battle, which he won handily. This encounter he now fought, despite the numbers involved, hardly counted as a battle, since the enemy was routing almost before he had engaged them. It was a slaughter.

Quan was encouraged by his success but was ready for this to become difficult at any moment. The gods never guaranteed ease or effortless success. They could be as fickle as they were magnanimous. He would demonstrate nothing but magnanimity and competent virtue, as a result.

This great plain that they had fought on was home to many small settlements. Once the enemy was routed, he sent out detachments of his cavalry to the villages, to protect them from marauders or enemy soldiers bent on revenge against an unsupportive populace. He forbad his men from entering these settlements unless invited, ordering them to merely guard the entrances against intrusion.

Once the peacekeeping companies were sent, he returned his attention to his principal target- Xuangcheng. He was prepared for a siege, but hoped to avoid one if at all possible. A siege, while theoretically safer for his troops if he could starve the defenders out, was bad for the morale of the populace of the countryside, who knew that innocents would be suffering within.

It was a tricky situation, since he was under orders to preserve his troop strength, and yet he had to capture Xuangcheng as soon as was possible. There was obviously a solution, he just had to read it right and react accordingly.

He had brought four battalions with him as he rode towards his goal, including his elite Wolf Guard. In all four thousand cavaliers accompanied him as he marched on Xuangcheng. Scouts had reported to him that the city was a fortress-town situated on a hill that overlooked this valley, maybe twenty _li_ to the southwest.

Xuangcheng was the only major fortified location in the theatre and he had determined that he would deal with it last. It was likely that it would be the primary base of the troops that defended the region. If he took Xuangcheng first, he might scatter these bandits across the countryside he was attempting to pacify. He therefore would occupy the theatre and bottle them up in one place, where he could offer them terms of surrender or starve them out.

As they approached Xuangcheng he sent three battalions around to surround the fortress. The city itself numbered no more than sixty-thousand, but was defended by a moat and a medley of wooden and stone walls, winding up the hill toward the fortress.

The fortress was stout, looking terribly out of place in these wild surroundings. Obviously the region's warlord made his home here and spread his tyranny across the land from within these strong walls. Quan glowered as he discerned exactly how well this bandit-lord lived while the common folk struggled to survive on what little land they could farm.

This injustice would end with his assault on Xuangcheng.

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"My lord, we believe the city is empty…" the scout said, kneeling.

"Empty?" Quan asked. How was this possible?

"Yes, my lord, empty. There have been no sounds or signs of movement from inside the city for some time now. Beyond that, men who have drawn close to the walls are reporting a rather intolerable stench, like rotting flesh."

Quan's brow was beaded with a cold sweat. "Then you suspect… that…"

The messenger bowed low, confirming Quan's fears and suspicions. Quan gripped the haft of his great sword tightly.

"We ride…" he said quietly to his commanders. "We must go up into the fortress and secure it. There may still be some people alive, but we will not know until we get in there."

His commanders dutifully obeyed. Normally this would be considered folly, but Lord Sun Ce's orders had been clear- the people of the southlands were to be protected and saved. This was essential to the warlord's plans for assuming stewardship of this formerly lawless territory.

It wasn't lawless, really, but the laws had been those of the strongest, the most brutal and the most insidious. The Han may have declined and may have been in its death throes, but the values it originally upheld were to be admired and emulated when possible. The Han was the most cultured and civilized nation in the world. It was the only such nation as far as Quan was concerned.

As he led his Wolf Guard forward, Quan prayed that his fears were not proven true. Messengers had brought word of the massacre in the town of Yao and if something similar had happened here, it might be next to impossible to convince the populace that they could be protected.

They passed over the bridges that spanned the moat and came to the gates of the lower town. The wooden barriers swung open with distressing ease. With torches lit, the warriors of Jiang Dong entered Xuangcheng.

What greeted them was grim and terrible. The streets were foul with the stench of slaughter and blood. Bodies lay strewn through the streets, obviously slain as they tried to find safety. Carrion birds squawked and croaked as they fed on the corpses. The cavaliers were silent as they rode down the main street, the ghastly scene unfolding before them.

"It is as I feared- we were too late." Quan said quietly.

"We will punish those who committed this atrocity, my lord," one of his commanders said. "This savagery cannot go unanswered."

"Maybe, but first, we must see to the dead." Quan replied, his heart heavy. "We have four thousand men here in Xuangcheng; it will not take us long to gather the corpses of these poor souls and create a pyre. Have the old priest set up a sacred area outside the city and we will begin."

The generals bowed their heads in obedience. Their blood was hot within them and they were eager to avenge the people of this town, but they knew better than to disobey their lord. They trusted him to deal with the savages who committed this horror.

Quan rode up the hill and passed through the stone gate up into the fortress that silently overlooked the town. Like a great and terrible specter it seemed, witness to unspeakable acts that not even gods could look upon without revulsion.

The squad that accompanied the young lord left him to brood, following quietly behind. The town was abandoned, so this escort was little more than a formality. Sickened as Quan was by the scene in the town below, the tactician in him was strong enough to know that he must continue to explore all options while he had the time.

The fortress was the key to holding this region- this would be his base of operations while his campaign moved forward. His scouts estimated that the bandit-lords of the region, though scattered, could probably still muster a force as large as twenty-thousand. If they counter-attacked, he wanted to defend from an impregnable position.

Into the fortress he passed, repulsed by the obvious luxury the place must have housed. The rooms were designed for opulence and grand living. What turned his stomach was the fact that right next to rooms that once held treasures or palatial bedrooms were rooms that had hideous red strains on the walls and floors and reeked of blood.

Torture chambers.

Quan gritted his teeth as he strode through the silent halls. In his whole life he had never considered the barbarism as an acceptable means of ruling the people. What manner of animal could possibly condone and indulge in such inhuman behaviour?

Quan's guards were exploring rooms, searching for signs, no matter how faint, of survivors. With torch in hand, the young lord descended a set of subtly recessed steps down into a basement. Below he nearly recoiled in horror as he came across a charnel house of gruesome death. Bodies of victims lay strewn along a corridor that stretched into the distance, disappearing into darkness.

It was too much. Quan's entire body shook with fury as he gazed into the face of a small girl who had died hideously, pain carved across her pale face. His sword flashed into his hand and he began walking rapidly down the mysterious hall, intent on finding the other end and those responsible. Vengeance was all that mattered.

He knew not how long he had been passing down that fatal corridor, but when he finally came to himself he realized he was almost sprinting. The torch guttered in his hand and he ran. A strong, cool breeze began to reach his face- after the close, stinking air of his current environs, it seemed like a gust of divine wind, sent by the Heavens.

A set of slick stone steps led up to the surface. Up above he could hear dozens of men talking. He could not hear much of what was said, but certain words were to be discerned and he was incensed, for they were laughing about the fate of the poor citizens of Xuangcheng.

With a great shout he burst out of the portal and onto the hilltop, his sword flashing about, felling any within reach. Cries of surprise and pain met his sudden and furious assault. The bandits were totally unprepared for this turn of events.

Within seconds of Quan's arrival, nearly a dozen bandits had died or were severely wounded. Those who were not cut down scattered in panic, thinking some green-eyed demon had landed in their midst.

"Stand of fight, filth!" he bellowed in rage as he hewed at anyone nearby. "I, Sun Quan of Jiang Dong, shall punish you for your crimes in Xuangcheng!"

Cries around the makeshift camp went up as people realized whom they were facing. Many bandits fled in despair, but as the alarm was raised, the leaders began to organize their men, preparing to deal with their visitor.

Not long had passed before Quan was being pressed, with more and more men rushing in to try and capture or slay the famous Sun Quan. But Quan's heart blazed hot within his chest and he was not to be matched. Man after man fell dead or reeled back in pain, missing a limb or with a grievous wound to show for his folly.

The bandit-lord himself soon arrived, a brawny, ugly brute with only one eye. He shouted at his men to assume formations, slapping and cuffing them until they had organized themselves.

"Fools!" he roared in disgust. "If we capture him, he will make an excellent hostage! If he cannot be ransomed, think of the sport he will provide! Wound him and bring him to me.!"

The bandits shifted their tactics rapidly. Bows and stones were now used and Quan spent more time dodging than he did fighting. Several rocks and darts bounced off his armour, but sooner or later his luck would run out and he would be subdued.

Visions of his father's demise floated through his head as he fought madly. He found himself in the same situation that the patriarch had been in, trapped by the treachery of his enemy and his own fury. He was going to suffer the same fate as Sun Jian.

"_If I am to die here, then like my father, I shall make such a fight of it as will be remembered for ages to come… father… brother… witness this, my devotion to you and our family…"_

Like a savage wolf, Quan leapt at his assailants, engaging them bodily, never allowing himself to be surrounded by large groups of men where numbers would finally weigh him down. He fought like a man possessed, determined to take as many of these swine with him as the gods would allow.

A searing pain in his right calf spread up his leg and Quan knew he'd been hit. He buckled to one knee but then surged up and kept fighting, determined to die on his feet. His vision was blurry and everything moved in slow motion, although whether this was from pain or a battle-frenzy he could not tell. Nor did it matter. All that mattered was vengeance.

A great weight on his back; dimly he was aware of being thrown to the ground. He twisted about and kept swinging and thrusting. His free hand punched and hammered at the shadowy shapes that surrounded him. He could feel consciousness slipping away and he committed his spirit to the Celestials…

Through the roaring noise in his ears he could hear another sound. Once again, high-pitched sounds akin to surprise and panic. The press of bodies around him seemed to lessen, as if those intent on his death had turned their attention elsewhere.

With every fiber of his being, Quan focused his senses and rose unsteadily to his feet, breathing deeply. He felt reality returning to him, followed by a horrific cacophony and the sounds of pitched battle. He saw a mob of men surrounding something but he could not yet see what.

A blade flashed brightly a several men fell backwards all at once, dead from a lethal stroke. From out of the throng leapt Zhou Tai, making his way toward Sun Quan. He landed in front of his liege and turned to face his attackers, glaring balefully.

"You will not harm Lord Sun Quan!" the general warned in his deep, gravelly voice. "Take one more step and I will slay you all!"

Several men shouted and charged him. Zhou Tai stood remained perfectly still in a defensive stance, his hand on the handle of his long sword, which still lay within its sheath. A bandit struck at Zhou Tai and the warrior drew his blade part-way out of its housing, blocking the foe's blade. Quicker than the eye could follow, the curved sword flashed out of it's sheathe and the bandit's head tumbled through the air. Zhou Tai's sword had returned to its resting place before the dead man's head had struck the ground.

The attacks came fast and furious then. Zhou Tai did not flinch or retreat but fought back furiously, heedless of his own safety but making sure none could approach Sun Quan. If anyone attempted to get by him and near the young lord, Zhou Tai leapt at them and cut them down, all the while bearing the full brunt of their assault. Blood poured from his wounds and yet he ignored them, intent only on Quan's survival.

Quan watched in astonishment for several seconds until Zhou Tai finally yelled to him. "My lord! You must escape! Go!"

The general's words, snapped Quan back to reality and he shouted in rage and drove into the bandits, his Wolf Blade slashing and thrusting. The pain in his body was forgotten as he fought his way to Zhou Tai. Never before had he seen such selfless devotion and he would not let it go unrewarded- Zhou Tai had come to save him, so he would repay the favour in kind.

Quan drove his blade through the face of a bandit captain and kicked the dead man off before whirling about and bisecting another foe. Men were beginning to scatter, obviously disheartened by the cold ferocity shown by their prey. For a mere two men to be besting so many had to be devastating for morale. Quan laughed out loud as he realized that these men should have been thankful they were not facing Sun Ce and Zhou Yu or they would have all perished long ago.

Behind him he heard a loud, ringing thump and a grunt of pain. He whirled about to see Zhou Tai straining, his blade fixed against an enormous, stone-headed maul. The bandit-lord was bearing down on the general, his superior weight and the sheer mass of his weapon slowly driving Zhou Tai to his knees. Still, the valiant warrior would not give up but fought back with all his will. The outlaw grinned hideously and pressed harder.

Zhou Tai's blade snapped and the huge maul smashed him to the earth. The bandit let forth of triumphant howl and raised his maul in the air, to deliver the final blow on the defeated general…

Quan caught the bandit-lord's hands with one of his own and stopped the strike dead. He stood directly in front of the man and glared at him. The delight in the man's eyes faded rapidly as he realized he was completely vulnerable.

Quan's blazing green eyes were his final sight as a searing, icy pain slid into his heart.

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Quan pulled his Wolf Blade from the bandit's body and the dead man fell with a loud thud. He turned around to tend to Zhou Tai. The general was trying to rise, but his body responded fitfully, rebelling against his control. His breath was ragged and his eyes were wide and glazed over. Quan shuddered inwardly as he examined Zhou Tai's body. He was covered in dozens of wounds, many of them serious. Blood flowed freely from wide cuts all over.

"My… my lord…" Zhou Tai gurgled as blood bubbled from his mouth.

Quan knelt next to the mortally injured man, certain that these were Zhou Tai's final moments and there was nothing he could do about it. Around him, he knew that the surviving raiders had scattered, fleeing what they thought was certain death.

"Zhou Tai, rest," Quan said anxiously, not sure what he could do. "You must conserve your strength, my friend."

"You… are safe…" Zhou Tai said, still trying to stand. "That is all… matters…"

Quan shook his head. "You are wrong. You think your duty to me ends here? Did I give you permission to die?"

Zhou Tai stared at Quan, his eyes betraying his bewilderment. The shock of his near fatal wounds was replaced by a distant but determined glint.

"I… must… stand… must…"

Quan nodded and helped Zhou Tai to his feet and allowed the general to lean on him. Zhou Tai's body shuddered and trembled as if he were suffering spasms, but he kept standing. He was not about to quit. He would die standing if he was to die.

Quan finally looked around, taking in their surroundings for what was essentially the first time. The hilltop was silent, site of a makeshift camp that was surrounded by a dense forest. Obviously the bandit-lord had brought his retinue forth from Xuangcheng via the tunnel he had found and planned to return in force the moment Quan's forces were unprepared.

He could not believe the carnage. Bodies were strewn everywhere but what was truly amazing was that he and Zhou Tai were not among the dead. Truly the gods had been siding with them tonight, for by all rights they should have been slain.

Shouts rose nearby and Quan gripped his sword tightly while he kept Zhou Tai standing. If the bandits were back for more, they would make the pigs pay dearly before they died.

Torches surged up the stairway and out of the secret egress. Quan's Wolf Guard squad sprang onto the top of the hill, ready for action. They stopped dead in amazement at the scene that awaited them.

After the briefest of pauses they formed a perimeter around their lord and secured the hilltop. Zhou Tai was carefully laid down and his wounds bound. The squad leader knelt before Sun Quan.

"My lord! Take my head if you must, but I admit that I am enraged! What were you thinking?!"

Quan sighed deeply. "I am sorry, captain. Please forgive me for running off like that. My heart was hot within me and I could brook no delay once I saw the bodies in that corridor."

"You certainly are a Sun, my lord," the captain said wearily, rising as Quan beckoned him to stand. He looked around the hilltop and shook his head. "I have never seen anything like it. There must be two hundred bodies here."

Quan snorted. "You lie, for you have seen my brother Ce's handiwork during the Yellow Turban campaign and the march against Dong Zhuo."

The captain nodded. "Aye, my lord, but your brother is no mere man. We expect such unimaginable feats from him. But for you and general Zhou Tai to accomplish this… I knew you as a formidable swordsman, but this separates you from all other mere mortal warriors."

"Most of these kills are Zhou Tai's, I am sure." Quan said modestly.

The captain shook his head. "Nay, my lord, you can see from the patterns of the wounds on their bodies- your stabs and near horizontal slashes, whereas Zhou Tai's weapon, due to its nature, strikes naturally along a diagonal. At a casual glance, I would say half of these kills are yours."

"That's not really important now, is it?" Quan said impatiently. "How is Zhou Tai?"

"I cannot say, my lord. That he is alive at all is nothing short of miraculous. If it is possible to survive such wounds then he will survive, but he may just be refusing to accept that he is already dead." The captain's voice was grim, his eyes dark with sadness. Clearly he did not expect Zhou Tai to live out the night.

Quan looked out from the hill and sighed. He finally spied Xuangcheng Castle, a faint silhouette against the darkness. It must have been nearly six or seven _li_ away.

Had he really chased the bandits so far? Had Zhou Tai really come to save him?

He got down on his knees and prayed to the gods, in the name of the bravest man he had ever been privileged to know…

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Sun Ce's forces were surrounding the city on all sides. Within was Yan Baihu, and with him, Liu Yao. The walls were not the most formidable he had ever seen, nor were the defenders the most tough or skilled. The difference here was that defeat was not a possibility they could entertain. Even during the campaign against the Yellow Turbans or the war in the west with Dong Zhuo, a defeat merely delayed the fighting until Jiang Dong could regroup…

Any defeats here in the south would be disastrous, for several reasons. For one, Jiang Dong's forces were spread thin, both here and back home. Ce could not afford to lose men in a slaughter. Second, he had come against great controversy to conquer this vast, wild realm. If his troops suffered defeat, they would be mocked and ridiculed, and rightfully so. Warlords had no business biting off more than they could chew, especially when the illustrious lineage of Sun Tzu could be claimed.

His blood raced in his veins and his heart pounded as he looked at the walls. He yearned for action, for a decent fight. To be honest, he hadn't really had one since tangling with Lu Bu and he felt like he was long overdue. But he had to think of the men first. Glorious, grueling battle took second place to effortless victory- as many men as possible had to be allowed to go home to their families.

Beside him, Da Qiao gazed silently up at the fortifications. He could tell she was intimidated, but she gave no obvious verbal signal. Finally she spoke.

"How difficult will this be, my lord?" she asked.

"I dunno, it's hard to say," he replied. "Depends on a lot of factors, really. If we attack them, they might slaughter every citizen in the city and that ain't gonna endear us to the rest of the population. But if we stay out here, supplies'll run low and that'll be bad for morale. We've gotta do this just right."

"Whatever that means." Da replied.

Ce nodded. He wasn't quite sure himself yet what it meant.

"_I've gotta force their hand somehow…"_

He snapped the reins of his horse and started walking forward. Several of his men began to move but he held up a hand, staying them. He would have to do this alone.

Not far from the walls and the sturdy gate, he finally stopped and called up to the defenders.

"You all know who I am!" he said loudly, in his clear voice. "My family ruled these lands for generations and we have returned to fulfill our duty to the people of the South! By the will of the Son of Heaven I have come forth into this realm, with Imperial sanction to pacify and rule!"

There was no response from the guards atop the walls.

"In my family's absence, these lands have become wild and unsafe, prey for any thug with a stout fist to come in and throw his weight around! You, the people of the South, deserve better! In Jiang Dong, on the coast, the citizens prosper! They are well-fed and lead comfortable lives, free of the torments of constant siege and warfare. I wish dearly to offer this to you!"

Still there was no response, although he sensed somehow that he was getting through to some of them. Their eyes were on him, searching, questioning and pleading.

Ce played his next stone. "I have liberated the lands around you! From the coastline to the jungles to the west, my forces have freed the people from brutality and tyranny. Under my rule, the land shall know prosperity, but not so long as men such as Yan Baihu and Liu Yao still retain power!"

He could sense a shift in some of them.

"Your families, my friends!" he called out clearly, appealing to their deepest desires. "Surely they are not all here within these walls! Many of you must have been pressed into service from places other than Donghai! Your wives, your children, your parents! I have liberated them and given them food and gold! But none of that matters if you are not with them!"

He could tell several were beginning to waver.

"These lands will never know that peace if Yan Baihu and Liu Yao remain within these walls! They must be made to answer to the justice of the Son of Heaven! Your freedom is not theirs to give and take, unless you will it so!"

One man on the wall cried out in distress and threw his weapons over the wall.

"Lord Sun Ce! Of Jiang Dong! Forgive us for this heinous crime against the Heavens! These pigs hold our families hostage, forcing us to fight and-"

The man's words died in his throat as a blade passed between his shoulders and burst out of his chest. A cruel-looking captain threw the body over the wall in disgust before sneering down at the besieging forces and their leader.

"Prattle on about justice and virtue all you like, boy! You will find only death at these walls! Your posturing and grandiose nonsense carry no weight in a land long forsaken by the likes of you! Go back to your precious trophy province of Jiang Dong while you can!"

Ce's eyes blazed, not at the insults thrown his way but at his wife's cry of dismay and grief as the murdered soldier's body landed with a loud thump at the bottom of the wall. These men were no better than Dong Zhuo.

"Treacherous cur!" Ce shouted in rage, standing in his saddle. As he did so, the troops of Jiang Dong took up the cry of outrage until the plain rang with their ire. "There will be no mercy for any of you! If you survive my assault, you can expect to be given over to those you have so cruelly oppressed for final judgment! Death by my hands is too good for you!"

The troops of Jiang Dong were incensed and began bashing their swords against their shields or the butt of their lances and spears against the ground. The air rang and the earth shook in response. Loud war cries and songs of battle did they chant.

The madness of battle washed over Sun Ce and he punched his fist into the air and waved his troops forward. The plain resounded with the voices of thousands of warriors as they threw themselves against the wall.

Such an attack was surely suicide, but Sun Ce's troops were possessed of a righteous and avenging fury that would not be stayed. So sudden and ruinous was their onslaught that the besieged barely had time to react and defend themselves. As arrows rained down from the walls, infantry and cavalry swept forward while archers sent a blistering hail of missiles over the walls.

Ladders were braced against the walls and _dadao_-armed assault troops streamed up the battlements, led by their captains. The defenders scrambled to repulse this unexpected assault, stabbing and thrusting at the attackers with whatever weapons they could find. Theoretically the situation favoured those behind the stout walls, but this attack had been so swift that they were caught off-guard. Savage battle was joined atop the walls as men fought body to body, pressed into close-quarters combat.

Sun Ce had not even bothered to find a ladder. The mighty warrior had merely dashed up to the walls and begun climbing, his strong fingers finding purchase in the cracks and grooves of the stone blocks that comprised the barrier.

Three times did Sun Ce hurl himself up the wall and three times was he thrown back by the sheer weight of the numbers above. The fourth time, though, he would not be denied. With a terrifying shout he landed amongst the defenders and began slaughtering those who would not flee.

"Behold the vengeance and wrath of Jiang Dong!" he roared and he drove deep into the enemy's ranks, heedless of his own safety. No one could stand against him and dozens perished while other sections of the wall were only just being contested. His battle aura consumed him, a wreath of flame with the eyes and claws of a tiger that slew all within reach.

The Night Tigers threw themselves against the stout gate, led by Taishi Ci. They pounded and battered at the barrier, their captain's formidable strength guiding their efforts. Cries of terror from within indicated that the gate was indeed giving way before the brutal assault. There was a hideous screeching and creaking before the gate finally collapsed in on itself. The Night Tigers swarmed in, hungry for the kill. Taishi Ci towered over all, laying about with an almost eerie abandon with his massive war clubs. Foes sailed for yards as they were crushed by his swings, creating terror and havoc in the ranks of those behind the front lines.

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Da Qiao, normally feeling a twinge of reluctance before engaging in battle, was leading the Valiant Cavaliers in a headlong charge, letting forth an ululating war cry, such as she had learned during her service with Shang Xiang's amazon company. Her men shouted in response as they thundered forward, everyone caught up in the rage and frenzy of Sun Ce's attack.

Da Qiao could feel it- the incredible momentum of battle. It filled her, flowed through her, and guided her actions. All initiative lay with her husband's forces at this point in time. If they could keep it up, the enemy stood no chance and their efforts counted for naught. The powers of the Heavens lay with Jiang Dong. She could feel it as surely as she was aware of her own body.

She vaulted high in the air from horseback. Her men cried in loud voices of awe and triumph as she landed atop the wall, her battle fans spread like the wings of some glorious and divine crane. The defenders wailed in fear as she descended upon them, her eyes flashing.

Her assault was almost too swift to be seen by mere human eyes. Each and every strike landed with graceful and deadly accuracy, felling her foes with ease. Her opponent's moves were known to her before they were made and no counter was necessary, because they were dead before they could attack her. Her body blazed with energy, swirling winds enveloping her.

"_Lord Sun Ce, this fight is ours! We cannot be defeated, for surely this is the wrath of the Heavens that fills us and drives us forward! I am the vessel of some power greater than myself! I will not stop until victory is achieved and justice meted out to those who have sinned against the gods!"_

Her assault continued unabated.

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The gods are both generous and fickle, however. The sins of the Han in neglecting this country were not so easily overlooked. If Sun Ce was determined to rule this country, he would have to fight for it, and fight hard.

Horns blared from the hills to the northeast and thousands upon thousands of troops began streaming onto the plain, ready to lift the siege and howling for the blood of the warriors of Jiang Dong. Yan Baihu's allies had not forsaken him in his hour of need. Apparently there was some honour among thieves after all, but more likely, they just saw this as the best opportunity to destroy an otherwise formidable and troublesome enemy at the least expense to themselves.

Huang Gai, who was in charge of the rearguard, blew an urgent note on his horn but was well aware that those forces already engaged were in no position to help. He thanked the gods for the instructions he had been given by Zhou Yu prior to the splitting of the forces. Enough forces had not joined in the initial assault on the walls that he could form a thin but coherent defense against these new foes.

Twelve companies were all that remained to repel this unexpected attack, but he had confidence in his men's discipline- archer companies streamed behind the sword and spearmen, who formed a bristling wall of gleaming blades that waited to meet the new bandit forces. A withering hail of arrows began to sail into the attacker's ranks. The men of Jiang Dong shouted loudly, taunting the enemy, making it clear that they did not fear this turn of events.

Ling Cao rushed up to Huang Gai's side. He was grim but seemed confident. "And here I was worried that we would miss out on all the glory. It was nice of Lord Sun Ce to leave some enemies for us, wouldn't you say?"

Huang Gai nodded, tapping his massive club against his shoulder as he watched the approaching foe rush toward them. "I have fought many a battle in my day. Perhaps it is time someone showed these whelps how to fight."

Ling Cao drew his sword and assumed a place in the front lines, not far from his friend and fellow corps commander. "We will put the fear of Jiang Dong into them…"

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Lu Meng swung his mighty halberd about and cleared the enemies around him, slaying several with one strike. He thrust his palm out, slamming it into the chest of a nearby thug- the man flew backwards several feet, dead before his body hit the ground. Lu Meng stood tall and pointed, directing his men toward a company of bandits who had grouped into a tight formation. As his warriors charged he sprinted forward, pleased to see that his unit had penetrated farther into the fortress than any other commander's, including Sun Ce.

Well, Sun Ce's men, anyway. The warlord himself was already deep into the heart of the enemy's stronghold, assaulting the keep where Yan Baihu and Liu Yao were doubtless hiding out. Lu Meng could simply not comprehend the strength, speed and power with which Sun Ce moved. He had never seen anything like it, even in Sun Jian, the great patriarch. Barriers and obstacles in battle seemed to hold no meaning for Sun Ce. A wall, an enemy formation, they were simply beneath his consideration, seemingly. They existed only to be dismissed and torn apart without a second thought.

Warriors such as Sun Ce and Lu Bu were specially blessed by the Heavens- the battles that they fought were not physical in the commonly perceived sense. There was another level of conflict that they fought on, where the battlefield and its components of men, iron and horses were ephemeral. A spiritual war was waged and it was _there_ that victory or defeat was determined. Physical reality merely followed in its wake, awaiting an outcome.

Word had reached him that Yan Baihu's allies were attacking outside the walls. Did it matter? Normally he would have been concerned about this oversight, but witnessing the wrath of Heaven swirling around him as he was now, he had to wonder. Ling Cao and Huang Gai were defending Jiang Dong's forces, perhaps that was enough?

It would have to wait. He had a battle to win. These questions would be answered in due time. He hefted his gleaming blade overhead and charged…

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Sun Ce knew that the battle within the castle was won, it was only a matter of time. The defenders had little or no chance to mount anything resembling a counter-attack. But outside the walls, Huang Gai was commanding a desperate rearguard action against reinforcements.

Ce had known this was a possibility, with so many of Yan Baihu's allies unaccounted for, but he had hoped they would be quelled by the speed with which his forces had overrun the land. Apparently he was not to be so lucky. Whatever. He was heading out the gates to deal with this threat now. While Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers led the assault on Yan Baihu's stronghold, he would see to it that the raiders and bandits outside the gates regretted ever coming to their ally's rescue.

The battle line had become a confused brawl, with the attackers outnumbering the defending forces significantly. The defensive perimeter was barely holding, so great was the strain. Huang Gai stood in the middle of the wild melee, swinging his club to and fro, calling for his men to stand fast and remember their duty to Jiang Dong. Nearby, Ling Cao was preparing his swordsmen for a fierce counter-attack, waiting for just the right moment to appear.

Ce nodded and smiled to himself as he strode calmly toward the enemy lines, rotating his shoulders and gripping his tonfas tightly. He was one man, but he knew that one man was all it was going to take. This battle would not last long.

A company commander saw him coming and shouted orders. Instantly, dozens of men armed with swords and shields were rushing toward him, eager to claim that they had slain the infamous Sun Ce, warlord of Jiang Dong. As the first man thrust, Ce casually pivoted and rolled behind him, sending the man sprawling. His weapons lashed out and felled those closest with almost ridiculous ease. Ce never stopped moving, one attack or parry leading into another fluid movement. Armour cracked and ribs splintered as he mauled his attackers.

He was not at all bothered by his distance from his own lines. If every bandit now turned their attention on him and ignored his men, he would have welcomed the challenge. There couldn't have been more than four or five thousand of them, after all…

A _dadao_ company charged him next and these soldiers Sun Ce treated with a bit more caution- they were offense-oriented and swift, wearing little armour to slow them down. _Dadao_ troops were next to useless in defending a line, but when it came to punching holes in the enemy's formation, only heavy cavalry was more effective.

Ce did what he could to isolate one man at a time and take them down. He was much faster and stronger than any single foe he faced, but all of those dreadful blades slashing at him at once could prove troublesome. He danced out of the way of their strikes, striking limbs or exposed joints, doing whatever he could to blunt their offensive capacity.

He saw a brief opening in their cluster and did the unexpected- he spun low and came up in the middle of them, his tonfas whirling about in deadly arcs. Several men fell before he kicked one man in the stomach, doubling him over. He then used the man's back as a springboard to vault out of the formation and land behind them, continuing to whittle away at the numbers from another angle.

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A horn blared to his left and the battle almost seemed to pause while everyone glanced at the disturbance. Swift ship had sailed up the river and landed on the close shore. From the lead vessel a solitary figure walked calmly, their long raven tresses flowing in the breeze. With a single leap the person cleared the gangplank and landed lightly on the shore, their steel-grey eyes surveying the scene.

"Sorry to keep you waiting" Zhou Yu said in his mellow tenor.

Sun Ce grinned and waved at his sworn-brother. "Hey, Zhou Yu! Sorry, but I couldn't help starting without you!"

Sun Ce paused to carelessly backfist his tonfa into the face of an enemy soldier stupid enough to rush up behind him. The man went down instantly.

"Hurry up already!" Ce called. "This should be a lot more interesting now that you're here!"

A slight smile played over Zhou Yu's face as he ran a slender hand through his silken hair. The same motion transitioned into an ancient fighting posture and there was no doubting how serious he was about this undertaking.

"No problem. Allow me to relive you of some of this burden!"

The two of them had the bandits surrounded and the outcome was never in doubt.

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Da Qiao stood atop the walls, watching down over the field with fascination. The momentum of the battle had completely shifted, from a desperate holding action, to a savage onslaught by the forces of Jiang Dong. No sooner had Zhou Yu charged than the warriors of his corps came racing down off the ships, driving into the flank of the bandits. Sun Ce, on the far side, was single-handedly turning the flank inward, collapsing it on itself.

Da Qiao spared at glance at Zhou Yu, who was speeding toward his chosen foes. A shield-wall awaited him, punctuated by a bristling hedge of spears. He spun and thrust a palm forward, releasing a glowing sphere of deadly energy. His foes did not know what to think of this, until it was too late. The fiery explosion ripped apart the front rank and the rest fled, screaming in terror. Picking on hapless peasants was one thing, but this was definitely _not_ what they had signed up for. Zhou Yu's gleaming, ancient blade was all the persuasion they needed to abandon the field.

Zhou Yu and Sun Ce were poetry in motion and she could not help but be in awe of them. They both moved in a way she could not explain, but wished she could, since she would then make songs and poems about the two of them, sung and recited by all.

"_Is that any different from the fire you once lashed out with to defeat that elephant? Of course it is, silly! That was mere luck and roiling emotions, you have none of the control or finesse that these two men have! It is not the same at all…"_

She sincerely wished it was, though.

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The battle was over and the prisoners were being accounted for. Sun Ce, flanked by Zhou Yu, Taishi Ci and Da Qiao was walking through the ranks of defeated soldiers, examining them closely. Walking close behind were some local village elders from the surrounding countryside.

One man stopped and thrust a trembling finger at one rough-looking bandit, who glared back at the man hatefully.

"Lord Sun Ce!" croaked the old man. "This one! This one here is known as Chen Heng!"

"Is that so?" Ce commented, stopping to look down at the man, who was bound at the wrists and kneeling quietly. "So who is he?"

"We called him 'The butcher of Feng Yi,'" the man said accusingly. "Less than two seasons ago, he carried off all the daughters and wives of the village of Feng Yi. When the men resisted, all the first-born sons were put to death as punishment for the men's insolence."

"Alright," Sun Ce said, nodding. "Then I think we know what the penalty has to be…"

Ce turned to speak to the scribes standing nearby. "This guy's name is Chen Heng, the butcher of Heng Yi. I want that moniker carved into his skin and then two justiciars are to take him to Feng Yi, where he shall be handed over to the people of the village for justice."

Chen Heng went pale at the pronouncement. He had expected death but was hoping to be quickly beheaded- the people of Feng Yi would tear him apart.

Ce gave the man not another thought and walked down the line, until he was stopped by another elder, who pointed to a swarthy man wearing a mail coat. His shoulder was bleeding, seemingly punctured by an arrow.

"This one here, my lord, is Liu Yong, brother of Liu Yao."

"I guess bad apples run in the family, eh?" Ce said, fixing Liu Yong with a hard stare. The bandit lord returned the favour, glaring at Sun Ce with a malevolence that was almost inhuman.

"Keep him detained until we find his brother," Ce ordered. "The little rat couldn't have made it too far just yet."

Ce began walking again and talking to his companions. "So let's see, that's Liu Yong, Chen Heng, Yu Mi, Xue Li and Wang Lang all accounted for, yes?"

Zhou Yu nodded. They had managed to capture all of the bandit lords that had allied themselves with Yan Baihu and refused to surrender. "To the best of our knowledge, only Liu Yao and Yan Baihu remain free at this time."

"Not for long." Ce replied. "They may have escaped through all those tunnels we found under Yan's fortress, but we'll find 'em. The people won't support 'em and they'll get turned in as soon as possible. They've got a lot to answer for."

Ce turned and looked at the prisoners, row upon row of them, numbering nearly a thousand. He'd been hoping more would be convinced to capitulate once the battle was obviously lost, but many fought on to the death.

"Normally I'd say you could free the enlisted men, but these jerks'd just go back to terrorizing the locals. Make 'em one final offer to join the army of Jiang Dong. If they don't take it, then they'll be expelled from the southlands on the northern borders, near Jing, never to return… have all officers above the rank of company commander beheaded, no offers made."

Ce was conferring with Zhou Yu when horns were heard off to the west. Ce smiled and nodded.

"Alright, Quan's back…"

Sun Quan was indeed back from his conquest in the west. His corps seemed in good spirits as they approached, but the young commander was his usual dour self. Ce walked up to his brother and grinned at him.

"So, you're back in one piece. How did you like strategic command?"

Quan dismounted. "I may not be your equal, brother, but I am not displeased with my performance. I wish I could have stopped the massacre at Xuangcheng, however."

Ce nodded. "We're not gods, Quan. We can only assume responsibility for the happiness of these people once the land is ours."

He turned to face his commanders and troops and thrust his fist into the air. "And that's exactly what we've done here today!" he shouted loudly.

The cheers echoed throughout the plain surrounding the city of Donghai.

Quan looked over and up at Taishi Ci, who strode alongside them, silently.

"Who is that, brother?" Quan asked quietly.

"That's Taishi Ci, the commander of my Night Tigers." Ce replied simply.

"I see. Where have you been hiding him?"

"He was one of the bad guys at first." Ce explained. "But he eventually came around, after I beat some sense into him."

Taishi Ci grunted but said nothing.

"My forces have set up perimeters in the west, to keep other greedy lords out." Quan said, his face a study in grim determination. "They are spread thin, if anyone attacks in force, they won't be able to hold them for long, brother."

Ce nodded. "It's alright, Quan, we're not gonna lack for volunteers to fill out the ranks of our armies. Lots of men here are used to war and they'll happily fight for us, now that we've liberated them."

"Yes, but these lands are still a distance from Wuchang, brother." Quan pointed out. "Administrating effectively may be difficult."

Ce smiled. "Not as hard as you think, Quan. These lands belonged to us, once, and we'll be returning to them. The Sun family will live in the south."

Quan's green eyes went wide in amazement and several officers nearby whispered their surprise to one another. This was the first any of them had heard of such a plan.

"B- brother…" Quan stammered. "What of Jiang Dong?"

"Jiang Dong ain't goin' anywhere, is it?" Ce replied, clapping his brother on the shoulder. It's gonna be our northernmost territory for some time, but it's also still our center of trade and culture. The people down here are gonna need access to trade and education. I think Wuchang's gonna be just fine."

Quan was letting this all sink in. The past few weeks had seemed to dart by with unbelievable rapidity. Mere days ago he had been involved in a fatal struggle atop that hill outside Xuangcheng. Now he was here in Donghai, and being told the center of their realm was shifting south. Were these the great events of the time that the wise were always cursing people with?

"Where will you stay, brother?" Quan asked finally. "None of these towns can support you properly as yet, and the fortress I took in Xuangcheng is being razed to the ground, as a pit of Hell like that deserves to be."

"We'll be constructing a new city, Quan," Ce said as he took his brother by the shoulder and led him back toward Donghai. "One worthy of the south and one worthy of the Sun family name. It may take some time, but we're not gonna be short of volunteers, either- these people will need employment."

"A city in the south…" Quan mused. "What will you call it?"

"Baifu," Ce replied. I have it on good authority that it's the only name I could go with."

He winked at Da Qiao, who blushed.

"I'm gonna need someone back in Wuchang, Quan," Ce said, his voice taking on a serious quality. "We need an effective administrator to oversee things in my absence; someone who will regulate the trade and keep Jiang Dong prosperous."

"Is Zhou Yu not the proper choice, brother?" Quan asked.

Ce shook his head. "Yeah, he'd be good at it, but I need him here, Quan. He's not just my strategist, but my political advisor too. I'm gonna be keeping him busy in the years to come while we strengthen ourselves. Will you return to Jiang Dong and rule for me? The people love you there."

Quan was silent for several moments before nodding. "I would be honoured, brother. I shall rule Jiang Dong, for you and for our family."

"Excellent." Ce said, satisfied. "How is Zhou Tai? I hear he's in a bad way."

Quan shook his head grimly. "I cannot say, brother. I have never seen such a strong will to live. That he is still alive at all is nothing short of a miracle. I do not think he will make it, though."

Ce laughed. "I gotta disagree, Quan. Lemme introduce you to a healer I met in Liu Yao's territory…"

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The armies were being reorganized and relief missions to outlying areas planned. Zhou Tai, thanks to Ren Neng's noxious-smelling but divine baths, was healed within days and ready for duty. He knelt now before Sun Ce, who smiled at him from his chair on the dais.

"Zhou Tai, if anyone has ever given proof to the adage that actions speak louder than words, it's you, pal. You've certainly proven yourself during this campaign."

"I only do my duty, my lord." Zhou Tai said humbly, looking at the ground.

"How do you like the Southlands, Zhou Tai?" Ce asked.

Zhou Tai cleared his throat uncomfortably. "My… my memories of this campaign shall be painful, my lord. Though my body is healed, one cannot come so close to death and not have it leave an indelible mark on their mind."

"That's what I thought too," Ce said. He held out his hand and a scribe handed him a scroll. "That's why the following order is effective immediately: You are promoted to the full rank of _Bujiang_ (Corps Commander) and permanently assigned to my brother, Quan. Since he is heading back to Jiang Dong to rule in my name, you shall go as well."

Cheers went up from the multitudes of soldiers and commanders who stood around. Zhou Tai bowed very low, his head touching the ground.

"I am not worthy."

"Yeah, well, you're stuck with Quan anyway." Ce replied cheerfully. "Try to make him behave and maybe laugh once in a while, okay?"

Zhou Tai said nothing.

"Okay, forget the last part, I obviously chose the wrong man for that assignment." Ce remarked, prompting several senior officers to chuckle. Ce turned to look at them now. "I want each of you to give a regiment from your own corps to fill out Zhou Tai's. They're all men from Jiang Dong, so pick units of men who should be allowed to go home. We'll be replenishing your ranks with men from here in the South soon enough."

The generals all bowed, impressed by Sun Ce's generosity and wisdom.

Ce sighed and smiled at Da Qiao. "Not a bad way to start a new dynasty, right? Things are going pretty smoothly, if I do say-"

Horns blared from the southeast.

"Spoke too son…" Ce mumbled as he rose from his chair. He watched as the approaching troops entered the camp.

"Hi, Lord Sun Ce! Hi, Zhou Yu darling! Hi, sis!" Xiao Qiao called from atop her mount as she rode up, waving gaily. She was followed by a detachment of Sun Shang Xiang's amazons.

"We were on patrol when I found these two," Xiao said, thumbing back at two men who were bound and gagged, led along behind a horse. The men glared balefully at Xiao's back, but she seemed to not notice their displeasure.

"Are they anybody important?" Xiao asked.

Ce strode up to them and released the gags from their mouths. He observed them for mere seconds and then laughed out loud. The familial similarities were unmistakable.

"Well well well…" he said. "If it isn't Liu Yao and Yan Baihu. Where did you find these two, Xiao?"

Xiao scowled at them. "They were sneaking along the side of a road quite a few _li_ south of here. I assumed they were peasants at first, but then I saw they were forcing some people to carry some really heavy-looking bags for them. I stopped them and they tried to resist. It turned out that they huge sacks were full of coins. I asked the poor people carrying the bags what was happening and they said that these two were forcing them under pain of death to help them escape to the northern borders."

"And we would have gotten away with it, too, if it hadn't been for this meddling kid." Liu Yao spat.

Ce laughed. "And the money, Xiao?"

Xiao shrugged. "Oh, I told the peasants to take that back to their villages and give it to the people there. They probably need it more than these two do."

"Especially where they're goin', yeah." Ce said, fixing his gaze on the two of them and all traces of humour disappearing. The surly resentment the two prisoners displayed was quickly replaced by discomfort and then fear. They did not like what they saw in the young conqueror's eyes.

"There is no forgiving what you have done," Ce said in a stern voice. "Countless thousands have suffered and died because you two were content to live a life of cruelty and pleasure. Now it's time to balance the scales."

Ce stood tall and glared down at them.

"I should hand you over to the people whose lives you have ruined, but I don't want you to be a plague on them any more, not even for a second. The next time they see you, it's only going to be your heads, and they'll be mounted on spears outside Donghai's gate!"

Liu Yao quailed in fear, his body trembling and his eyes shut as he whimpered. Yan Baihu, however, looked on in wonder at the man who had defeated him. Almost like a vision, he could see this mighty prince standing before him, resplendent in crimson and gold. Behind him were arranged his officers, terrible and warlike in their wrath- avenging angels, come to purge the south of heresy. The three women officers were radiant and dreadful to behold in their beauty.

Truly, with his uncaring brutality, Yan Baihu had drawn the ire of the gods on himself. He could see it now, as clear as a glittering star in the night sky. With great humility and no fear, he bowed low, his head touching the ground.

"I see now the divine justice in your action. I submit to the will of Heaven."

Taishi Ci had the two commanders led away.

Ce turned to Xiao Qiao. "Good work, Xiao. You've saved us a lot of work and possibly diverted a real tragedy and disaster."

He turned to Sun Shang Xiang. "Give her a squad, sis. Let's see what she can do."

Shang Xiang nodded. Xiao Qiao squealed in delight and clapped before throwing herself into Zhou Yu's arms.

"Zhou Yu darling!" she squeaked. "Now I'm a commander, just like you!"

She turned to glare at everyone. "Aren't I?"

The commanders present mumbled their assent. Da Qiao just rolled her eyes.

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"Well, we did it, Da." Ce said as he sat with her on a low hill, looking up at the stars. Da Qiao smiled and laid her husband down so that his head was across her lap. She stroked his long hair gently and sighed contentedly.

"We have conquered the Southlands, my lord. We have returned your family to its hereditary territories and you will make the lands of Wu strong and abundant."

Ce gazed up at the net of stars overhead. "Y'know our holdings have grown in size by more than five times?"

Da Qiao thought about that for a moment. "Is it really that vast? Surely not even Cao Cao and Yuan Shao's holdings are so expansive."

Ce shrugged. "Maybe not in terms of raw land, but their realms are much more developed and populated. Holding on to this territory is gonna be the trick now. Lots of people are gonna be nipping at the edges, trying to take some of this for their own."

Da nodded. "Perhaps, but we shall defeat them. They cannot stand against you."

"Especially with your mighty sister on our side." Ce said, grinning. Da Qiao giggled.

Ce sighed and stretched his weary limbs. "I wish this were the end of it, y'know?" he said finally, relaxing.

"It could be, my lord." Da said quietly. "You could end your campaigns now and develop this realm as your own."

Ce shook his head. "Wouldn't work. If Yuan Shao or Cao Cao win the wars in the north, they'll both decide that I need to submit- and I can't do that, not to those two. I don't believe in their vision of China."

"That I understand, my lord." Da said quietly. "Then we shall create a base here, and we shall march forth in triumph, dominating our foes and pacifying and freeing the land."

She looked out over the wide plain that stretched out before them. It was flat and emerald green, threaded with rivers and dotted with clusters of trees.

"It is here that we shall build Baifu, my lord?"

"Yep," Ce said, nodding. "It's perfect. The region is beautiful and there'll be access to trade with the rivers. The plains nearby can grow rice and soybeans…"

"When do we begin, my lord?"

Ce smiled. "This city and the Southlands are my gift to you, Da… give me the word and the work begins tonight. Zhou Yu and I already have the plans drawn up."

Da Qiao closed her eyes and listened to the gentle flutter of her heart.

"Tomorrow, my lord. Tonight, I have everything I need."

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**Omake Theatre**

Author's Note: My apologies to Carlos G. and the Lowroad 75 crew...

**(Open on a scene with Da Qiao standing there in a tight black Playboy bunny costume, her knockers almost spilling out of her top and the tight material hugging every gorgeous curve. In wanders Fu Chin Ran.)**

**Fu Chin Ran: **"Oh, hello, Da. Why are you standing here in a slinky Playboy bunny outfit?"

**Da Qiao: (**smile and a wink) "Oh, just a little something I like to call 'fanservice'. It keeps the readers happy."

**Fu Chin Ran: (**pensive) "Fanservice, huh?"

**Da Qiao: **"Yep."

**[Fu Chin Ran grabs Da Qiao and presses herself to the other girl, their breasts squashing together and their lips meeting a big, wet kiss**

**SMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**

**Da Qiao: (**waving arms in furious outrage and shouting) "GAHHHHHHHHHH, Fu!!! What the F$CK are you doing?!"

**Fu Chin Ran (**shrug) "Oh, I don't know, just a little something I like to call 'fanservice'. _Done properly_, it keeps the readers happy..."

Consider yourselves fulfilled, readers! A gift from your author to you!

Next up, the birth of the Kingdom of Wu...

**_-fin-_**

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	30. Chapter 30

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Konami is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Chapter 25 – Birth of a Nation, Part I**

The weather down here in the South agreed with her. Da Qiao found that the warmth was most pleasing and there were rivers that threaded the vales of Wu, feeding the green plains for many _li_ in every direction. She sat now inside an elegant river barge, relaxing beside Sun Ce while some mariners punted the boat lazily along.

She stretched and sighed contentedly, feeling the gentle kiss of the sun through the gossamer veils that had been set up to shelter them. Sun Ce lay on the couch beside her, his arms behind his head, looking up at the cerulean sky. Near the bottom of the bed, Sun Kai-Ying slept soundly, her lush silver hair standing out against the crimson silk sheets beneath her.

Da Qiao smiled at her daughter. It was hard to believe the girl was over three years old now. It was also hard to believe they had been in the South for nearly a year. Peace had reigned since her husband conquered the lands of Wu, but so they'd been so busy that she'd hardly noticed the time go by. Cities were being built, agriculture flourished, the people were being educated and strong garrisons were positioned along the borders, to keep the greedy warlords of the North out.

"You're not bored, are you, my love?" she asked Ce, turning on her side to face him. The sweet strains of the flute and _sheng_ lute being played at the back of the barge caressed her ears.

"Nah," he said as he stared at the sky. "I love a good fight, but to be honest, it's been nice just getting things in order. I've been training the troops, making sure our borders are strong… except for a few minor clashes, nothin' has happened to worry me."

Da Qiao laughed. "Nothing ever worries you, Ce. You are simply the most unflappable person I know, which is saying something, given that I know both Lu Meng and Zhou Yu."

"Well, as long as you don't expect it to last," Ce replied casually. "We can only make the South so strong, y'know. Sooner or later, Cao Cao or Yuan Shao are gonna want to get their paws on this place. They've still got more resources and men than us, so if they keep coming, there's only so long we can hold 'em off for."

"Perhaps you should play them off against one another, my lord?" she asked. She had been studying extensively into the lore of politics and cultural dynamics, fields that were usually frowned upon for women to ponder, but Ce had made it quite clear to everyone within his realm that he really didn't give a damn, as long as people were happy with what _they_ were doing. Trying to force what _you_ wanted on other people was no longer how it was going to work. That was the method of people such as Cao Cao, Yuan Shao or the petty warlords he had eradicated here in the Southlands.

Ce smiled. "I love that you've been studying, Da. It means a lot to me that you've taken such an interest in this sort of thing, because you're really smart and I'll need your intuitive advice."

Da blushed. "My lord, you give me too much credit. Zhou Yu will always be a wiser counselor than I, as will your brother."

"Maybe, but I think you know what's right for _us._" Ce said. "I trust your judgment, Da. You and I make the decisions, it's everyone else's job to make sure they're gonna work."

"I still do not believe you're not bored, you know…" she said, winking at him.

Ce laughed. "Please, you know how hard it is to keep up with her?" he said cheerfully, pointing at their daughter with his foot.

Da giggled. "Your greatest challenge yet, yes?"

"Tougher than Lu Bu ever was." Ce quipped. "There's no mistaking that she's your daughter."

"Hey now," Da chided, trying to look offended. "For a Qiao girl she is very mild-mannered, I will have you know."

"Believe me, I know it," Ce replied. "I married one, after all."

Da pouted and threw a peach at him. He caught it lazily and took a bite, still staring at the sky. She could tell something was on his mind, and it was something that she had not seen in his eyes for nearly a year.

Sun Kai-Ying rolled over and yawned, stretching her frame. Her eyes fluttered open and she smiled at her parents. Her striking silver eyes glinted with intelligence and insight. She crawled over between them and settled in.

"Mother," she said in her tiny, beautiful voice. "Where are we?"

Da Qiao poked her daughter's nose. "It is not correct for you to ask me, girl, until you have first addressed the Lord of Wu and asked him."

Kai-Ying made a wry face. "But he'll just say 'Some place that belongs to me.' It's all he ever says when I ask. Is there any place that does not belong to father?"

Sun Ce burst out laughing suddenly. Da shot him a look.

"Ce, really… she was serious."

"I know she was," he replied, calming himself. He took his daughter into his arms and tickled her. The girl squealed and giggled, half-heartedly trying to escape. "And she's got an answer coming, once she escapes!"

The little girl squirmed and writhed, her face going pink from laughing so hard. Eventually Ce let her go and she scurried to the safety of her mother's lap. Ce now sat up and faced the two of them, his eyes bright and his smile warm.

"There are places that aren't mine," he said. "And you just made me realize that it's about time we started changing that."

"You will conquer these lands, father?" Kai-Ying asked.

Ce nodded.

"Why?"

Da Qiao stroked her daughter's hair. "Your father is the noblest and most just ruler in all the land, my love. In conquering the land, he will be freeing the people from other rulers who are not as worthy, generous or merciful."

Kai-Ying nodded slowly. Though she was only just over three, she had the understanding of a child many years older. She could already read, write and recite poetry. She would have made a brilliant courtesan, if she were not destined to rule.

"So father must fight and take these lands." Kai-Ying concluded.

Da nodded.

The child grimaced. "It is wrong to fight. It is not what Heaven wants."

"Perhaps," Da said gently. "But sometimes the Celestials use something they do not like to bring about their ends. In this case, your father waging war to unify and pacify the lands is the design."

Kai-Ying thought about what her mother said. "I do not understand that yet. Is that because I am young?"

Ce chuckled. "Kid, even I don't understand sometimes."

"Perhaps Uncle Zhou Yu would know?" the girl suggested.

"Maybe," Ce replied. "There doesn't seem to be much he doesn't understand."

"He made me understand one day about why I should not be angry about everyone eating animals." Kai-Ying said solemnly.

"Oh? How so?" Da asked. "I did not think it was possible to change your mind."

"I told him it was wrong to kill and eat animals." Kai-Ying related. "I said there were endless plants and vegetables to eat, so why should anyone have to or choose to eat animals? He replied that it was simply choice and one that we had the right to make. When I asked about the rights of animals to not be eaten, he suggested that I should perhaps try to make a tiger stop eating meat or a fish to not jump out the water to catch a dragonfly."

"I see." Da said, nodding. "What then?"

"I told him that it was natural for tigers to eat meat and for fish to eat dragonflies. He then asked why it was not nature for us to do the same, especially since the Celestials themselves ate meat." Kai-Ying said. "Uncle is too smart for me."

Ce laughed. "Not too smart, he's having a hard time coping with the notion that Xiao is pregnant, y'know."

Da giggled. It was true, Xiao had recently been told that she was going to bear a child and her excitement could not be contained. She was so exuberant that she completely disrupted Zhou Yu's schedule. Ce had no end of fun at his sworn brother's expense once this detail was known.

"I could always put you on leave, y'know." Ce had suggested.

Zhou Yu went pale. "No, Ce, please… all she wants to do is weave little outfits and describe to me what animals she has put on them. Please, I beg of you, do not give me leave, I will never survive it, you know this!"

"Relax, pal, she's a lot of months off yet. I'll remind her that she has military duties to perform until she's too big to see her feet, okay?" Ce said cheerfully.

Zhou Yu had dropped to his knees and bowed low. "Thank you… thank you…"

Ce snapped out of his reverie and looked at his daughter. "You know that you don't have to eat meat if you don't want to, right, squirt?"

Kai-Ying nodded. "I understand that, Lord of Wu."

Da snickered.

"What?" the girl asked. "Isn't that what he is? You call him that all the time, mother."

"It's okay for you to call him father, my love," Da cooed, stroking her daughter's cheek. "It is a privilege that you alone have and I suggest you use it."

Sun Kai-Ying sighed. "Grown-ups. I will never understand them…"

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The barge had stopped up on the shore while the mariners rested. Ce, Da and Kai-Ying were sitting underneath a great tree whose boughs sheltered them from the ferocious rays of the mid-day summer sun. They ate plums and berries and sipped at honeyed nectars while the musicians played tunes that harkened back to the ancient village of Zhong. It was actually a tune that Da Qiao had taught them and she sang the words now to her daughter, who listened intently while Ce sat beside, his eyes shut in reverie.

Da Qiao's song ended and the musicians played a tune from distant Er-Hu. Da drank from her shallow bowl while Kai-Ying settled in for a nap. She stroked the back of Ce's hand and smiled at him.

"You're bad for my concentration, y'know…" he said, smiling back.

"How so?" she asked.

"Because whenever you sing it drives all other thought from my mind and I have to listen to you. That's the kind of power your voice has over me."

"Perhaps I should stop, then…" she said, smirking.

"Yeah, that ain't happenin'." Ce replied. "But now that she's asleep, I do have things to discuss with you."

Da Qiao knelt and arranged her skirts carefully. She wanted to give her mighty husband her undivided attention.

"I think you and I are taking a tour of the realm soon," he said. "I know we can always read reports and the like, but I want to get a personal feel for what's goin' on out there. I can't get what I need to know from just reading scrolls. There's a bigger picture out there and I've got to figure it out."

Da Qiao smiled. "It is the Tao within you, my lord. Only you and maybe Zhou Yu could possibly grasp what needs to be done. The entirety of it would be too much for anyone else."

"Well, we're goin' on a tour of Wu. By boat, by horse, by carriage, whatever; I need to see this realm of ours and get a handle on the actual situation." Ce concluded. "It can't be just us, we'll need scribes and the like. We'll have to take a small group of bodyguards with us, too."

Da Qiao's face fell. "I was hoping we could do without a legion of soldiers following us everywhere. It would be nice to have some time just for us. You are mightier than all of the warriors in Wu put together, my lord, could you not just protect us? I will act as scribe and you could act as our bodyguard?"

Ce chuckled. "The generals'd never go for that, Da. They'd have a heart attack if I even _suggested_ traipsing around the country unescorted. Zhou Yu would have a fit. So would Taishi Ci."

Da thought hard. "But there must be something. You are the great lord of Wu, your orders and wishes must count for _something_."

"Sometimes I wonder." Ce replied. "Hmmmm…"

An evil grin spread across his face. "Got it…"

"Oh, I know that look," Da mused. "I cannot wait to hear this one."

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Zhou Yu knelt before the dais, his head bowed. Da Qiao never ceased to marvel at the man's loyalty. She knew of the bond of brotherhood shared so famously by Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, but Zhou Yu's loyalty was somehow different. True, he was Ce's sworn brother, but at all times was deferential to the lord of Wu.; at least in public.

Ce sat casually on his ornate chair. It was meant to be a throne of dignity and ancient cultural refinement, but Ce's sprawled in it lazily and that worked at least as well as any other posture he might have assumed. The chair was there to accommodate _him_, not he to acquiesce to the demands of the chair.

"Zhou Yu I'm goin' on a tour of our little realm." Ce said.

"A wise decision, my lord." Zhou Yu replied. "I shall ready the scribes and the armed escorts."

"Yeah, that won't be necessary," Ce intoned. "A simple squad oughta do it."

Zhou Yu looked up at Ce, his face betraying no emotion. He rose slowly and with a gesture dismissed all other attendants and guards within the room, who bowed and left quickly, even Taishi Ci.. No one else would have had such power or privilege in the presence of their lord, but everyone knew Zhou Yu was an exception to the rule. Not even Quan or Shang Xiang could affect such an order.

When they were alone, just the three of them, Zhou Yu spoke.

"You can't be serious, Ce. I do not care if you're the most powerful warrior in China, this simply could not be done. Yes, we seek to create a new realm and a new order, but the traditions of the Han must still be upheld."

"I don't want to spend a fortune in gold on this tour, Zhou Yu." Ce answered. "We've promised the people of this realm that we'd be different from the other lords they're used to. I won't wander the countryside spending lavishly on myself while they toil."

Zhou Yu bowed. "Ce, I know that. But you _are_ the Lord of Wu and ruler of one of the largest realms in this land. It is not fit for you to meander about like a beggar. The people do not desire that sort of a ruler any more than they desire a cruel one. Leave the homeless wandering routine to Liu Bei."

Ce laughed. "Yeah, he seems to have a lock on that, doesn't he?" It was well known amongst the lords of the Han that the virtuous Liu Bei was always wandering from province to province, his oath-brothers in tow, because no one could put up with his astounding virtue for very long. The common people everywhere loved him; he was nothing but a hassle for the local lords and administrators, however. Currently he was residing somewhere within Cao Cao's lands. Ce had sent out an invitation for the brothers to come and live within Wu, but this had been graciously refused.

"Ce, please reconsider, for the dignity of your people, if not your own." Zhou Yu pressed. "No one would care to see Da Qiao traveling about so. Her Valiant Cavaliers would rebel instantly."

"The amount of gold it would require is unacceptable, Zhou Yu." Ce replied firmly.

"Ce…" Zhou Yu strained, but he could figure out how to continue.

"Looks, I've got a compromise, buddy," Ce said, smiling. "And I'm sure you'll actually like it."

Zhou Yu sighed. "Alright, let's hear it."

"I want to take one squad with me and just a small retinue of attendants." Ce suggested.

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "And how, exactly, is that a compromise, Ce?"

Da giggled.

"Da's agreed to be the principal scribe on our little venture, so I'll be just fine there. Retainers to look after she and Kai-Ying are needed. This'll be educational for my daughter."

Zhou Yu nodded. "I agree, it will be of great benefit to her. What about this mysterious squad of yours, Ce?"

"I want to take your wife and her squad with me." Ce said simply.

Zhou Yu went pale and said nothing.

"Wow, never seen anyone render Zhou Yu speechless before." Da Qiao quipped, smirking.

"I think it's a great idea." Ce added. "She'll be out of your hair and you can continue administrating, right? I'll continue her martial arts training and she'll guard us."

Zhou Yu was silent for several more seconds and finally drew a deep breath.

"Ce, nothing would make me happier than to get Xiao 'out of my hair', as you so eloquently put it, but… you haven't met her squad yet."

"I guess it's about time I did, huh?"

"Just promise me you won't decide to bring them along until after you've met them…" Zhou Yu said, pinching his eyes wearily.

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Sun Ce walked toward the makeshift parade ground, dressed in his crimson and gold armour. The parade ground was little more than a large field that had been pounded flat and demarked by a newly paved road that ran around it. He was not about to waste money on a formal inspection and parade square when the people of Baifu weren't properly housed yet.

Beside him walked Da Qiao, Taishi Ci and Zhou Yu. Da seemed intrigued, Taishi Ci his usual stoic self and Zhou Yu more than a little apprehensive. Ce wasn't sure why his lifelong friend appeared so uneasy.

He ran the past year's events through his mind. Xiao had been given command of a squad within Sun Shang Xiang's battalion. She had applied herself to the business of learning to command with a ferocious will and now had a decent understanding of the basic principals of tactics and authority. She had, however, proven so unorthodox in her application of these principals that her soldiers regularly petitioned to be transferred out of the unit. Xiao didn't seem to mind, she was determined to find troops that could make these tactics work.

Apparently, after a full year, she finally had.

He chuckled to himself as he thought of the issues the poor girl had been through to come this far. He had to admit, he was proud of her, both for her persistence and her unquestioned loyalty. She deserved an independent squad of her own and finally had one. While Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran both adored her, they were more than a little relieved to see her given her own command.

Xiao had not been able to find any willing or suitable troops within the entire army of Wu to form her ideal squad. Undaunted, she had gone out into the land and recruited these warriors herself, spending the last several weeks indoctrinating and training them personally. Now it was time to finally meet these mysterious warriors.

What greeted Ce was somewhat unusual. Xiao was not standing at the front of an ordered squad of warriors resplendent in crimson and gold, nor were they at attention beneath a banner that named the squad and its commander. Instead what he saw was a small knot of individuals, swathed in great cloaks, huddled about and consulting with Xiao, who seemed to have not remembered that she was in the parade grounds awaiting inspection. No one noticed as Ce and his little group strolled casually up to them.

"Still workin' on drill and discipline formalities, Xiao?" he quipped.

Almost faster than the eye could follow, the cloaks of the warriors were whipped aside and they fanned out in a circle around the intruders. Bows were bent to full arc and ready to fire. Da squeaked in fright and hid behind Taishi Ci.

"No no no no no no no!!!" Xiao yelped in panic, rushing to stop her squad from assassinating her brother-in-law, husband and sister. "No! That's Sun Ce! He's our ruler! Don't shoot him!"

The bows all trained on Zhou Yu.

"That's my husband, you've met him already." Xiao said dryly. "No, that's my sister and I love her… no, don't bother shooting Taishi Ci, he won't notice…"

Eventually the bows were lowered, having run out of targets.

"So, this is your squad, huh?" Ce mused, inspecting the warriors. "Um… Xiao, they're all girls and they all look to be about sixteen."

"They are," Xiao replied, apparently pleased with Ce's observation. "Not too obvious, is it?"

"You really are a head case, you know that, right?" Da interjected. "Your lunatic teenagers tried to kill us."

"They thought you were a threat," Xiao said, shrugging as if this reaction on the part of her squad members had been completely normal and expected. "After all, they are loyal to me."

"They're supposed to be loyal to Wu, you dingbat." Da said, her voice tight. "Not you, that's how rebellions happen."

"Oh…" Xiao said, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Guess I messed up."

One of the girls tilted her head. "Lady Qiao… did you not tell us when you recruited us that _you_ were the ruler of Wu?"

Xiao went pale for a moment and then laughed, rubbing the back of her head. "Ah-hahhhh, yeah… ummm, about that…"

"Wow," Ce said, barely able to keep from laughing. "Zhou Yu, these girls are insane. They're exactly who I want to be my guard squad when I tour the realm."

Zhou Yu shrugged helplessly. "As you wish, Ce. I just hope they don't murder everyone in the countryside."

"I suppose I'd better make the introductions." Xiao declared, eager to get started. She gestured for Ce to follow her while her warriors lined up for inspection. The girls all had long, black hair that was done up in little queues, exactly like Xiao's.

"So this first girl is Bo, she likes axes…" Xiao remarked. "This is her twin sister, An. An has a thing for lariats…"

Da was silent as she walked behind Ce but put her hand to her throat uncomfortably. Whatever this An girl did with lariats, she was certain it wouldn't be pretty.

"This is Chyuo, she's amazing with knives… Jun and Lian are twins and both like to use the _lajiatang_…"

Da had seen one of these weapons before, in Ce's armoury. It consisted of a long haft with what looked like curved duck-blades at either end. It was, quite simply, the most destructive-looking thing she had ever seen in her life.

And these girls apparently preferred them? Da didn't like the sound of this.

"Mi here can shoot a dragonfly while at full gallop from horseback… Qi likes halberds, although she's working on the strength to use them properly… Lien is happiest with two swords… this tall girl is Shing…"

"Um, isn't that a boy's name?" Da asked.

The girl called Qi giggled. "Yes!" she chirped. "She was so big when she was born that her parents thought she was a boy and named her as such."

Shing's eyes flared wide and with a shout she jumped on Qi and began pummeling her. They tumbled in a heap, crashing into the other girls, signaling the start of a confused brawl. Much shouting and name-calling ensued.

Trying to avoid getting sucked into the whirlwind of violence, Xiao stood on her tip-toes and looked into the fray. She scanned and pointed finally.

"And that one there is Lei."

She then stood still and waited for Ce's assessment, trying really hard to ignore the teenage catfight happening behind her, which was somewhat difficult, considering the unlady-like language that was being used. Her smile grew strained while Ce watched the melee.

Da finally elbowed him. "Stop leering, you pervert!" she hissed.

Ce laughed. "Alright, alright, that's just the funniest thing I've ever seen. Xiao, where did you get them? Who are their families, so that we can properly register their names?"

Xiao made to say something after a few seconds and her mouth opened, but she finally just shrugged helplessly.

"Good enough for me." Ce declared. "Let's get them properly outfitted."

Da just shook her head as she watched the wild melee continue unabated. She couldn't see this coming to a good end.

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"Well, a decent compromise, I suppose…" Da suggested as she rode alongside Sun Ce down the path that led from Baifu. Her husband just looked ahead, saying nothing. Behind them rode Xiao's squad of psychotic girls and Taishi Ci, accompanied by one squad of Night Tigers.

Da smiled at her husband. He wasn't used to being denied. "You have to admit, bringing along a mere two squads is still a- oh, dear gods, this is what you had planned all along, isn't it?"

Ce said nothing.

"Admit it," Da pressed. "You knew you'd never get away with traipsing around the countryside accompanied by only a single squad, so you insisted on only one and as a result got the two you were _actually_ hoping for. Admit it."

Ce allowed a slight smile to crease his lips. "Well, it wouldn't do for the Lord of Wu to be accompanied by only a single squad, would it?"

Da rolled her eyes. "How do you do that, Ce? You managed to outsmart Zhou Yu. That isn't even possible."

"Nah, he knows," Ce replied, waving dismissively. "This was just a way for us both to save face. Now everyone's happy. I'm unencumbered by lots of staff, Taishi Ci will stop grousing about not being to perform his assigned duties and I've still got an impressive retinue."

He winked at Da. "Not to mention the prettiest girl in all the Han at my side."

Da blushed. "I assume you mean your daughter…" she said, embarrassed.

Ce laughed and nodded. "Both of you, then. I'm glad we're all going on this little trip, Da. It means a lot to me."

"So what are we going to be doing, father?" Kai-Ying asked. She was riding on her own horse, along with her nursemaid, Bi.

Ce pondered for a moment and shrugged. "A lot of things. We need to make sure the land is producing enough food for everyone and also for an army. We need to make sure everyone has access to trade and medicine… I want to make sure the people are happy and I want to hear it from _them_, not from dry reports made by bureaucrats."

"How long will we be gone?" the girl inquired.

"I dunno, the realm of Wu is pretty big. This could take a year."

Kai-Ying's eyes went wide. "A whole year? Could we not explore the whole world in that time?"

"No, my love," Da said, smiling at her daughter's incredulity. Sometimes it was hard to remember that she was only three. "The former realm of the Han is much bigger than that."

"How many people live in the Han?" Kai-Ying asked.

"Well, no one knows for sure, but the great scholars of the age think around sixty million." Ce replied simply. "Like I said, that's only an educated guess."

Kai-Ying was silent for several moments. "That is too many," she said finally. "I do not understand that number. There are too many people when father fills the parade grounds with his troops."

Da smiled. "You should have seen some of the armies we fought with anf against when your father and I were on campaign."

Kai-Ying's eyes widened. "Mother? You went to war?"

Da pondered the question. "Yes, I did. Have I never told you that before?"

"No," the child replied. "I thought father was supposed to be the violent one."

Da Qiao blushed as Ce roared with laughter. Even Taishi Ci, who rode nearby, could not suppress a broad grin.

"I see this is going to be a very long family vacation…" Da muttered.

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**Author's Notes: **I hate to say it, but TYC is going to be on hiatus for a while. I've got some really hard and heart-breaking stuff going on in my life right now and internet accessibility is going to be an issue, not to mention just finding the time to write. I'm not saying that I'm ending the story, far from it. It just isn't going to be all that easy to do this for a little while. If I can write and update, I will, I promise.

I'm really sorry.


	31. Chapter 31

The Young Conqueror

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**Author's Note: **I'm back, folks. Sorry about the delay. Let's get on with this, shall we?

--

**Chapter 26- Birth of a Nation, Part 2**

The villagers were all prostrated in the field in from of their homes. Facing them, Sun Ce sat on some cushions, wearing a formal scarlet robe with gold tiger motifs sewn into it with precious threads. About his broad shoulders he wore a beautiful tiger skin. Da Qiao and little Kai-ying stood next to him, waiting quietly. Xiao stood with her squad of girls and Taishi Ci loomed over his Night tigers, stoic and waiting patiently.

The village elder was kow-towing just in front of Ce's cushions, his forehead pressed to the ground. He was silent for several minutes. Sun Kai-ying shifted uncomfortably and finally spoke.

"Sir, my father will not be able to hear you if you speak into the ground."

Da Qiao flushed crimson in embarrassment while Sun Ce burst out with laughter. Even some of the villagers chuckled. Kai-ying looked at the ground.

"My daughter has a point, elder." Ce said finally, composing himself. "I appreciate the show of respect, but enough is enough already. I'm not the emperor or anything. You and your people may rise."

The elder rose slowly to his knees, making sure he was sitting lower than Sun Ce. The villagers all did likewise. The old man bowed his head.

"Great lord, we are honoured by your visit. How can we, the unworthy villagers of Banpo, be of service to you?"

Ce nodded in return. "Elder, I am going on a tour of my realm. I wanted to get an accurate impression of what life is like in Wu and what changes must be made in order to make the people happy."

"But my lord," the elder said, somewhat confused. "Surely you have many bureaucrats who could take care of such unimportant matters for you."

"Yeah," Sun Ce said dryly. "Remember that the emperor was relying on the eunuchs to tell him how the Han realm was and look what it got him. So I've decided to take a look for myself."

The elder bowed again. "We trust to your wisdom, lord. What do you wish of us?"

"Well, we're gonna need a place to stay while we're in the area…"

The elder bowed hastily. "Lord, we have no facilities that could possibly prove worthy of you! I am so sorry! What we can offer is totally unsatisfactory! Forgive this worthless servant!"

"And that's why I'm here, elder." Ce pointed out. "If your existence is meager, it's my job to find a way to make it better. You can put the Ladies Qiao up in a home and the rest of us will stay in any available stables, okay?"

The villagers all bowed low. Da Qiao looked at Ce with one eyebrow raised.

"Sleep by myself? I don't recall agreeing to that."

"Just work with me on this, Da, I'll make it up to you later." Ce murmured out of the side of his mouth, hoping the villagers would not hear him.

Da pursed her lips and was silent.

Ce continued. "Elder, while we're here, I'm asking you to be completely honest with me, okay? If there are things wrong around here, I want to know, understand? I can't fix a problem if you don't tell me there is one."

The elder nodded. "Of course, my lord."

"That goes for all of you!" Ce said loudly, so that the villagers could hear them. "If we ask you questions, give us honest answers!"

The villagers all bowed low.

--

Da Qiao walked alongside a priestess and an elderly seer. The priestess, keeper of the local ancestral shrine, was a plump and pleasant woman, who seemed to know all the local gossip and was more than happy to share it with her new best friend, the Lady of Wu.

"Ohhhh, I assure you, I told young Lao that she was destined for heartbreak if she pursued that boy. But did she listen to me? Did she listen to the keeper of the ancestors? Of course not- and now, Heavens know where she got off to."

The priestess clucked her tongue in dissatisfaction at how unappreciated she was. The seer just walked alongside, shaking his head, obviously having heard this tale of woe many, many times over.

"Priestess, please take me to your shrine. I would like to see it, please. I wish to pay my respects." Da Qiao said finally.

The priestess clapped in delight. Obviously no one of any note had visited her charge before. "But of course, Lady Da Qiao! Follow me, please!"

Da trailed after the older woman, observing the settlement's layout. When they arrived at the shrine, the priestess gestured grandly for her to enter.

Once inside the somewhat makeshift structure, Da Qiao spent a few moments praying silently. She left a small but elegant offering of fragrant peaches and a single, perfect pearl. Outside, she stared at the shrine intently for several moments. The priestess held off as long as she could before breaking the thoughtful silence.

"What troubles you, my lady? Do you see as well that the people have not been paying proper respect or attention to their ancestors? I have been warning them for years now that misfortune will-"

"It is not that," Da said, interrupting the woman's tirade. "This shrine, it should not be here."

The woman blinked. "What do you mean, my lady?"

Da Qiao beckoned the priestess to follow her. She led the woman and the seer around the back of the shrine and nodded grimly at what she saw. She gestured to a large formation of boulders against which the structure rested.

"These rocks," Da pointed out. "These rocks are the issue. They interfere with the harmony of the shrine."

The woman screwed up her face in confusion. "I do not understand."

"_Feng shui_, priestess," Da said. "This holy place should be close to a wooded area or standing proudly in a field. These rocks conflict with the most basic principals of geomancy."

The priestess was at a loss for only a moment before she stiffened slightly. "Does my lady suggest that a devoted priestess has made an error in how to care for the ancestors of Banpo?"

Da Qiao shook her head. "Of course not. How long has this shrine stood here?"

"At least five generations…" intoned the old seer, trying to hold back a smirk at the priestess' discomfiture.

"You worked with what you had, good lady," Da said in an encouraging tone. "But what I am observing is that this village was not established with any principals of _feng shui_ in mind."

The woman cleared her throat. "To be honest, my lady, no one has any sort of formal training in such matters as you speak. I am keeper of the shrine because my grandfather had been and what little he taught me is more than anyone else knows."

Da smiled. "Then you and I together will make the people see, and we shall bring smiles to your ancestor's faces again, I promise you."

The priestess bowed. Perhaps by sending this beautiful young woman to their village, the gods had finally seen fit to talk to her…

--

Sun Ce stood with the village elder in the central square and surveyed the settlement. What he saw did not impress him.

"You understand what I am sayin', right?" Ce asked. "I'm not knocking your efforts, but in order for your village to really prosper, we've gotta do things differently, okay?"

"You asked me to be honest, Lord Sun, and I shall be…" the elder said humbly. "I have no idea what you are talking about."

Ce laughed. "Well, at least you admit it, and that's a good start. You know what _feng shui_ is, right?"

The elder nodded. "I have heard the term and a theory of how it is applied, but I know no specifics one could rely on."

"We are going to draw up plans to remake this village, elder." Ce said. "For instance, you've got your market right in the center of the settlement. How's that workin'?"

The elder shrugged. "It is convenient, which is why we did it. But the smells from the market can be disconcerting for those downwind, especially in the morning."

"Yeah, I'll bet," Ce replied, nodding. "We're gonna build a new marketplace to the south of the village, downwind from everyone. And we're gonna put a wall around it, to block the view."

The elder nodded, not exactly sure of all Ce was talking about, but willing to give this remarkable young man the benefit of the doubt.

"What sort of food do you grow around here?" Ce asked.

The elder pointed off to the west. "We harvest soybeans and cabbage over there, toward the river where the soil is most fertile."

Ce nodded and walked towards the fields the elder had indicated. The efforts were haphazard, and while the food supply might have met the village's meager needs, they could certainly have done better.

"You could grow rice here too, y'know." Ce suggested.

"We know nothing of growing rice, I am ashamed to say, lord…" the elder said.

"We'll fix that," Ce said, nodding. "We're gonna irrigate these fields and teach you terracing, so that you can grow ten times more food than you're producing now- enough to trade with other villages, in fact."

The elder's eyes went wide. "But my lord… we have no salt."

"I will have salt sent to you, so that the fields can be prepared."

Ce knelt down and scooped up some earth in his hands. He squished it between his fingers and then pressed his strong finger deep down into the soil. It came back a muddy, slippery grey.

"You've got a lot of clay here," he said. "Why don't you have any kilns producing pottery?"

The elder trembled, obviously feeling very inefficient. "We have no one who knows how to make such a luxury item, lord."

He dropped to his knees and bowed before Ce.

"This servant humbly begs to be removed from his post, my lord. He is not worthy."

"Forget it," Ce said firmly. "You're exactly the person I need for this job. Now stand up."

The old man stood, not sure what was to happen next.

Ce folded his arms. "I told you I went on this little tour to see for myself what needs to be fixed- and what I'm seein' is that decades of rule by petty thugs and crime lords has wiped out valuable knowledge here in the Southlands."

He gestured at the wide plain. "Elder, this village has the most advantageous position of any settlement for fifty _li_. You've got a healthy river for fishing, so I will get you nets. There is game to be hunted, so I will get you bows and snares. I will send salt and people that will teach your farmers to irrigate their fields. You will build clay pits and my artisans from Wuchang will teach you to make beautiful ceramics that everyone in the region shall covet."

The elder's heart raced. Could this really be happening?

"My wife found your shrine and says it needs to relocate. My Night Tigers will help you while we are here. I'm sending some priests to build a temple to the spirit of this river, and they shall advise your priestess and seers about how to bring your settlement into harmony with the Tao."

Taishi Ci now rode up atop is chestnut horse. He bowed and leapt off the steed lightly before tossing a lump of something to Sun Ce.

The greenish substance glistened in the sun, threaded with a milky opalescence.

"We found substantial deposits in the hills to the north, my lord." Taishi Ci said.

Sun Ce looked at the elder and smiled. "And you've even got natural deposits of jade nearby, elder. I will send artisans to teach you how to shape and carve it and you're gonna be the wealthiest village in the district."

The elder was staring at the lump of serpentine in Sun Ce's hand. Had the gods bestowed this blessing on them all this time and they'd been too foolish to notice?

"Elder, I'm gonna need an administrator here, to oversee things for me… you interested? It's gonna be hard work, but this Banpo will finally be the place you've always dreamed of."

The elder prostrated himself instantly, forehead to the soft earth.

"Of course, my lord… this servant is not worthy… not worthy…"

--

They had been in Banpo for nearly a week and Da Qiao had to admit she might have made a mistake in agreeing to be Sun Ce's principal scribe. Her hand was beginning to hurt from the copious amount of notes she was taking. True, some servants had been brought along who were literate and could take such dictations as was necessary, but keeping lists and organizing everything had fallen to her.

She was also slightly jealous of Xiao, since her younger sister had been given two simple duties- first was to stand guard over the village with her squad. The second was to keep the villagers entertained. The locals had found some rustic instruments and Xiao was teaching them how to not only play but harmonize and play together. She received Sun Ce's permission to begin a music school. The new market they were planning would never be without melody. Xiao was most delighted with the plan, since it had been hers.

And then the morning sickness began.

However pleasant and bubbly Xiao might have been during the normal course of events, she was now a completely miserable ogress when she first awoke. The retching aside, she was prone to bouts of crying and making unreasonable demands. Her normally unflappable and psychotic girls danced constant attendance on her, as if she were going to lop off their heads if they didn't jump immediately.

Da could not decide whether to be attentive or to leave the little witch alone. Xiao would get moody and stomp off to be by herself. Da Qiao was watching Sun Kai-ying play with the children of the village when she saw her sister stumbling off toward the boundaries of the settlement, her hand clamped over her mouth. Da finally sighed and walked off to find her sister, leaving Kai-ying under the care of an elderly woman.

She could hear Xiao up ahead in a cluster of reeds along the riverbank, once again getting sick. Da walked up slowly beside Xiao as she knelt on all fours and held her ponytail out of her face. Xiao was pale and slightly greenish. She looked up at her big sister miserably and nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me?" she asked between gulps of air.

Da shrugged. "To be honest, I really didn't suffer all that much from the morning sickness as mother described. I guess I got off lucky."

"Better believe you did…" Xiao grumbled before going cross-eyed and turning back to the water and getting sick again. When she had finished, she took several deep breaths and knelt up. Some of her complexion had returned but her eyes were still red.

"This sucks…" she groused. "I was looking forward to helping out and I have to stop whatever I'm doing every two hours to go puke my lungs out."

Da smiled and caressed her sister's cheek. Xiao was still young and rather naïve sometimes. It didn't surprise her that her own experience with pregnancy had no effect on Xiao's outlook. She was the type that sometimes had to learn the hard way.

"I'm tired…" she complained. "I'm homesick and I miss Zhou Yu. We're here in the north of our realm and Baifu is so far away and-"

Da Qiao quickly and quietly put a hand over Xiao's mouth, gesturing for her to be silently. Xiao did as her sister requested, her eyes betraying her confusion. Da made a motion for her sister to stay put and began sneaking through the reeds toward whatever she heard.

As she crept forward, she could here men speaking harshly and another person whimpering. She shivered slightly at the sound of the victim, whoever they were. They spoke but sounded like they had been hit repeatedly in the mouth.

Just beyond the reeds, she saw a group of men interrogating someone who was now their prisoner. Da Qiao's heart burned with fury as she recognized old Hao, a kindly man from Banpo who wove straw mats and sandals for the people. He was a gentle soul who would never think of hurting anyone.

His captors wore no uniform she immediately recognized, but they seemed well equipped and their mounts were light and fast…

Outriders. Scout for some force obviously intent on raiding in the area.

The leader slapped Hao across the face again before gripping his cheeks and glaring into his eyes.

"I'll say this one more time, scum!" the man hissed. "Your village! How many people are there and how many defend it? Tell me and I'll make your death quick!"

Hao shook with terror. "P-please…" he stuttered. "We are a peaceful village, and a poor one! We have nothing of value and certainly do not wish to fight you!"

"Then you will not mind when we take your women with us, yes?" the man sneered.

"No!" Hao said hastily. "Please, do not! You will die!"

"What? What do you mean?" demanded the scout leader.

"We are peaceful, but… there… there are people staying with us! If you value your lives, do not attack us!"

A strike across the cheek from the leader's hand sent Hao to the ground.

"Who?!" the man shouted angrily. "Who and how many?! Tell me or I will bleed you slowly and make you squeal like a woman!"

"Please!" Hao said in desperation. "You must go back! If you oppose them, you will be slain!"

He keened in pain as the leader's short sword pierced his shoulder, pinning him to the ground. The man gave the blade a twist, pressing his point with the foolish captive.

"I will make this very clear, little man. You will tell me who they are and how many. If you do not, then not only will you die slowly, but your village will burn and everyone will die even more painfully than you. You have my word on this."

Hao choked back his pain as tears streamed down his face. "It… it is Lord Sun Ce… it is he that we are hosting."

The leader snarled and pressed the blade down, further into Hao's shoulder.

"Do not lie to me!"

"I do not lie!" Hao screeched in agony. "He is staying in our village! He is touring his realm, determined to see for himself what he must do to make the people happy!"

The leader looked at his men for a moment, all of whom shrugged. He looked down at Hao.

"How many accompany the Lord of Wu? Tell me…"

Hao's body shook and spasmed in pain. "Just… just his wife… his daughter…"

Da Qiao began to creep closer. Before long she was behind one of the scouts, who stood near the reed bed. The man was thoroughly absorbed by Hao's torture and did not sense Da's approach.

"Who else?" the leader asked, wiggling the blade.

"Ah! His… sister-in-law… and… two squads of guardians… led… by Taishi Ci, commander of the Night Tigers!"

The leader snarled in fury. "You expect me to believe the Young Hegemon would traipse about his realm so lightly guarded?! What sort of a fool do you take me for?! I should kill you for your impudence!"

He withdrew the sword and plunged it into Hao's belly. The poor weaver screamed in agony, writhing as his captor tortured him.

"This far-fetched tale of yours comes to an end now. And as I promised you, this will not not be over quickly…"

He was about to drive his blade into Hao again when an arrow lodged itself in his throat. His eyes went wide and he swayed drunkenly for a moment before collapsing. His men, at first confused by what was happening, began looking around to see who might have been assaulting them. Another died as he spotted Da Qiao, who had relieved her first victim near the reeds of his light bow.

One scout shouted and rushed at her, his sword drawn, determined to make quick work of her. Da Qiao had already knocked another arrow and buried it between his eyes before he could strike. She rolled away from another man's attack and thrust her foot into the small of his back, snapping his spine. She swept up the short sword he had been carrying and flung it, piercing another man's chest.

With five already dead, the remaining scouts bolted back for their horses. Da Qiao sprinted after them in hot pursuit.

"Xiao!" she called, knowing her sister had not obeyed her instructions and had followed her. "Get Hao back to the village and warn my husband of these bandits!"

Xiao came racing out of the reeds and toward Hao. She was still pale but all thoughts of her condition had fled form her mind. She knelt next to the old man and gingerly removed the blade from his torso. She fretted as Hao cried out, obviously discomfited by his pain.

"C'mon, Hao…" she said urgently. "This gonna hurt but I can't carry you! All I need you to do is make it over to one of these horses, okay?"

She looked around for her sister, but Da was already gone. As much as she wanted to find and help her, Da was more likely to survive than Hao was.

At least for now…

--

Da sprinted through the tall grass, having outrun one more scout, whom she struck to the ground with the blade she now carried. Could she catch them all before they returned to warn their fellow bandits? She prayed she was fast enough.

Another scout was just in front of her. She was gaining on him and the man cried out in fright as he realized she was so close behind.

Her blood raced through her, her heart leaping in excitement at the chase.

"I'm coming for you!" she called out. "You will not escape Da Qiao, warrior-mistress of Wu!"

The man burst through the tall grass and into a clearing, with Da Qiao hot on his heels. She was about to strike when the foe's camp came into view. It was no bandit's camp, but that of a small army. And now she could see banners…

Yuan Shu.

Squads of swordsmen awaited her, covering archers, whose bows were pointed directly at her.

Da Qiao skidded to a halt and scrambled back into the tall grass as arrows whizzed by and landed around her. The jeers and calls of the foe burned in her ears as she sprinted back the way she had come. She could hear her foes pursuing.

"_Stupid, stupid stupid!"_ she said to herself. "_What sort of addled fool goes charging headlong after an enemy without any idea what they're getting into?!_"

She could hear horses closing behind. She crouched as low as she could, trying to present a minimal target while still running.

A scout galloped up on her right and struck at her with his sword. She dodged and flung herself against the back of his saddle. The horse neighed in protest, pulled off balance by the sudden shift in weight. Da Qiao fought desperately to not be struck by the hooves while the rider tried to maintain his seat and still strike at her.

With a shout Da hauled herself onto the back of the saddle and began wrestling with the scout for control. The horse shrieked as it galloped, now panicking from lack of direction. The man elbowed Da Qiao in the ribcage while she clawed at his eyes.

Near the reeds, the horse slipped in the soft mud, sending both itself and its passengers into the water of the river. Da Qiao landed on top of her foe, ramming her knee into his ribcage as she did so. The man, his head already underwater, gasped and started to thrash about as water filled his lungs and he began drowning. Da Qiao wearily rose to her feet and tried to spy the horse but it had already fled.

She didn't know what to do- should she stick to the river, hoping to not be seen? If she did, she would surely be slower than on dry land. But on land, she was also more vulnerable to attack. She cursed her indecision, knowing she did not have the head to make decision like this.

Time was of the essence! She had to get back to Banpo as quickly as possible, her own safety be damned. She would run on dry land.

As she sprinted, she was encouraged to hear no immediate pursuit. Was there a change she might make it back before Yuan Shu's army arrived?

The tall grass gave way to tilled earth, and the millet fields of Banpo were around her. Tears began to stream down her face, although she was not at all sure why she was crying. Was she scared? Overwrought at witnessing what poor Hao had undergone?

Standing alone in the middle of the field was Sun Ce. He had his tonfas in hand and was waiting quietly. Da Qiao sprinted harder.

She finally collapsed against him, panting in near exhaustion. His arm went around her, holding her gently.

"Started without me, did ya?" he said, smiling at her.

My lord…" she finally managed to say. "These men… they are not raiders… they are Yuan Shu's men!"

Ce raised an eyebrow. "Really? Gotta admit, I wasn't expecting that, at least not yet."

Just then, a squad of cavalry galloped out of the tall grass, approaching the millet field they now stood in. The horsemen paused, clearly surprised to see Sun Ce there. They came to a stop and waited, obviously expecting reinforcements.

The relief force was not long in arriving. More cavalry approached, along with swordsmen and archers. Very soon, the enemy numbered over a hundred, with more clearly on the way.

Da Qiao looked worried. "My lord… I am sorry I brought them here without warning, I-"

"Da…" Ce said quietly, his eyes never leaving the enemy. "Get behind me…"

Da Qiao puzzled at his instruction and for a moment was mildly offended… but then she saw the look in his eye and something warmed her heart. She circled around his back and looked out from behind him, smirking evilly at their enemy.

They were really going to get it now…

--

The expeditionary force commander was plainly confused. Not only had some lunatic woman attacked his men, but now a single warrior stood against them, as if not at all bothered by the increasingly difficult odds.

His instructions had been clear, and they had come from Lord Yuan Shu himself- they were there to raid and scout, not to engage in direct confrontation with enemy forces. But surely this did not count. They were only two. He had already scattered larger forces than this, making sure none remained alive to spread word of this incursion.

And the way this warrior carried himself- what was it that bothered him so? The cocky, casual indifference at his force's arrival? The way he just rotated his shoulders as if warming himself up for a simple sparring match?

The reaction of the woman was just as perturbing- she now watched form behind the warrior, and clearly she seemed to think she was perfectly safe there and that his own forces were doomed to certain annihilation.

He flushed angrily. He would not let these fools get the best of him!

"I'm givin' you one chance, pal…" Ce called out, letting the leader hear him. "Go on back to Yuan Shu and tell him that his forces are not required here to keep things under control. I've got it in hand, thank you very much!"

Ce could tell the man was confused, and frankly, he didn't blame him. It wasn't every day that an army was faced down by one man.

The commander called back. "Step aside, or we shall kill you!"

"Y'don't get it, do you?" Ce replied. "This is _my_ realm and you ain't welcome here, got it? Now get outta my lands or I'm gonna make you sorry you ever heard the name Sun Ce!"

Not only the commander, but his entire force was now in shock. Eventually, though, the commander recovered. He drew his sword and pointed at Ce angrily.

"If indeed you are the Lord of Wu, then you are a fool for coming alone! And no fool should ever claim suzerainty over these lands! I shall take your head to Master Yuan Shu myself!"

"Your funeral, pal…" Ce warned one last time.

The commander pointed with his sword and the cavalry began moving forward at a slow trot. The sword and archer companies followed behind. Ce was amused by their caution. They were not more than fifty paces from Sun Ce and Da Qiao when Ce raised one of his tonfa into the air. From behind large piles of cut reeds and hemp, flaming arrows sped toward Yuan Shu's forces. Xiao Qiao leapt out, directing her squad of girl to continue firing, in two waves of five, covering one another. They aimed at the cavalry, throwing the horsemen into confusion.

From the reeds along the river bed, Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers now burst forth, charging at the infantry. All but Taishi Ci were wielding their _dadaos_, clearly intending to fight on the offensive, as if the numbers mattered not. Taishi Ci rushed forward, his massive clubs in hand.

While the Night Tigers smashed into the infantry, the cavalry tried to get organized. The horses were panicked by the flaming missiles but eventually two squads of cavaliers charged toward Xiao's girls. As they approached, the girls sprang back behind the huge bales and thrust their arrows into them, setting the bales ablaze.

The approaching horses reared back in fright, throwing several of their riders. Xiao and the girls were on them like wolves, making quick work of the enemy. The bales blazed behind them, the black smoke billowing into the sky.

Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers were mauling the infantry, most of whom scattered to get away form the huge warrior and his fearsome clubs.

Sun Ce just watched quietly, his expression never changing.

The cavalry they had engaged neutralized, Xiao and her girls now began targeting the commander's squad and the remaining cavaliers. The commander barked angrily, sending more of his men after the annoying girls. Xiao had already pulled out her fans and hurled one at the lead horseman. It struck him in the helmet and sent him vaulting backwards off his mount.

One of her girls, the one known as An, sidestepped a vicious spear thrust and grabbed hold of the weapon's haft. She then flipped then cavalryman off his horse and sent him sailing into one of the flaming hemp bales, where he disappeared in a wail of agony.

Before long, Sun Ce held his tonfa in the air again and Taishi Ci bellowed loudly for the fighting to stop. The Night Tigers and Xiao's squad obediently ceased their relentless assault. Less than a quarter of the enemy remained and most of them were begging for mercy.

Yuan Shu's commander glared at Sun Ce, shocked and humiliated by the utter ruin of his army. Could this whelp possibly have defeated him so easily?

Sun Ce began to walk forward, Da Qiao now beside him.

"It's not like I didn't tell you." Ce chided. "I already said Yuan Shu's help wasn't necessary, but you just had to go and test me, didn't you?"

"You are a fool!" snapped the commander. "Even if you and these warriors of yours are invincible, you cannot guard the whole northern border of your realm! Other lords covet these lands and will stop at nothing to get them!"

"So why did your boss entrust them to me, then?" Ce asked. "You make sure Yuan Shu understands this, pal… he entitled me "General Who Cherishes Loyalty", but that only goes so far. If he wants loyalty, he'd better be demonstrating it- and this ain't it."

"Your loyalty is already at issue, Lord of Wu!" the man spat harshly. "You failed to take Jing, as you were commanded, and as far as the rest of the realm is concerned, you still hold the Imperial Seal, which is high treason!"

"Yuan Shu's only gotta ask if he wants answers about these charges of yours." Ce said firmly. "Now what's it gonna be? Are you gonna pack up and head back to your master, or do I take your prisoner back to Baifu?"

The commander glared at Ce and then at Da Qiao. If it had not been for her, this would never have happened. Word of Master Yuan Shu's perfidy was sure to leak out now. He would have to ride back to his liege and tell him exactly what happened here today.

"Yeah, that's what I thought…" Ce said, nodding. "The straightest way back across the river is north. Don't bother goin' back to your camp, I'll be liberating your supplies and distributing them amongst the people of this region."

Ce now looked at the remaining prisoners. "You don't have to follow this jerk back if you don't want to. You're welcome to stay here and join with us."

A few seemed to consider it, but a glare from their commander quelled all notions of staying.

"Have it your way, then." Ce said amiably. He nodded at Taishi Ci and tossed him a small coin purse. "Make sure they have no weapons and escort them to the river. This oughta be enough to get them across. We'll be keeping their horses as compensation for what they did to Hao."

Da Qiao's eyes softened. How was the old weaver? Had he survived his injuries? If he had not, what of his family?

The enemy commander's eyes widened. "You are taking our horses? How do you expect us to return to our land? On foot?"

"Better get movin', then." Ce pointed out. "Gonna be winter up north before long."

Taishi Ci then began barking orders and his Night Tigers started herding off the enemy survivors. Sun Ce looked at the remaining bodies. There were well over a hundred of them. They would have to be buried quickly.

"I'm gonna need a strong commander in this region, obviously." Ce said, grimacing. "That guy was right, this northern border's gonna be contentious. Who would you recommend, Da?"

Da Qiao was silent for several moments before answering. "Ling Cao," she said finally. "He is tactically flexible and I have noticed that these people speak in much the same way that he does. His dialect would make him a good choice for regional commander."

Ce laughed. "Well, he's been complainin' about Baifu being too hot anyways. He'll feel right at home, I'll bet."

Da Qiao made a wry face. "My lord…what is that smell?"

Ce paused and sniffed the air, also puzzled by what he smelled. It was then that they heard maniacal giggling, not far away.

Close to the burning bales, Xiao and her girls were all lying on their sides, laughing so hard that tears were rolling down their cheeks.

"What the hell?" Ce said, getting ready to walk over and find out what was going on.

"Lord Sun Ce, no!" called out Banpo's elder, rushing over as quickly as he could. "Do not get too close, my lord! Lady Xiao and her girls, they are not in their right minds!"

"Even for them? That's a statement." Ce replied. "So what's wrong with 'em?"

"They set fire to the hemp bales during the battle," the old man pointed out. "The hemp root and vines are harmless enough, but within those bales were seeds, my lord, and those seeds have certain… narcotic qualities to them when burned!"

Ce stared at Xiao and thought of things he had read- he had indeed heard when he was young that barbarian tribes beyond the Barrier Mountains and north of the Great Desert would throw hemp seeds into their camp fires before a battle, apparently to induce frenzy.

This didn't look like a frenzy to him, but he harboured no doubt Xiao was still dangerous.

He also noticed that the almost greasy black smoke from the burning bales was drifting south, over Banpo.

It was going to be a long night.

--

"So why did you decide to stay with me, my lord, as opposed to sleeping in the field, as you originally proposed?" Da Qiao asked as she snuggled against her husband, tracing a fingernail over his muscular chest.

Ce smiled. "Well, now that Xiao's gone crazy I imagine she wouldn't be very good company, right? Besides, I felt like changin' my mind. I'm the Lord of Wu, I can do that, y'know."

"Are you mad at me for chasing down Yuan Shu's army by myself?" she asked.

"Nah," he replied, stroking her hair as he gazed out the window at the stars. "If you hadn't, Xiao might not've had time to get ol' Hao back here to safety."

"Is he going to be alright?" Da asked.

"Well, the healers say that he's gonna be recovering for some time, but he'll be weaving mats and sandals again within a season?"

"That long?" Da Qiao mused.

"Well, mostly because your sister torched their supply of hemp and it's gonna take them another season to grow it all back."

Da giggled, thinking about Xiao's mild tactical blunder with the hemp. After the battle, she had offered to entertain the village with song and dance, but she could not stay vertical long enough to complete three steps or sing three notes without bursting into giggle fits.

Now they could hear her snoring loudly, and she in a house on the other side of Banpo.

Da sighed and looked up her husband. "It is hard to believe what people around here have forgotten after only few generations. Life is really going to improve for these people now, isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's my hope." Ce said, holding her close and caressing her shoulder. "The plans for what is essentially a new village have been drawn up and it looks great. And that's your doing, Da."

She blushed.

"Not only have we realigned the settlement, but there is room to expand now. This village is gonna get bigger once people begin movin' to the region. Prosperity attracts clients."

"Will we return to Banpo, my lord?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said, nodding. "I want to pass through here on our way back to Baifu, see how things're goin'. It's gonna be hard work, but I intend for Banpo to become this region's center of trade and administration."

"Is the elder really going to be up to the task of administrating the region? He may manage Banpo effectively, but what you propose he take on is another matter entirely."

"He'll be fine," Ce said with confidence. "I'm gonna send a bright junior administrator to assist him. The kid will know Confucian law and the elder will know compassion and the people's hearts. Banpo's gonna be a great place in a few years…"

--

The village elder was once again bowing to Sun Ce and his entourage outside the village. Close behind, the people of Banpo were kow-towing respectfully.

"I'm going to pass back through here when my tour of Wu is done, elder." Ce announced. "You people will have to work hard to make this vision of the new Banpo come to life, but it will be worth it, I promise you."

"You have done so much for us already, Lord Sun Ce," the elder said reverently. "You and your splendid wife have taught us the Tao and we shall turn Banpo into a settlement worthy of your attentions. You saved us from Yuan Shu's men and you are sending your own forces to this region to protect it and teach our men to defend it. Your gift of salt, fishnets and silver will never be forgotten and can never be properly repaid."

Ce nodded and looked out at the village. Already he could see that the ancestral shrine was being moved to an agreeable spot and the grounds had been laid for a market to the south of the town, where the ground was rocky and not fertile. The arable land would now be open for irrigation and crops, enough to not feed just little Banpo, but the whole region. Artisans would be sent here to fashion the precious jade found in the foothills and bring wealth to the people.

Ce smiled. This was obviously what it meant to be a fair and benevolent lord.

"Time to move on, folks, it's gettin' a little docile around here for the likes of me!" he said in his jovial tone. "I'm told there's a town about seventy-five _li_ to the northwest called Ansui, and that they don't know anything about effective administration. Let's go!"

The little troupe mounted up, but not before Sun Kai-ying had received hugs and gifts from the children of Banpo, including a pinch from a young boy who obviously liked her.

"Mother…" the girl said as they rode along the dusty rode heading west. "Does pinching a person's cheeks until it stings mean you like them or do not like them?"

Da smiled. "He likes you, my love."

"Oh," Kai-ying said. "Father, did you pinch mother's cheeks to tell her that you liked her?"

"Not those cheeks." Ce replied non-chalantly. Da blushed furiously.

Sun Kai-Ying thought about that for a moment, decided she didn't know what her father meant and looked at Da Qiao again.

"Mother, how did you express to father that you liked him?"

"She hit me on the head with a large tree branch." Ce cut in before Da could say anything.

The girl was silent for several moments. "China will be a much milder place when the other children and I grow up, I promise you."

And this time, even Da Qiao joined in the loud and raucous laughter.

--

**Author's Note: **Eight months. Eight long months. I'm really sorry, folks. I'll try to not let that happen again. Sometimes real life interferes and the will to write goes away. However, my muse and I are on speaking terms again, and I've got some chapters stockpiled away here, for steady release.

It's good to be back.


	32. Chapter 32

The Young Conqueror

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

--

**Chapter 26- Birth of a Nation, Part 3- Boys And Their Toys**

They had been traveling by road and by river for some months now, corresponding with both Baifu where Sun Kuang acted as regent, aided by Shang Xiang and Zhou Yu, and also with Wuchang, where Sun Ce had placed Quan in charge of Jiang Dong. Despite the rather carefree appearance of their sojourn, Da Qiao was impressed with how meticulous Ce and Zhou Yu had obviously been in planning out the route and where messengers would find them. Every other day, they were approached by messengers or couriers, who brought money, paper and arrows to them and departed swiftly with the documents Sun Ce and Da Qiao had prepared.

As hectic as it sounded, Da felt very secure with these arrangements. Besides, carrying around copious amounts of notes simply did not appeal to her. She kept a running tally of decisions they had made in any one stop, so that future decisions could be made with these choices in mind.

"Wow, you're good, sis," Xiao said in one of her lucid moments. "You could've been an administrator. Y'know, if you weren't already a courtesan… and a girl…"

Da Qiao said nothing, but this pleased her greatly.

Sun Kai-ying seemed to be getting bigger almost daily, as did Xiao. The difference was that her daughter was a pleasure to be around, whereas the only time Xiao was tolerable was when she was asleep. And that was never for long enough to suit anybody around her.

She was also quite fat now, especially for her height. She was carrying her child quite low, seemingly, and she was not happy about it.

Xiao groused and complained endlessly. She was randomly too hot or too cold, sometimes both at once. She was surly and resentful towards the men, clearly blaming the entire species for her current state. Even Taishi Ci was not safe and he avoided her when at all possible.

She usually rode along sullenly, near the back of the little column, with her girls hovering nearby. She ate like a Jurchen army but inevitably regurgitated most of it an hour or so later. Da Qiao got into a heated argument with Xiao about her diet and finally threatened to cut off all food unless she tried to behave herself like a civil woman of the Han.

"No more spices?!" Xiao railed. "Everything is going to taste like gruel!"

"Spices are not good for your stomach and not good for your baby." Da said firmly. "Eat all the fresh fruit you want, you love peaches, after all. And there are vegetables and fish and rice. You can't eat for your baby if you're only thinking of yourself."

Xiao huffed in fury and rode up to Sun Ce, quite intent on getting her older sister in trouble.

"I know I'm not princess of our realm, Ce, but she's not lord and master either! How can you let her talk to one of your subjects that way?"

"Because said subject is being a twit," Sun Ce replied casually as he rode along. "Xiao, you're my sister-in-law and I love you to death, but traveling with you is like cleaning yourself with a radish grater- slightly amusing, but mostly just painful."

Xiao was silent, stunned by her brother-in-law's words. Ce had never been mean to her before.

"Look, I know you're body's screamin' at you and you're not always in your right mind." Ce added, noticing how hurt she looked. "Gods know, Da went a little loopy at times, and my mom sure did, especially when she had my sister. But when you're not having a crazy moment, you still don't have an excuse to act like Huang P'o (Yellow Hag, a witch from Chinese mythology and an alchemical alliteration to the bile of the spleen)."

Xiao was silent for several moments before nodding. "You are right, Ce. I'm sorry. Forgive me?"

Ce smiled cheerfully at her. "Nothin' to forgive, Xiao, you're okay in my book. Just save up all that misery for the person who deserves it… Zhou Yu."

Xiao nodded and smiled wickedly. Her husband was _really_ going to get it when she got home…

They were in the west of the realm, where the river Yuan flowed south out of the great lake Dong Ting. Mostly uninhabited, the closest settlement on the east side of the river was a town named Han Shou. But they had already visited that place and now they were just sitting here, waiting near a bridge that spanned the green river.

"So this bridge is currently the only crossing of the Yuan anywhere in the region?" Da asked.

"Yep." Ce said with a nod as he watched the bridge. "And it ain't gonna be enough. Not for what I have planned."

Da Qiao looked at the bridge again. It was little more than a platform built across the hulks of old ships that had been sunk into the Yuan. No doubt it was safe to cross, but it certainly was not meant to accommodate large amounts of travel.

"You see a larger and more splendid bridge, one that will encourage trade and opportunity." Da posited, reading her husband's mind.

"Yeah," he said. "Beyond the Yuan river lies the Riverlands. The only city of any note is Chengdu, and it is many, many _li _to the west. But the Riverlands are fertile_, _and beyond them, well… the Barrier Mountains and whatever lies beyond."

Da Qiao thought of stories she had heard, from traders passing through her father's lands when she was little. Ancient and mystical cities with exotic names like 'Lhasa' and 'Kashgar'. From these far and unknown reaches came exotic spices and jewels that were precious beyond measure.

"It will need to be a great bridge, then," she concluded. "And all traffic across the Yuan should pass over it, so that we control the trade. At least, that is, until we are strong enough to take the Riverlands and make them ours."

Ce looked at her wife and smiled. "We're gonna make a grand strategist outta you yet."

Da blushed but said nothing. They watched silently while the rest of their entourage waited by the camp, centered around Ce's great vermillion tent

Another hour had passed before Da could finally see what her husband was waiting for- a merchant's column approached slowly.

"Get over here, kid…" Ce called out to his daughter. "You're gonna want to see this. You too, Xiao."

Sun Kai-ying and Xiao Qiao came over and joined Ce and Da in watching the approaching caravan. The colours of the banners that fluttered over the column were alien to all of them, obviously dyes drawn from plants and substances they were unfamiliar with.

Xiao's eyes widened as the traders approached.

"What were those… things?

"My lord, what manner of beast is that?" Da asked.

"The people of the Riverlands see them often enough that they have a name for them," Ce replied. "I think it's '_luo_' (camel)."

"It looks like a horse that has been drawn out and left in the sun." Kai-ying remarked.

A stiff breeze from the west blew over the river. Xiao covered her nose. "It smells like a dead horse too."

Da nodded. The camel did seem to have a rather ripe scent to it. She could also smell other exotic odors, most of which were unusual but pleasant.

A driver of one of the camel columns blew on a small horn, signaling their approach. Da Qiao observed the foreigners wither interest- they wore clothing made of materials she was not familiar with. They were swarthy of complexion, with dry skin and their eyes were ridiculously round, without the graceful curve of a proper Chinese eye.

"Their eyes, father…" Kai-ying said quietly.

"Yeah," Ce replied, smiling. "Bet you can see a lot out of those things…"

The caravan finally came to a stop on the other side of the bridge. A single one of these strange men stepped forward, accompanied by a servant, onto the bridge.

"Let's go, scribe." Ce said, stepping toward the bridge and beckoning for Da to follow.

They met in the center of the bridge, where the foreigner stopped and bowed politely. Ce nodded and smiled his amiable smile. The man began speaking and the servant, who could now be seen to be Uyghur, began to translate.

"Greetings, noble lord. We are humble merchants, seeking to cross the Yuan and trade with your new and splendid realm."

Ce nodded. "So you already know who I am."

The man nodded and smiled pleasantly. "Even beyond the borders of the Han, the surrounding lands speak of a mighty and daring young warrior who has conquered the south in virtually no time at all. They call him 'The Young Conqueror'. I am no warrior, Lord Sun Ce, but I know person born to divine mandate when I see one."

Ce nodded towards Da Qiao. "My wife, Da. She will be recording this visit for me."

The merchant captain bowed respectfully.

"Your name, good merchant," Da said. "May I ask it? And what are your people known as?"

The man smiled. "My name is Dahyu-ka, and my people are known as the Medes. Our homelands lay many moons to the west, beyond the Barrier Mountains and the Taklamakan desert."

"So far away," she said quietly. "And yet you come all this way simply to trade with us?"

"I have always loved travel, my lady." Dahyu-ka said amiably. "Our lands are mostly desert, bordering the mighty empire of Roma."

Ce thumped his fist into his palm, looking pleased. "So they _do_ still exist! How big is this empire, Dahyu-ka?"

The merchant smiled. "It is large, my lord, larger than the Han by a considerable margin. Blessed is the traveler that gets to see its wonders from one end to the other."

"You must be hungry and tired, sir," Da said, knowing better than to let Ce go on asking questions. "Would you care to camp and dine with us?"

Dahyu-ka bowed humbly. "It would be an honour to sup with Lord Sun Ce of Wu."

The caravan had crossed the river and now was encamped around Ce's own little space and the merchants were settling in. The Uyghur scribe had discussed with Taishi Ci and also the Mede guard captain about watches and the routine had begun easily.

Sun Ce, Da, Xiao and Kai-ying now sat near the fire with Dahyu-kah. The merchant was eating the roasted meat of something called 'mutton'. Ce and his family ate rice and pickled vegetables.

"Those camels are interesting, Dahyu-ka," Ce commented. "Why the huge hump on their backs?"

"They store water in the hump, lord. They can survive in the deepest desert for weeks as a result. Hence they are very useful to us."

"They complain a lot."

"And their aroma can take some getting used to." Dahyu-ka agreed. "But they bear burdens at least as well as horses and they are more durable in the desert, so like all of life's blessings there is a small price to pay."

"Tell me more about this empire, Roma." Ce said, returning to his earlier line of questioning.

Dahyu-ka nodded. "They are indeed a mighty empire, lord. Their lands do not expand as far to the East as they once did, but are still almost beyond comprehension. It would take three times as long to cross its breadth as it would the Han and the barbarian lands that border your realm."

"How long did it take to build this empire?" Da Qiao asked, determined to be a part of her husband's interests in life outside the known world.

Dahyu-ka considered. "It has been a single continuous entity for nearly four centuries now, centered around the city-state of Roma."

Da Qiao's eyes went wide. "A single city-state, controlling a region so vast? How is that possible?"

"The wide lands known to us as Europa are not as populated as these lands here in the Han, my lady. Old civilizations and numberless barbarian tribes have fallen to the legions of Roma. They bring culture, technology and enlightenment to the nations they conquer. They are the most powerful and efficient armies the world has seen since those of Iskander."

Da smiled, because she knew her husband's eyes were lighting up at the mention of the mighty warlord of the farthest West.

"Yes, my lord, the same as you have inquired after- he who conquered the known world and stopped only because he reached the Barrier Mountains and his troops, so far from home, would march no further."

"Could… could he have taken the Han, had he marched across the mountains?" Da asked, almost breathless, not knowing whether she dreaded or thrilled to the answer.

Dahyu-ka was silent for several moments as he pondered. "Of the mighty conquerors produced in the utter west, he was the greatest. Lo, he has been dead for nearly five hundred years. He was warring on neighbouring states during the Zhou Dynasty that preceded your own Han."

"You are no mere caravan trader, are you?" Da suggested.

"The lady is very perceptive." Dahyu-ka said. "Indeed, I am not, but that need not leave this circle. My meeting with your husband has been planned for more than four years now."

Da glanced at Sun Ce, her eyebrow raised. He looked back at her and winked.

"It gets better, Da, trust me."

"But to answer the lady's question," Dahyu-ka continued, bowing. "I believe that the Zhou Dynasty would have been no match for Iskander. He would have defeated them in every battle, but your people are simply too many and even he was too far from home."

"And the Han?"

"You have many genius leaders, including some descended from Sun Tzu," the merchant said, nodding to Sun Ce. "I would dare say that Master Sun would have met his match in Iskander. He was a tactical and strategic genius and he was fearless in battle. He always led from the front. It would not be your armies that stopped him if such a man came to conquer you, but the might of individual warriors, such as your husband."

"How did he meet his end?" she asked quietly.

Dahyu-ka considered. "Most say that he simply died of heart failure. He was only thirty-three and had spent seventeen years conquering the world. His body did not equal his spirit."

"Fearless, inspiring to his men, limitless ambition… sounds like somebody I know." Da said, smiling and squeezing her husband's hand.

"Perhaps, my lord, you would care to see what we came to trade?" Dahyu-ka suggested.

Sun Ce rose. "Yeah, sounds good. Let's get to it!"

Da and Xiao were pouring over scrolls that Dahyu-ka had brought with him. They were made on various substances, none of which were paper. These materials had names such as 'vellum' and 'papyrus'. On them were written strange characters in what seemed to be a variety of languages.

"How do they survive without paper?" Xiao asked, perplexed by the foreigners' determination to remain literate in spite of their lack of this basic necessity.

"The Han invented paper, Xiao." Da replied. "How did our ancestors survive?"

Xiao shrugged, determined to not think too heavily on the issue. "So what are all these scrolls about?"

"How would I know, I don't speak any of these languages." Da pointed out. "All Dahyu-ka has said is that they are works of both philosophy and strategy and historical accounts."

"The symbols are weird." Xiao said, screwing up her face. "They look too simple to say anything with."

"Dahyu-ka told me that they do not represent words but sounds. So each of these 'letters' has a sound and you put the sounds together to form a word."

"So… if I put this… this... and… this… together…" Xiao said, randomly pointing at some letters. "Then I would form a word?"

"I guess." Da replied.

"So I can just make up my own words and people have to say them?" Xiao said, obviously enjoying the notion.

Da giggled. "I doubt it works quite like that."

Xiao pouted. "It would be nice to have some sort of impact on people's language."

Da patted her younger sister's shoulder. "You're having quite an impact on Kai-ying's language, thank you very much. She hears the language you use every morning while you're throwing up."

Xiao blushed. "Sorry."

"Not to worry, she knows you're crazy." Da said soothingly. "But we're going to just categorize these things."

"How?" Xiao asked, for once sounding reasonable. "You just finished saying that we know nothing about how any of these weird languages are spoken. They probably have sounds we can't even pronounce."

Da nodded. "Here is what the Uyghur scribe told me- there are four languages here. They are called 'Hellene', 'Latin', 'Assyrian' and 'Mede'. They all have different-looking letters, no matter what type of parchment they are written on, so we should be able to categorize them that way."

"Okay…" Xiao said uncertainly. "And then what?"

"Well, we have our own paper. So we are going to take the first four 'words' on every scroll and write them down on our paper. That will be the name of the scroll. Our papers will simply be divided up by language."

Xiao sighed. "Well, your husband told me that if I wanted to ever get promoted I'd better expand my mind, so let's do this…"

Three hours later, the two girls walked out of the tent, rubbing their wrists and cricking their necks. Xiao had been so intent on her work that she hadn't even taken the time to get sick. They found the scribe, whose name was Basmyl and asked him to come and inspect their work. They stood nearby, flush with their efforts and no small amount of pride while the translator began to look over their handiwork.

It was mere seconds, though, before the man made a wry face and began to look confused. Da Qiao walked up beside him and looked down at the paper lists.

"What is wrong, scribe?" she asked.

"My lady, while I am no expert in these languages, I have, over these past two decades, developed some skill in their interpretation, and with all due respect, I cannot decipher what it is you have recorded."

"But we did exactly as we were told!" Xiao protested. "We took the first four of each other these goofy-looking word-things and wrote them down to categorize them! Watch!"

She indignantly opened one of the scrolls that belonged in the 'Latin' section and before pointing at the characters.

"There, there, there and there!" she said, tapping with her nail impatiently. "No how on earth could that get screwed up?"

A smirk spread across the scribe's face and he strained mightily, trying not to laugh. Da sighed in resignation.

"You may laugh, good sir. Tell me what we did wrong."

The scribe wiped a tear from his eye but still managed to restrain himself. He then bowed low, determined to commend the efforts of these remarkable girls.

"It is not exactly an error on your part, ladies, so much as a miscommunication, something so simple that it was overlooked."

He beckoned the two of them closer, so he could explain.

"None of us mentioned to you that these scripts are read left to right, as opposed to up and down, like your own writing system."

Xiao looked really confused. 'What?"

The scribe took a brush and gracefully wrote some Chinese characters on paper, but instead of down the page, he wrote them from left to right.

"Can you read that?" he asked.

"Well, yes," Da said. "But it looks exceedingly strange."

"Only because that is how you have been raised to read it. Essentially what you did was this…"

He referred to another piece of paper on which was written a poem in Chinese. He took the top symbol from each column and wrote them down, as one would normally read them and presented the result to the girls.

Da Qiao burst out laughing. She bowed humbly.

"Basmyl, thank you for pointing this error out to us. Lord Sun Ce will simply have to wait a little bit longer for his detailed list."

Xiao sighed in despair. "Stupid foreigners."

Da laughed lightly and caressed her sister's cheek. "Be thankful, Xiao… if Iskander had crossed the Barrier Mountains, you would probably be speaking Hellene today."

"And illiterate…" Xiao grumbled under her breath.

Sun Kai-ying entered the tent and bowed to her mother and aunt. "Mother, father is ready and will see you now."

Da nodded. "Very well then. Let us see what the Young conqueror has been planning…"

Da and Xiao entered the main tent, following Kai-ying, who pulled the flap aside for them. Inside, braziers burned brightly in the vermillion interior. Within stood Taishi Ci, the merchant Dahyu-ka and two more Night Tigers. At the back of the tent, facing away from them was Sun Ce.

A great red cloak was thrown over his shoulders. Da Qiao knelt formally and bowed, with Xiao following.

"You called for me, Lord of Wu?"

Ce slowly turned around and smiled at his beloved wife. "Take a look, Da."

Da Qiao looked up and was at a loss for words. Her husband stood before her, clad in a stout silver breastplate. It was shaped to look like a muscular chest and gleamed in the flickering light. He wore burnished metal greaves and forearm guards. Under his arm was tucked a strange helmet, atop which was fitted a crest of crème-coloured horsehair.

"So…whaddya think?" he asked, grinning.

"If it were anyone else, I would think that you had just acquired a suit of armour from this good merchant, which belonged to one of the warriors from these far lands. But no, nothing is ever that simple with you. Your current attire belonged to Iskander, didn't it?"

Ce nodded.

Da looked skeptical. "Are you sure?"

Dahyu-ka bowed low. "The lady's question is valid, for indeed it might be just any suit of armour. But Lord Sun is an impeccable judge of character and when I swore to him that this was indeed the personal armour of the god-emperor Iskander, he believed me."

Ce laughed. "It's real, Da. Nobody would charge me for a fake what this guy is charging me for this armour."

"Oh? And how much is that?" Da Qiao asked, sounding stern.

Dahyu-ka bowed again. "Milady, there is not really a worth that can be put on such a thing. This armour is five-hundred years old and belonged to the greatest conqueror to ever grace the western world. The means to which I had to go to obtain it at all are best left unmentioned. But four years ago, word reached my ear that a remarkable young lord of the Han had expressed interest in Iskander and a deal was struck. Once I had acquired all that was asked, payment was arranged and I brought forth these treasures."

"How… much…" Da pressed.

Ce pursed his lips. "Six hundred thousand _dan_."

Da Qiao raised an eyebrow. "Come again, _xiandi_?"

Xiao bit her lower lip, noticing her sister's rather distinct use of a posthumous honorific used for dead rulers. This wasn't good.

Ce's mind raced. "Well, it wasn't just for the armour, y'know," he pointed out. "Dahyu-ka brought a lot of other stuff too."

"Six hundred thousand _dan_ would have paid to turn Banpo into a city like Baifu." Da said. "How, exactly, do you plan to justify this expense, especially after traipsing around the countryside, claiming to not waste the taxpayer's money?"

"Forgive the interruption, lady," Dahyu-ka interjected, seeing that his newest and best client might not be long for this world. "But the sum has not been paid in it's totality as yet."

Da glanced at the merchant, whom she had formerly developed something of an affinity that was rapidly dying. "Feel free to explain."

Dahyu-ka bowed low, his forehead to the floor. He was taking no chances.

"My lady, Lord Sun Ce has arranged for me to control the trade route between your realm and those beyond the Barrier Mountains. This bridge shall be remade larger and more splendid than ever. All traffic shall pass over it, enriching both your husband and myself. Six hundred thousand _dan_ is only the beginning- this trade route could be worth millions. There is so much to be shared between east and west."

"My point, foreigner, is that the money spent on these baubles and oddities could be used to feed the poor and impoverished of our land, as my husband has promised." Da said firmly. "I assume promises mean the same thing in the west as they do here where the sun rises."

"Like enough," the Mede said. "But I beg your lady to consider this- Lord Sun Ce is not the only person in your realm to express interest in the west. To the north, lords such as Yuan Shao and Cao Mengde have made peace with the Xiongnu and are trying to acquire trade rights that will eventually reach Roma."

Ce nodded. "Trade with the west is comin', Da. I'd rather have a lock on it before one of those other guys gets a chance."

Da Qiao looked at her husband steadily and sighed. "Well, those catapult designs you and Zhou Yu used at Hu Lao did come from the west. I suppose exclusive trade wouldn't be a bad thing."

Da stood and walked up to Ce, looking at the burnished breastplate. She poked at a mar in the armour, on the left breast.

"What happened there?"

"Apparently Iskander got shot there during a siege somewhere in Ind."

"Good," Da said, tapping at the spot. "Now I'll know where to aim when I assassinate you for doing anything this stupid again."

She stepped back, bowed formally, turned on her heel and walked out. Taishi Ci shuffled away from her as she strode by.

Ce watched her leave. "I'm sleepin' in here tonight."

"You're not really mad, are you?" Xiao asked as she and Da worked on the categorizing of the many scrolls.

"Well, I was a little hot about it, initially," Da admitted. "I suppose if anyone deserve a few trinkets and exotic things it's Lord Sun Ce."

Xiao nodded. "You're just lucky he didn't hit back with our dowries."

Da looked somewhat worried. "That's different… those dowries are an estimation of our worth as wives and courtesans. It's… it's totally different."

Xiao shrugged. "And then there's our menageries…"

"Whose side are you on, tubby?" Da hissed.

"Hey, at least I have an excuse for being a grouch. You're just grumpy because you're determined that everyone's going to see you as a paragon of virtue and you think if anyone finds out that Ce bought himself a toy that he's gonna ruin our image."

"We promised the people that we would raise their standard of living, Xiao. What good are trinkets from places they've never heard of?"

Xiao paused and looked at her sister. "If Zhou Yu and your husband say that trade with the west is a good thing and that this is a good start, that's good enough for me. Most people in the Han don't even believe there is anything beyond the Barrier Mountains, and if you prove it to them, they do their best not to care."

Da stared at Xiao. She couldn't really remember the last time Xiao had been so emphatic about something that bordered on important.

"Zhou Yu says that sometimes you have to spend money to make money. And suppose it really _is_ the armour of Iskander- that means this Dahyu-ka guy is really good at what he does. If the west has something we want, he is going to be the person who gets it for us. And all he wants is exclusive trade rights."

Xiao turned around and rummaged through a sack, finally presenting her sister with a handful of some fluffy white substance.

"This comes from a place called 'Levant'. It's a plant called 'kattan' or something. It's plentiful and easy to produce and you can make it into a strong fiber used for clothing. We can get Dahyu-ka to bring as much as we want, or we can maybe even grow it ourselves."

Da was silent for several seconds, thinking about all of this. Why were Zhou Yu and Sun Ce so interested in the world outside their realm? Where they right to do so or just asking for trouble? If great realms lay to the west, where, then, did the gods reside? She had always been taught that they lived beyond the Barrier Mountains, in castles of white jade and pearl. Exotic as they may look, these Mede traders were not gods.

_So many things we don't know. Is the Sun family going to bride that gap? Does it all begin here, with this simple span across the Yuan River?_

Da nodded to herself and got back to work.

The morning sun was bright and Sun Ce was striding back and forth, inspecting the contents of the caravan as it had been laid out for him. Beside him walked Da and Xiao, with Kai-ying, insatiably curious. Da carried her paper on a flat piece of wood.

"Alright, let's see here…" Ce said casually. "Five one hundred _jin_ sacks of red tea from Ind…"

He knelt down and unbound one of the sacks. The sharp, strong aroma of the leaves immediately diffused throughout the camp.

"Wow, Zhou Yu's gonna like that stuff. Alright, now next… six fifty _jin _sacks of spices from Kashgar… twenty bolts of Levant cotton… vellum and papyrus scrolls… what's that stuff there?"

"That is called 'wine', Lord Sun. It is the fermented juice of a fruit called the grape. Many cultures in the west drink it, often mixed with water to blunt its potency."

"Alright, I'm game. Lemme try it." Ce said, smiling.

Dahyu-ka snapped his fingers and spoke to two attendants in his impossible language. They rummaged through a chest and retrieved an odd-looking cup made of beaten silver. Dahyu-ka unstopped one of the great jugs which contained this wine and poured it into the cup. He then poured another for himself and handed the first to Sun Ce.

Taihi Ci stepped forward but Ce motioned to him easily, telling him to stand down. Dahyu-ka bowed and took a drink first, then gesturing for Ce to try the offering.

Ce sniffed the contents, made a wry face and then took a gulp. He almost instantly choked, forcing himself to swallow. He stood for a moment, breathing with his mouth wide open and his eyes wide. He looked up at Dahyu-ka.

"What manner of demon piss is _that_?!" he exclaimed.

The merchant laughed. "It does take some getting used to, lord. It is a very common drink in the west."

Ce exhaled and shook his head. "Any empire that drinks that stuff is a force to be reckoned with. I can't wait to try this out on people back home. Right, moving on…"

He continued down the row. "What are these icons made of?"

"Some are made of a stone called 'marble', my lord. Others are made of baked clay and still others are bronze. They depict gods from the various lands to the west."

Ce examined a statue that depicted a being with six arms, seemingly in the middle of an intricate dance. Yet another seemed to be made of some black substance edged in gold, a large-breasted woman with the head of a cat. A third, one made of the marble stuff, was shaped like a very muscular man. The man had curly hair and great round eyes. He was decidedly naked. Da blushed and looked away.

The armour, cloak and sword of Iskander stood nearby. Precious jewels in strong boxes glittered in the sun. Samples of coin from the various nations and empires gave credence to Dahyu-ka's statement about the infinite expanse of the west. Dried roots and herbs were also present. Examples of garb and even weapons could be seen- bright-bladed swords, keen-tipped spears.

"Not bad at all," Ce finally remarked. "You're sure that the agreed-upon price is gonna be enough, Dahyu-ka?"

The merchant bowed. "More than enough, great lord. If you can regulate the traffic over the river, then I can certainly establish a safe trade lane for you. I will bring you spices and gems and honey and you will send you back with precious silk. The route will flourish and your people will grow wealthy."

"A silk road…" Da Qiao used. This had all seemed somewhat iffy to her, until she had tried the honey and seen the unreal blue sapphires. Now she could barely wait for trade to open up.

Drums could be heard and a small army approached from the east, a banner of the Sun family fluttering overhead. Cavalry and infantry approached, followed by wagons. At the head of the column rode Ling Cao, looking proud.

"I see this was all planned very much in advance…" Da Qiao said dryly.

Ce shrugged. If trade is gonna thrive and pass through here, there need to be settlements. Ling Cao's corps will guard the western borders and he brought five hundred families, along with priests and artisans. One day the city of Wu Ling will be the center of trade in this region, but for now, a town will be built here, near the bridge, to establish our sovereignty."

Ling Cao brought the army to a halt, dismounted and came forward, bowing deferentially to Sun Ce and Da Qiao.

"I am glad we have found you, my lord. I am sorry about the delay. I know we were supposed to meet you here before the visitors arrived, but you moved so quickly we were always a day or so behind."

"No worries, general." Ce said easily. "Just glad you're here. Did you bring what I asked for?"

Ling Cao bowed and beckoned to a squad of soldiers, who rode over with carts.

"Six hundred bolts of silk, my lord, along with samples of our coin, paper and rice."

"So, Dahyu-ka, do we have a deal?" Ce asked the Mede.

Dahyu-ku bowed low. "Of course, great lord of the Han…"

As they rode along, Ce was pensive. In his saddle, Sun Kai-ying was staring at the strange foreign letters and working on the pronunciation of them, as Dahyu-ka and the Uyghur scribe had instructed her and doing admirably.

Next to them, Xiao was reading a small scroll sent to her by Zhou Yu. Her cheeks were flushed as she read the poetry he had written for her. Her eyes were shining and she wiped at the corner of them. Her guardians rode close behind, silent as usual. Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers were spread out around the little caravan, guarding against attack.

Last of all rode Da Qiao, a small bronze jar of sweet honey hidden between her legs, which she dipped her finger into and sucked on subtly, hoping no one would notice.

"_Not too bad…"_ Ce mused as he thought of the accomplishments of the past few months. _"We've established trade with the mythical lands of the west, made plans for improving life for the people in the region and I've got Iskander's armour…"_

He drew forth the sword that was on his belt and examined it. It was short, about the length of a _jian_, and weighted forward. Initially, one would assume that a sword with the weight that far forward was a slashing weapon, but he deduced differently. If what he had understood about the way Iskander's armies fought was correct, they used tight formations, shields overlapping and with long spears pressing into the enemy. These swords were meant for thrusting, dealing deep, deadly wounds once melee had begun and when the enemy's formation was shattered and routing.

He looked down at the shining silver breastplate he wore, thinking deeply on what sort of battles this armour had seen. He hand pinned his hair up, out of its habitual ponytail and off the broad crimson cloak he now wore.

"_So Iskander and Caesar of Roma are long dead… what about their inheritors? How do they rate as strategists and warriors?"_

His eyes were closed as he thought about his conversations for Dahyu-ka. Roma's armies, efficient and disciplined, conquerors of numerous barbarian tribes- tribes of tall, savage men with hair yellow as gold and eyes blue as the great rivers. Apparently men of Taishi Ci's height were not uncommon and the lands they lived in were cold and snow-covered, with dense forests of immeasurably tall trees. They wielded huge axes, not unlike he had seen Cao Cao's bodyguard Dian Wei using.

He would meet these remarkable men. He would beckon these warriors to come to the ends of the earth and fight for Wu. Yuan Shu and Cao Cao were trying to form alliances with the savage Jurchens and Xiongnu of the steppes beyond the Great Wall. Ce would meet this threat with the wisdom of his ancestors and the radical tactical ideas of the west. No idea or advantage would be overlooked, no opportunity wasted. The upcoming wars would be hard enough to win without squandering hard-earned fortune.

"_I've got the Imperial Seal and the armour and weapons of the world's greatest warlord. If that ain't the Mandate of Heaven, then nothing is. I guess the rest is up to me…"_

He thumped his fist into his palm and prayed earnestly.

"_Watch over us, father! I will accomplish our family's ambitions and realize our glorious destiny!"_

**Author's Note: **So what's funny about this chapter is that early in 2007 I had decided that Sun Ce would indeed manage to acquire the armour of Alexander the Great. Lo and behold, February 2008 rolls around and Koei goes and brutalizes his character and gives him this really BAMF Greek-style breastplate. Bastards, now I look derivative.

I'm not kidding, I really did think of it a year ago.

There was little or no action in this chapter, and for those of you addicted to my battles, I apologize. This was mostly a self-indulgent exercise I had wanted to do, but it does indeed have some future impact, I assure you.

Am I thinking about perhaps adding a battalion of huge, blonde Germanic warriors to Sun Ce's armies? I don't know, maybe. It's actually sort of a starting point for a spin-off fanfic I was thinking of writing, where a band of Teutonic mercenaries end up in China and must decide who they will fight for. Are they attracted to the power of Cao Cao and Wei, the honour and virtue of Liu Bei and Shu or the warrior-spirit and clannish nature of the Sun family and Wu?

Just a thought.

Next chapter will be up soon…


	33. Chapter 33

The Young Conqueror

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please not that my characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**Chapter 27- Birth of a Nation, Part 4- Wherein Xiao Goes Boom**

_Adept Kung asked: "Is there any one word that could guide a person throughout life?"  
The Master replied: "How about 'shu': never impose on others what you would not choose for yourself."_  
_Analects_ _of Confucius _XV.24

The city of LiLing nestled in the shadow of Mount Yu, looking out over a broad field bordered by two tributaries. Around the settlement, a wall had been built to keep invaders out. But the stone was old and crumbling in several places, leaving LiLing vulnerable to attack, as Sun Ce's forces had proven when they had attacked the city nearly two years earlier.

Ce now stood atop an intact section of the wall, some twenty feet above the ground. His hair was loose and flowed in the gentle wind as he looked out over the plain in front of the city, his arms folded. Next to him, LiLing's administrator waited nervously.

"So here are the choices," Ce said finally. "We can tear the wall down and leave it down, or we can rebuild it."

The administrator swallowed. "But, Lord Sun Ce… we do not have the manpower or finances to build it anew and if we take it down completely we will have no means to defend ourselves. What would we do?"

"Your wall didn't keep out my forces when you chose to resist us, did it?" Ce pointed out. "In fact, I have heard from some of my assault troops that they were able to tear sections down by hand, leaving gaping holes in the wall that exist to this day."

The administrator was silent.

"Besides, it's not like I'm planning on leaving the region defenseless." Ce continued. "At least two battalions of General Ling Cao's Storm Riders will be stationed nearby, and we shall be re-training your militias. How many people live in this town?"

"Just over seventy-thousand, my lord."

"Then why were only eight hundred men available to defend this city from us when we attacked?" Ce asked, turning to look at the administrator.

The man said nothing but went pale.

"I want LiLing to be prosperous, administrator, but the population is too big to be contained within the current boundaries, and therefore, the walls have to come down, so the city can expand properly. We will look at building new fortifications down the road. "

"It was my grandfather, formerly administrator of this city, that built these walls and the great gate that guards us, my lord," the man said tightly. "Would you have one this city's greatest achievements thrown aside and forgotten?"

Sun Ce looked at the man steadily for a moment, turned and began walking along the top of the wall, toward the gate. He easily leapt over a section of wall that had crumbled away. The administrator scrambled down a ladder and followed along at the bottom of the wall. Ce eventually arrived at the gate and examined it. It had obviously been ornate and splendid at one point, with strong stone and a peaked roof to house the guard. Now, sadly, the stone was sagging, the wood was brittle or rotting and the vivid colours once painted on had faded away.

It broke Ce's heart to conclude that this monument was beyond salvage. He whistled to the guards standing atop the gate, waiting beneath a ratty awning that had replaced the red roof.

"Alright, get outta there!"

The guards hurried out of the way.

Ce stood atop the gate, right in its center. He pulled his tonfas from his back and stood silently, his eyes closed. Taishi Ci, knowing what was coming next, began to move people away from the vicinity of the gate.

Ce's eyes flashed open and he dropped to one knee, slamming the butt of his weapons into the roof. He leapt away lightly as the structure shook and collapsed in a cloud of dust.

As the dust and debris settled, Ce surveyed his handiwork. Beside him, the administrator was silent. The young lord turned his head to look at him.

"Why, administrator, was such a splendid gate allowed to fall into disrepair?" he asked.

"As I told you earlier, my lord, we have not had the finances to necessary to repair or even construct many of our-"

Ce's hand clamped down on the administrator's wrist and he began pulling him through the market place angrily. People watch wide-eyed and began to follow, intrigued by this turn of events.

On the other side of the market, Ce came to a stop and pointed at some ornate, decorative gates that divided the rest of the city from this one section. The gate was round, made of carved grey stone, which was carved with elegant motifs of dragons, phoenixes and other mystical beasts. From the gate spread out a low wall of the same stone, no more than eight feet high, but tall enough to conceal the view of what lay within.

Or, more likely, to conceal the view of what lay outside.

The upper floors of elegant _shiheyuan _manors could be seen, along with row upon row of cherry and plum trees.

"So, administrator, am I right in assuming that if I walk through this elegant little gate, the nobility will be dutifully suffering alongside the common folk in squalor and deprivation? Let's take a look, shall we?"

Ce stormed toward the gate, still dragging the administrator. He reached the gate and kicked the wooden shutters, bursting them wide open. He pulled the administrator through the moon gate and entered the exclusive neighbourhood. Taishi Ci stopped in front of the gate, turned around and just stood there, blocking anyone who had intended to follow.

No one tried.

--

"Hmmm, lemme guess, you live in the very last house, don't you?" Ce growled as he pulled the administrator along. The luxury these people lived in while those beyond the walls suffered made his blood boil.

The manors were all freshly painted and surrounded by manicured lawns of emerald green grass and gardens of vivid, jewel-like colours. Fountains sprayed and glittered on the midday sun, while pheasants and peacocks wandered freely across the lawns.

The residents of the houses emerged to see what the commotion was. They saw Sun Ce and bowed low, not sure what was wrong, but determined to not get themselves in any trouble.

These people had access to everything they could ever need- clean water, hemp, silk, food and exotic spices, herbalists and acupuncturists, ancestral and Taoist shrines…

"Glad to see the decrepit condition of the walls isn't affecting these people." Ce said, his voice biting with sarcasm.

As they approached the administrator's home, his wife came rushing out and prostrated herself by the gate. Ce marched by her, the husband still in tow. Once inside, Ce took a look around the entranceway and sneered in disgust. It was meant to impress the visitor, with tapestries, bronze statues, lacquer ware vessels and jade carvings. He marched through and toward a study near the back of the main floor.

The desk within the study had papers spread about, with recent seals of authorization, luckily for the administrator. Unfortunately, however, as Ce looked through them, he realized they were petty and meaningless work orders, mostly having to do with minor repairs to the manors of the nobles.

There was even a commission to build a menagerie within the neighbourhood and the finances were to be supplied by taxes from outside the wall.

Ce glared at the man. "I met an unwed mother with three children back in the market, pal. She was living in a hovel that had a hole in the roof. There's no damn herbalist anywhere in the vicinity to give her or her children medicine and she and her kids have to beg for food in order to survive. What do you have to say to this?"

The administrator was paler than ever. "My lord… the people must be held accountable at some point, should they not? There is only so much an administrator can do. If she refuses to find a job and-"

Sun Ce was on the man instantly, grappling onto the collar of his ornate robes and slamming him back against the wall. His eyes blazed with fury.

"Over half of this town's population has no work, you corrupt son of a bitch! Fully capable men cannot find jobs and you're going to tell me that a widow with three children should be expected to provide for herself or die?!"

He stormed back to the desk and found a jade strongbox. He pulled it open and dumped the contents on the desk. Gold, silvers and copper coins went everywhere, along with rubies, pearls and carnelians.

Ce looked at the man levelly. "I promised the people of the land that I would govern them fairly, with charity and mercy. _This_, oh noble administrator, is not a part of that promise."

The man trembled in fear.

"In the cities we have visited where the nobles or bureaucracy had mistreated or abused the common folk, we had the offenders beheaded." Ce warned.

"My lord!" the man whimpered. "I assure you, the people have suffered no abuse or cruelty!"

"And how much different from cruelty is the neglect you have shown?" Ce asked harshly. "How are you any different from the eunuchs that caused the fall of the Han, enriching themselves and letting the people go unfed?"

Ce came around the desk again and walked up to the administrator, his voice carrying the tone of danger.

"In other towns, the men like you were stripped of their position, their wealth confiscated to be redistributed and then they were banished from the Southlands."

He was now face to face with the man, who had squeezed his eyes shut in terror, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"So, can you give me a single good reason not to have you and all these other leeches stripped naked and kicked across the Great River, never to return?"

The man said nothing, obviously too terrified to even move.

"I am going to give you one more chance, pal. Screw it up and you're done for. Got it?"

The man kow-towed instantly.

"Yes, my lord!"

"But that doesn't mean I'm not gonna be watchin' and that I won't be on top of this." Ce continued. "Three days from now, the regional administrator I have appointed will be arriving. He is related to General Ling Cao and is personally loyal to me, so don't even bother entertaining notions of bribing him to look the other way."

The administrator listened carefully, not daring to look up, his face still pressed to the floor.

"You and these effete snobs may continue to live here, but as of this moment, you are giving half of your wealth back to the people."

The administrator said nothing, but Sun Ce could see him tremble.

"Sorry if that sounds unfair, but you've been livin' off the backs of the common people for years now, so the money isn't yours to begin with. According to these documents and ledgers…"

Ce took a few moments to leaf through some papers.

"According to this, absolutely no money came from within this compound in the form of taxes. Even to fix the nobles' houses, the common people paid. That ends now. Get up."

He walked over to a shelf on which where stacked reams of paper. He rummaged around for a moment and found a particular selection.

"Here we go- writings by Confucius about fair administration and benevolent rule."

He looked at the cover paper and blew on it, releasing a small cloud of dust. He stared at the administrator, who was ashen grey.

"Why my regional overseer gets here, he will be administering a test to you. If you meet his personal standards, then you will retain your position. If you don't, you'll be schooled in proper protocols for your line of work. These so-called nobles will be doing the same. If they can't, they'll be stripped of their titles and they'll get jobs like everyone else."

The administrator nodded slowly.

"Look, I think you have what it takes to be a good administrator for this city," Ce said in a conciliatory tone. "But you've stopped caring about the people and that means you're not doin' your job. The richest noble and the lowliest beggar have to be treated equally well, got it? I don't care how you're used to doin' things, from now on you're doin' it my way or not at all."

The man bowed humbly. "Of course, great lord."

Ce led the administrator out of the _shiheyuan_, this time not dragging him. They stopped at the gate in front of his wife, a boney-faced woman with greedy dark eyes.Considering that the administrator was rather rat-faced, Ce really didn't care to speculate about what their children looked like.

"Gather up all of your wealth," Ce instructed her. "Don't bother tryin' to hide any, because I'll know, I guarantee it."

The woman shot a glance at her husband a glance, who nodded resignedly. She bowed to Sun Ce, not daring to speak.

Ce strode back down the splendid boulevard, the administrator walking just behind. Having exited the gate and returning to the market square, Ce jumped up on the base of what had once been a statue. He took a horn from Taishi Ci's belt a blew a series of notes on it, getting everyone's attention and beckoning them to him. Before long, thousands were thronged around the Lord of the Southlands.

"I am Lord Sun Ce!" he called loudly. "A new era begins for LiLing today! Your city shall know prosperity once again! There will be work for you all, and not just menial labour, while the rich go fat and idle riding on your back!"

Ce pointed to the crumbling wall and ruined gate that confined the city.

"For LiLing to accommodate you all, that wall must come down! Each and every person, no matter how humble their station, with receive a string of cash from me in three days if they sign up and help me clear away that wall! Who's with me?"

Cheers echoed over the plain and countless hands went up.

--

While Sun Ce was demolishing and clearing away LiLing's decrepit wall, Da Qiao had been assigned the unenviable task of heading back into the nobles' compound, to tally and collect what each family owed. With her she brought Xiao and her girls. Her daughter had opted to remain at the wall and help her father.

Da smiled at the thought of Kai-ying attempting to help- inevitably she would get dirty and just begin playing in the mud with the other children. This trip had been good for her daughter, since playing with children her own age was not something she did often. She grew up in the company of warlords and generals, or priests, sages and courtesans. The children of the common folk were somewhat of an unknown to the girl until this trip had occurred.

Behind her, two ponies pulled along a sturdy cart, with Xiao sitting in the driver's seat, breathing heavily and massaging her stomach with one hand while she guided the ponies with the other. She was not far off now.

They had visited several houses already and while some of the residents protested this 'robbery', they had little to say after Da Qiao pointed out that none of them had worked or paid taxes for years and people were starving in the streets outside their happy little compound. Everything that they called their own had just come to them by dint of privilege and by the labour of others.

Da took the names of every person in every household she visited, their level of education, if any, and made them present their accumulated wealth to her. The presence of Xiao's girls, fully armed, left few in a mind to argue. She then announced that half of it was to be excised and they could choose how that half was to be donated back to the common people of LiLing.

Several families gave goods and items, preferring to keep their coin and cash, while others readily parted with currency, preferring to keep their aesthetic treasures. The cart Xiao was guiding grew steadily fuller.

Before Da had visited a dozen houses she had to send two girls back to get another pony and cart. She was aghast at the wealth and luxury these people lived in while children starved in the streets, selling their bodies or begging to survive. Disgust welled in her heart and she prayed that she never been like this, so jaded that no plight could touch her.

She finally arrived at the house of the administrator. His shrewish wife was waiting at the gate and bowed politely, but her face could have been cut from stone. She gestured for Da Qiao to enter.

Not surprisingly, this was the wealthiest house yet, and the wife had chosen to keep as much cash as she could. She was offering to part with six bolts of silk, twelve bronze statues, twenty four lacquer ware vessels and nine jade carvings, along with copious amounts of ceramics.

Da Qiao assessed what the woman had put forward and made some quick calculations. She then walked to two small chests full of coin and ordered to of Xiao's girls to take them out to the cart as well. The woman looked outraged.

"You said half of our wealth, Lady Qiao!" she hissed, not even really protesting so much as accusing. "I have given you half of our worth by Han standards."

"The Han is dead, my lady," Da said simply. "And I seek to redress a wrong to the people of this town, so your wealth is being calculated at it's local worth. More than that, your calculation, even by Han standards, was incorrect. Any efficient administrator could have told you that."

The woman glared at Da Qiao as harshly as she dared.

"Besides," Da continued as she walked over to the remaining large chest, opened the lid and tipped it over. From within spilled hundreds of coins. "Am I to understand that you cannot adequately make due with what remains?"

The woman said nothing as Da came up to face her.

"Why did you stop dancing?" she asked.

The woman blinked. "I beg your pardon, my lady?"

"I could tell form the way you moved that you used to be a dancer" Da explained. "You should begin dancing again, I'm certain you could make a decent living at it."

She walked back to the spilled chest, made some more calculations, counted out thirty more silver coins, nodded in satisfaction and then walked out.

More houses were visited until late in the afternoon they approached a lavish _shiheyuan_, the last house in the compound and it belonged to the tax collector.

"This should prove interesting." Da commented. She sent another two girls to fetch another cart, just in case.

She strode up to the front door, accompanied by the girl known as Shing. She rapped on the door and waited patiently. Eventually a tall woman opened the door and bowed politely. She gestured for Da Qiao to enter while Shing waited at the door. The woman led her up a flight of stairs, finally coming to an office, where an elderly man waited for them. His eyes glinted with intelligence, but they also sagged wearily.

"Welcome, Lady Da Qiao," he said formally. "I have long anticipated the arrival of your husband."

He came around the desk and bowed low before her.

"How can this humble servant assist you?"

Da Qiao nodded. "It has probably come to your attention that we intend to rework how the people of LiLing are taxed, good sir. You, as the principal collector of said revenue, are naturally central to this investigation."

"Of course, my lady."

"I will begin by saying my husband is not impressed, sir." Da continued. "While the common people are taxed beyond their means, the nobility pays little or nothing at all. Would you please put this in perspective for me?"

The man rose slowly and gestured for her to join him at his desk. His voice was tinged with regret.

"Lord Sun Ce's liberation of the Southlands from the grasp of petty thugs and despotic warlords has been a boon to us all, of course. Unfortunately, not all the habits of these criminals have disappeared. For years I have attempted to collect taxes from the aristocracy of this town, but I have been at best met with derisive sneers and sometimes even bold threats."

"I see," Da said, nodding. "Please continue."

"In order to accommodate any of the changes or works needed to keep LiLing functioning, I have been forced to tax the common people far more heavily than they deserve. More than that, the nobles have demanded their hereditary stipends and that weak-minded administrator caved in to their demands, enriching himself in the process."

"Your differing views must make you unpopular." Da suggested.

"It is not a tax collector's job to be popular, my lady," the man replied truthfully. "But not all of us have abandoned the morals and code laid down for us by the Great Sage of All Time."

"You alone of those I have met in this city seem to know the teachings of Kong Fuzi (Confucius)." Da commented. "But if you believe in these virtues, how then, do you reconcile living in such splendour while those you sympathize with go hungry and live in utter squalor?"

The tax collector bowed. "My family is one of the original noble families of this city, my lady, and this manor has been passed down for generations. Were I to give up my house and live amongst the people, I would lose what precious little influence I still have with these nobles. But every season, at tax time, I donate some of what I own, in order to in some small way ease the suffering of the poor people of LiLing."

Da Qiao nodded quietly and examined the ledgers that the man presented to her.

"As you can see, my lady, I have kept diligent records, not only of who has paid what, but also who has not. And if you excised but half of these nobles' wealth, they should consider themselves lucky, for they owe so very much more…"

Da was silent as she pondered these revelations. She left the desk and paced back and forth, looking at the floor and pinching at her lower lip, as was her wont when she was in deep thought. She finally stopped pacing and leaned against a wall, studying the tax collector.

Her fist flashed out and thumped against the wall to her right side. A latch gave way and a small trapdoor thudded down, revealing a deep, hidden compartment. From within came a torrent of gold, silver and copper coins, along with many glittering gems. Da Qiao's eyes were closed as she listened to the rain of wealth cascading onto the floor. It made her cheeks burn with fury to realize that there was even more here than there had been in the administrator's house.

The tax collector looked at her wide-eyed, stunned by her action. Da Qiao now looked at him levelly and her voice was quiet but cold.

"My father's brother was an accomplished architect- in fact, it was he who designed the style of _shiheyuan_ we now stand in and that predominates in this compound. I know of this compartment and I knew you were lying to me the moment you said this house had been passed down to you by your ancestors."

Da Qiao continued to stare at the man, less and less mercy in her heart with each passing moment. She now understood what Sun Ce had meant when he said she would know if the nobles were holding out on her.

The man's face grew more and more flushed as he looked from the spilled wealth and then back at Da Qiao. He had been caught red-handed and he knew not what to say.

The door from an adjacent room opened and two young men rushed in. They were in their late teens and they glared at Da Qiao angrily.

"Filthy bitch!" yelled the first. "How dare you demean and impugn our father in this manner? A beating will teach you your place!"

He rushed at her and swung at her head. Da Qiao tilted her head to one side, easily avoiding the clumsy punch and slammed her palm into his sternum. The boy wheezed and stumbled, going to his hands and knees before rolling onto his back, immobile and struggling to breathe.

The other boy grabbed a bronze statue from the desk and lunged in, determined to bury the item in her skull. Da's hand flashed out and gripped the hand holding the makeshift weapon and she dug her fingers into the nerve cluster between his thumb and forefinger. The boy keened and went up on his toes as he tried to drop the statue, but his whole arm seemed to be paralyzed with pain.

Her other hand cracked across his cheek. She shoved him away roughly and he staggered back near his father, holding his face and trying not to cry. His eyes were wide with fear as he stared at Da Qiao.

"Sit… down!" she said harshly. The boy did so instantly, on the floor in front of his father.

Da was about to continue the lecture when she heard a 'thump!' sound behind her. She spun around and found the mother who had greeted her at the door standing behind her, staring rather vacantly. In her hand she limply held a small knife. The woman's eyes rolled up into her head and she slumped to the floor. Behind her, Shing was scowling and cracking her knuckles.

"Thanks." Da said, nodding. Shing nodded back and moved to a spot by the main entrance, where she waited silently.

Da now returned her attention to the tax collector. Her eyes were dark and hard as iron, devoid of their characteristic softness.

"I will not bother my husband with the matter of your sentencing, since your crimes and perfidy are clear. My course of action is very plainly laid out for me. Death is what you deserve."

The man said nothing but went pale.

"But I do not want the blood of scum like you on my hands," Da continued, her voice tinged with disdain. "You will be banished, not just from LiLing, but from the Southlands, forever."

The man was silent, but his cheeks were red now with humiliation.

"You are hereby stripped of all your possessions and wealth, in the name of the poor of LiLing, on whom you have so long preyed. As a final act of justice, you shall be cast forth with nothing, except that which your former victims choose to spare for you, in the spirit of charity. May they show you more kindness than you have ever shown to them."

Da nodded curtly to Shing, who drew her sword and walked over to the tax collector. She bound his wrists and those of his sons behind their backs and led them out, waking the mother and shoving her along behind them.

Da Qiao looked around the room and sighed. She cleaned up the scattered plunder and reorganized the tax collector's records. He may have lied about his own greed and mendacity, but she had no doubt that his records concerning everyone else would be incredibly accurate. They would come in quite handy when reimbursing the people of LiLing became necessary.

She was still organizing when Xiao waddled in. "My girls took the carts back, so we've gotta walk. What did I miss?"

--

Sun Ce watched with satisfaction as the wall continued to come down. For the past two days, thousands of men, women and children had volunteered, eager for the chance to earn money. More than that, though, they wished to please the new Lord of the Southlands.

The ruins of the gate Ce had destroyed had been cleared away and groups of workers were pulling down the wall and nearly a _li_ had been removed on either side. The city's Market was more and more open to the wide plain.

Da Qiao now joined her husband, tucking her arm into his and leaning her head against his shoulder.

"I hear you had some fun the other day." Ce commented as he watched the progress.

"I am just glad that what belongs to the people will be returned to them, my lord. These nobles, some of them were obscenely wealthy." Da replied. "Once we have done all the conversions, each of the families in LiLing will receive a few strings of cash. Better still, we needn't tax them so heavily any more."

Ce nodded and pointed to some workers to begin a new pile of debris. Da could tell he was very pleased with the progress they were making.

"You inspire people to reach deep inside themselves and find what is best, you know that?" she said.

Ce smiled. "They really believe in what they're doing here. All the old rock and earth from that stupid wall will be used to create banks and channels along the river so we can irrigate these fields."

Da Qiao pondered what he was saying. "My lord, I know how you terrace earth for irrigation, but how do you build a wall?"

Ce knelt down and used a stick to draw some images. "Couple of ways to do it, but in LiLing's case, we don't want to take forever by building it out of stone. What we're gonna do is build a wooden frame, low to the ground… like that…as wide as we want the wall to be. Inside that framework, we're gonna pack down earth, as tight as we can."

He now pointed to a nearby long, wooden handle, on which sat a flat, square tamping surface.

"Layer by layer, we beat the earth down until it's solid. We do that all the way around LiLing, where we want the wall to be. Then we build the frame work higher and we repeat the process. If the wall's gonna be twenty feet high, then you figure it will probably take about sixty layers of dirt, tamped tight, to make the wall."

"Then they have an earthen defensive wall." Da finished.

"Which we then face with stone, to give it added stability and protect it from the elements." Ce said, nodded.

"So many layers of dirt, my lord, for the entire wall?" she asked." That sounds labour intensive."

"Yeah, but it's not nearly as time-consuming or expensive as makin' the whole thing outta solid stone," he pointed out. "Not to mention it'd take a lot of skilled labour to create the stone blocks, and I'm just tryin' to give these people jobs right now. Even the oldest sections of the Great Wall in the far north facing the Xiongnu are earth walls faced with stone."

"Perhaps you will show them to me one day, my lord?" Da suggested. She loved to travel and see new things, even if the frigid north didn't agree with her.

Ce laughed. "You know I will." He poked her nose and she scrunched up her face and pawed at her nose like a cat. It was one of Da's innumerable cute and charming qualities. Ce turned to look at the mountain.

"I'll bring masons to the region and rock quarries will be built. They'll teach the people how to shape the stone and the industry will thrive here within a generation."

Da nodded and looked out at the broad plain, where Taishi Ci was currently drilling a company of the city's men in the proper use of a spear and shield. More than just a wall, they would have to train soldiers to defend that wall, and to send on campaign when Sun Ce's armies marched to war.

Da thought of all she knew of the peoples of the Southlands and their history. They were not militaristic, but warlike. The soldier was a respected profession here in the realm ruled by the Sun family. The society, while not caste-driven, had nurtured a basic understanding and respect for each class of person, be they noble-born bureaucrat or millet farmer. One could not survive without the other and the expectation was that each person would acknowledge this fact and treat one another accordingly. Every person had value.

Taishi Ci was complimenting the men on their accomplishments when a gaggle of young children, all girls, including Sun Kai-ying, came rushing up to him and began dancing around him, begging for him to play with them.

Taishi Ci dismissed the men and began chasing the girls around, roaring like a tiger. They all squealed in delight and bolted, enjoying the huge man's attention. The commander of the Night Tigers seemed to be enjoying himself.

"I didn't know he liked children, he is usually so… dour." Da said, watching.

"Yeah, he's full of surprises." Ce commented casually. "He is very devoted to his mother, so we're gonna bring her to live in Baifu. I guess he's got a lot of experience with kids."

"Well, if we ever need a babysitter, then…" Da said, smirking at the image of Taishi Ci watching over children.

Sun Kai-ying ran by Taishi Ci and tugged at the hem of his battle robe and he dutifully gave chase. She dashed toward the mounds of debris that had been built up by the workers and then turned to face him. As he approached her, dozens more children leapt out from behind the dirt mounds and piled onto him, dragging Taishi Ci to the ground with wild cries of triumph. Taishi Ci laughed as they mobbed and tickled him.

Then another wave of children, all of them rambunctious boys armed with sticks, descended on him like wolves, while the first assault group scattered. They began beating on him mercilessly and soon his hearty laughter gave way to yelps of protest, wails of pain and then finally pleas for mercy.

"Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark." Ce said, watching with wry amusement.

Da Qiao giggled. "You really should save him. He is no match for your daughter."

Ce raised an eyebrow as he looked down at her. "Oh, I see how it is. When she's being perfect and wonderful she's _your_ daughter, but when she's being a brat she's mine?"

"I'm glad you understand." Da said, smiling.

From beneath the writhing mass of horrid children, Taishi Ci's mighty hand reached up, begging for rescue…or death.

"Don't worry, it's good for him," Ce said casually. "Keeps him from getting a swollen head."

"He is going to have a swollen everything shortly, if we don't stop your daughter's unholy army of darkness." Da pointed out. Eventually she could tolerate Taishi Ci's pain no longer and walked over to where Sun Kai-ying had ambushed him. She shooed away the children and then squatted down next to what was left of the commander of the Night Tigers, to see if he yet lived.

Feeble gestures from the vast bulk seemed to posit that he was not beyond recovery.

Ce looked past his wife and out to the broad plain, envisioning what it would become. Bordered by rivers, once it had been terraced and irrigated, it would supply plenty of food, not just for LiLing, but the entire region- rice, bean curd, cabbage…the rivers were teeming with fish and there were great herds of wild pigs living in the forest crawling up the mountain side that would provide game.

Iron deposits nearby would support a brisk industry centered on the fashioning of farming tools and the weapons of war. Copper and tin could be used to make beautiful bronze wares and statues.

Mulberry orchards would be cultured, feeding silkworms from which would be harvested that precious substance. Tea bushes would help introduce this land to a commodity that the Sun family had known of and indulged in for many generations. This fertile and blessed land had so much to offer.

His gaze traveled to the dirt road that led into the city- little more than a worn-down, flat strip that bisected the plain. If trade were to flow through this city, it would need to be broader and grander, to accommodate more traffic.

He closed his eyes and envisioned the mighty roads he and Zhou Yu had talked about- threading the realm, tying it all together when travel by river might not prove sufficient. Not like the pretty, ornate roads of the nobles' compound, but paved, level roads, wide enough for at least two lanes of ox and cart and durable enough to stand up to the use.

Oxen and carts… or armies…

The legions of Roma were proof of this theory. Logistics is what won wars, not who had the largest armies. Proper, paved roads would allow even large forces to move at great speed. A disciplined infantry corps could potentially force-march ninety _li_ in a single day.

He would fortify the borders well, making sure the crossing points of the Great River were guarded and supported by a system of paved roads. The armies of the Southlands would include companies of engineers, whose job it was to build these roads, all of which led to or radiated from Baifu.

Any enemy army looking to cross south of the Great River would find their task exceedingly difficult, if not impossible. That would mean a long march around the west, beyond the borders of the Yuan River, through inhospitable lands and barbarian tribes. Worse, Sun Ce's forces would be aware of their movements and could intercept them at a place of their choosing.

The alternative was to dare a landing from the sea, and due to the Sun family's mastery of naval warfare, this option was best described as suicidal.

Efficient armies, paved roads and diligent logistics meant smaller garrisons would be needed to defend the realm. He could then train the armies that would march forth and conquer the rest of the land, finally uniting it under the banner of-

"Ce? Sun Ce!" Hellooooooooo!"

Ce snapped out of his reverie and gazed down at Xiao Qiao. She was looking up at him in a mix of consternation and mild panic with big, glassy eyes. She was holding her stomach as if she expected the contents to burst forth at any moment and her knees were trembling. The poor thing was sweating profusely.

"A little help here?" she squeaked in a somewhat exasperated voice.

Da Qiao dashed in like a comet. She instantly had her little sister in her arms and was cradling her. She glared up at her husband.

"Don't just stand there like a eunuch, get help already!"

She now yelled at Taishi Ci, who was still flat on his back. He wearily climbed to his feet and began jogging toward them. Xiao's squad of psychotic girls had descended out of nowhere and formed a protective ring around their commander, glaring at any male who got too close or looked for a split second too long.

"Shall I find a priest or two?" Ce suggested.

"Yes, why don't you do that…" Da said absently, not really paying attention to what he had asked.

Ce nodded. He ordered the Night Tigers to set up a pavilion on the plain to protect Xiao while she was in labour and then strode off to find the closest shrine, looking for a priestess to sanctify this most blessed event.

--

Da knelt next to Xiao, holding her hand. Xiao was decidedly pale and sweating like a pack mule after a long trip. The pavilion Ce had set up for her was spacious and dry, hopefully easing her discomfort. In the dimness, the sounds of chimes and an old priestess croaking out her prayers for a safe delivery could be heard.

Sun Kai-ying knelt on the other side of her aunt's head, dabbing at her forehead diligently with a cold, damp cloth. She looked around the pavilion curiously.

"Mother, there are only women in here. Should we not invite-"

"No." Da Qiao said firmly, cutting her daughter off and making it expressly clear that for once she was not going to be entertaining questions about why. The child shrugged and resumed dabbing at Xiao's brow.

Xiao was breathing heavily and massaging her stomach as she started into the darkness of the peaked ceiling. She felt like she was ready to burst. Her eyes squeezed shut as she felt the beginnings of another contraction.

"Maybe… we should… have a man in here…" she wheezed. "I really… want someone to beat on…"

"Save it for the pushing, Xiao, there will be men to blame and destroy later." Da said plainly.

Xiao knew it had been early in the evening when she had gone into labour, but she had now thoroughly lost track of time. Whoever had said that childbirth was a wondrous and beautiful experience had obviously not been so quoted while in the throes of labour or while retching in the morning.

She clenched her teeth as the contraction splintered through her. Da bit her lips as Xiao squeezed her hand, hard.

"Gnnnnnn! This is no kid, it's a _xiang_!" she hissed.

Kai-ying looked confused. "A _xiang_? Mother, you never told me that is where the _xiang _come from. How… how do you get the tusks out?"

In spite of herself, Da giggled. "Your aunt is being facetious, my dear. Baby _xiang_ are birthed by adult female _xiang_."

"Like Uncle Shang Xiang's?" the girl asked.

Da just sighed and shook her head. No matter how she tried, she simply could _not_ convince her daughter that her sister-in-law was, in fact, a woman. The fact that Shang Xiang kissed girls only reinforced her daughter's opinion.

"How are you feeling, sweetheart?" Da asked her sister.

"Oh…about what I didn't know to expect…" Xiao replied wearily and with something akin to apprehension. This was not at all what she had imagined would happen, even after watching Da give birth.

As the midwife and her assistants bustled back and forth, another contraction hit. Her eyes went wide and her toes pointed as her legs locked.

"Okay, it's going to start soon," Da said, caressing her sister's cheek soothingly. "Just ignore your body's protests and think about your beautiful child."

"Did it… work for you?" Xiao asked, straining.

"Not really," Da admitted. "But now I know what they meant when they told me that."

"Thanks…" groused the younger girl.

"Kai, are you sure you want to stay?" Da asked her daughter.

The child nodded. "Mother, was it this difficult for you to give birth to me?"

"No…" Xiao hissed, interjecting.

Another hour had passed and finally Xiao's contractions had begun in earnest. Da and Kai-ying were both very consoling and encouraging, trying to keep Xiao's mind off the pain. She was a small girl and she had been so large during her pregnancy that Da would not have been surprised if the child was born fully grown, and the size of Huang Gai.

"Mother, aunt is crying." Kai-ying stated, her voice tinged with curiosity.

"No, my darling, not really," Da said, watching as Xiao was wracked by another spasm. Tears streamed down her face and her breath came in sobs. "It is just that the strain of birthing a child is very hard on a woman physically."

She leaned in and whispered to her sister. "You're not really crying, are you?"

"Actually, yes… I am…" Xiao admitted. She looked at Da and her eyes were full of sadness. "I should be so happy, but my heart aches. Zhou Yu isn't here… he's going to miss the birth of our child. I want my Zhou Yu."

"Did someone mention my name?" asked a familiar and mellow tenor from the entrance of the pavilion. The handsome silhouette waited casually.

"Zhou Yu!" Xiao cried out in delight.

"Lady Qiao, _please_ lie back down!" protested the midwife.

--

Sun Ce was sitting on a low hill, looking up at the stars, with a piece of straw between his teeth. To most people it was nothing but points of light, or maybe abstract patterns, if one looked hard enough. But when he looked up into the veil of night, he tried to sense the movement of creation, a reflection of the totality of existence.

Did the stars and constellations relate at all to what happened here within the bounds of the world? Were the constellations really harbingers of universal will, or just someone's fanciful imagination at work?

Da Qiao came and sat down beside him, sighing wearily and resting against him. She smelled of stale sweat and incense.

"So, is she happy now?" he asked.

"I don't understand," Da murmured. "How on earth do you two know the things you know? Do you really expect me to believe it was dumb luck that Zhou Yu showed up out of nowhere, just as his wife happened to be giving birth? And if not, how did you two know?"

Ce just smiled and said nothing.

"Fine, keep your little enlightened secrets." Da grumbled. "See if I care."

"How far along is she? I don't hear any more screaming." Ce said.

"She's done." Da replied. "It didn't take long once Zhou Yu got here."

"Boy or a girl?"

"Worse… one of each. The boy is Xun and the girl is Ying."

Ce considered what his wife was saying. "That'd explain why she was so damn big. I guess you got off lucky."

"No argument there." Da agreed. "So what will you do with her?"

"Well, I'm thinkin' she and Zhou Yu are gonna stay here for a few weeks, until we're sure they kids are healthy enough to travel. After that, they'll just head back to Baifu."

Da nodded and looked out at the campfires now flickering across the plain. Hundreds, if not thousands of troops had arrived with Zhou Yu, to reinforce the region.

"The Flying Dragons regiment," Ce explained. "Ling Cao requested that they guard this region, since his corps will be making its way up here."

Da Qiao thought about the defense of the region. "Ling Cao's Storm Riders to the north in Banpo, the Flying Dragons here and that would mean his Silent Tigers to the west, guarding the Yuan. This part of our realm is well-guarded indeed. How about the rest of the Southlands?"

"I think we're in good shape," Ce replied. "Ling Cao will be here in the west, Quan and Zhou Tai are guarding Jiang Dong, and Lu Meng will guard Changsha and the northern border. Huang Gai's corps will garrison Baifu, and my corps, Zhou Yu's and Shang Xiang's will act as a tactical reserve."

"You are not worried that our forces are stretched too thin?" she queried.

Ce shook his head. "Not yet, anyway. "The lords beyond our borders are still contesting each other and vying for position. Yuan Shu is our strongest neighbour, but there's also Kong Rong and Liu Biao, to name a few. They may try to strike across the border, like Yuan Shu did, but we'll be ready for 'em."

"Those roads you were speaking of," his wife said quietly. "You will tie the realm together with them. Are not roads of such design prohibited by Imperial decree?"

"Who's Imperial decree?" Ce said, shrugging. "The Han's dead, so who cares what Imperial law says? Military usefulness or not, large paved roads are just good business. Our lands are not as populated as those in the north beyond the Great River, Da, we've gotta use every advantage we can give ourselves."

"Invulnerability is in one's self, vulnerability in your opponent." Da said quietly, repeating one of the central tenets of military philosophy. "But tell me, my lord… did you keep Huang Gai's crops in Baifu simply because of me?"

Ce shook his head. "No, that's just a happy benefit. His corps is the toughest one in the whole army. If our defenses collapsed, his is the corps I'd want defending us to the last. Besides, he'll be keeping himself busy squaring off against the Nanman in the South, so he won't be bored for long."

"And if had made sense to station his corps in the north, my lord, away from Baifu, what then?" she asked. "If you would have had to send me away, what then?"

Ce sighed. He hated it when she tested him with questions like this. So he answered as only he could- with undeniable honesty and logic that made the questioner ever regret having asked.

"I'd have stationed you and your Valiant Cavaliers in the north with the rest of his corps, and two weeks later you'd be back in Baifu because Huang Gai would not be able to put up with you."

Da Qiao was silent for several moments. "Now I don't know whether to be mad at you or Huang Gai."

"How about you just give the two of us a break for a change," Ce suggested. "Life's gonna be challenging enough without you adding to the confusion."

Da giggled. Her feminine mindset baffled the others, and Ce only put up with it because he decided that it wasn't going to bother him. Besides, it's not like she really wanted to go to the north, away from Ce and the pleasant warmth of Baifu.

"I think our daughter is going to ask to stay with her aunt and uncle," Da said, snuggling against Ce. "She seems quite taken with the newborns. When I left, she asked to remain behind so she could help watch them."

Ce chuckled. "Zhou Yu can handle her for a while, I guess. I'm gonna tell Taishi Ci to stay here for now and guard Xiao. We'll take her girls with us."

Da made a wry face. "Don't you have that backwards?"

"Nope." Ce said simply. "Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers will stay here and help train the militia of LiLing. To be honest, though, Xiao's squad needs some work. I mean, look who they've been learning their tactics from. So I'll be training them personally for the rest of the trip."

"A fair enough point," Da conceded. "Did she tell you that she finally came up with a name for her squad?"

"Oh yeah? What is it?"

She smiled. "The Salamanders."

Ce laughed. There really was no other choice, when he thought about it. Sometimes the simplest answers were the best answers.

Zhou Yu now joined them on the hill, sitting down and looking weary.

"She bit me…" he muttered under his breath to no one in particular.

--

LiLing was in a festive mood as Sun Ce made ready to depart from the city. Taishi Ci had, of course, protested and groused about not being able to perform his duty if he was left behind, but eventually was swayed by Da Qiao's logic that Sun Kai-ying needed more protection that Sun Ce ever could.

The wall had been cleared away entirely, in what had to be record time. Zhou Yu was conferring with Ling Cao's relative, the new regional administrator, to set up a proper taxation structure immediately. He also agreed to oversee the beginning of the replacement wall, and more importantly, the paved road that would facilitate steady trade in the region.

Ce was watching as the tax collector made his way out of the city, pulling a cart along behind himself, while his wife glared at him from the driver's seat, hissing at him and abusing him roundly as a total failure. The two sons trudged after the cart, obviously desiring to be nowhere close to their shrewish mother. Within the cart were some shoddy clothes, some moldy hemp and bland, old food- parting gifts from the poor of LiLing. With little ado, they made their way out of the city and headed north, accompanied by a squad of cavaliers. They would never be heard from again.

The city administrator stood next to Sun Ce and was slightly pale as he watched the tax collector leave. They had grown rich together, and he was not sure by what miracle he had been spared a similar fate, only thankful that he was.

"Don't get too comfortable, pal." Ce warned him. "Zhou Yu is gonna be watching for a few days. He doesn't get angry like me… he just gets even. Understand?"

The administrator bowed low. "Most certainly, my lord."

Da Qiao had kissed her daughter goodbye, and then conferred with Xiao. She took a last look at her niece and nephew before turning to leave. With the cheers and cries of the populace, the little group rode out of LiLing and into the countryside.

Da Qiao smiled serenely as they rode along. The traveling party now consisted of herself, Sun Ce, a few servants and scribes, and Xiao's squad, who had been given very specific orders by their commander to readily obey both her sister and her brother-in-law.

They had journeyed southeast for a few weeks, stopping at various minor settlements along the way and continuing their routine of assessing the situation and planning accordingly. Soon, the fragrant scent of southern flowers reached them and Da knew they were not far from home.

"I think you'll like what's happened in Baifu since we've been gone." Ce said as they rode. "The city's already home to more people than LiLing and our palace is central to it all. There's a big stone wall around nearly a third of the city and your menagerie is supposed to be beautiful."

"I can hardly wait," Da Qiao said, eager to reach the city. "We have been gone for so long, and Baifu was little more than a plan when we left. I imagine I shall not even recognize it."

They rode on for some time in silence before she spoke again.

"I learned a lot on this trip, my lord. Administration, taxation, logistics, irrigation, crop rotation, the building of proper roads… what of you?"

"I learned a lot too," Ce agreed readily. "I just don't let it get out. Can't have people thinkin' I actually know things, or I'm never gonna have a moment's peace."

Da giggled. She was about to ask about their next stop when horns sounded from the woods ahead of them. From between the trees, dozens of bandits leapt out and began running toward them, waving weapons and letting out whooping war cries.

Ce laughed and leapt down from his horse, patting it on the rump while a servant grabbed it and scurried to the rear of the little column. Da Qiao did likewise and Xiao's girls were already dismounted, forming into two units of five, flaming arrows already knocked and ready to let fly.

Ce smiled broadly and grasped his tonfa happily, rotating his shoulders, while Da stood beside him, low in her stance, her graceful fans spread wide to conceal her feet. The bandits howled and kept charging in.

"There is never a dull moment when I have you around, my lord." Da Qiao said to her husband.

Sun Ce laughed. "Yeah, am I good or what?" he asked as he lunged in to meet the attack.

It was good to be home.

--

**Author's Notes: **So I finally brought this story arc to an end. Essentially it was a vehicle for some plot/agenda development and how the Southlands will attempt to differentiate itself from its neighbours, by being open to new ideas while still embracing the traditions that made them strong.

That and it was an excuse for Xiao to have her kids, finally. After some digging, I found their names, although I nearly got Zhou Yu's nephew by mistake. Also slightly awkward that the girl's name was Ying, but I can just chalk that up to Xiao's worship of her sister.

I'm pleased that so many of you enjoyed this relatively passive story arc, I know there wasn't a lot of action. Don't worry, the next arc will more than compensate, I assure you.

It feels good to be writing again.


	34. Chapter 34

The Young Conqueror

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please not that my characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 28- Old Faces, New Enemy**

Hua's breath came in pants as he staggered along through the dark forest. His heart pounded in his chest and his skin was pale with terror. Never had he known such consuming fear. He might have stopped to listen for sounds of pursuit, but did not dare. Despite the hideous thing's size, it had made no noise when he had gazed upon it earlier.

A root caught his foot and he fell roughly to the ground. With a hysterical cry he stumbled to his feet and raced on, nearly oblivious to the lash of branches and the puncture of thorns as he careened blindly through the fiendish maze of trees. In the black of night every shape seemed to have malign intent, the ancient boughs reaching out to grasp at him, to restrain him until that which he fled could catch up and devour his soul.

Hua, a simple farmer from the village of Guai, had never before witnessed so horrors. His mind raced as he tried to decide what to do. If he made it out alive, he had to tell people, to warn them about the terrible evil that lurked in the hills of Changsha.

He thought he had been intercepted by a simple force of bandits. He had been driving his cart to Changsha with his bushels of millet when he had been surrounded and dragged off. While initially frightened, he knew it was the custom of these raiders to ransom those they took hostage, rather than merely kill them and risk invoking the wrath of the local prefect.

But soon after being detained, he knew that something was very wrong. The bandits looked unnatural, often very unhealthy and less than human. Many of them had a pallor and a shambling gate that made them look more like walking corpses than anything else. They wore ragged, moldering yellow clothing and gowns, many of them having turbans or bands of yellow cloth around their foreheads. They kept him locked in a small ramshackle hut while they engaged in strange, moaning behaviour outside.

Fright finally gripped him when he heard the scream of a horse, a horse that sounded like it was being ripped to shreds. As the horse screamed, his captors began chanting in gurgling, disembodied voices. Although he was bound and thrown roughly in a corner where he could not see, an eerie and unearthly light began to seep through the cracks of his shoddy hut, growing in strength until it was almost too bright to look upon.

The bandits chanted and pounded their weapons on the ground, causing it to shake. A terrible hissing and growling noise eventually emerged, subduing the ululations of his captors. Hua finally had to accept the fact that he was not going to be ransomed; he had a sickening suspicion of what _would _happen to him if he stayed around and he was not going to let that happen, no matter how frightened he was.

He squirmed around in the dark and eventually found a tiny, broken knife blade made of bronze. The edge was green with rust and jagged, but he began working on rubbing the hemp bonds around his wrists against the discarded device. He could feel burning slivers of pain as he nicked himself but it mattered not- he had to get away from here before they came for him.

Sweat dripped from his brow as he worked feverishly and quietly as possible. He knew time was of the essence, but he could make no noise that would attract attention. He struggled and shifted, desperate to free himself and escape from this hateful place.

The tough rope finally gave way and he hastily used the blade shard to free his feet. Without a moment's hesitation he began scraping a hole underneath the rickety back wall of the shed, for once thanking the gods for his scrawny frame.

The hole under the wall was finally big enough for him to pass through and he was about to make his escape when something deep inside gnawed at him. For reasons he could not exactly explain, he paused. He was undergoing a great struggle, desperate to leave this abominable place, _knowing _that every second counted and he had to escape… but he could not leave, not without taking even a brief glance at that which he fled. A sense of need to see that which caused him such dread was becoming powerful, beckoning to him.

With limbs almost like stone and a will driving him that was not quite his, he stood stiffly and approached a hole in the wall. He leaned carefully and silently forward, pressing his eye to the aperture and gazing out into the strange proceedings beyond the walls of his prison.

His scream of gut-wrenching terror was lost in the wails and groans of the unholy mob outside. Hua tumbled backward and threw himself under the wall, fleeing for his life. He gave no thought whatever to the amount of noise he made, he cared only for flight, to somehow distance himself from the unimaginable hell he had just witnessed.

He rampaged now through the thickets and trees like a blind wild boar, willing himself to not cry out in fear as dark images of what he had seen hammered against his mind and clawed at his sanity. He felt the absurd need to shut his eyes as he ran, to try and shut out the hateful picture. Several times he fell and one time he slammed dead into a tree. Only maddening fright kept him conscious and only an animalistic will to flee kept him moving. He could barely feel his body as he ran.

The pounding of his heart grew louder and heavier until it was all he could hear. The darkness around him grew, almost like it was trying to strangle him. He could not see it but he could feel it- something was coming for him.

In the distance he could see lights, the lights of a fire. Whatever pursued him, he was hoping that he might find safety near kindling, exposing flame. He turned toward the flickering light and ran as hard as he could, acutely aware of the darkness that nipped at his heels.

He practically pitched himself down the hill toward the little cluster of simple houses, focused squarely on the large fire that sat in the middle of the dwellings. Closer it grew, although it seemed to him to take forever. Several times he fell, rolling down the hill in a jumbled heap before somehow regaining his feet and sprinting on desperately.

As he finally entered the perimeter of the village, he noticed a few inhabitants clustered around the fire. He stumbled up to them and collapsed. They gasped in shock at his appearance, battered, scratched and bloody from his run through the treacherous forest. While most backed up, one old man hobbled forward and knelt next to him, looking into Hua's wide eyes as he shivered in fear.

"My good man, who are you and what do you run from?" the elder asked with concern.

Hua tried to speak but his mouth merely gibbered and no words could escape. His tongue seemed to have grown thick and swollen in his mouth, incapable of articulating his urgent need. He tried hard, repeatedly, but to no avail.

Suddenly the fire guttered in a strong, evil-smelling wind and died. The village's inhabitants looked around, exclaiming in fear as all around them went dark. One man sprinted off to raise an alarm, although to defend against what they knew not.

Hua finally found his voice as he lay on his back and looked up at the moon. He thrust a shaking finger into the night and screamed in absolute terror. As everyone looked up to where he pointed, a vast, black shape, terrible and indescribable, leapt into the silver orb's path and descended upon them, its eyes glinting balefully with the fires of hell…

--

Sun Ce was silent as he sat on his chair, his eyes betraying no emotion. Kneeling at the foot of the dais, the messenger bowed again.

"Lord Sun Ce, your prefect in Changsha, General Lu Meng, has reported that seven villages have been obliterated in recent days. The villagers, who number in the several hundred, have gone missing or been found dead, mutilated in the most horrific and inhuman way."

Sun Ce cast a sidelong glance at his adviser and closest friend, Zhou Yu. Zhou Yu pursed his lips as he digested what they were being told but as yet said nothing. He did not look at her, but Ce could feel his wife Da Qiao's horror and what she was hearing. She was trying hard not to show it, but to him her consternation was almost palpable.

"Aside from gutted villages and mutilated peasants, what else has the prefect found?" he asked.

"General Lu Meng has also found troubling proof, my lord, of the presence of the Yellow Turbans in the area."

Ce raised an eyebrow. "Yellow Turbans? We dealt with them years ago, I thought. Zhang Jiao and his brothers are dead, so if these are the Yellow Turbans, then who could possibly be leading them after all this time?"

The messenger bowed and shook his head. "The general does not know, my lord, but does suggest that these may be bandits who were formerly members of that rebellion."

Zhou Yu finally spoke, his words measured and thoughtful. "It cannot be that simple, Ce. I do not know what _is _happening, but this does not sound like the work of the Yellow Turbans we fought. Messenger, these villages… were they plundered of their valuables?"

"No, my lord," the man replied. "The valuables of those slain were often found scattered around, broken and mutilated in much the same manner as their owners had been."

Zhou Yu shook his head. "Then these are not the same Yellow Turbans, for they would certainly have taken anything of value before slaughtering the inhabitants. More than that, the Yellow Turbans merely slew, we never encountered mutilation for its own sake."

Ce nodded in agreement. "Mutilation, huh?"

The messenger went pale. "No, my lord, not… not just mutilation… many of the villagers… they… looked as though…"

"Speak, man," Zhou Yu pressed. "Let Lord Sun Ce know what happened."

The man shuddered as he recalled what he had been ordered to relate, what he had seen with his own eyes. "My… my lord… dozens of these unfortunate souls… they looked as if they… as if they had been eaten…"

Da Qiao gasped, clapping her hands over her mouth in horror. The exclamations of shock around the throne room echoed like a thunderbolt.

Ce rose swiftly from his chair, his eyes flashing. "Sis, get Da out of here!" he said, his voice like steel. Sun Shang Xiang knew better than to contest her brother's will and led Da from the throne room and back to her chambers.

"Get all non-military personnel out of here as well!" he snapped. The Night Tigers hurriedly escorted the courtiers and administrators from the hall. Ce looked around at who was left and then took a deep breath, composing himself.

"Messenger, I want you to go with my scribe here and write down _everything_ you know of this incident. I expect you to come back in three hours and I will send you to Changsha with a message for Lu Meng, do you understand?"

The man bowed, his forehead to the floor.

Ce was then alone in the hall with Zhou Yu, Cheng Pu and Huang Gai. They all knelt and waited patiently for him to speak.

"This is bad," he said finally. "And I don't just mean that in a normal sense. If this were the work of bandits, an enemy army or whatever, Lu Meng'd be able to deal with it. I don't think that's what's going on here."

"You fear something of a less ephemeral and more qliphotic nature?" Zhou Yu suggested.

Ce nodded slowly, his eyes hard. "Yeah, something's not right in Changsha. So if it isn't the Yellow Turbans, then who or what is it?"

Huang Gai bowed solemnly. "My lord, I am but a simple soldier, I can fight only what I can see and strike with my club. This sounds like the sorcery of the Zhang brothers once again."

Zhou Yu shook his head. "Zhang Jiao was a mystic, who subverted others to his will with illusions and suggestion. His power over fire and the other elements was considerable, but this is a type of destruction we have not seen before… it is primal and seems to hate life."

Sun Ce rose once more. "Summon the astrologers and seers at once. We may have a problem on our hands that has no military solution."

He really hoped he wasn't right.

--

The tiny chamber reeked of exotic herbs and incense, filled with a bluish-grey haze that denied one vision beyond a few feet. Ce knelt before the central brazier, along with Zhou Yu and the seers, while an ancient man with a long white beard mumbled and moaned his rattling prayers, rubbing his beads between his gnarled fingers.

He had instructed them all to stay silent but focus on his words, allowing their true meanings to be opened to their minds. Ce held his fingers locked in a complex gesture of pure concentration, allowing the vibrating, droning voice of the old mystic to course through him, revealing paths and means that would otherwise hidden from mortal sight.

Ce could sense the air being charged with power, a subtle and roiling turbulence that was not quite physical but made the hairs on his neck stand. The acrid tang of the incense grew stronger, heightening his awareness, even as the physical world seemed to fall away.

The wafting curls of smoke seemed to try to coalesce into something, to form a shape or shapes that could not yet be attained. Everyone present focused on the swirling clouds of aether, willing it to reveal whatever secret it held.

The warbling flute and staccato drum in the corner of the room, both played by blind mystics, grew in pace and intensity as the vapours struggled to form a hidden meaning. Ce felt the collective wills of those in the room, fixated on the gathering globe of chaotic spirit that hovered above the brazier.

A crackling, hissing noise accompanied a whirling dance as thought finally became form and the smoke shuddered forth its terrible secret. Several mages gasped or cried in fright and threw their faces on the floor as the hideous, glowing eyes burned brightly within the contorting cloud. These monstrous, inhuman orbs became narrow slits as they scanned around the room, their piercing gaze leaving nothing unobserved.

Only Sun Ce, Zhou Yu and the ancient enchanter remained upright, staring back at the hideous and unwelcome visitor.

"Your name, o plague upon man…" the old mystic intoned. "Speak your name, that we may know you and perhaps-"

_"You are not worthy of my name" _came a deep, disembodied voice that was not the least bit human, even if it could be understood.

"Mighty spirit," the elderly man continued, now bowing. "I invoke the name of Xi Wang Mu, goddess of the West, to-"

_"Do not slight me with your petty gods, mortal! I hold no fear for them! They tremble at my name and give me free reign upon the earth, for they cannot stop me!"_

The old men quavered, his will to face this foe rapidly dissolving. His hands shook as he tried to muster the strength to continue.

_"Fool!"_ the terrible entity growled in its gelatinous, atonal voice. The burning orbs that served as eyes came to rest on Sun Ce. He stared back calmly, but his eyes contained a deep, fearsome defiance.

_"You seek to know me, to know what you face… foolish mortal, you cannot comprehend what I am, nor can you stop me from-"_

"Save your bullshit for someone who cares, pal." Ce replied, cutting the entity off. "Are you even worthy of a name?"

The monstrous eyes flared in anger before retreating back to their menacing glow. "_Insolent whelp! I roamed this earth and fed on your ancestors before your sages were born! I, Ou Xing, have command over life and death! The mountains bow and the seas part at my very whim! Nothing can see me and disobey!"_

"He has obviously never met a Qiao girl before, then." Zhou Yu said quietly. In spite of himself and the gravity of the situation, Ce laughed out loud at Zhou Yu's witticism.

_"PATHETIC MAN!!"_ the demon that called itself Ou Xing railed. "_YOU TRIFLE WITH FORCES YOU CANNOT COMPREHEND!! I COULD EASILY SLAY YOU ALL!!"_

"Then how come you can't leave this summoning geas, tough guy?" Sun Ce challenged, now rising to his feet. He took a step forward and leaned in, his head mere inches from the hideous glowing eyes, as if he were staring into Ou Xing's face.

"Get this straight, Ou Xing. I can cut this little conversation off at any time. You're stuck until the old guy runs out of willpower. Changsha is not that far away and you'd best get ready, because I'll be coming for you."

The inhuman eyes flared brightly again, glaring hatefully at Sun Ce.

"What's the matter, Ou Xing?" Ce taunted. "Feeling trapped and can't do anything about it? Believe me, your life is gonna get worse once I reach Changsha…"

The tiny room echoed and shook with Ou Xing's bellow of rage. The mystics cried out and covered their heads in fear. The vaprous smoke whirled around Ce's head, forming into ethereal jaws and that gnashed and clenched hatefully, as if trying to consume him.

The ancient seer had finally spent the last of his courage and energy, his eyes rolling up into his head as he collapsed. Zhou Yu caught him before he fell into the brazier, cradling him carefully.

Ou Xing's form swirled and lashed about in an apparent effort to consume Sun Ce before the young lord made a dismissive swipe, breaking up the cloud and dispelling the demon's semi-corporeal form. The deafening silence that followed seemed to linger forever until Ce finally drew a deep breath and sighed wearily.

"I can think of better ways to spend an evening, for sure…" he said casually.

Zhou Yu, still kneeling, held up the old seer and addressed the other mystics. "He lives yet, take him back to his quarters and call Zhang Ren the Healer. Tell the others nothing of what you saw here under any circumstances, understand?"

They all nodded hastily as they took the limp form of their compatriot and hurried from the room, pale with fright.

Ce sighed again. "A fat lot of good they were."

Zhou Yu finally rose, making some last warding symbols before walking to join Ce. "Perhaps, but they know better than to upset a demon. Is there anyone you cannot annoy?"

"Like he didn't have it coming," Ce replied, cricking his neck. "You can't go around eating peasants and not draw some heat for it, after all."

"I must say, you handled that situation with your typical aplomb and reckless bravery," Zhou Yu remarked as they left the room. "It does not seem possible to frighten you."

Ce snorted. "Please, he scared the hell outta me! I didn't know if he could bite my head off, even if he was only a smelly cloud."

Zhou Yu just shook his head. "Perhaps, but I assure you that he can and will bite your head off when we ride against him. What are your plans?"

Ce was silent for several seconds. "I dunno, I was worried this little matter wouldn't have a military solution."

Zhou Yu concurred. "Sending troops into the area could be the worst thing we can do. He might keep subverting them or even just eating them."

They walked outside and into a menagerie, taking solace in the vibrant colours and the healthy scent of fruit and blossoms. Neither man spoke as they searched their minds for an answer to this grave and unusual problem.

"So this Ou Xing has taken up residence somewhere in Changsha Prefecture." Zhou Yu mused. "He seems to have found a band of Yellow Turbans that escaped destruction all those years ago and subverted them to his will. So essentially they're cultists who are dedicated to keeping him strong here on earth and expanding his power."

Ce nodded. "Yeah, but it doesn't seem to have hit the cities yet, or we would've heard from Lu Meng, I imagine."

He then turned to Zhou Yu and his eye glinted with determination.

"Zhou Yu, send out an order to evacuate the countryside," he said, forming his plan. "Move all the rural inhabitants into Changsha and then have Lu Meng lock the city down tight. Send every mystic, astrologer and healer within two-hundred _li_ into the city and tell them to begin purifying it and keep it that way."

"What then?" Zhou Yu asked, already knowing the answer.

"Then you and I and a few select others are gonna find this bastard and take him out, of course," Ce said grimly. "Can't have demons roaming the countryside now, can we?"

--

Da Qiao knelt quietly in a corner of the antechamber while Sun Ce prepared his battle garb. They had been back in Baifu for just over six months when this crisis struck. During that time, she had trained with her Valiant Cavaliers, who were delighted to have their commander back. Many of them had been worried that she might have gotten soft during her 'vacation', but they had failed to take into account that Sun Ce himself was training her almost daily in hand to hand combat and she had been reading tactical manuals extensively.

She now had sound theory; she just had to put it all into practice. While she enjoyed spending her time reigning over Baifu as consort to the mighty Lord of the Southlands, she had to admit she was eager to give her new skills a try. She had been planning on asking for a six-month tour of duty- she could take the Valiant Cavaliers to the southwestern borders, to anchor the defenses against the aggressive Nanman and Viet tribes of the unknown jungles.

Now, however, this incident had diverted everyone's attention. She decided she'd better not bother her husband with such a trivial detail right now.

She thought of the news from the world beyond their borders. Lu Bu was still marauding, allying himself variously with the likes of Yuan Shao, Cao Cao and Liu Bei. Could they not see that monster was not to be trusted? He needed to be dealt with once and for all!

Other people apparently felt the same way about Cao Cao. A minor lord named Zhang Xiu had nearly slain Cao Cao, ambushing him in Wan. It was only the heroic sacrifice of Cao Cao's bodyguard, Dian Wei, which allowed the cunning lord to escape.

Da had seen Dian Wei only once before, during the fight against Dong Zhuo at Hu Lao gate, and the man's appearance had unnerved her. He was not overly tall, but hugely built, with a bald head and savage, merciless eyes. Once, during a massive brawl with Dong Zhuo's men, Dian Wei had been deprived of his axe, but such was his strength and ferocity that he easily grabbed two enemy soldiers and flung them about as weapons, eventually breaking the foe's line.

Diao Qiao hated to think of anyone dying, but perhaps with that behemoth gone, Cao Cao might be a little bit easier to deal with. But that would wait for another time.

She was going to miss her husband.

Ce turned and looked at her. "You gonna get ready or what?"

She blinked at him. "I beg your pardon my lord?"

"I assume you have preparations to make," Ce said reasonably. "You and your sister take a lot of stuff on campaign; you don't pack light like my sister. Since we're leaving tonight, I figured you'd better get going. Or have you packed already?"

"I am going with you?" Da asked, her tone one of surprise.

"Of course," Sun Ce replied, as if that had been the dumbest question ever. "Not gonna leave you and Kai-ying here."

Da Qiao squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head for a moment, trying to make sense of what she had just heard. "Wait a second… my daughter and I are coming with you?"

"Yes."

"To Changsha?"

"That's where I'm goin', so yeah. That's where you're goin' too." Ce replied, apparently not sure why she was so confused by this revelation.

"But… why?" Da asked, still at a loss.

"What do you mean, why?" Ce asked back. He had stopped arranging himself long enough to turn and look at her.

"Well, you never want me to go." Da said, trying to explain herself. Why did she have to explain this to him? It was so out of character for him to drag her along.

"You don't want to go?"

"Well of course I _want_ to go," Da said, with something almost akin to exasperation. "What I cannot figure out, oh inscrutable one, is why _you_ want me along. Any time things look the least bit dangerous, you want me as far away from where you are as possible, so that I won't be in the way."

Ce nodded, finally understanding his wife's quandary. The fact that she did not yet perceive why she had to come was indicative of the need to continue training her mind to think beyond everyday perceptions.

He came and knelt in front of her, looking into her eyes.

"Da, there is a demon in Changsha, and a really powerful one, from the looks of it. Zhou Yu and I have dispatched every seer, sage and mystic we could lay our hands on to the region because we're gonna need them there. The problem is, that means no one's gonna be back here in Baifu, to shield you and our daughter from harm if Ou Xing gets mad and decides to seek some revenge."

Da Qiao looked at him levelly. "So by bringing me with you, you are once again keeping me out of trouble. I see. Am I that big a burden, my lord?"

Ce pinched his eyes. "Da, this is not about you. There are people dying in Changsha. And I can't save them if I'm worryin' about you and how my fight with a demon affects us! I don't have what it takes to worry about you and our little realm at the same time. If you'd figured out on your own that Changsha was the safest place for our daughter to be during this, would you be questioning me now?"

Da Qiao bowed low, her forehead to the floor. "Of course not, my lord, forgive my foolishness. I could not see the need."

Ce sighed and raised her up. He smiled at her. "Don't worry about it, Da. Sometimes I just forget that not everybody thinks like I do, except for Zhou Yu. It's gonna be good to have you along, I'll need your strength."

Da smiled back, her heart warming. Even if she couldn't always understand him, she was so happy that Sun Ce loved her and everything about her. She leaned in and kissed him lovingly, reveling in the feel of his strong arms about her.

Eventually she broke the kiss and winked. "I will go get myself and our daughter ready. I shall meet you back here very shortly."

"How soon is that?" Ce asked.

Da considered. "I think I can manage to be ready in three hours, my lord."

"Forget it," Ce said, shaking his head. "You have two hours, I'm not joking."

Da Qiao bowed. "As you say, my lord."

She turned and left the anteroom, heading to her daughter's room. She smirked to herself as she walked down the hallway. It was a feminine wile she had learned from her mother- always ask for more time than you could possibly need, then, when you are ready much earlier, the man will be impressed with your efficiency and diligence. It had always worked on Qiao Xuan, after all.

--

She found her daughter sitting by a window, looking out over the menagerie. Kai-ying spent countless hours gazing at the gardens or the exotic animals. Asleep on her piles of cushions was a baby white tiger, a gift from her father.

During a routine patrol in the south, Sun Ce had encountered a group of poachers, who had just slain the parents of the helpless cub. The white tigers had been killed for their body parts' supposed medicinal purposes. According to some, boiled tiger's penis was a marvelous cure for impotence.

Enraged to see the cub in a bamboo cage and being left to starve, Ce had been on the poachers like a thunderbolt- before they knew what was happening, the Lord of the Southlands had them tied up and sent back to the Night Tigers' encampment. Tiger hunting was only permitted at certain times of the year, and only while carrying a signed permit.

Ce sighed as he'd looked down at the corpses of the dead tigers. He had no desire to take the pelts for himself, since they had not been his prize, but to leave them would mean no one would know of this folly. His squad brought the animals back while he released the cub from its cage. The little tiger squawked loudly, licking its chops.

"Forget it, buddy," Ce said, scruffing its head. "I'll find someone else to feed you…"

Da Qiao smiled as she remembered the story and Ce's gift of the tiger to Kai-ying. She stood next to her daughter and caressed her silken silver hair.

"Come, daughter," she said gently. "We ride with the Lord of the Southlands to Changsha."

Sun Kai-ying grimaced. "But mother, I have been to Changsha. Can we go somewhere I have not been?"

"You have seen our whole realm, child," Da chided. "Is that not enough?"

"I was young, then," the girl said. "I do not remember much of that journey."

Da smiled and caressed Kai-ying's cheek. The girl was nearly five now and she was proud of how old she was getting, even if she still thought adults were strange.

"We go because your father goes." Da explained.

"Every time father does anything, I have to do something, mother. Is that how it is always going to be?" Kai-ying asked.

"Is that so bad, girl?" Da queried, her eyebrow raised.

"I guess not," her daughter said. "But why is it that way?"

"Because your father is the Lord of the Southlands, and one day, Heavens willing, he will be Emperor. And it is our job, as his consort and his daughter, to serve him dutifully. You would know that if you had been reading the Analects of Kong Fuzi, as you are supposed to."

Sun Kai-ying sighed. "Can I bring my tiger along?"

"I see no harm in that," Da said honestly. "But why have you not named it yet, my love?"

Kai-ying shrugged. "It has not told me its name yet."

Da picked the girl up and poked her nose. Just like her mother, Sun Kai-ying scrunched up her face and pawed at her nose, like a cat.

"Besides, your cousins Ying and Xun will be along," Da added. "I imagine you will have to be appointed as their official guardian again."

Kai-ying nodded solemnly and her eyes glinted with importance. "They are not royal like me, but they are still very important children, mother. They must be cared for properly, in case my aunt misplaces them."

Da nearly dropped her daughter because she was laughing so hard. The baby tiger squawked in protest at being so rudely awakened.

--

Zhou Yu rode beside Sun Ce, on the way out of Baifu. The paved road exited from the Great Gate and stretched for about three _li_ before branching off in several directions. The roads were wide enough to accommodate three lanes of traffic, the central one reserved for bureaucratic and military use. They were uniformly flat and level. They had actually been dug into the earth and then paved over, ensuring they were durable. These roads were being constructed around the realm, originating from the urban centers and threading the Southlands together- Baifu, Wuchang, Changsha, LiLing… they would be the centers from with this realm would begin to prosper.

"So why did we leave ahead of the others?" Zhou Yu asked. "I guess this means you have things you do not wish to discuss around anyone else."

Ce nodded. "Yeah, Taishi Ci agreed to lead the column, they'll catch with us at the Lu River ford tonight. I don't want to worry anyone with what's on my mind."

"So you think nothing of worrying me with what's on your mind, then?" Zhou Yu commented.

Ce laughed. "We're married to Qiao girls, pal, I don't think anything can worry us."

"True enough," Zhou Yu admitted. "It takes no small amount of fortitude to be married to those lunatics. How Qiao Xuan stayed sane is beyond me, he had to deal with three of them, including that overtall wife of his."

"Hey, she's no taller than Shang Xiang." Ce pointed out.

"This makes me wonder if your daughter will have Da's perfect height or if she will inherit the unnaturally tall Sun girl trait." Zhou Yu said, smirking. It was true, Ce, Quan, Shang Xiang and Kuang were all of above average height and strongly built, like their father, the mighty patriarch Sun Jian.

"At least I won't have to worry about stepping on my kids even after they're full-grown." Ce quipped, laughing.

"This serious conversation of yours is off to a good start," Zhou Yu mused. "What is it about Ou Xing that bothers you, Ce? Aside from the obvious, I mean."

Ce was silent for a few moments. "How did we not know about him?" he asked. "We have never faced demons before, but I'm willing to wager that he's powerful as his kind goes. Why is he in Changsha? Why hasn't he moved?"

"I was wondering that myself," Zhou Yu agreed. "I researched the region, trying to find some sort of connection, and I learned something rather interesting."

"Go on." Ce prompted.

"There was once a king in the region, long before the Han, dating all the way back to the Xia Dynasty, and his name was Ou Xing."

"So this demon, whatever its name is, has assumed the guise of Ou Xing, King of the Xia?" Ce posited.

"I do not think it is a question of simple mimicry," Zhou Yu replied. "I think that the demon has found that which _was_ Ou Xing and has essentially taken it over, using the hapless king's remains as a host, of sorts."

"Why would he need to do that?" Ce asked, frowning.

"This is all guesswork on my part, of course, since I know precious little about demons," Zhou Yu reminded. "But I would surmise that unless the demon calling itself Ou Xing has a host, that it cannot interact with our world. The ephemeral is beyond its reach without a host to interact in."

"Which is why he couldn't touch us when we summoned him," Ce said, nodding. "We'd pulled him from his body and so he was powerless to harm us physically."

"That is my theory, anyway." Zhou Yu said, nodding. "Why, on the other hand, he felt compelled to possess a long-dead corpse as opposed to a living being is beyond me."

"I guess we'll find out when we get there, right?" Ce said, snapping the reins of his horse and setting it into a canter. He wanted to be in Changsha as soon as possible.

--

Ou Xing roared in horror and rage as he pushed his way out of the heavy sarcophagus he found himself in. He could not see but he could feel the putrescence of the cadaver he had been forced to inhabit in order to break free. As his spirit imbued life into the rotting limbs, he felt the agony of mortal death, clawing at him, rebelling against his unnatural takeover of the long-dead being's corpse.

The lid of the sarcophagus gave way after a desperate push and a new and horrible sensation washed over him- the muck and dirt and ooze in which he was buried flooded over him, sending waves of pain through his revived nervous system. Every sensation was nothing but anguish as he fought madly to free himself from the grips of the earth.

He howled in rage and torment as one of his weak and bony mortal limbs snapped and rotted away, even as he struggled to use it. The hideous miasma of mud and death filled his mouth and he choked and retched, his host body unable to breathe.

The fools! The foolish mortals had built this weak man's grave over Ou Xing's resting spot, disturbing his slumber. He knew not how long it had taken for him to escape the jade box in which he had been trapped, but sheer force of will he had brought himself into the closest organic form he could find- this hellish, rotting corpse of some long-dead king.

He would have his revenge. The descendants of those who had banished him would pay dearly for the audacity of their forefathers. This carcass was merely the first step. He denied the pain and terror his body felt as he fought to break free of the earth's grip. He clawed and almost swam through the mire that held him. Above, he could feel the distant _boom_ of thunder, the war drums of Lei Kung, god of thunder and protector of the just.

Ou Xing snarled in rage- even Lei Kung would know his wrath, for when he had devoured this world, he would make the Thunder God watch as Ou Xing raped his wife Lei Zi, Duchess of Lightning, and then killed them both slowly.

The thunder shook the earth and Ou Xing's body shuddered in torturous agony. He could feel his body dissolving, no match for the merciless earth, even as his mighty spirit drove it onward. He would not lose! Once he freed himself, he would feed, and his body would grow strong. He would then feed again, until no one on earth or in heaven could stop him.

Atop the tumulus that held the ancient king, the rain lashed down, turning the ground into a miasma of slime and mud. The entire great mound shook with each bolt of thunder that clapped across the sky. Heedless of the titanic struggle waged beneath the ground, the sky loosed its deluge and threaded the night with lightning.

A skeletal hand burst free from the ground, grasping and flexing madly. Seconds later, another hand came to the surface. The corpse that pulled itself from the earth shrieked with maddening rage and the fury of the Nine Hells, and the horrible sound outrang the thunder...

--

Ou Xing's eyes flared open and their gaze darted around the chamber, searching. Freed from the nightmare that had haunted him since he had escaped his charnel tomb, he hissed long and hatefully at the darkness of his surroundings. No matter how strong he had become, he could not escape the dreams, at least not yet.

He had availed himself of the ruined castle next to the tumulus he'd been buried for all those centuries beneath. Once no doubt a splendid edifice, it was now his sanctum, inundated with his evil will and hideous power. For some moons now he had been strong enough to leave its confines, to go hunting and feed on the souls of these weak mortals. Little more than a morsel by themselves, if he consumed enough of them, he found his hunger sated, at least for a time.

And his body grew ever stronger and his visage ever more terrible to behold.

Confrontation with whatever realm these foolish beings now held themselves to was inevitable, of course, and from his point of view, desirable. If there was such a thing as a strong mortal, they would no doubt rule these lands, and once his depredations became known, they would come forth to meet him.

And then he would feast well indeed.

But then something had happened- he had been bound, against his will, at the behest of that cocky mortal. This mortal, either brave beyond reckoning or foolish beyond belief, had dared to not only defy him, but also to demand his name! What folly! The whelp would pay!

Something nagged at Ou Xing, though, for this mortal was nothing at all like those he had so easily devoured or enslaved as his servants- something Ou Xing could not readily identify burned in this young man, some awesome spirit…

And Ou Xing wanted it. More than anything, he craved to consume that soul. But he held no doubt that the mortal would be cautious, unwilling to risk that sweet spirit against a being such as Ou Xing. He would no doubt prove most recalcitrant in the matter of his soul.

So Ou Xing would just have to find a way to make him offer it. Every being had a weakness.

He roused himself from his resting place and climbed from his pit and leapt into the night. The demon was hungry and needed to slake his endless thirst.

He was Ou Xing, and he would not be denied.

--

**Author's Notes: **For those of you who have played DW5: XL, you will probably recognize this scenario. Naturally I am putting my own spin on it, since one can hardly base a story arc out of a single random event scenario from a game. But I have wanted to do this story for some time, along with the scenario "The Two Qiaos", which is based on the Chinese Opera "_Fenghuang Er Qiao_" and has a similar storyline to the scenario. But obviously, such a story arc would be rather ludicrous, unless I made it a dream of Xiao's, so I decided on Ou Xing's Rebellion as my next story.

Lots of action coming up, I promise!


	35. Chapter 35

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please not that my characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 29- Ou Xing's Rebellion, Part I**

Changsha was a splendid city, not unlike Wuchang or what Baifu would be one day. Lu Meng had somewhat reluctantly agreed to become prefect and take up guardianship of the region, citing his lack of administrative skills. Sun Ce, unfortunately, had pointed out the modest general's surprisingly good scores on the standardized tests that Zhou Yu had designed.

Lu Meng did not mind Changsha, but adjusted only slowly to life in the city. Back in Baifu, or Wuchang, he had always been a field general, most comfortable out in the field, sleeping under the stars with his men. At least once a week he would go and spend a night with one of his units.

Changsha was home to nearly a hundred thousand people and key to the defense of the northern borders. Two of Lu Meng's regiments were charged with the security of the city and the outlying regions, the veteran Longfangs and the cavalry regiment known as Thunderhorse.

Now, however, both regiments had been pulled inside the city and were posted along the walls on constant vigil. The barracks had been opened to the flood of evacuees from the outlying territory. Thousands of people streamed through the gates, although they knew not exactly what they were fleeing from, only that some terror was abroad in their homelands. Many knew of the murders, mutilations and annihilation of entire villages, and those who did not fled to Changsha once word had reached them.

Da Qiao watched from the terrace of the royal pavilion, which Lu Meng had kindly surrendered for the use of the Qiao sisters. The themes within were a little more martial than she preferred, but it was comfortable and well-designed, with a small menagerie for them to stroll in, surrounded by high walls. She watched as the refugees milled through the streets- it had been a huge operation that would displace more than thirty-thousand people from all over the countryside. Sun Ce had wisely brought a huge amount of supplies and provisions to feed those who now found themselves in the city, but even so the situation would become untenable, fast.

All around the city, the ancestral shrines were inundated with visitors and offerings from city residents and refugees alike. At the great temple of Xi Wang Mu, matron of the city and Queen Goddess of the West, prayers went up for the safe deliverance of Changsha from a great evil.

Da Qiao herself had prayed at the temple earlier that day. She had left an offering of several of her most precious pearls to curry the goddess' favour, knowing that Sun Ce had done likewise, along with Zhou Yu. She also visited the shrine of Ch'eng-Huang, the god of walls and moats, noting with some dissatisfaction that the shrine was rather small for so large a city. When this was over, she would order a more appropriate edifice be built. Last but not least, she visited and prayed for a lengthy time at the shrine of P'an-Chin-Lien, goddess of courtesans and matron deity of her family. She begged the goddess not only for the deliverance of the city of Changsha, but for the especial protection of her daughter, heir of the Sun family.

Very few troops had accompanied them to Changsha, since Sun Ce and Zhou Yu agreed that too many troops might be a detriment to the operation, given the nature of the enemy. Therefore, only a handful of tough veterans and select elite soldiers came with them- a company of Ce's Night Tigers, commanded by Taishi Ci, a company of Zhou Yu's Swordwind assault troops, Xiao's squad, the Salamanders, and Da's own Valiant Cavaliers.

Da Qiao prayed it would be enough.

--

The weather in Changsha was warm and the troops on guard atop the walls stood beneath awnings that protected them from the afternoon sun. The outrider companies Sun Ce had sent out returned with more refugees, but the flow seemed to be subsiding, hopefully meaning that the region was emptied of people. The scouting parties reported back anything unusual that they found.

The troops assigned to scout the Feilong County never returned.

"I assume, then, that Feilong is where our problem lays." Zhou Yu mused as he sat with Sun Ce in a small antechamber of the pavilion. A deaf servant was serving them heated wine while they discussed the issue before them. Ce stared into the wine in his cup, watching the plum blossom petal float slowly about the surface.

"Are you worried?" Zhou Yu asked, finally disturbing his friend's thoughtful silence.

"I dunno," Ce replied without looking up. "After all, we defeated Zhang Jiao and his sorcery pretty handily."

"Speak for yourself," the raven-haired strategist retorted. "Not all of us can overcome brainwashing, may I point out."

"Demon or no, we should be prepared for anything." Ce mused. "If Ou Xing is bound to this region, then he'll need minions to do his dirty work."

"I am still concerned by the presence of the Yellow Turbans," Zhou Yu said as he sipped at his wine. "If he has enslaved a heretofore unknown enclave…"

"Then they're being controlled by a demon and not just some whack-job with a spastic beard." Ce finished, nodding.

Zhou Yu closed his eyes and sighed. "Your off-colour analysis of Zhang Jiao aside, you are correct- we have no idea if they are individuals, small scattered bands or an army. There is no way of guessing at their numbers"

Sun Ce looked grim. "The walls are strong and the gate will be closed. If they come in force, we'll be ready for 'em."

The two friends were silent for several minutes, in quiet contemplation when Ce suddenly pulled the long knife from his belt and hurled it at the deaf servant, pinning her to the wall by her throat. He was on her instantly and pinning her while she struggled wildly. Less than a heartbeat behind, Zhou joined his liege in restraining the woman.

"Looks like he's already here !" Ce growled. Despite her small stature, the woman's strength was fiendish. Her eyes were wide as she hissed and gurgled at them inhumanly.

"Fools!" she rasped, her wild eyes glaring while bloody flecks of foam gathered at the corners of her mouth. "You cannot stop me! No mortal can challenge one such as I!"

"Yeah, you said that before, pal, and look what it got you!" Ce said coldly. "I told you I was coming for you!"

The woman screeched, straining her neck against the blade that embedded her to the wall. The sickening tearing sounds did nothing to halt her struggles. Her tongue lashed about in her jaw spastically.

"You will die!" she wailed as she heaved and writhed, dislocating her arms from her shoulders in her wild bid to escape. Blood was now streaming from her eyes, nose, mouth and ears, but still she thrashed with inhuman strength and malevolence.

But Sun Ce and Zhou Yu would not let go, even as her neck finally tore free of the blade and the wall. The servant screamed manically, gurgling and gasping, her eyes going wide. With a final strain her body went rigid, and finally still.

Her form then dissolved in a weltering gush of blood, almost melting away in their hands.

Taishi Ci burst into the room, followed by two Night Tigers. He paused as he saw Sun Ce and Zhou Yu standing over the rapidly-spreading pool of blood, holding the skeletal remains of the servant's arms.

"It's… not what you think." Ce said to his bodyguard after an uncomfortable pause

"It can't be." Taishi Ci replied with a somewhat wry look on his face.

Ce sighed and dropped the remains of the arm. "Great, now what? People inside the city are obviously at risk and some are already compromised. We let over thirty-thousand people into Changsha."

Zhou Yu was silent as his mind raced for a solution. "We must strike back, Ce, in a manner that we know he can be hurt by. Our priests have held Ou Xing himself in check, therefore we will use this tactic again, to flush out his agents, like nests of quail."

Ce nodded and thumped his fist into his palm. "We'll begin a large ritual throughout Changsha. Then we'll be able to identify who's been tainted."

"And deal with them quickly and efficiently." Zhou Yu concluded.

Ce nodded. "We're gonna need guards in the city as well as on the walls, because when we flush them out, it won't be pretty."

"There will be much weeping in Changsha tonight." Zhou Yu said grimly.

--

Da Qiao was sitting inside the bedchamber of the royal pavilion, with Sun Kai-ying sitting nearby. The girl was reading scrolls but eventually sighed and looked up at her mother.

"Mother, is it easier to be a courtesan than a ruler?" she asked.

"Why, my love, do you want to know?" Da queried, smiling.

"Because singing, dancing, playing music and reciting poetry sounds more pleasant than going to war and ruling… and easier."

Da smirked. "Perhaps, but to be a courtesan you must also kiss boys."

Kai-ying made a wry face and went back to her studies.

Da looked out the large doors toward the balcony. The sun was setting and the sky was a wondrous ochre colour, shot through with purples and pinks. She knew that once the sun had set and Hen-O, goddess of night had pulled her blue veil across the Heavens, that Sun Ce's plan to exorcise Ou Xing from the city would begin. Already, a blind seer was sitting in the corner of the room, waiting patiently over a smoking bowl of mixed herbs and suffusions. Two Night Tigers stood silently at the door of the room, ever vigilant of a threat to the Lady of the Southlands.

Da Qiao knew she would fight to protect her daughter if anything happened. Her fans sat nearby and a keen knife was on her belt, ready to be used. She hoped it would not come to violence, especially in front of her daughter, who abhorred it in all forms.

There was a knock at the door and Xiao entered, accompanied by two nursemaids who carried her son and daughter. Kai-ying immediately left her studies to hug her aunt and then busied herself with instructing the nursemaids about properly caring for her cousins.

Xiao sat in a chair next to Da and smiled wanly. The older girl could see her younger sister was plainly worried. She turned her chair in to face Xiao and took her hands in her own.

"Remember how you used to get all frantic about the demon-turtles that were supposedly hiding under your bed, waiting to eat your toes?" she asked.

Xiao nodded, smiling at the memory.

"And do you remember mother would demonstrate how brave and resolute Qiao women could be by sending out to play and then when we returned she served savoury turtle soup right out of the shell?"

Xiao giggled and nodded again.

"Well, I think if our valiant mother can slay and make soup out of demon-turtles, then our possibly-nearly-as-valiant-as-our-mother husbands can see this crisis through for us, _shi_?"

"Without the soup, mind you." Xiao added.

"Of course, without the soup." Da confirmed.

The sun finally set and night reigned over Changsha. The room, lit with braziers in the four corners, had a warm ochre glow to it and the sweet smell of incense caressed the air. Knowing that something was about to happen, Da Qiao closed her eyes and listened.

Before long, a sonorous, droning chant could be heard to spread across the city, growing progressively louder. All across Changsha, priests, priestesses, seers, mystics and monks began reciting the prayer Zhou Yu had instructed them to intone.

To Da Qiao it sounded both beautiful and ominous. Soon it was all she could hear, punctuated by chimes, gongs, flutes and sheng. The blind seer in the corner had begun chanting, rubbing a necklace of beads between his hands.

Sun Kai-ying had stopped playing with her cousins and now sat quietly with her knees and against her chest and her hands over her ears. Da knew her daughter was sensitive not only to noise but also to movements beyond the veil of reality. Zhou Yu had explained that exorcism chants such as this one produced tonal vibrations that caused great distress and even pain to demons and other malign spirits. To Sun Kai-ying, this mantra might not have been hurtful but it no doubt seemed exceedingly aggressive.

It was hard to hear at first, but before long, Da became aware of yelps and cries of pain that gave way to wails of agony and finally inhuman screeches. Calls for support from the city watch could be heard as cold steel rang throughout the city.

Da started as a silhouette landed on the balcony. The body was long and thin, with pale skin that gleamed in the moonlight. The eyes gleamed with a feverish light as the former human railed at them, hissing hatefully.

Da and Xiao were on their feet, their fans in hand. They were about to spring to meet the intruder when a spear embedded itself in their foe's chest. The fiend screeched and was carried backward off the balcony by the force of the strike, landing with a dull_ thud_ in the street below.

Da turned to look at the Night Tiger who had thrown the spear. His _jian_ blade was already in hand and he was glaring fiercely at the balcony where the foe had stood. Da nodded to the man and they resumed their quiet vigil. The only sound in the room was the warbling chant of the blind seer in the corner.

--

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu watched impassively from atop the great gates at the chaos in the streets below. Squads of Changsha militia and Lu Meng's Longfangs were stationed throughout the city, with the refugees from the countryside milling about. As the chanting began, what seemed like an ethereal blue glow seemed to spread over the city, emanating from the temple of Xi Wang Mu.

Initially the people seemed merely curious or confused, but before long it became apparent that many people were experiencing discomfort or even outright pain. Men, women and children began crying out. Many fell to the ground, holding their heads and writhing.

Sun Ce's face was grim as one man howled in rage and turned on the people around him, attacking savagely. Instantly a pair of Longfangs tackled him to the ground, wrestling to keep him from harming others. Throughout the city, fights broke out as those who had been touched by Ou Xing revealed themselves. Inhuman snarls and screeches echoed through the night, contesting the sonorous chant of Changsha's mystical defenders.

A lookout from one of the towers blared on a horn and pointed out toward the plain. In the distance, black shapes could be seen, converging on Changsha.

Thousands of them.

"We will make Ou Xing pay for this." Zhou Yu said softly as he and Ce turned to look out at the incoming threat. He gestured to archers in the nearby towers and pointed out toward the plain. Longbows were bent and flaming arrows released. They sailed high into the night and then embedded themselves in the trees that dotted the landscape. The trees, doused in oil earlier in the day, flared up like giant torches, illuminating the night sky and revealing the foe.

Wave upon wave of men in ragged yellow stormed towards the walls of Changsha, howling wildly. Armed with swords, spears, pitchforks or just clubs, they called for blood and ruin.

"This isn't going to be a battle, it's going to be a slaughter." Ce said as he gazed out over the enemy host. "I hate that we have to do this, we swore an oath to defend these people. But it can't be helped; Ou Xing owns them now. This can't be forgiven."

Zhou Yu nodded silently and drew his ancient sword from its scabbard, holding it aloft. The strong walls of Changsha filled now with row upon row of archers, who stood silently awaiting orders from their commander.

Zhou Yu's sword stayed aloft but changed it's position. The first rank of archers knocked arrows and drew their bows, aiming toward the plain below. The ranks behind had arrows ready, to replace the front rank in rapid succession and keep up a rapid, constant barrage.

The maddened foe was now only a hundred yards away.

Ce, his arms folded across his chest as he watched, nodded silently. Zhou Yu's sword fell, pointing now toward the enemy. Sergeants along the wall called out and a withering rain of iron sailed into the enemy below. The first rank then went to the rear of the wall while second rank replaced it. The sergeants shouted again and another wave of death slashed into the foe.

Each of the five hundred archers on the wall had twenty arrows in his quiver and they rotated between volleys rapidly. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu watched coldly as the fanatical enemy raced forward, heedless of the peril.

It was over in less than five minutes- not a single foe had reached the walls. The plain was awash with blood and yellow, illuminated by the burning pillars that used to be trees. The charred columns were now beginning to sputter and died, their life consumed rapidly by the rage of battle. In the streets of the city, the cacophony had died and only the all-pervading mantra remained.

Ce sighed. "We'd better go and check on the citizens," he said, clapping Zhou Yu on the shoulder.

"Sire, should we remain ready for another attack?" a captain asked.

Ce turned and looked at the plain beyond the city, studying it intently.

"Nah," he said finally. "Keep a watch, but nothin' else is gonna happen tonight. Zhou Yu and I will be in the pavilion. Report to the prefect."

He then strode off to find his wife.

--

Ce sat on a pile of cushions with Da Qiao curled up next to him. Sun Kai-Ying was asleep on her lap, her face finally at peace now that the chanting had ended. He stayed out the bay window, watching the dark veil of night give way to dawn. He had not slept at all but he was not tired, either.

There was a knock on the door and a Night Tiger entered the room. While Da Qiao woke and rubbed her eyes, the man kow-towed in front of Ce.

"My lord, General Lu Meng requests your presence at the gate."

Ce handed his daughter to his wife and kissed Da on the forehead. He then exited the room and made his way to the gate, accompanied by Taishi Ci and a squad of Night Tigers. He was joined by Zhou Yu and his Swordwind guards; they reached the great gate and Lu Meng bowed as they approached.

"What's up, Lu Meng?" Ce asked. By way of response, the stoic general gestured to the plain before the city.

The corpses of the enemy soldiers were gone. The bloody evidence of where they had fallen remained, but the thousands of bodies had disappeared.

"Okay, that can't be good." Ce mused as he gazed out from the walls of the city. He looked at Zhou Yu, who said nothing. His keen grey eyes were scanning the plain, assessing their peril.

"It obviously happened during the night, my lord," Lu Meng said. "The fires had finally died and per your instructions we did not leave the city. At first light we noticed the foe was missing. We heard nothing."

"Keep a vigil, same as before," Ce said firmly. "I think it'll be night when we have any issues. Zhou Yu, we should determine if the city is safe from the inside for now."

The chants had ended with the dawn and the curfew was lifted. Ce and Zhou Yu visited the barracks, which had been turned into a care facility for Ou Xing's victims. He was pleased to see that surprisingly few people had died in the previous night's chaos, but apparently hundreds had been cursed. They lay now on straw mats, many of them unconscious. Others were awake, but pale and sweating profusely. One man rolled onto his side and retched, a green, noxious and oily substance coming out of his mouth and nose.

"Those who have had Ou Xing's taint exorcised have been vomiting forth that vile effluence," one healer explained. "We believe it to be a physical manifestation of the demon's hold on them."

"So even though it looks and smells disgusting, it's a good thing they're gettin' rid of it." Ce mused. He stopped in front of a young girl who was coughing and crying. She was not much older than his own daughter and his heart burned with fury to think that anyone, even a demon, could possibly resort to such cruelty.

"Hey, squirt," he said, kneeling down beside her mat. "I'll bet last night was like a bad dream, wasn't it?"

The girl sniffled and nodded, her eyes red and glassy.

"Well here's my promise to you," he said, smiling. "The bad guy who did this? We're gonna get him and make sure he can't hurt anyone ever again, okay?"

The girl was silent for a few moments before she reached out and poked him on the nose, as if to make sure he was real. She then hugged him tightly, burying her face in his shoulder.

"So where are her parents?" Ce asked.

The healer's countenance darkened. "Her father died in the chaos last night, my lord. Her mother, I… her mother was a deaf servant who worked in the royal pavilion."

Ce closed his eyes and sighed. "Of course she was…" Ou Xing's cruelty just got deeper and more incomprehensible. What manner of being was this?

Zhou Yu looked at the ceiling.

"Y'know, squirt, I think you're gonna stay with me for a while," Ce said, smiling at the girl. "After all, my daughter could use a playmate."

--

"We'll have to take her as our own." Da Qiao said, watching as the girl played with Sun Kai-ying on the other said of the small menagerie. They seemed to be getting along well, which pleased her. Ce stood alongside her, observing intently.

"I dunno if I'll officially adopt her, but I'll make her my ward and she can be Kai-ying's companion, at the very least. We'll see how it works out."

"There could be other orphans created by this tragedy," Da pointed out. "Do you intend to become ward for all of them?"

Ce thought about his answer. Traditionally, rulers would often find orphans throughout their lands and bring them into their house, not giving them royal status, but raising them to be fanatically dedicated to the family. Often these orphans would become eunuchs, an institution Ce hated.

"What if they became Night Tigers?" Ce pondered. Da turned to look up at him, her eyes wide.

"You intend to take the orphans of Wu and turn them into an unstoppable and dedicated army?" she asked. "Is that even ethical?"

"It traditional," Ce reasoned. "I'd be perfectly in line with historical precedent and I'm sure Zhou Yu would approve since it'd secure my power base. But I don't think it's my style."

"I'm glad to hear that." Da said, smiling at him. "That sounded like far too many children to try and raise."

"But if I were to raise these kids and play to their strengths," he said, gazing at the girl. "If I made sure they were the most skilled, warriors, artisans, administrators or farmers in the land, completely dedicated to the notion of the new realm of Wu…"

"The leaders of the new generation," Da breathed, seeing the possibilities. "They would be the example by which everyone else could measure themselves and their endeavors. They would be the teachers of the future, dedicated to a virtuous and prosperous realm, like in your dreams."

Ce nodded. "That's what's gonna happen. When tragedy strikes and children have nowhere to go, they will be sent to us, Da. Life struck them down and we're gonna help them stand tall and proud."

Da bowed. "A noble and generous gesture, my lord. Now all we have to do is destroy Ou Xing."

"Yeah," Ce said, his mood darkening. "He and I are gonna have words. He's got a lot to answer for."

--

**Author's Notes:** Sorry about yet another delay, folks, every single comp in the house had crashed for one reason or another. However, my delightful roomie Hannah is allowing me to store my fics on her Mac, so I know have the interwebs again. The next few chapters are already written and waiting to be translated to digital format, so I'll be putting more up shortly, promise!


	36. Chapter 36

The Young Conqueror

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please not that my characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 30- Ou Xing's Rebellion, Part II**

Sun Ce sat quietly on the ornate chair inside the council hall of Changsha's royal pavilion. His cheek was rest on his fist and his eyes were distant. The room was empty, except for Zhou Yu standing silently nearby on the dais and Da and Xiao were sitting on the steps, playing a flute and sheng. The tune they played was austere and a little morose, which fit their lord's mood perfectly. The normal cheerful Ce was obviously bothered by recent circumstances.

His mind was on Feilong County, in the west of the prefecture. Changsha's rural population had been evacuated into the city or sent south, to keep them away from the menace that seemingly lurked in Feilong. A demon, a entity of horrible might and boundless cruelty, had taken up residence in the region and was preying on the inhabitants.

Ou Xing, as this monster called itself, not only fed on the local denizens to make himself strong, but was also capable of subverting their minds and wills, leading them to attack their own lord, or even their kin.

Somehow, he had to be stopped.

"What do we know about the region?" Ce asked finally.

Zhou Yu pursed his lips. "Not much, I regret," he said softly. The maps of Feilong are sketchy at best and you spent little time here on your trip through the realm since Changsha was prosperous and well-managed."

"Wish I'd known this was gonna happen." Ce said, his tone stern. "Gods alone know how many people that thing has killed. Well, whatever we do know, lemme hear it."

"The county of Feilong is relatively sparsely populated," Zhou Yu began. "Not more than seventy thousand people, we figure, and we have only accounted for about sixty-three thousand, evacuated south or here into the city."

"Where would a demon hide?" Ce queried. "Any abandoned temples or nodes of power or negative energy?"

Da Qiao continued to play but she was listening to the conversation intently. She was familiar enough with the principals of feng shui to know what her husband meant when he was talking about the telluric energies that coursed through the earth, shaped or flowing along certain lines that the wise or the powerful could manipulate. Such geomancy was the stuff of legend, but Da was certain it existed, even if she didn't always feel it.

"There are no major temples or shrines in the region." Zhou Yu replied. "There are ruins there, however, that to have once been a castle dating from the mid-Zhou dynasty. Nearby stands a large mound, apparently man-made."

"A tumulus?" Ce mused. "A former king or ruler from the period of the castle, maybe. Question is, if Ou Xing is in Feilong, how long has the bastard been there? He doesn't seem to have been a trouble until recently."

"A tumulus might very well make an excellent locus of energy for a being that feeds on life." Zhou Yu reasoned. "And there was a large enough population for him to feed on without causing to much panic, until recently, in any event."

"Why all the fuss now, then?" Ce wondered.

"I guess Feilong isn't big enough anymore. If he feels he has become sufficiently powerful then he would no longer feel the need to conceal himself. If he causes fear in people, then he is getting exactly what he desires, yes?"

Ce pinched his eyes. "And he's just gonna keep getting more and more hungry, it won't stop with Feilong or Changsha. We've gotta stop him, the question is, how?"

"That I do not know yet," Zhou Yu said grimly. "Admittedly, my experience with this sort of matter is limited. You're the one who sees the movement of the heavens, may I point out."

Ce was silent for some time. This was a quandary he was unsure of how to deal with. Direct confrontation of a military sort seemed out of the question, since Ou Xing could demonstrably subvert people's minds; Changsha was protected only by the ceaseless prayers of the monks and priests of the city. Ou Xing seemed to have them hemmed in and pinned down.

"We've gotta take the fight to him somehow." Ce said, thumping his fist o the arm of the ornate chair he sat on. "But we can't risk the men or let him into the city."

Zhou Yu closed his eyes and folded his arms. "Then we must search for some advantage within our means. It is my intent to go to the shrines and libraries and see if I can find any information on the region or any historical reference to a malevolent entity infesting this region before."

"There is a Confucian academy in the city's east quarter, I think." Ce said, standing. "If there are preserved records of that sort anywhere, they'll being their archives. I guess we'd better get going if we're gonna beat this guy. Nobody ever won a war sitting on his ass."

Ce stepped down the dais and stopped in front of Da. He looked deep into her eyes and caressed her cheek.

"I don't know how long Zhou Yu and I are gonna be at this, so I want you to look after Xiao and the kids, okay?"

"You do not wish for my help?" she asked.

"Zhou Yu an' I can handle the research, Da. If I need you for anything, you know I'll ask." Ce replied, giving her a kiss on the forehead.

She watched as the two most powerful men in the Southlands exited the room and then sighed, looking at her younger sister.

"I understand they want to keep us safe, but I still wish they would keep us involved. This waiting around is horrible."

Xiao shrugged as she put down her sheng. "Maybe, but I'm just as happy staying away from a demon. I'm sure Zhou Yu and Sun Ce can handle it."

"I hope you're right." Da said, hoping her voice didn't betray her anxiety.

--

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were in the furthest back of the academy's archives, sequestered in a tiny room with piles upon piles of sticks arranged for their perusal. They sat at separate tables, pouring over the accumulated notes of the region's sages, scholar and scribes, searching for any mention of a empyrean menace plaguing the region.

"How're you doing over there?" Ce asked as he examined the faded characters on one strip.

"No progress to speak of," Zhou Yu replied quietly. "Although I have learned that the principal method for pickling meat has not changed in nearly a thousand years."

Ce chuckled. "And I now know that the third king of the line was treated for pustules on his ass by having boiling rat blood- wait wait wait wait… I think I have something."

Zhou paused and looked at his friend.

Ce read aloud what he had found. "It says here that in the fiftieth and final year of the reign of Ji Yijiu, known as Pingwang while enthroned, a blight covered the land that destroyed crops and killed thousands of peasants, robbing their bodies of vitality. A great, malevolent entity known to them as 'Yaoguai' was supposed to be responsible. The people were terrified, for this being preyed on them at night and soon became so insufferable in his power that he rose up against the gods themselves."

Zhou Yu nodded. "It is commonly accepted that demonic entities are guilty of hubris."

"Yeah, well unfortunately for this Yaoguai, the King's chief sage was a very devout man who was visited by the Queen of the West herself. She gave him a jade box with mystic seals on it that would contain the demon, if only they could get him inside it."

"I'll hazard a guess and say they were successful?"

"Seems so, although not without cost." Ce said, still reading. "The text is faded here, but… something about a terrible battle and lives lost… as many as grains of sand along the bank of the Great River."

"I guess they decided to confront the monster directly." Zhou mused. "Probably not a good idea, all things considered."

"The king was the martial sort, but he was old." Ce continued. "He engaged the demon in combat and his body was destroyed, but his foe was somehow trapped and sealed away inside the box, albeit imperfectly."

"Imperfectly?"

"The seals were not gonna be enough, or at least, not for long. A tumulus was built for Pingwang and the jade box was buried beneath his body, in the hopes that it would be enough to keep the demon in check forever, since they had no means of killing it."

"If this Yaoguai is Ou Xing, then he acquired a body, probably that of Pingwang, once he had escaped his imprisonment."

Ce stared at the strips he had been reading, looking for some subtle meaning he had yet to ascertain. If the wisdom of the ancestors was not enough…

"Clearly containment is possible, if not desirable." Zhou Yu said.

"Yeah, we have to destroy him." Ce agreed, nodding. "They may not have been able to, but we've gotta find a way. We're not leavin' him trapped in a box to escape a few thousand years from now for someone else to deal with."

Zhou Yu came over and took some of the wooden strips from Ce's pile and looked over them. He frowned as he read.

"It seems that this Yaoguai was a plague demon," he stated. "If we knew what to look for, we might be able to devise a tactic."

Ce put down the strip he was reading and looked at his friend. "I think we need to go and see for ourselves, is what I think."

"I was afraid you would say that." Zhou intoned. "So then… who will be going?"

Ce pointed at himself and then at Zhou Yu.

"I was afraid you were going to say that, too…" Zhou Yu sighed.

--

Ce dodged left, out of the way of the strike. The foe was hideously fast, in spite of his bulk. He spun about and struck with his tonfa, but the blow was deflected by the demon's thick hide. He dove out of the way again and felt a burning pain in his back as Ou Xing's claws tore along his flesh.

Ce stumbled but kept moving, determined to regroup and attack. Meanwhile, Zhou Yu had skirted to the left, attempting to flank the foe, his fell blade gleaming in the wicked orange light. He dodged a huge fist and slashed but his sword fell from his shaken hand, the blade notched.

"Not exactly goin' as I planned!" Ce yelled as he scrambled for cover. He ignored the searing agony along his back and searched for an opening but saw none. Ou Xing leapt at him, like a thunderbolt, and got the young lord of Wu pinned in a corner. He was just too fast, and his glistening skin seemingly impenetrable.

Zhou Yu, desperate to save his friend and sworn brother, hurled himself at Ou Xing, desperate to do something. The mighty demon, however, was not caught off-guard and swung a mighty fist backward. The crushing blow sent Zhou Yu hurtling backward to the other side of the dim chamber where he hit the wall, every bone in his body shattering. He tumbled to the floor and didn't move.

Ce roared in fury and surged up but shuddered as a wicked, barbed tentacle pierced his chest, pinning him to the wall. His eyes goggled up at his foe and his body shook uncontrollably. Ou Xing leered at the helpless man, grinning evilly. He twisted the tentacle about and Ce gritted his teeth to keep from crying out.

"You dared to cross me, little man, a god." Ou Xing rumbled, his yellow eyes glowing balefully. "You see now your folly, thinking yourself my equal."

He pulled the tentacle back, lifting Ce into the air. The warrior struggled but the barbed appendage held him firmly. Ou Xing brought Ce up to his face and hissed menacingly. Ce glared but could do nothing.

"See now the end of all you care for, insect," rumbled the invincible demon. "All you have sought to create, everyone you have ever cherished… all shall be taken from you and only eternal agony awaits you. No sweet escape to oblivion for you, no endless sleep. Only torture and loss, pain beyond your imagination as I spend the next ten thousand years consuming your soul…"

Ce gripped at the tentacle and attempted to pull himself off, straining with all his might. He could feel the blood streaming from his body; he could hear it dripping to the floor far below, each drop like the hammer of the thunder god on an anvil. His heart wrenched in his chest as he clung to life, desperate to not fall to this hideous foe.

"Da…" he wheezed, blood spurting from his mouth as he choked on the word and darkness took him. It had never hurt to say that word before…

--

Da Qiao cried out in fright as she bolted upright in bed. Her entire body was soaked in sweat and her heart pounded in her chest. She clutched at her breast and sobbed uncontrollably, as yet unsure of her surroundings. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness and finally she realized she was in her room. A single brazier flickered in the corner of the bedchamber.

She felt cold and sick and her entire body shuddered in fright. What had just happened?

Da become aware of something beside her and looked down. Xiao, who had fallen asleep beside Da, was curled on her side, her eyes bleary red and wide with terror. Whatever had befallen Da had also touched her sister. Xiao saw she was awake and hugged Da fiercely, crying.

"It's okay, Xiao," she said soothingly, caressing her sister's hair. "It was just a dream."

"No it wasn't," sobbed the younger girl. "You saw it too, Da! The boys… they went to fight Ou Xing and they were killed horribly! If they confront that… thing… they are going to die… horribly. They'll be taken from us forever!"

Da said nothing, shaken by Xiao's words. Could it be that this had been no dream but indeed a vision? A vision sent to them by some spirit of mercy? Pan-Ch'ien perhaps? What were Da and Xiao to do? What could they possibly do?

"I… I don't know, Xiao… I have no clue, but… we need to do something. We need to save our husbands from this horrible fate. We both saw what happened. We need to stop it from happening."

"But… how?" Xiao asked, her voice trembling with fright.

"We have to find and confront Ou Xing before they do; and we have to defeat him." Da said, trying to sound resolute.

Xiao's eyes went wide. "But he'll kill us."

"Not if we kill him," Da replied. "But even if he did, you know we have to keep Sun Ce and Zhou Yu from confronting him. I will do anything to keep that from happening, even if it costs me my life."

Xiao squeezed her eyes shut and nodded, biting her lip.

"But we're not going to die," Da said, trying to smile. "We're going to win. We Qiao women are strong, stronger than people know. Now we are going to prove it."

Xiao sniffled and tried to smile back. "Alright. I know we have to do this and win. There's no room for defeat here, right?"

"None." Da agreed. "Now we'd better get going. I know Ce, he won't wait for long; he likes to act decisively and swiftly, as soon as he has a plan.

They dressed as quickly as they could and laid their plans to sneak out of the pavilion and the city unnoticed. Xiao wanted to stop and check on their children. Da was initially against the idea but finally relented. She would not get to see Sun Ce before they left, she could not bear leaving without a last look at her daughter…

Just in case the two of them never came back.

Sun Kai-ying was asleep in the same bedchamber as Xiao's children. Da knelt now next to her daughter- her heart fluttered as she looked at the beautiful and serene girl, with her pale skin and divine silver hair. She stroked her daughter's hair and caressed her cheek, memorizing every delicate and perfect feature.

"I will be back for you, my love," she whispered silently. "Nothing in this creation can part me from you for long. Death has no hold over me as long as you and your father are waiting for me…"

She waited silently outside the room for Xiao, who followed shortly after. The younger girl wiped at her eyes and smiled.

"Sorry," she said apologetically. "Got a little emotional."

"Understandable." Da replied, smiling warmly. "If we intend to return we'd better remember what it is we're facing death for, right?"

She couldn't help but notice that she had struggled to not use the phrase 'certain death' when replying to her sister. She tried to not think about it.

"I guess we just need to sneak out of the city now," Xiao suggested. "Leaving the pavilion is no problem, but we can't exactly leave by the gates."

"True," Da said, mulling the problem over in her mind. "And if there's a postern gate, Ce and Zhou Yu will certainly have them covered. Strange as it sounds, going over the walls may be our only option at this point."

Xiao grimaced. "The walls are patrolled constantly. It's going to be tricky, but it's still our only chance at this point."

"Do the unexpected." Da confirmed, nodding. "We only need our fans and some horses, I think. We'll find the mounts somewhere outside the walls. Let's get going."

--

"I still do not understand, Ce," Zhou Yu pressed as they walked along the tunnel, heading for one of the postern gates. "Why are we not taking our weapons with us?"

"We're going unarmed because we can't turn this into a fight." Ce replied. "You know, somebody's gonna shake a spear at us and I'm gonna start having fun. This is a scouting mission and it's gotta stay that way. Best way to do that it to make sure that we have no encouragement or excuse to fight, got it? Seems pretty logical to me."

"I am not sure your ancestor would see it that way." Zhou Yu reasoned. "He said that the easiest way to win a battle was to not have to fight, but I don't believe he ever said that not fighting back was a viable option in winning a battle."

"Just trust me on this, okay?" Ce said finally. "If I don't have my weapons then my only concern is gonna be scouting and memorizing the lay of the land and coming back unharmed so that Da has no reason to be angry at me."

"In other words, you're hoping we'll complete this insane little mission and return before anyone finds out we are gone and you won't have to explain anything to her." Zhou Yu concluded. "How is it that you are more afraid of your wife than an ancient demon?"

"Y'know what I heard recently?" Ce asked by way of reply. "I heard that Cao Cao recently beheaded an advisor that was too clever and understood all of Cao Cao's schemes without needing them explained. Helluva way to deal with clever subordinates, don't you think?"

Zhou Yu said nothing but merely followed along after his friend.

Eventually they reached the postern gate and encountered a trooper from Lu Meng's Longfangs regiment guarding the secret egress. He was a large man, wearing mail and carrying a sword and shield. In full armour he nearly filled the entire passageway. By torchlight he recognized the two men and bowed hastily.

"Lord Sun Ce," he said reverently. "How can this humble servant assist you?"

"I gotta leave the city." Ce replied matter-of-factly.

The trooper looked confused. "But, my lord… you… you had given explicit and very strict orders that absolutely nobody is to enter or leave the city under any circumstances at this time."

"Yeah, I'm makin' an exception for Zhou Yu an' I." Ce said. "More than that, our departure has to be real secret, okay?"

The man looked confused.

"Alright, then," Ce said. "Look, I'm leavin' and I can't let you tell anyone, at least, not for a while. So I'm givin' you a direct order, pal. I want you to turn your head to one side so I can poke you behind the ear and knock you out. You'll have a mild headache when you get up, but you'll be fine, I promise."

The man now looked worried. "My lord, I… I… you…"

Sun sighed and reached up and pinched the man's neck. His eyes rolled up into his head and he lumped to the ground, unconscious.

"Why does everybody have to do things the hard way?" Ce said, shaking his head as he quietly unlatched and opened the secret gate.

"Says the man going to confront a demon with no weapons." Zhou Yu pointed out.

"If you wanna stay, you can, y'know." Ce offered.

"And explain to Da how you got yourself killed? Not on your life."

"Thought you'd see it my way…" Ce said, smiling as they exited the city.

--

"Did you remember your fans?" Da asked as she crept through the night toward the wall that ringed Changsha.

"Of course I remembered my fans," Xiao replied, somewhat irked that her sister thought she might be that dumb. "What sort of idiot would face a demon without weapons?"

Da didn't reply but just kept moving forward, mindful of anyone nearby. They stuck to the deep shadows, looking for a gap in the sentries' patrol pattern so that they could slip over the wall unnoticed. To either her dismay or relief (she wasn't sure which, given the circumstances), such gaps were proving almost impossible to find.

They finally reached the great stone wall and pressed themselves against it- the night was black and the silver moon did not reveal them. Overhead they could hear the disciplined marching of the guards along the top of the barrier. Patrolling in pairs, the guardsmen were vigilant, but their eyes were turned to the outside of the city, not inwards.

Da Qiao frowned and pursed her lips as she tried to think of a way to circumvent this obstacle. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had been very thorough in their plans for the defense of the city.

"We could try to dig our way out." Xiao suggested. When Da looked at her in utter bewilderment she just sighed resignedly.

"Right. Shutting up…"

Da leaned her head back against the wall and closed her eyes as she tried to come up with a plan. She had no doubt that if Ce were trying to exit a city he would have had some absurdly simple plan that would work, but she was drawing a blank. Apparently she still had a lot to learn about improvised tactics and thinking on her feet.

"We won't be getting over here," she concluded. "There are too many guards and there's a watch tower just to the west, we would be spotted for sure."

"Well neither of us can walk through stone, so we've gotta think of something." Xiao groused. "You said it yourself, the boys won't wait forever. Ugh, trying to come up with all these ideas makes me thirsty."

Da opened one eye and looked at Xiao. "What did you say?"

"I said that I am getting thirsty," Xiao replied, getting tired quickly of answering really obvious or dumb questions. "My brain gets dry if I think to much."

The older Qiao grabbed the younger by the wrist and pulled her along through the shadows. Bewildered by Da's strange (even for her) behaviour, Xiao just followed quietly. Eventually, having circled around a quarter of the city, they arrived at a well. Da examined it and then looked at her sister.

"How long can you hold your breath?" she asked.

Xiao took a small step backward, her eyebrow raised. "Why?"

Several minutes of convincing later, Xiao was climbing over the edge of the well and preparing to lower herself into the artesian darkness while Da steadied her.

"And just where do you two think you are going?" asked a rather deep female voice.

Da and Xiao both froze and turned slowly to look at Fu Chin Ran, who stood nearby, with her arms folded and gazing at them inquisitively. Her smirked indicated she was more amused than curious, meaning she had figured out what they were trying to do, however insane the manner.

"Never considered knocking out a few guards in a dark corner so you could get over the wall, I take it?" she commander asked as she walked over. Xiao closed her eyes and thunked her palm against her forehead.

"Knock out some guards… of course…" she muttered to herself quietly.

Da looked apprehensive. "It's… it's not what you think."

"Oh, I'm pretty sure it is." Fu Chin Ran replied as she stood in front of the two. Da was always intimidated by the presence of Shang Xiang's commander- while not as tall as the Sun princess she was well-muscled and wore her physique confidently. She still had womanly curves, they just happened to be interspersed with muscle. Shang Xiang was tall, lithe and athletic, and while no doubt strong, she did not look like Sun Ce in a dress.

"Why, exactly, are you two trying to escape the city?" Fu asked. "And don't lie."

Da struggled to find an answer, to come up with an excuse or even a lie, but eventually she looked into Fu's eyes and then sighed.

"I… well… Xiao and I had a dream…" she began. "In the dream we saw Ce and Zhou Yu killed, horribly, by Ou Xing. I know it sounds crazy, but the fact that we both had the dream means that there is something more to it. Xiao and I… only we can save our husbands, Fu… do you understand."

"Not in the least." Fu replied, shaking her head. "That's the dumbest thing I have ever heard."

Da struggled to reason with the commander. "Fu, I… if you could save Shang Xiang from certain death, even if it would cost you your own life, and horribly, would you do it?"

"You know I would," the commander said firmly. "But I would make sure I had exhausted every other option available first. You two are going off in a panic because your beloved husbands got killed in a dream you shared. Have you examined any other options at your disposal? Any of them?"

Da tried to muster her thoughts. She knew she was right, but she was going to have a terrible time convincing Fu Chin Ran, possibly the only person in Wu as stubborn as a member of the Sun family. She could not let this stop them, though.

"Fu, please…" she said, her voice pleading and earnest. "Xiao and I are not wrong about this dream. We must go. We have to confront and destroy Ou Xing or Sun Ce and Zhou Yu will die. Please, please understand. I cannot let you stand in the way…"

Fu Chin Ran looked deep into Da's eyes and sighed.

"Very well," she said finally. "I'll let you go."

"Thank you, Fu." Da said, sighing in relief and smiling.

"However, there is a condition," Fu said, holding up a finger. "You have to take me with you. I doubt you two can fight Ou Xing alone."

"I can't ask you to come with us." Da said.

"You didn't ask, I'm insisting." Fu replied. "Now either you take me with you or I bellow now at the top of my lungs and blow your cover."

Da closed her eyes and nodded. "As you wish, commander. Thank you for your concern, I will be forever in your debt."

Da Qiao walked up to Fu and took the commander's hands in her own, pressing them to her heart. "You will have my gratitude for all eternity, I promise you."

She then took Fu's face gently in her hands and pressed her lips to the commander's, kissing her warmly. Fu's eyes went wide in astonishment before they rolled up into her head and she slumped to the ground. Da caught her and laid her gently against the side of the well. She stood up and peeled a thin layer of something off her lips and tossed it aside.

"She'll be out for hours." Da said as she turned back to follow Xiao into the well. "I really hated to do that."

"What is it with you and kissing girls?" Xiao asked, making a wry face as she began to lower herself into the darkness.

"How do you think I feel?" Da replied. "My potential last kiss, wasted on a girl and not my husband."

"Yeah, that's a bitch of a spin on the karmic wheel…" Xiao muttered.

"Alright, let's focus," the older sister began. "Now this artesian spring was on the map of the city, and from here it runs underground to just outside the city. I was checking on the spring when we got here and if we get into the water, hold our breath and just let ourselves get carried by the current, we will be outside the city and break the surface in approximately forty-eight seconds…"

"Well thought-out plans," Xiao grumbled. "Gotta love 'em…"

--

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were sprinting through the darkness, heading to an old farmstead they saw in the distance. The silver moon glimmered, casting the house into shadow. It was obviously abandoned, the inhabitants having evacuated into Changsha some days earlier.

"The stable…" Ce said as they ran.

They reached the indicated structure that stood a few yards from the house and entered the structure. Within they found some horses. The animals started slightly upon their entrance, but then calmed down once they realized the intruders were human.

"Yeah, these two'll do." Ce said, going up to a pair of steeds and petting their heads. One was crème-coloured and the other chestnut. While Ce led the horses out of their pens, Zhou Yu loaded off the troughs of the other animals, who obviously hadn't eaten for days.

"I guess we'll return 'em as soon as we can, right?" Ce mused. "After all, this isn't a combat mission, but scouting detail."

"That remains my hope." Zhou Yu replied.

They made sure the remaining animals were taken care of and led the two chosen mounts out of the stables. Securing their saddles, they mounted up and made ready to ride for Feilong, where Ou Xing was suspected to reside.

"How, exactly, do you plan to get back into the city unnoticed so that no one knows we were gone?" Zhou Yu asked.

Ce shrugged. "Not to worried about that part," he said. "To be honest, we won't be done scouting until dawn if we're lucky and we won't be able to sneak back in. Yeah, we'll catch hell and be yelled at by a lot of people, but it's just yellin', right? The story'll spread and morale throughout the city will be raised by our exploits."

"This isn't a scouting mission at all, it's a propaganda ploy." Zhou Yu said, scowling. "We're riding against a demon-prince unarmed, all for the sake of propaganda?"

"Let's just say it'll fulfill a few objectives, spoken and unspoken, okay?" Ce said cheerfully as he dugs his heels into his mount's flanks and sent it galloping off into the night.

At full speed, Feilong was some hours away. They had much ground to cover.

--

Gasping, Da Qiao pulled herself out of the icy spring water and crawled up the bank to flop down beside her sister. They were both wet, shivering and exhausted.

"That… was not… forty-eight seconds." Xiao wheezed, followed by coughing and spluttering as she lay on her side, expelling water from her lungs.

Da waved feebly, as if trying to dismiss her sister's protest. "It would have been…" she said finally. "If it hadn't been for that ledge that impeded our progress…"

Xiao rubbed her head, hoping a goose egg was not going to form. Her skull pounded fiercely, both from the bump and the lack of oxygen.

"Why do I ever listen to you?" she groused.

"Because you know I'm right," Da replied, trying to sit up. Her whole body ached, both from the cold water and from the bruises that now adorned her fair sin. "And you know that the hard part hasn't even begun yet."

"Don't remind me." Xiao said, righting herself. "Owww… so far, on our way to defeat our enemy, we've managed to knock out a close friend and ally and nearly drowned. Does that qualify as an auspicious start?"

"Why must you see the negative in everything?" Da asked.

"If the positive thumped me in the head or I drowned in good fortune, I suppose I might not complain so much." Xiao explained. "But, big surprise, all we have waiting for us is a heaping dose of headache, with a side dish of the sniffles and chills."

"You are just like father," Da growled. "You complain endlessly. Now we need to find some horses so we can make it to Feilong."

"Oh right, add thievery to the list." Xiao grumped.

The girls ran through the night, waiting for the chill of the icy artesian spring to leave their bones. They denied fatigue, they denied pain, they denied everything but the will to go on. Their foe awaited them in Feilong.

Da led them in the general direction of west, looking for signs of habitation. Before long, they could see a farm, attached to which was a stable.

"Finally…" Da said, breathing hard.

They reached the house and entered quietly, making sure no one was around. Da was sure that the occupants had been evacuated, but there was no harm in making sure. While Da took an account of the surroundings, Xiao availed herself of the pantry. It had been some time since she'd eaten.

Once Da was convinced they were alone and Xiao was fed, they made their way to the stable and began selecting mounts. Da was somewhat disappointed to notice that the two prime mounts seemed to be missing. She began examining the remaining ones, looking to see which would prove fleetest afoot, when Xiao called to her.

"Uh, Da?" she said quietly. "This is gonna sound crazy, but, I think the guys have been here."

Da stopped her examination and looked at her sister. "What?"

Xiao pointed at the troughs. "These horses have been fed recently."

Da shrugged. "So what? Anyone can feed a horse. Someone who hadn't been evacuated to Changsha took pity on the animals and fed them, that's all."

"I beg to differ." Xiao countered. "Come and look for yourself."

Da sighed and walked over to join her sister. She looked down at where Xiao was pointing and what she saw gave her pause.

"Whoever fed these horses organized their food and laid it out for them in the royal order," Xiao said. "And only one person I know does that sort of thing habitually, as if it's second nature."

Da bit her lip. She had to admit, Xiao was right- Ce and Zhou Yu had been here, very recently. This would explain why the two prime horses were already missing.

"Da, if they've already been here, that means they're heading to Feilong." Xiao exclaimed, a note of panic entering her voice. "What if we're too late?"

"We can't be," Da replied, her eyes hardening. "We must get there before they do."

She dashed back and chose two horses and led them out of the stable. She was fixing their saddles when she stopped to look at Xiao, who was staring at the ground with a frown on her face.

"What's wrong, Xiao?" asked the older girl.

"I… just thought of this," Xiao murmured. "When I left our bedchambers, Zhou Yu's sword was still there."

Da paused and thought about what her sister said. "Now that you mention it, Ce's tonfas were still in the corner of our room as well."

"They came without their weapons?" Xiao asked, sounding rather incredulous.

Da shrugged. "It certainly looks that way."

"That's just stupid!" Xiao spat. "What could they possibly be trying to accomplish, traipsing around without their weapons?!"

"My guess would be they are scouting or something." Da replied.

"But… we saw them with their weapons in our dreams." Xiao protested.

"True," Da said. "But maybe that means they are not destined to confront Ou Xing yet."

"Do… do we need to find them?" Xiao asked timidly.

"That's the last thing we want to do," Da intoned heavily. "If we find them, they will prevent us from doing what we need to do."

Xiao didn't seem happy with that logic but acquiesced all the same. Da may have been crazy, but she usually managed to make sense in one depressing fashion or another.

"Let's just go," Da said, pointing at the ground nearby. "These other tracks look like they're heading northeast, away from Feilong, so maybe scouting is all they're doing. That means we had west, directly into the county. We have to get there before them."

She snapped her reins and galloped into the night, followed by Xiao. Time was even shorter than she had anticipated.

--

Feilong county was desolate and clouds obscured the moon, rendering the landscape almost black. Even a person not sensitive to the Tao and the movement of natural forces could tell something was not right in this land. Fear and death stalked the land.

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu stood at the edge of the remains of a village, obviously abandoned to fire. Charred corpses and skeletons were strewn about, some of them gruesomely mutilated. As the entered the main square Ce sucked in his breath and shook his head.

"So many…" Zhou Yu intoned quietly.

"Yeah, but not everybody." Ce replied. "Not enough bodies around here to account for everyone who lived here, and I'm pretty damn sure no one from this village made it to Changsha, given the state of the bodies."

"So you think Ou Xing has taken those not lucky enough to die in the fire?"

Ce nodded. "Yeah, look what happened to the other ones. If we end up fighting, we're gonna be killin' more of them."

"I imagine we will be doing them a favour, actually, not that I relish the notion of slaying them." Zhou Yu said. He stooped and picked up a loose thigh bone, examining it with distaste. Images of what atrocity had occurred here flashed through his mind.

Ce was searching the ground and frowned as he found something.

"Zhou Yu, you should come and see this…"

The strategist joined his friend and looked grim. The huge, inhuman footprints sent a chill down his spine.

"Well, I guess that answers our question about whether Ou Xing is bound to s single place." Ce muttered. "I hope that's Ou Xing, because I don't wanna find out he has whatever that is in his service."

Zhou Yu nodded. "Still happy that we did not bring weapons?"

"I never said I was happy about it, I just said if we are unarmed we are less likely to do something crazy, remember?" Ce pointed out.

"Riding alone into territory controlled by a demon unarmed isn't crazy to you?" Zhou Yu asked. "I would hate to see what is."

"Takin' someone who refuses to quit complainin' strikes me as kinda crazy, I'll admit." Ce quipped, standing up and scuffing at the print with the toe of his boot. He now saw other prints like it around the village and several of the structures were obviously damaged not just by fire but also brute force. He now spied a charred hulk of a tree, in which was hanging the mangled corpse of a man.

"This is going to be trouble, Ce. Do we not know enough yet to head back and form a plan? This is the seventh destroyed settlement we have come across. We have seen human tracks and now Ou Xing's or some demon minion's. What else can we discover that would be of use to us?"

Ce gazed into the darkness, assessing the situation. There was something that was gnawing at the back of his mind and he had not figured out yet what it was.

"There's something, pal, something we don't know yet and it's real important."

"Are you certain?" Zhou Yu asked.

"There are things we know we don't know and then there are things that we don't know we don't know." Ce replied.

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "Pardon my vernacular, but what kind of crap was that?"

"All I am saying is that there are known unknowns and then there are unknown unknowns."

"That is quite possibly the dumbest thing I have ever heard you say." Zhou Yu remarked. "So then, great sage, is this a known unknown or an unknown unknown and how can you tell the difference?"

"I dunno, that's part of the problem with unknowns, known or unknown." Ce said, shrugging. "Whatever it is, we need to figure it out before we go back."

"Even though we don't know what it is, so we have to hope that it just reveals itself to us?"

"I think it'll be pretty obvious what it is when it shows." Ce said in an assuring tone. "But I think we should take a look around here."

They browsed through various domiciles, looking for any clues of what had happened here. Zhou Yu found a scroll, partially charred, on which was scrawled the writing of some poor woman.

_"The town of Yi, twenty li to the north, has been destroyed. Village Elder Hu has sent Xiu Lin to Changsha, to warn the prefect of what has happened. Whatever horror has come upon us, I pray that our great lord in Baifu will arrive to save us."_

Zhou Yu sighed and tucked the scroll inside his crimson battle robe, a testament to the burden of rulership and how difficult it was to protect those who relied on you for protection. He exited the hut and waited for Ce in the square.

Ce was examining a modest shiheyuan, the only one in the village. The elder had no doubt resided here and what was left of the structure was not terribly impressive. Dark and in shambles, the house smelled of mold and rot, not to mention smoke and burnt wood.

He sifted through the contents of a bedroom, wondering who had lived here and what had been their fate- had they been slain in the rape of the village or had they been carried off by Ou Xing for darker purposes?

The remains of a closet in the corner of the room caught his eyes. It was tall, tall enough to hold formal robes for a noble. He walked over, took hold of one of the doors and opened it…

With a disembodied groan, a hideous thing that might have been human lurched out of the closet, arms wide and attempting to grasp Ce. He leapt backward, barely out of reach of the taloned hands and spun, slamming his foot into the thing's midriff. The beast collapsed backward into the closet, splintering and destroying the remains of the furniture, only to rise again and begin staggering toward his prey.

Common sense dictated that he should run and tell Zhou Yu, but he wanted to know what these things could do. He somehow doubted that this was the only one he would run into before this night was out. He took up a defensive stance, eyeing his foe warily.

The beast lunged forward, grasping at Ce. He dodged to one side and gripped the wrist and pulled, hard. There was a mushy, wet crack and the entire arm came free. Ce's eyes widened as the ghoul seemed not to notice but turned to face him again. He threw the limb down to the floor, where it spasmed and grasped greedily.

Ce backed steadily toward the window, luring the foe closer. The thing wailed, its soulless eyes wide and unblinking, as it charged toward him. He stepped deftly aside again and shoved the ghoul out the window, splintering the rotting frame and sending it plummeting to the ground.

Zhou Yu looked up as the thing fairly exploded through the window on the second floor of the shiheyuan and watched impassively as it hit the dirt of the square with a soggy thud. Mutilated beyond effective movement, the ghoul continued to try nonetheless, it's one arm scrabbling and scrabbling and its pulped legs twitching. The goggling eyes gleamed dully in the night, speaking of an unholy power that defied nature and the Tao.

Ce now leapt down from the second story, landing lightly next to the corpse of the thing. He looked down at it and then at Zhou Yu.

"Well, there's part of our equation," he said, cracking his knuckles. "His minions are gonna be found just about anywhere in Feilong."

Zhou Yu stared at the cadaver, deep in thought. It was still moving, still attempting to reach them, and while it's pulped body could not harm them, the fact that it was not stopping worried him greatly. Obviously beating these things could not be done easily.

Another disembodied screech and many wails outside the village caught their attention.

"Looks like it's time to go." Ce said, looking off in the direction of the noises. He sprinted over to the horses and leapt into his saddle. He looked at Zhou Yu.

"You comin'?" he asked.

Zhou Yu ran over and mounted up. The two of them exited the village quickly, toward the north and away from those pursuing.

"So now what?" Zhou Yu asked as they galloped to hopeful safety.

Ce looked grim. "I think we're gonna have to et back and think this-"

The horses skidded to a stop and reared in panic- up ahead, ten mounted figures waited silently. Even from this distance, though, it was obvious something was not right.

"The messenger squad we sent to Feilong…" Zhu Yu breathed. "This is a problem."

Ce nodded and leapt off his horse, which squealed in fear and galloped off. Zhou Yu somewhat uncertainly followed suit.

"And we dismounted why, exactly?" he asked.

"Those horses ain't gonna be much use at this rate," Ce replied, keeping an eye on the foe. "They'll just get in the way, but they're not gonna go too far, either. They'll stay as close to us as they dare."

"How comforting." Zhou Yu muttered. "Facing undead cavalry and no weapons."

"Those horses are undead too, they can't be all that fast." Ce observed. "Just be careful and incapacitate them…"

As if in response to his statement, the ghoulish riders leapt forward, their mounts shambling awkwardly toward the two warriors. One rider struck at Ce with a curved blade. He dodged gracefully and yanked the blade from his foe's grip, hand and all. He flung the weapon at another rider, burying the sword in the thing's head and knocking it from the saddle.

Zhou Yu had picked up a large branch and struck at the head of a horse as it tried to ride him down. The beast's skull caved in and it staggered, throwing its rider. Zhou Yu was on him in a flash, pinning him to the ground through his chest. He grabbed the ghoul's sword and hewed the legs from beneath another mount, sending it crashing to the ground. Seconds later he had severed all the limbs of the rider, rendering the thing incapable of pursuit.

The two warriors fought back with a cold ferocity that would have given any living foe pause- unfortunately, their opponents knew no fear. One ghoul after another fell, incapacitated by Ce and Zhou Yu's graceful and brutal counter-attacks. When they all lay still, the two of them began to run in the direction their horses had gone.

--

Da and Xiao crept along through the night, their horses having refused to ride any further. Whatever it was the animals sensed, it clearly unnerved them completely. Knowing they were sneaking into certain danger, the girls resolutely continued into Feilong.

They had encountered several more villages, all of them gutted and burned and littered with corpses, many of which were horribly mutilated. Xiao had to stop once to cry, the limits of her horror nearly reached. Da Qiao soothed her sister, ignoring her own fear and convinced her that they must go forward, no matter what the peril.

She knelt now in some tall grass, observing some targets not far away. A troop of three men, all wearing ragged yellow clothes, were patrolling the field which the sisters now hid, their weapons at the ready.

"Do we know what we're lookin' for?" one asked in a heavy Riverlander accent.

"Not a clue," growled another, apparently the patrol's leader. "But Ou Xing says patrol and you patrol. I've seen true power with my own eyes now, not the illusion that the old fool Zhang Jiao promised us all those years ago. This is a demon, a being of pure might. Ou Xing will destroy this land and rule a new realm, and we will be given-"

His words died in his throat as an arrow lodged itself in his larynx. His eyes went wide and he swayed back and forth drunkenly before slumping to the ground. Before the other two knew what was happening, Xiao was among them and had struck them down.

The sisters headed now toward the river to the west and hid in the tall reeds. Da was about to lead Xiao forward when the younger girl took her wrist, gripping it in fear.

"Da…" she said, her voice shaking.

Da turned to look and had to clamp her hand over her mouth to keep from screaming. As she watched in horror, the three men they had just slain rose slowly and began shambling around, obviously continuing their patrol. Their gait was obviously changed, awkward and somewhat jerky.

With tears in her eyes, Da watched as they shuffled off. When they were finally out of sight, she sighed, composing herself.

"Well, that explains what happened to all those thousands of men that we killed outside the walls. Even in death, Ou Xing controls them."

"I'm scared, Da." Xiao said, her voice trembling.

"I am too, Xiao." Da replied quietly. "But you know we have to do this. Only we can save our husbands from Ou Xing, the gods showed us."

"I… I…" Xiao stuttered, trying to make her mouth work. "Da, if those things kill us…"

"I know, we'll become one of them." Da said, finishing her sister's thought. "Don't worry, Xiao, I won't let that happen to you, I promise."

She squeezed her sister's hand and led Xiao deeper into the reedbed.

--

Ce and Zhou Yu were sprinting hard, putting as much distance between themselves and their foes as possible. Pursuit seemed to have slackened and they finally stopped to catch their breath.

"So where… did our horses go?" Zhou Yu queried, breathing deeply.

"Dunno," Ce replied, pressing on his stomach and opening his lungs for more oxygen. "Smart enough to get the hell away from here."

"What does that say about us?" the strategist asked wryly.

"Let's not think about that right now, okay?" Ce responded. He looked at the ground around them and shook his head.

"Picked the wrong place to stop, I think."

Zhou Yu looked down and now espied what Ce was referring to. Strewn about them were dozens of corpses. Beings in yellow and other men, probably a local town watch, lay side by side, slain gruesomely.

So far, none of them were twitching or moving.

"This just keeps getting better and better." Zhou Yu said wearily.

"I'm thinkin' you mean worse," Ce corrected, now looking off into the night. Not far away, dozens of shapes shuffled toward them, groaning and hissing inhumanly. A nauseous wave of fear accompanied the things.

Zhou Yu looked behind them and pointed in dismay. "They're behind us too, Ce."

Ce took stock of the situation and found that it did not favour them. They were surrounded by scores of foes, if not many hundreds, who were not stopped by death, nor did they fear it.

"Alright, I admit it, now I wish we had our weapons." Ce said, trying to not let the apprehension show in his voice.

"This is not good." Zhou Yu murmured as the ring of foes closed in around them…

--

**Author's Note: **I'll tell you what's bizarre about all this is that I do not even like zombie/undead/horror sub-culture. Still, I hope you're all enjoying this particular arc. Let me know what you think!


	37. Chapter 37

The Young Conqueror

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please not that my characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 31- Ou Xing's Rebellion, Part III**

"Okay, this is not good." Zhou Yu said warily as he stood back to back with Sun Ce, gazing at the enemies that had surrounded them. Cast about them in an ever-closing circle were scores of men.

At least that's what Ce assumed they had been at one time.

Now these beings shambled and slogged forward, moaning and howling in tenebrous voices that spoke of disembodied pain and mindless, maddening hunger. Their inhuman eyes goggled at the two warriors, when they had eyes at all. Their festering, rotting flesh hung in tatters from bones that snapped and rattled as they closed in. Many were missing limbs or even parts of their head. Whatever their impediment, though, they shuffled forward inexorably forward, intent on their prey.

"Not good at all." Zhou Yu affirmed.

"I'm open to suggestions." Ce replied, eyeing their foes. "What are our assets?"

"They seem to be slow, clumsy and prone to losing body parts."

"Complications?"

"They're already dead, so killing them is not likely to stop them."

"Okay, you're right, this is not good." Ce concluded. "I don't want those things touchin' me, let alone eatin' me."

"You know what might have been nice? Some weapons." Zhou Yu commented.

Sun Ce scanned the ground around them, on which were strewn the corpses of slain men, many of them gruesomely torn apart or eaten. Given the appearance of their foes, he was reasonably certain that the bodies surrounding them would not remain still for long.

To his left, the shredded remains of a mendicant monk still clutched his staff. The staff was capped with iron at both ends and the monk's surprising musculature indicated he was no mere priest. Whatever his skills, though, they had not served him well enough to protect him from Ou Xing's hellish minions.

Ce stepped on the rod, flipping it up into the air and catching it deftly. He tossed it to Zhou Yu, who caught it without looking. As he felt its weight he turned his head to frown at the object; he raised and eyebrow and watched as Ce located a halberd and picked it up.

"Oh, I see how it is… you get a halberd and I get a stick to fight with."

"Well, I am the Prince of the Southlands, after all…" Ce said, rotating the weapon in slow arcs, getting a feel for its balance and weight. It was similar in design to Lu Meng's White Tiger halberd, although inferior in quality. He stepped forward, away from Zhou Yu, to give himself some swinging room. Properly used, a halberd was capable of graceful, lethal arcs that could bisect even the largest of men. It had always mildly irked Ce how Lu Meng used his halberd in a linear fashion. Lu Meng's style of combat, like the general himself, was straightforward and effective- it just could have been more.

Ce went into a low stance, the halberd held behind him in one hand while the other pointed at his foes, fingers making the mystical bridge sign. Zhou Yu stood still, the iron-capped staff planted firmly on the ground while he looked out at the sea of enemies.

"By the way, where is Da Qiao?"

"Back in the pavilion, I hope. I'm just glad she's not here. And where is your wife? Probably making another circus outfit for one of my generals."

"They're not that hideous…" Zhou Yu protested as the enemy closed in.

"You kidding?" Ce retorted. "Shang Xiang refuses to come out of her room and fight, in case she's obligated to wear that thing Xiao made into battle. It's tasseled and frilled, for crying out loud. And you know she hates yellow." He tightened his grip on the halberd.

One of the horrible things shrieked and lunged forward, hands flashing out to rend the southern lord. The creature's body stumbled ad collapsed as its head tumbled through the air, swept clean off by Ce's halberd in a blindingly fast stroke.

"One down, many more to go…" Ce muttered as the creatures closed in for the kill.

--

"You know the boys are going to have a fit when they find out that we snuck off, right?" Xiao whispered as she and Da crept through the reed bed together, staying low to avoid detection.

"It can't be helped, Xiao, we have to do this." Da said quietly, leading her sister along under cover of night. The path to Ou Xing's stronghold had been perilous, but the guiding hand of the gods had protected them from both harm and detection.

"You know only we can save our husbands, we both saw what was waiting for them." Da continued. Xiao nodded grimly. Both girls had been safe in Changsha when they had been touched by a dream. The dream had made it quite clear that Sun Ce and Zhou Yu would die if they faced Ou Xing- not just die, but total and agonizing annihilation and the hands of a demon whose thirst for human souls could not be sated.

Da and Xiao both saw their husbands gruesomely consumed, their minds fleeing madness, their souls devoured. Their cries of agony were too much to bear and the girls had awoken in fright, with sweat on their brows and their hearts pounding in their chests. They had looked at each other knew exactly what they had to do.

They had slipped out of the city and rode as quickly as they dared to Feilong county, where Ou Xing's lair seemingly was- an ancient, crumbling and abandoned fortress standing in the foothills of the county.

Not far away from them now, the edifice loomed balefully, an ominous black against the blue curtain of midnight.

They moved forward quietly, alert for any signs of trouble. They had already encountered and slain both men and foul monster during their approach. Da gazed to her left, looking down at the river whose tall reeds they had concealed themselves in. The once fair, crystalline waters of the river were now foul, black and sluggish. The substance reminded her of pitch or tar, but had an unwholesome, unnatural quality to it. Bones of fish and other creatures crawled down the river, testifying to the horrifying death awaiting those who dared to enter.

Da held up a hand, signaling the need to stop. Up ahead a guard was standing at the river's edge, relieving himself. His eyes were closed and he was humming some simple folk. Da scowled at the sound as his stream pattered off the foul, viscous sludge that pushed lazily down the channel. What _was_ that stuff, anyway?

Da was considering her options for quickly and quietly disposing of the foe when a rock hurtled from behind her and struck him in the side of the head. The man went rigid and then fell face-first into the hideous ichor. Da winced as he impacted the surface, expecting a splash, but so thick and foul was the mire that little more than a 'plop' could be heard. The miasma sucked the man's body down greedily. Da watched with repugnance as a goop-covered hand broke the surface and made some feeble grasping motions as it was dragged slowly down the river.

She turned to frown at her younger sister, who grinned and flashed a victory sign at her.

"And what if you had missed, genius?"

Xiao shrugged. "And what if he'd finished peeing and found us while we were waiting for you to come up with some brilliant tactic to deal with him?"

Da blushed.

"Sis, you _married_ into the Sun family, you weren't born into it." Xiao pointed out. "You don't need to be the greatest strategist in Wu."

Da looked at the ground. "Maybe that is what Lord Sun Ce needs me to-"

"Oh, would you please stop with your little psycho-drama already?" Xiao said, rolling her eyes. "He's got my Zhou Yu for developing grand strategy."

"So I should just concentrate on being the best wife in the Southlands?" Da murmured.

"Well, second-best, maybe." Xiao replied, smirking.

Da shook her head and began crawling forward again.

"And your husband is my brother-in-law, so you don't need to call him Lord Sun Ce all the time; I'm on a first-name basis with him, you know…" Xiao hissed, swatting her sister on the butt with her fan as she followed after her.

--

"Having fun yet, pal?" Ce called out as he whirled about in a bloody arc with his halberd. While in general he preferred fighting with his tonfas, he could appreciate his current tool's usefulness for crowd control and keeping these foul beings away from his tender flesh. He did not know what foul magicks held their rotting bodies together, but they moved with demonic savagery.

"Can't talk, I'm a little busy!" Zhou Yu yelled back as he cross–stepped low and drove the tip of his staff into a ghoul's mouth and out the back of his skull. He pulled back on the staff while thrusting his foot into its chest, knocking it clear. Without pause, he spun about, cracking the staff across the head of several foes. Some staggered or fell down, but others kept coming, undeterred. One particularly hideous foe was hit hard and its head snapped down to one side and stayed there, hanging limply, but the eyes still goggled at Zhou Yu as the body shuffled forward. Another enemy had lost their lower jaw but still came on, their tongue lolling obscenely from the ruins of its mouth.

"Quit trying to be so pretty!" Ce yelled as he bifurcated another foe. "I don't think these guys are gonna be impressed with your form!"

"You gave me a stick to fight with!" Zhou Yu protested. "I have to figure out what it's capable of, don't I?"

"Wow, something you don't intuitively know?" Ce quipped as he swept the legs out from another enemy. "I think I may very well be frightened!"

Even through the darkness, Ce could see that their foes, while numerous, were not without end. There may have been several hundred, but if he were careful he would be able to prevail. His only concern was Zhou Yu- Ce was perfectly capable of using a halberd, but he _had_ given his strategist a stick to fight with…

As he spun through another strike he spared a glace at his friend. Given that he had no blade with which to sever limbs from his ravenous opponents, Zhou Yu was giving quite an impressive account of himself and improvising nicely. He may have been a calm and brilliant strategist, but he was fiery and aggressive in combat. Even in one of his renowned 'berserker' frenzies, Ce never lost himself and always was aware of his actions and surroundings.

Zhou Yu's eyes were flashing and distant, totally intent on the utter annihilation of his foes. He whirled and struck in a constant blur of motion, the staff twirling elegantly between one and two hands. Streams of fire trailed from the tips of the weapon, scorching the enemy, their flesh falling away in charred lumps; and still they came on.

"Wanna swap weapons?" Ce offered, backing up somewhat, lest they get too far apart. Obviously their circular style of combat required distance between them, but he didn't want Zhou Yu to get totally surrounded- his endurance would not hold out forever.

"Oh, _now_ you ask!" Zhou Yu shot back. "The man who fought Lu Bu to a standstill suddenly second-guesses his choice of weapon? I think I'll just continue to manage for now, thank you!"

"Whatever," Ce said amiably. "Just save your strength for Ou Xing, we're gonna need it!"

He ducked a savage charge and surged up, rolling the ghoul off his back and into a small cluster of his ilk. Ce leaned back in another low stance, holding the halberd in an overhead defensive posture. Another foe leapt at him and impaled itself on the keen blade. Ce swung the weapon about in great arcs while the skewered foe screeched in protest. Finally the blade released its grip on the fiend and it was sent flying.

"These guys don't know when to quit!" he yelled as he slashed horizontally through yet another torso. The ghoul fell to the ground in two places but the top half snarled inhumanly and continued toward him, pulling itself along on its taloned hands. Ce wrinkled his nose in disgust and rove the tip of his halberd down through the beast's neck, pinning it to the ground. It shuddered and finally lay still.

"Is that only an admirable trait in yourself?" Zhou Yu responded sarcastically. He slammed the butt of his staff into the ground and swung himself about the weapon, kicking several foes and knocking them back. In a single, fluid motion, the staff was pulled form the earth and brought it into defensive posture.

Back to back, the two warriors gazed out at the enemy host. Scores of the foul beings lay still or barely moving in piles around them and still the foe came on, relentless and immune to fear, possessed of a mindless fury and unworldly hunger.

"Ce.." Zhou Yu said quietly, staring impassively at the ravening horde that closed in. "I have no doubt that you will survive this encounter, but I am not so sure about myself. These undead horrors, they infect you and make you one of them. Promise me something. If I…"

"Yeah," Ce replied, not wanting to hear the request. "I'll make sure you don't become one of them. I promise."

Zhou Yu closed his eyes and nodded slightly. He felt a great sense of calm, in spite of the turmoil about them.

"Thank you, Ce."

Both men drew deep breaths and steeled themselves for the next round. The eyes of their foes glowed in the night as they lurched and shambled forward, talons flexing and jaws slavering.

Ce raised his halberd and let out a great warcry. Almost in response, a horn blared through the night, accompanied by the thunder of hooves. The ghastly horde continued to close on Ce and Zhou Yu, heedless of the approaching relief. In seconds, a score of cavalrymen stampeded into the throng, hewing about with their swords and they pressed toward their beleaguered leader.

Assaulted now in earnest, the ghouls shrieked and fought back, but to no avail. There were trampled underfoot and massacred, to the very last one. Even as they fell, though, they tried to rend the flesh of their assailants, devoid of any sense of fear or self-preservation. Their inhuman wails and cries echoed across the plain.

"Careful, guys!" Ce yelled out as his cavaliers thundered by. "Killin' em doesn't stop 'em!"

Taishi Ci rode up and leapt off his horse, his huge war clubs already put to use. A ghoul rushed at him and he knocked its head from its body with a swing of his weapon. He strode over to Ce and Zhou Yu as the Night Tigers finished off the remaining foes and bowed.

"You might have told us you were planning to leave, my lord." Taishi Ci groused.

"Didn't wanna risk it, big guy." Ce replied. "I didn't know what we were facin', so Zhou Yu and I decided to scout ahead a little."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "_We_ decided? What's this we nonsense? You didn't even let us bring weapons."

"No offense, my lord, but we still had to come and get you," Taishi Ci pointed out. "And doubtless, Ou Xing now knows we are here."

"How did you find out we'd left, anyway?" Ce asked.

Taishi Ci nodded his head back at a group of horses. Xiao's squad of psychotic girls sat quietly astride their mounts, spears ready in case any of the foe decided to try and rise.

"They noticed that the Ladies Da and Xiao were missing and when we checked your quarters, we noticed that you too were nowhere to be found. Where are your wives?"

"What?!" Ce said suddenly, his tone taking on a note of urgency. "You said Da and Xiao aren't in Changsha?"

"No, my lord," the commander of the Night Tigers confirmed. "At first we did not know how they slipped out of the city, but then we found Captain Fu Chin Ran unconscious at a well near the north gate."

"A well?" Zhou Yu queried.

"Yes, lord." Taishi Ci said. "She found them trying to use the artesian well in the merchant's quarter to get out of the city undetected. She tried to stop them but then Lady Da Qiao kissed her and-"

"Never mind, I don't wanna know." Ce said, cutting his bodyguard off. "What the hell are they doing?"

"Commander Fu was a little groggy at first," Taishi Ci said, recalling his interview with the captain of Lady Shang Xiang's amazon battalion. "But she said that they told her about a dream in which you and Lord Zhou Yu were killed horribly by Ou Xing. Since they both had the dream simultaneously, they concluded it was a divine warning and set out to confront Ou Xing before you were slain by him."

Zhou Yu looked at Ce. "Just when I thought this couldn't get worse. Ce, we have to find the girls before-"

He suddenly cried out in pain and dropped to his knees. One of their ghoulish foes that had been sprawled at their feet surged up suddenly and clamped its jaws down on Zhou Yu's forearm. Eyes blazing in fury and agony, Zhou Yu drove a spearhand right through the beast's skull, shattering it. The creature's body sagged, but it did not release its deadly grip.

Taishi Ci kicked the body away while Ce leapt in and caught his dear friend as he slumped to the ground. He grabbed the jaws and pried them free, throwing the ruined head clear.

"Alright, you guys have _got_ to get back to Changsha as soon possible." Ce said urgently. "Those things infect you and turn you into one of them."

"How long do we have?" Taishi Ci asked, checking other nearby bodies to make sure they would be no more surprise attacks.

"Damned if I know," the young ruler said. "But the sooner you get back, the sooner Ren Neng can treat him."

"There is… no need to talk about me… like I'm not here…" Zhou Yu said weakly, steadying himself. Kneeling wearily, he rolled up what was left of his sleeve. Where the fiend had bitten him he was sporting ugly puncture wounds that were already turning his skin unhealthy shades of green and black.

"Perhaps we should get back," he said as he scooped up mud and smeared it over the wound. "I would not be surprised to find out that this infection spread more quickly than one might expect."

He looked unusually pale, even for Zhou Yu. There was a tightness to his jaw, indicating he was in hideous pain.

Ce helped Zhou Yu to his feet while Taishi Ci stood guard, making sure that they were secure. They walked slowly over to a warhorse and Ce sat behind his friend in the saddle as they set out toward Changsha.

"_Hang in there, buddy. Because if you don't make it, I really don't want to have to explain this to Xiao…"_

--

"You hear that?" Xiao asked. "War horns."

Da nodded. "It's the battle call of the Night Tigers. They must be out looking for Lord Sun Ce and Zhou Yu."

Xiao grimaced. "And found the enemy, from the sounds of it."

Da was silent for several moments as she listened. "Xiao, we need to move," she said finally. "We both know what will happen to the boys if we don't stop Ou Xing quickly."

Xiao nodded but she looked worried. "Sis, you know I'll follow you anywhere and face almost anything- I mean, we faced Hua Xiong, right? Well, we almost faced him, but you have you have to admit, he was pretty big and-"

"Xiao…" Da said tightly. "We don't have time for you to rationalize our bravery! The longer we delay, the more likely it is that the boys will reach Ou Xing and attack him!"

"I'm sorry," Xiao said. "I just… Da, this is a demon we're talking about fighting against."

"I know, Xiao." Da said softly while crawling forward. She led her sister along the riverbank for several minutes before surveying the landscape.

"There…" she said, pointing at a large, grass-covered mound just under a _li_ away. "We can make our way into Ou Xing's stronghold there."

Xiao frowned. "Da, that's a tumulus, we can't go in there! Some important person is buried there, maybe even an ancient king! We can't violate his resting place!"

"Ou Xing already has," Da pointed out, her eyes glinting with determination. "But we can make it in there."

"You sure?" Xiao asked.

"Positive."

"That doesn't bode well…" Xiao muttered as she hunkered down and followed after her sister.

They crept toward the tumulus, but even as they closed Da could feel her body almost shrinking away from the ancient mound. Some foul evil awaited them and she would endure it to save her beloved.

As they approached they could make out the forms of several beings around a locale near the base of the tumulus.

"Are they men or those… things?" Xiao asked.

"Men," Da answered quietly. "I don't think you could rely on those flesh-eating things to guard an entrance."

"I guess we know what's coming next, then…" Xiao murmured.

Four guards stood idly in the darkness. They were unusually quiet, their expressions blank and their eyes glazed. In their hands they held swords or spears and they wore scraps of dirty yellow garb.

Two of them died instantly as Xiao's fans sheared their heads from their shoulders. The other two died half a second later as Da landed on them from above, crushing them to the ground. The sisters crouched low, scanning the area for other foes before proceeding to the ancient entrance on the side of the tumulus.

The two of them stood outside the portal, staring into the blackness. Da could hear her younger sister breathing, trying to steel herself for what had to be done next. A tear came to her eye as she thought of what Xiao must be going through. But isn't that what bravery meant- to continue on in spite of paralyzing fear or terror? Isn't that what Da tried to do?

Xiao bit her lip. "Alright… let's go…"

Da stepped through the door and into the darkness, followed by Xiao. The air was dank and stuffy, almost oppressive. Da's lungs seemed almost to resist the noxious air, unwilling to breathe it.

She reached back and took Xiao's hand in hers, giving it a gentle squeeze. She felt her sister return the gesture, which Da found comforting. In this ancient, charnel place, they only had one another.

In spite of the dark, Da could somehow see. That is, she thought she could. If it was not sight then it was some sense analogous to it. She saw nothing but blackness, but she felt… she did not know what she felt.

Images began to intrude upon her mind. The tunnel before them seemed to be illuminated. Weird orange and green light vomited forth from eyes and mouths that didn't adorn the walls but somehow _seemed_ to be the walls. All was perfectly visible and yet she was aware of the blackness.

Foul, demonic visages surrounded them; the farther they went down the repellant tunnel, the more frightful the sights the sights that awaited them. For several minutes (or had it been hours?), Da had not been able to articulate what was permeating the air but then in a wash of horror it occurred to her…

The frightful and soul-heaving stench of the grave.

She collapsed to her knees, her eyes wide in terror. Beside her, she could feel Xiao, also on her knees and robbed of breath. This horrible place's assault on their senses was almost beyond endurance. Nauseous vapours, putrid flesh and the absurd notion of rotting stone were all she could smell.

"Da…" Xiao squeaked in a tiny, trembling voice.

Da somehow managed to turn and face her sister. Xiao was still on her knees, arms limp at her sides and her breath coming in ragged sobs. Tears streamed down her face, which was pale with terror.

Da hugged her sister close, bursting into tears, so great was the fear she felt. They held each other close, desperate for an anchor in the face of qliphotic horror. Da caressed Xiao's cheeks while pressing her forehead to her sister's. Tears were like ice on her cheeks as she choked out her breaths.

"Xiao, we have to… oh gods… we have to be strong…"

"Da…" Xiao whispered. "We're going to die…"

Da broke down again at her sister's words, crying uncontrollably. But she held Xiao tight, unwilling to let go.

"I know… but we have to… we must be strong… we can't…"

Xiao gripped her sister's shoulders, gritting her teeth and trying not to scream, her entire body shaking in an agony born of unreal fear.

"Xiao, you are right," Da said quietly. "We are going to die, or maybe worse. All we can do is fight… we have to do whatever it takes to protect our husbands… our children…"

"My husband… my children…" repeated to herself. She closed her eyes and struggled to find the strength to continue. Da finally stood, pulling her sister up by the hands. She looked deep into Xiao's eyes.

"We will die tonight, Xiao- but we will die together."

Xiao nodded. "Together."

The sisters picked up their fans and proceeded down the passage. Shapes and senseless forms loomed in the darkness and madness rode on a charnel wind that blew against them. Demonic faces leered from the ceiling and walls. The substance of the tunnel seemed to change, becoming almost spongy and flesh-like. Paths and hallways began to veer off, resembling inhuman maws or orifices. The walls now glistened with a sticky resin and the wind rattled and gurgled, almost as if the passageway were breathing.

Xiao yelped as a long, rubbery arm with grisly talons flashed out from the wall and tried to grab her. She swatted at it with one of her fans and scampered up beside her sister. Da proceeded forward resolutely, determined to not balk.

Her eyes widened in horror as the wall on her right writhed, almost as if in pain- from the mass struggled what was left of a man. Sluggishly his head, torso and arms appeared. The flesh seemed to have been stripped or melted from him and his eyes goggled at them as his body shuddered and twitched in agony.

"P-please…" he croaked. "S-s-save meeee…"

Slowly, gruesomely, he was drawn back into the wall. Da and Xiao watched, rooted to the spot in terror as he disappeared. Had that really just happened?

What horrible fate awaited she and her sister if an innocent peasant were to be tortured and destroyed in so hideous a manner? The two of them were walking brazenly into Ou Xing's lair to challenge him.

"He knows we're coming, doesn't he?" Xiao said timidly.

Da nodded. "I would imagine so."

"Then it worries me that he's not throwing lots of troops or dead guys at us. He obviously isn't scared." Xiao murmured. "Then again, I wouldn't be either. If we were no match for Hua Xiong, what possible threat can we pose to a demon prince?"

"Well, if we're going to protect the boys, we'd better find a way, hadn't we?" Da pointed out.

They crept forward, staying close to one another for support and courage. The fleshy walls writhed with glistening tendrils and a deep, booming but somehow hollow heartbeat seemed to accompany the rattled breath of the foul wind. Da felt as if she were within the body of some great, hideous beast.

Perhaps she was.

The sickening, organic texture of the hallway remained but slowly the shape began to change. The form became more geometric and rectangular and projections that might have once been wooden beams became prominent.

"I think we're under the ruins of the castle." Da said quietly.

Xiao frowned. "The tumulus was connected to the castle? It's a few _li_ away."

"I don't know if it always was, but it obviously is now. Maybe Ou Xing had it planned that way, we don't know how long he's been here in Feilong." Da said, looking around.

They came to a small gallery and there were four directions to choose from. Da was very tempted to turn back. Xiao seemed to read her mind.

"Ever notice that any time you and I are in over our heads, we get thrashed until someone arrives to save us?"

Da, still trying to make up her mind about which passageway to take, turned to look at her sister. "Not _every_ time."

"Yeah, every time." Xiao shot back. "That first battle with the Yellow Turbans, the fight with Hua Xiong, the-"

She was going to continue on with her litany when a large and gruesome tentacle lashed out from one of the hallways and wrapped itself around Xiao. She shrieked in terror as the unholy appendage yanked her violently off her feet and into the darkness from which it had come.

"Xiao!" screamed Da as she raced to save her sister. No matter how fast she ran, though, the nauseous tentacle was faster, snaking back through the aperture. Hideous torches flared along the wall, bathing the gallery in a fiendish orange light. As Xiao disappeared from sight the portal sealed up behind the tentacle almost instantly, like a sphincter.

Da slammed against the barrier and beat at it with her fists, sobbing in rage and fear for her sister.

"Give her back!" she screamed. "Give her back, you bastard!"

She pounded feebly against the door for several seconds before collapsing to her knees and crying hysterically. She and Xiao were _not_ going to die together; they were going to die apart and terrified.

Poor Xiao. What would Ou Xing do to her?

Da Qiao struggled to master herself- to deny her fear, deny the agony of loss and even rage- anger clouded judgment and she could afford no mistakes. Her only focus was triumph. She would not let Ou Xing win. She would get Xiao back, she would save her husband and she would kill the demon prince who was terrorizing the people of Changsha.

Da rose to her feet slowly, her eyes flashing. All around her the grotesque architecture rumbled, almost as if it was laughing at her. Ignoring the taunt she slid her fans into their sheaths on her back and picked up her sister's weapons, which had been dropped as Xiao was dragged off into the mephitic darkness and whatever fate awaited her.

Da spread the fans and felt how they moved and weighed in her hands- different from her own, and somehow heavier. Xiao's style of fighting was more direct and linear than hers and she tended to strike hard. Da's style of combat was circular and graceful and the two sets of fans reflected these traits.

She clutched her sister's fans and began sprinting down one of the hallways. She wasn't sure where she was going, but she was certain that Ou Xing wouldn't let her remain lost for long…

--

They cavalry galloped through the darkness, stampeding through any opposition they met. They had to get Zhou Yu back to Changsha so Ren Neng could tend to him, before the strategist fell to the deadly curse that now coursed through his veins.

Once they had left all pursuit behind, Ce held up his fist, ordering the company to stop. He spun his horse about to look at them.

"You guys ride back to Changsha. I'm gonna go and get the girls."

"My lord, you cannot be serious!" Taishi Ci protested. "Even you cannot best Ou Xing and his unholy army single-handedly."

"He won't be going alone," Zhou Yu said weakly. His skin was so pale that it had become almost translucent. "I must save my wife."

"Like hell you're going." Ce retorted. "You're barely alive, and what could you do except get in my way and give me one more thing to worry about? Get back to Changsha, so Ren Neng can heal you."

Taishi Ci pressed his point. "My lord, others will join us, the whole city knows you're gone now. We can have two full regiments here in almost no time!"

Zhou Yu tried to sit up straight. "Ce, please, see reason about this. Do not be so-"

"Get him outta here, _now_!" Ce roared, picking Zhou Yu up and throwing him bodily to Taishi Ci. His gaze was so fearsome that the mighty commander of the Night Tigers was quelled. Even Xiao's psychotic girls did not protest.

"You've got your orders and you can bloody-well obey them for a change!" Ce shouted angrily. "This is not open for debate! If you bring soldiers, they will get turned against us! If any of you go, you'll be turned against me and I will have to kill you! Get the hell back to Changsha and don't even think of following me!"

Ce snapped the reins of his horse and thundered off into the night. The assembled warriors watched for as long as they dared until Taishi Ci waved for them to begin the ride back.

"Can even Sun Ce possibly win, Lord Zhou Yu?" Taishi Ci asked as the strategist sat before him in the saddle.

"I know not, commander." Zhou Yu said wearily. "But if anyone can, it will be the prince of the Southlands. He may be all that stands between us and annihilation."

"There must be something we can do!" Taishi Ci growled, his jaw tightening in frustration at his helplessness.

"If I think of anything, you'll be the first to know, commander." Zhou Yu said as he closed his eyes and slipped into dark dreams.

--

The air was thick and noxious as she ran down the foul corridor. Her lungs rebelled and she forced herself to keep breathing. Hideous, demonic faces cackled at her from the walls. Misshapen, grotesque limbs grabbed and grasped at her and she smashed or swatted them aside with her sister's fans as she ran. They seemed more intent on harassing or scaring than harming her.

A long, sticky and inhuman tongue snaked out from a set of gnashing jaws on the wall and slithered across her torso, a vile caress that chilled her soul. She gripped the foul thing and sheared it off with a fan. The remaining length thrashed violently, pumping black ichors before retreating back into the jaws from which it had come. Da tore the hateful tongue from her body and threw it behind her as she resumed her wild dash.

"_I cannot let you win, Ou Xing!"_ she thought as she ran. _"I may be terrified beyond comprehension, but I will not submit to you and what you represent! I will find a way to beat you!"_

"_**It is too late for that, little one,"**_ a hollow, disembodied and menacing voice said inside her mind. _**"You are mine and whether you struggle or surrender, it will make no difference to this outcome."**_

"_Stay out of my mind, fiend!" _she raged, her entire body shuddering in revulsion as Ou Xing's thoughts touched hers. _"I will destroy you! I will be your downfall! I shall take back from you what you have taken from me and you shall never infest this world again!"_

"_**Oh, my precious, sweet child," **_Ou Xing said in a hideous whisper. _**"You know nothing of what it means to be one such as I. Your every thought and action are predetermined by beings you cannot fathom… you heroically struggle and push against a mountain, only to discover that it is nothing more than my thumb. Resist? You do not even known what it is you fight against. What is your so-called reality except that which I choose to make it?"**_

"_And I thought Ce was full of himself." _Da muttered darkly. _"You will not deter me, Ou Xing! Your words are nothing more than words. You have no power over me!"_

No sooner had Da Qiao made that bold statement that she stumbled to her hands and knees as the world twisted and reeled around her. She stared wide-eyed at the floor, feeling the strength being sapped from her limbs. The screeching and babbling of thousands of idiot voices filled her head, each one audible with alarming clarity and whispering blasphemies that mortals were never meant to know.

She screamed in agony and clasped her hands over her ears, trying to keep out the hateful voices. She beat her forehead against the spongy, flesh-like floor, unable to stop the assault on her senses as the world turned to nonsense. The urge to give in, to surrender to the gibbering madness was almost too much. Even her torture at the hands of Fang Yu had not been this hideous. The crazed assassin's manipulations had been strictly real- poisons or mind games. But this… this was an attack on the very fabric of her mind and perceptions by a being she could never hope to understand.

Worse, maybe Ou Xing really _was_ changing reality around her. Could he actually be _that _powerful?

Da twisted and writhed on the floor in terror as brutal images clawed at her mind. Could anything, anywhere, be worth this kind of torture? Her body arched in utter anguish as her mind began to splinter…

She gasped and sat up, her hand clutched over her pounding heart. The world and all else had fallen away. She was surrounded now by a calm, shining sky, threaded with serene and pearlescent clouds. The only sound was the gentle wind and the distant tinkling of ethereal chimes.

"What is it you want, child?" asked a sage and kindly voice, but where it came from she could not readily identify.

She looked around in wonder and finally found the speaker. Nearby, sitting on a cloud, was a wizened man, whose white hair and beard shone in the heavenly light. He bore a curious indigo tattoo over his left eye.

Da Qiao turned to face the man and knelt formally, realizing now that she too was sitting on a cloud. She observed him for a moment and then bowed low.

"How may this humble courtesan assist you, elder?" she intoned.

The sage stroked his beard thoughtfully as her looked at her.

"So much more polite than Lord Sun Ce," he remarked. "You have the same iron will, but you lack his understanding of the Path."

Da Qiao sat up and looked at him steadily. "So you are Zuo Ci. Lord Sun Ce told me of his encounter with you."

Zuo Ci nodded. "I am honoured that the young prince remembers me after all this time. He was somewhat… distracted, if you will, during our last encounter."

Da smiled. "He says I have that effect on him. But I prithee, kind sage… what am I doing here?"

Zuo Ci answered plainly. "I wished to speak with you, child, and now seemed as opportune a time as any."

Da bowed again. "Thank you for saving me from Ou Xing, elder."

Zuo Ci held up a cautionary finger. "Ah, now, my girl, I have not saved you from him yet. I have merely separated your mind from your body before you were driven to madness."

Da looked slightly uncomfortable. "So… what is happening to my body while I am here?"

"Why _are_ you here, daughter of Wu?" Zuo Ci asked.

Da Qiao struggled with his question, trying to ascertain what he was actually asking her. "I… I came to save Lord Sun Ce from certain death at the hands of Ou Xing. If Ce faces that monster, he will die."

"Quite possibly," the sage mused. "How, exactly, do you plan to save him, given that Ou Xing is currently obliterating your mind?"

Da Qiao was silent for a few moments. "I must defeat him. There is no peril I will not dare for my beloved husband."

"A noble and admirable trait." Zuo Ci agreed amiably. "But the will to put yourself in harm's way for those you love is not enough."

"It must be." Da insisted. "I have nothing else to defend him with."

"Then perhaps you must become more than you are?" Zuo Ci suggested.

Da Qiao sighed. "Why does everyone keep saying that to me? I am not a warrior, I am not a queen and I am not a strategist."

"And yet you ride, fight and lead as if you want to be one." Zuo Ci pointed out.

"It is what Lord Sun Ce needs me to be." Da said firmly.

"And what do you need of yourself?" the elderly man asked. "You were once Da Qiao, mild, beautiful and most coveted of courtesans, whom everyone desired as the prize above all prizes. Your life could have been idyllic and serene, away from the pain and turmoil of this hateful world."

Zuo Ci now looked at her levelly. "Would you, if Lord Sun Ce were not in your life, still wish to be that fair, porcelain girl, knowing what you now know?"

Da Qiao was silent.

"On and on the Great River rolls," Zuo Ci said almost whimsically. "The Heavens and earth continue on, heedless of the petty affairs of men. And you, Da Qiao, when the world finally fell in flame and ruin, would be the last to die, ensconced in your menagerie, atop your pedestal, tragic and beautiful."

It was several more moments before Da answered. "No. That is no longer who I am, if I ever was such a person."

"And yet you are not who you need to be or strive to be. You must reforge yourself. You hold back because you are afraid you will lose yourself to the world. That might be the price you pay to keep your beloved Sun Ce."

"I fear the person you speak of." Da said. "I have seen her inside me and I fear the darkness I sense within her."

"You fear it only because in her you can finally see what was already there in yourself, child." Zuo Ci said gently. "But I must tell you this- your mighty husband is not yet who he must be either if he is to save the land. And the one thing that is holding him back from that destiny is you…"

Da's eyes went wide at her revelation. The image of Zuo Ci swirled dizzily and disappeared. Da swooned and reality returned with a screen and a loud, inhuman moan. When she came to, she was lying on her back in the hallway Ou Xing had stopped her in.

All was deadly quiet.

Da slowly rose to her feet and took a deep breath. She looked down at herself and didn't seem any the worse for wear, aside from slightly sticky from lying on the disgusting floor.

"What I am is not enough…" she said to herself. "That which I can become is not enough… I will cast aside my limitations and become more."

She strode down the hallway, no longer doubting in which direction Ou Xing lay. She steeled herself, unwilling to succumb to the fear of death or oblivion. She feared only failing her husband.

She did not know how long she had been following the corridor but she eventually became aware of a room up ahead. As she drew closer she was certain she had found her nemesis. The repellent chamber opened up before her, a hideous hive of organic blasphemy. Columns of glistening flesh stretched up into the darkness of the distant ceiling; tendrils of foul corruption snaked across the floor or dangled, writhing obscenely. No torches could be seen but the entire room was aglow in a devilish orange light. Da Qiao shuddered in revulsion as she watched a long, glistening and bulbous tentacle sliding itself into and out of an orifice on a nearby wall. The sickening squishing and slurping sounds touched something deep inside her she did not like.

As he eyes adjusted to the unlight, she went pale with horror. Around the chamber were suspended grisly cocoons, in which could be seen human shapes. Victims yet to be so encased were plastered to the wall with some vile resin. Some looked like they were being eaten alive, or worse.

In the center of the room towered a great mound of glistening, festering, carapace-like flesh. Atop the mound, visible from the waist up, was the demon prince Ou Xing. His inhuman eyes blazed yellow through the darkness.

"_**You have finally arrived, my precious…" **_the hideous beast gurgled. Da was dimly aware of the tentacles that writhed almost hungrily about his body. Her eyes seemed to lose focus if she looked directly at him and she could not readily tell in the darkness how large he truly was. Great shadows that resembled wings stretched from wall to wall. The demon grinned.

"_**Do you like what I have done with the place?" **_Ou Xing asked. _**"This abode was such a dull and dreary visage before I took up residence."**_

Da said nothing, determined to not gratify her foe with an answer. She began scanning the room subtly for tactical advantage, but all that met her eyes was horror and revulsion.

An undead… thing… plodded by her, seemingly not noticing the intruder. Da's stomach twisted when she noticed that the side of the ghoul's head was missing, torn or eaten off.

"_**They are not much for conversation, but they are easy to maintain." **_Ou Xing remarked, enjoying Da Qiao's discomfiture. Indeed he would enjoy this little morsel, but not before feasting on his true prize.

"_**I am so glad that you and your sister accepted my invite," **_the demon said in something analogous to a genial tone. _**"I was somewhat worried you might not heed my summons."**_

Da's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean, Ou Xing?"

"_**Is it not obvious?" **_the devil asked, apparently surprised at her question. _**"It was I who sent you the dream, a mere foreshadowing of what is yet to come."**_

"You lie!" Da snapped angrily.

"_**Why would I obfuscate?"**_ Ou Xing replied. _**"And if I did not, how then did I know of the dream you shared with your sister?"**_

The truth of Ou Xing's words crashed on Da's sensibilities like a house collapsing in a quake. Ou Xing had made _her_ come to _him_!

"_**You sense the veracity of my words and now you wonder why I have lured you here," **_the fiend said. _**"Very well, I shall tell you."**_

From high above Da he leaned forward, looming over her and his evil yellow eyes glinted with a demented, inhuman mirth.

"_**Because if you were not in peril, your husband would never be so irrational as to charge my lair all by himself…"**_

Da's eyes widened in shock and horror. Sun Ce had been so careful, steadfast and meticulous in how he had handled this entire crisis. He and Zhou Yu had maintained iron control, never acting hastily. The plan had been to meet Ou Xing on _their_ terms.

Now, she and Xiao had thrown that all away in an emotional, panicked whirlwind and Ce was riding to his doom.

Da hated to believe anything Ou Xing told her, but she did not doubt that Ce was headed here and that he would surely die. Even the lord of the Southlands was no match for a demon prince, any more than he would be for a great and terrible dragon.

Da Qiao's body shook with rage and she let out a scream of frustration and despair. How could she have been so blind?

Ou Xing smiled evilly. _**"Yes, yes… exquisite rage. Your dear sister did much the same when she confronted me."**_

The demon leered toward a corner and Da Qiao's head followed his gaze. She cried out in panic as she espied Xiao, plastered to the wall, covered in the vile, sticky resin, dreadfully pale and not moving.

In a frenzy, Da Qiao leapt toward Ou Xing, vaulting gracefully through the air, her foot aimed directly at his face with a deadly crane kick.

Ou Xing merely smiled as the blow landed, totally unfazed by her desperate assault.

Da did not rest but began hammering and striking with blinding speed, her sister's fans glancing and bouncing off Ou Xing's hide. Tears of rage flew from her eyes as she fought, but still the demon did nothing.

"_**Mmmmm, how sweet," **_he rumbled menacingly. _**"You have given me anger, now give me fear…"**_

Faster than she could follow, Ou Xing's massive hand swept out of nowhere and closed around her body. She went limp, totally cowed by his unimaginable power. His inhuman yellow eyes flared as they gazed into hers- within them she could see the fires of the Nine Hells, a madness and senseless cruelty that spanned the ages of this world and the ones that had come before.

And Da Qiao screamed in utter terror.

--

"_Hang on, Da, I'm comin' for you! Don't let Ou Xing control you, be strong! Don't play his game and give him nothing! I'll be there soon and we'll make him pay!"_

--

Da Qiao landed on her back, casually tossed to the ground by her foe. She wanted to scramble backward, to get away, but her body seemed to be frozen- she was too frightened to move.

Ou Xing's eyes gazed down at her out of the hellish darkness. _**"You do not even know what it is you fear, girl. Perhaps I shall show you. Yes…"**_

Ou Xing stretched out his arms and his body began to glow. His horrifying form became clearly visible, causing Da Qiao to shriek in fright. Ou Xing was huge, his body a pageant of sickly mottled greens, purples and ochres. His corpulent belly writhed and pulsed, as if something were trying to escape from it. What looked like a human face pressed against the dark, rubbery skin and seemed to wail in agony before melting away into its prison.

His arms were massive and powerful, the flesh splitting to reveal bulges of ropey muscle. Horns and protrusions adorned his vast chest and shoulders and the brutal, inhuman power of his body was sickening. Long, rubbery tentacles writhed and snaked menacingly around his grotesque form. Many had chitinous spikes or blades along their length, but what paralyzed Da Qiao's mind with fear were the vaguely phallic heads that the monstrous appendages ended in.

Atop his broad shoulders was a trunk of cable-like sinews that wrapped and twisted around one another to form his neck. His terrible, hideous jaws opened, revealing within a smaller mouth filled with countless, needle-like teeth. The inner mouth reached forward and snapped at her before the outer jaws, composed of dark, hideous fangs that were longer than her forearm, closed with a hideous clack that could only signal doom.

His great yellow eyes blazed in glee as he goggled down at her, the inhuman pupils slitted, like a cat's.

The great, stinking mound of corruption on which he sat shook and cracked as he laughed.

"_**What's the matter, girl?" **_he cackled. _**"Do you find me repulsive?"**_

"Get back!" Da Qiao gasped as she tried to move, to get away. "Monster!"

Ou Xing grinned and leaned forward. One of his tentacles snaked forward and wrapped itself around her ankle. With a cry, she was lifted into the air, where she dangled helplessly. She shuddered in revulsion as the slimy, hateful appendage slithered over her skin.

"_**Ohhhh, yes, you will be a splendid morsel… tempted as I am to taste your pain now, it will be so much more pleasant and fulfilling after I have slain your husband."**_

"He will not come!" Da Qiao hissed, glaring at him defiantly. "He will not risk everything and countless thousands of lives to-"

"_**Oh, but he most certainly will."**_ Ou Xing replied, not being able to resist giving her a shake. He brought her face to face and leered at her while she dangled upside down before him. _**"He will not be able to resist saving that which he loves most."**_

His revolting tongue snaked out of his jaws and slithered across her face and neck lasciviously. She shook and screamed in horror.

"_**I will bleed the young lord dry, **_Ou Xing hissed. _**"He will ride to your rescue and he shall fight valiantly. But I am not guarded only by weak-minded humans or undead mockeries of life… I have many minions like unto myself…"**_

Da Qiao became aware of several hideous beings far below, congregating in the shadow of their terrible master. Their inhuman babbling in some devilish tongue filled her ears and the sounds of their gibbering, snapping jaws caused her soul to quail in fright. Their hideous forms were obscured by the shadow of Ou Xing's towering bulk, but Da squeezed her eyes shut, desperate to avoid seeing their blasphemous shapes.

"_**My minions shall break his body and bring him before me. Then, girl, as you watch, I shall bleed him slowly and kill him while you watch in agony and horror. Only then shall I turn my attentions to you. But the young prince… now there is a feast worthy of my time and attention. When he arrives, he shall face my great guardian Ma Yuan, who will snap his spine and-"**_

"Guess again, pal…" rang a clear tenor from the entrance to the diabolical chamber.

In spite of her worry for her husband's safety, Da Qiao cried out in relief. Through the dim light she gazed back to the hallway she had come from. The grotesque shape of a huge warrior-demon filled the entrance. The figure swayed almost drunkenly before falling over, hitting the ground with a loud _boom._

Sun Ce stood in the entranceway, glaring at Ou Xing. The halberd he carried dripped with the ichor of Ma Yuan.

Ou Xing did not react for a moment. In spite of all his boasting, he seemed surprised to see Sun Ce.

"_**How…" **_the demon growled.

"Surprised to see me?" Ce said in a challenging voice as he walked into the room. The fiends at Ou Xing's feet hissed and snapped menacingly but did not attack.

Ce flung the gore from the blade of his halberd with a flick of his wrist. He looked up at his foe, not the least bit afraid.

"Can't figure out how I got here with you noticing? You can't understand the Tao, pal, so there's no way you're gonna know me. What sort of an excuse for a monster are you?"

"_**You little shit!" **_Ou Xing rasped. _**"You dare challenge me? You are nothing but a pathetic human!"**_

"At least I'm not a fuckin' monster." Ce replied mockingly.

Ou Xing's inhuman jaws stretched wide and he let forth a unworldly howl. The demons at his feet shrieked gleefully and leapt at their prey.

The battle that followed was so gruesome that Da Qiao could not watch. She squeezed her eyes shut and covered her ears to block out the terrible scene. This was a primal, inhuman duel, punctuated by diabolical screeches and hideous roars that no mortal mind should ever bear witness to.

Da Qiao screamed in terror as the sounds reached her. Nothing she did could block out the maddening cacophony. So horrible was the noise that she was only barely aware of Ou Xing's grip on her ankle.

She wasn't sure how long the savagery lasted, but the silence that followed was deafening. She was terrified by the lack of noise, fearing the worst. It was not until she heard Ou Xing growl in something akin to frustration that she dared to open her eyes…

Sun Ce stood defiantly, his armour and battle tunic shredded and his hair torn from its habitual ponytail, flowing freely. His skin was spattered with gore and demonic ooze. At his feet were the corpses of Ou Xing's hellish minions. He glared up at his foe.

"That all you got?" he taunted.

Ou Xing roared in fury as Sun Ce approached. The demon dangled Da Qiao menacingly in front of the intruder.

Ce stopped moving, eyeing his enemy warily.

"My lord!" Da Qiao called in a panic. "You must escape, this is a trap!"

"Y'don't say…" the young warrior replied, his eyes never leaving Ou Xing's.

Her husband's words stung. Da Qiao could hear the annoyance in his voice and clearly he had expected better of her.

"Ce…" she said, tears streaming form her eyes. "I am so sorry! Xiao and I-"

"I'm a little busy, Da, do you mind?" Ce interrupted. He was obviously not in a talkative mood.

"_**Yessssss…"**_ Ou Xing hissed as he dangled Da Qiao back and forth, letting her sway like a chime in the breeze. _**"Helpless over a woman, lord of the Southlands? Would you like to watch as I make her scream in ecstasy while I kill her?"**_

One of Ou Xing's vile tentacles crawled around her body and she cried out at the hideous violation.

Ce clenched his fists and said nothing.

"_**No response?" **_Ou Xing queried, trying to sound disappointed. _**"You do not love her, then?"**_

The tentacle wrapped around her free leg and pulled her hips wide. Da struggled wildly but could not move or free herself from his grip. Another large, bulbous tentacle snaked out of the darkness and the hideous tip poked and caressed itself over her waist.

"_**Is she good down here, young lord?" **_ Ou Xing mocked. _**"Shall I take a poke at her while I kill her? Do you even care? No? Then you will not mind if I rip her in half as I-"**_

"You ain't gonna." Ce replied firmly.

"_**Oh? And why not?"**_

"Because you said it yourself, Ou Xing- she's just a morsel. She ain't the one you want, it's me." Ce said in a steady voice.

"_**Perhaps that is true," **_Ou Xing said agreeably. _**"But why should I not enjoy her before I destroy you?"**_

"Because if _any_ harm comes to her, I'll make sure you don't get what you actually want." Ce said in a defiant tone. "Harm her and I do _nothing_, Ou Xing. Do you hear me? Nothing!"

Da Qiao was not sure what her husband meant but it gave the mighty Ou Xing pause. The demon seemed to almost forget about her as he focused on Ce.

"_**You lie,"**_ he said finally. _**"You are nothing but a weak mortal and you will give me what I want."**_

To prove his point he pulled harder on Da's legs, causing her to keen in pain. The nauseous tentacle caressed its way over her behind, coming ever closer to violating her. It almost seemed to quiver in anticipation.

"My lord!" she cried. "He is going to kill me!"

"No he won't." Ce said almost dismissively. "Get this straight, Ou Xing- harm a single hair on her head and I will kill the girl and myself. Don't think I can't, either. You get none of me, you unholy bastard!"

Ou Xing glared, his teeth gnashing in fury. He obviously did not want to believe Sun Ce, but his grip on Da Qiao slackened.

"You want me, Ou Xing?" Ce challenged, his eyes flashing. "You want that fight you're afraid you might not win? Put her down or it doesn't happen!"

"_**Fool!" **_Ou Xing spat hatefully. _**"You think I fear you? I, who was born, before your puny world was made?"**_

"Yeah, I think you're scared." Ce replied with a sneer. "If you weren't, you wouldn't be hiding behind a girl now, would you?"

Ou Xing reared back and roared in fury, causing the great hall to shake. His tentacles flung Da Qiao aside and she sailed into a corner, landing atop a great mound of putrid, pulsing flesh. Despite her pain, she forced herself to scramble away, thankful to be as far from Ou Xing as possible. She knelt, holding herself and sobbing for several moments before sprinting toward Xiao.

--

Ce stood still and watched as Ou Xing writhed and flexed. With a horrible cracking and crumbling sound, the hideous demon burst free of the festering mound of corruption his legs were encased within. The tentacles dangling around the cave thrashed menacingly in response and the gibbering mouths on the walls took up a shocking howl as their master freed himself. Ou Xing kicked away the debris and stomped toward Sun Ce.

Ce could see his feet- huge, three-toed and terminating in wicked claws. Those _had _been Ou Xing's footprints they'd seen in the village, only now his feet were even bigger. This demon had feasted well in the interim.

"_I know no fear. Fear is the mind-killer. The only enemy to be feared is my own doubt. The only foe I cannot overcome is the foe I allow within."_

Ou Xing's mighty form loomed over the fearless warrior- tall as a tower and darker than iron wrought in the deepest pits of Hell. His eyes blazed like embers, burning with untold power.

Ou Xing leaned down, now face to face with his foe. Ce glared back, unfazed.

"_I am Sun Ce, and I shall destroy you…"_

--

Da Qiao tore feverishly at the sticky, almost wooden resin that held her sister to the wall. The nauseous substance splintered and pulled away, but only slowly, and with great effort.

Da had finally yanked enough of the stuff away that Xiao fell forward. Da caught her younger sister and laid Xiao across her lap. She was horrified by the cold, clammy feel of her sister's skin- so very pale and lifeless.

"Xiao… Xiao!" she implored through her tears, caressing her sister's face, trying to wake her up. Xiao's head was resting in the crook of her arm, her normally silken brown hair plastered to her by the hideous resin.

Da winced as she heard a terrifying roar and a thunderous crash behind her, where Ce was facing off against Ou Xing. She would let her husband take care of that problem, she had to get Xiao out of here.

"_She's so cold… is she even alive?"_

Da put her fingers to her sister's neck, feeling for a pulse, but finding none.

"_She has to be alive! If she were not, Ou Xing would have consumed her by now! Please, Xiao, please…"_

She pulled the small knife she carried on her belt out of its sheath and held the gleaming silver blade to Xiao's lips. The faintest hint of mist appeared.

"_She lives, she just will not wake up… perhaps she is wise to not-"_

A roar interrupted her train of thought and then Ce smashed into the wall next to her, causing her to jump in alarm. His impact splintered the resin-like crust that had formed on the surface. Falling to the foot of the wall, he shook his head to clear it, focused his eyes on Da and then grinned.

"Oh, hey…"

He then picked up the halberd he was wielding and leapt back at his foe.

"How can you be enjoying yourself at a time like this?" Da yelled in exasperation at his back.

There was a screeching hiss above her. Da looked up and paled in fright. Clinging to the wall overhead, a small, almost spherical demon stared down at her; its grotesque vertical mouth was filled with row upon row of dagger-like teeth. It had only two limbs that ended in ridiculously oversized claws. Its one orb-like eye burned with a hideous yellow light.

With a squeal it dropped toward her, claws open for the kill.

Her knife flashed up as the demon landed, impaling itself on the keen blade. The foul beast squealed and thrashed madly.

"A little help here?" Xiao groused as she fought to keep the knife buried in the foe. Despite her shock, Da began wrestling with the fiend, trying to keep its filthy claws away from her sister.

The two girls struggled with the hideous thing as it squalled and hissed, fighting to get at its prey. Xiao pushed the knife up as hard as she could while Da grappled with the demon's arms desperately, doing her best to pin them. The thing's tongue lashed back and forth as the jaws snapped hungrily.

Xiao let out a cry and pushed with all her might, driving the knife as far as it would go. Da leaned on the demon, sinking it further down onto the blade as she held its arms. The beast let out a long, strained screech before it burst, showering the two girls in hideous, goopy ichor. Both girls sat in stunned silence for a moment before Xiao glanced at her sister and began to giggle.

"You look sooooo gross right now…"

--

Sun Ce dodged a strike, rolling away as Ou Xing's huge fist rent a hole in the floor. Despite his unreal, vast bulk, the demon was incredibly fast. Ce had barely avoided the first attack when Ou Xing struck again. He pivoted to the outside, whirling around and slashing the halberd across his foe's forearm. The blade glanced off the demon's tough hide, not even scratching it.

"_**Fool!"**_ roared Ou Xing, surging toward Sun Ce, trying to corner his smaller, more nimble opponent. Ce was not about to be blocked in, however, and dove under the demon's strike, now to Ou Xing's flank and rear.

Ou Xing hissed angrily and whirled to meet his foe, but the agile warrior had already moved again, thrusting the halberd's point at Ou Xing's belly as he evaded. The strike did no damage, but Ce was clearly demonstrating his ability to hit Ou Xing and letting it be known that Ou Xing was getting off lucky.

The demon howled and tried to stamp on Ce, his body beginning to crackle and blaze with unholy power. On of the tentacles lashed out, the formerly phallic head having been replaced by a wicked, chitinous barbed point. Ce parried the attack with his halberd and counterstruck, the blade biting deep into the rubbery skin of the appendage. Ou Xing roared and pulled the limb back, foul ichor pumping from the wound.

"So, you're not invulnerable," Ce mused, pleased with the revelation. "Sucks to be you, pal." He whirled the halberd about and planted himself in a low stance, the weapon behind him self and his free hand pointed at his foe, making the mystical bridge sign.

He smirked and made a beckoning motion, daring Ou Xing to bring it on.

Ou Xing lunged and hunkered low, his mouth wide as he attempted to bite Sun Ce in half. Ce stepped backward and thrust the halberd spike forward, driving it at Ou Xing's eye. The strike bounded off the yellow orb, harder than a diamond, but the demon shut his eye reflexively- Ce used the split-second pause to dive under his foe and roll up behind him. He rammed the butt of his halberd into the back of Ou Xing's knee, causing the joint to buckle. Ou Xing stumbled for a moment, then screeched in rage and slammed the back of his fist into sun Ce, sending his foe flying.

Ce impacted the wall and thudded to the floor. He had exhaled as he was hit, protecting himself from being winded. He knew how important it was to be able to breathe, especially in combat. He was stunned for barely a second as the stinging impact shuddered through him. Fortunately, Ou Xing had not followed up but stood in the middle of the room, crouching low and glaring at his opponent. Ce could tell the demon was getting irritated by the trouble he was having to go to in order to rid himself of the pesky mortal.

Ce shook his head grimly as he got up. He noticed Da Qiao just off to his right, trying to revive Xiao but gazing up at him in bewilderment. He grinned and winked at her.

"Oh, hey…"

He then sprinted back at Ou Xing, determined to keep the demon's attention off the girls. Whatever Da Qiao was ranting about would have to wait.

"_Gotta figure out how to take this guy down, and soon. My strength ain't gonna last forever and he'll start attacking the girls again before long…"_

It was a tall order. Ou Xing was proving all but immune to Ce's strikes, and he was putting everything he had into them. Puissant as he was with a halberd, he was finding it less than ideal for dealing with this foe.

Ou Xing did not attack but waited for Sun Ce. Obviously the demon was learning, and this was a problem, since his reflexes were inhumanly fast. Worse, if Ou Xing let himself get hit, he would suffer little damage but would having Ce within reach- the lord of Wu harboured no illusions about what would happen if Ou Xing got his hands on Ce's tender flesh.

"_He's waiting for you to attack…"_

Ce was tempted to oblige, to attack head-on and pummel his foe into oblivion and prove his own superiority. But there was too much at stake, his wife's immediate safety being foremost. He would have to do the unexpected.

He hurled the halberd at Ou Xing, who predictably swatted it aside. Seeing his opponent was now unarmed, the demon hissed and lunged in, intent on tearing his foe apart. Devoid of his weapon, however, Ce was now even more agile. He dodged, gauging his enemy's speed.

Ce's endurance had to prove greater than Ou Xing's patience. He had to enrage the demon to the place where he began making mistakes.

He was barely fast enough to avoid his opponent. Many of Ou Xing's strikes were coming to close for comfort. Ce stayed close, where Ou Xing's reach counted for nothing. He felt the familiar warmth of his battle aura, the physical manifestation of his fearsome will to win. The whirling dance of combat became rhythmic, with Ce now dodging, stepping and spiraling in an elegant pattern around Ou Xing as the demon tried to squash him. The ferocious, fiery corona of power around Ce blazed brightly as the deadly dance culminated.

"_Yeah, pal, now I've got you- because you can't understand the Tao…"_

The elaborate trigram they had created with their whirling duel glowed brightly about them as Ce gathered strength from it. With a great shout he lunged and drove his palms into Ou Xing's chest- the explosion of energy blew the warrior backward while the demon screeched in agony. The hideous, iron-hard carapace on Ou Xing's chest splintered and cracked; within could be seen the unholy glow of hellfires.

Ce rolled into a crouch, facing Ou Xing and cursing under his breath- he was hoping that might have been enough to at least stagger or stun his foe, but apparently not. Ou Xing glared down at his chest and then at Ce. He let out a thunderous roar that shook the castle to its very foundations.

And then things got worse.

Ou Xing had apparently tired of trying to defeat Ce and consume his spirit, because hideous demons arose from the floor while the corpses of dead mortals sprang up and made for the intruders.

Ce sprinted toward Da Qiao but found his path blocked by a tall, lanky demon with a bird-like head. It screeched and spread its rubbery wings but Ce leapt and slammed into the monster feet-first, knocking it to the ground. He sprang on his foe like a tiger, grappling onto the long neck. He wrenched and pulled with all his might until the grotesque head pulled free, the decapitated body thrashing and convulsing as ichor pumped from the ruined neck.

Ce ran toward Da again until he was confronted by a fat, pig-faced demon. Not slowing down, Ce slammed the long, brassy beak of the bird-demon through his new foe's chest, the tip of the improvised weapon bursting out its back. Ce shoulder-blocked his way past the beast and ran as fast as he could toward his wife…

--

Da and Xiao stood back to back, glaring as their foes drew in about them. A horde of ghouls shuffled and staggered toward the sisters with a small, disgusting frog-demon flopping along in their wake.

"This really sucks!" Xiao hissed. Whatever it was she was covered in, it smelled even worse than salamander gas and the sticky resin was hardening on her, making movement difficult- even now her hair was plastered to her face and neck, refusing to move.

And it really itched.

"I have no idea how we fight these things." Da said, her worry obvious. Even though Ce had Ou Xing occupied, these foes were dangerous and neither of them had their fans immediately handy.

One of the ghouls let out an gurgling howl and lunged to attack but was smashed to the ground as Ce collided with it. He sprang to his feet and joined the girls in facing their foes.

"Can't leave you alone for a second, can I?" he quipped.

Da Qiao grimaced. "I hate admitting that I am outclassed here, but now that you- where is that halberd you had?"

"I threw it at Ou Xing." Ce replied. "It didn't really hurt him so I guess you could say I gave it to him."

"You what?" Da exclaimed. "Why in Heaven's name would you do that? Why can't you seem to hold on to a weapon these days?"

"It seemed like a good idea at the time." Ce said. "Do we have any weapons at all?"

"We have a knife." Da answered.

"Let your sister use it, then," Ce instructed. "She's gonna have the hardest time here."

"Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence. Nice to see you too, Ce..." Xiao groused as she took the blade from Da.

The repulsive frog-demon hissed and leapt at Xiao, its oversized mouth wide for the kill…

The demon vaulted backwards suddenly as a flaming arrow sped out of the dark and shot it through the mouth. The missile pinned the fiend to the wall, where squealed and thrashed furiously.

More arrows landed amongst their foes from around the great hall. Xiao squeaked in delight as her squad of psychotic girls became visible. Zhou Yu stood wearily in the entranceway while Taishi Ci charged into the room, his huge war clubs ready for battle.

The ghoul advancing on Da Qiao was struck in the forehead by another fire arrow and it reeled back as its head was engulfed in flames. Da Qiao burst through the ring of foes and somersaulted forward into a roll, coming to a crouch near her fans. Her weapons in hand, she stood tall and spread them with a flourish…

They would not open, since they were glued shut with resin.

"Stop that!" she yelled angrily, snapping her fans in a desperate attempt to open them. A ghoul rushed at her, intent on tearing her in half. She slammed her fans across the thing's head, knocking it back. She cursed and stood on the ridge of one of her fans while using her hands to pry it open. With a gooey tear it finally came free. Da quickly freed her other fan and leapt at her foes, boiling with rage over her treatment at Ou Xing's hands.

--

Xiao had ducked under another ghoul's swipe and thrust her knife up into the thing's vitals. She had expected the thing to double over in agony and groan, as men were wont to do when she kicked them there, but it barely reacted, simply bending over in a continued effort to maul her.

"Why are men always complaining about how much that hurts?" she groused. She pulled the blade free, releasing a torrent of noxious black fluids (no doubt formerly blood, or even worse) from the gaping wound. Xiao squealed in alarm and scrambled away, more horrified by the diabolic effluence than her relentless foe.

"Ewwwww, gross!" she whined. She crawled forward on all fours to her fans and brandished them at the enemy.

"No one glues me to a wall with sticky stuff except my Zhou Yu!" she announced loudly.

In spite of his danger, Sun Ce paused in his fight to look at Xiao in bewilderment. He was rewarded with a demon's first across his jaw, a blow that knocked him almost clear across the room. He landed in a crumpled heap next to Zhou Yu, who was leaning heavily on his battle staff. Ce looked up at his friend.

"And people think Da and I are the freaks…" he commented.

Zhou Yu slowly shook his head. "I have no idea what she s talking about."

The strategist, paler than the finest moon linen, did not move as a ghoul rushed up, claws wide and fangs bared. One of Xiao's girls, the one known as Shing, sprang out of the darkness behind Zhou Yu and shot the fiend through the throat with a flaming arrow. The beast staggered and fell to the ground, flopping as it tried to move.

Zhou Yu pulled aside the hem of his battle robe, revealing Ce's tonfas.

"Taishi Ci thought you might want these, since you saw fit to leave them behind earlier and didn't give him a chance to present them to you during our rescue. Would I be right in surmising that you might feel better with these in hand?"

Ce grinned as he rose and gripped the haft of his weapons. He may have been a natural with all weapons and forms of combat, but with these, attuned to his mighty battle spirit, he was invincible.

Ou Xing's roar of challenge shook the castle.

Ce nodded and strode forward, tonfas in hand and rotating his shoulders.

"Wait here, pal," he said to Zhou Yu. "Just direct the battle and stay outta trouble, okay?"

"No problem." Zhou Yu replied weakly, struggling to remain upright. Ce could tell his friend was fading fast, but his unwavering spirit would not surrender to the darkness. Ce had to end this quickly and get Zhou Yu back to Changsha before it was too late.

Ce's aura and eyes blazed like a star as he embraced the battle frenzy that washed over him. The world fell away, leaving only he and his foe. Everything else moved so slowly that it was below his notice or concern. There was only now, and now was an eternity for what he needed to do.

He leapt high into the air, his tonfa aimed at Ou Xing's forehead. The demon bellowed in fury, not backing down from his attacker. His claws lashed out to destroy the impudent mortal who dared to challenge him.

Ou Xing was fast, but Ce was faster. He landed on the huge demon's muzzle and slammed his tonfa right between his blazing yellow eyes. Ou Xing reared and bellowed in agony, toppling backward with a thunderous crash. Ce leapt clear and lunged back at his foe, determined to give Ou Xing no chance to recover.

"Taishi Ci!" he yelled. "I love a good fight, but a some additional muscle might be nice!"

"I'm a little occupied, my lord!" the commander of the Night Tigers responded. He was wrestling with a demon that seemed to be all jaws. The beast had clamped down on one of his clubs, which was all that separated Taishi Ci from toothy oblivion. He beat angrily on its head with the other club, trying to dislodge the infernal thing.

Xiao had charged back in, dodging and rolling past the ghouls that opposed her and racing toward Ou Xing. He had a _lot_ to answer for, as far as she was concerned, not the least of which was getting her covered in tentacle gick.

Ou Xing was rising when Ce landed on his chest, pummeling at him with his tonfas. The demon roared furiously and swatted him aside before getting back on his feet. Xiao raced in from behind, slamming her fans into the back of his knee and buckling it. With a screech the demon fell to one knee again and Xiao darted away.

Ou Xing whirled around and roared at her. He made to lunge for the girl but retreated as he got pelted with flaming arrows. The girl known as An rushed in, standing directly beneath his legs and shot an arrow into his groin before rolling away.

Da Qiao had finished off her foes and now ran to join those fighting Ou Xing. Reaching her husband, she stood defiantly, glaring at the fiend.

"What do we do now?" she asked. "Can we just bludgeon him to death?"

"No," replied Ce, sizing up the foe. "Something's gotta change. Even those two real good hits I laid on him didn't do much more than tick him off."

"Could you hit him in such a manner again?"

"Nope. I nailed him last time by suckering him into a trigram. Too many bodies in the way this for that to work." Ce said grimly.

"We'll just have to do this the hard way, then." Da said. She flourished her fans and then sprinted into the melee. Ce just shook his head and took off after his wife.

The swirling combat raged, with Ou Xing beset by a ring of assailants. If he lunged at one, others would attack his rear. His thick hide was riddled with the shafts of flaming arrows, but these seemed to not bother him at all.

A few of Xiao's warriors were situated in the gallery above the hall, raining arrows down on the foe. With a mighty roar, Ou Xing leapt at the irritating mortals, grappling onto the railing and lashing at them. One of his tentacles wrapped itself around the girl known as Bo, dragging her into the open space above the hall. Xiao's girls shouted angrily and rushed Ou Xing, their weapons drawn. The demon snarled and swatted at them, knocking several back.

"Xiao's girls are gonna get themselves killed…" Ce muttered to himself. Ou Xing had thrown Bo, intent on dashing her against a wall and shattering every bone in her body. Ce sprinted in the direction that she'd been hurled and leapt against the wall to spring high into the air. He caught Bo and landed lightly, like a cat. She goggled up at him, her eyes wide and her arms around his neck.

"Lord… Lord Sun Ce…" she said quietly.

Ce didn't like the look that was developing in her eyes, so he dumped her somewhat unceremoniously on a large pile of offal and charged back into the fray. Bo hissed in outrage at his back.

The girls in the gallery had retreated out of range. Deprived of viable targets, Ou Xing roared and threw himself back at his foes on the floor.

Everyone scattered, except Sun Ce.

The demon landed with thundering crash, the floor at his feet splintering under the impact. Ce used the moment of his foe's landing to strike again, hard, but the demon seemed to barely notice. Ce dove out of the way but Ou Xing's fist slammed into him and sent the warrior hurtling back. Ou Xing howled in fury and stomped after his foe, until Da and Xiao attacked him in tandem. The sisters lunged in from two directions, pummeling and slashing in a desperate attempt to penetrate his adamantine hide. Ou Xing ignored them and proceeded toward Sun Ce.

Taishi Ci, having dealt with his other foe, leapt in front of the demon, glaring balefully. Heedless of his own peril, the valiant captain of the Night Tigers attacked Ou Xing ferociously, his clubs battering the fiend's knee. Even Ou Xing's otherworldly form was not totally impervious to Taishi Ci's brute strength and the demon fell to his knees, slowing him. Taishi Ci spun and slammed his clubs across Ou Xing's chest, hammering into the blazing crack in his armour that Ce had already opened. With a bellow of rage, Ou Xing grabbed Taishi Ci, intent on tearing him apart. Da and Xiao redoubled their efforts, attempting to distract the demon. Xiao's girls also attacked, throwing themselves onto him bodily and hacking at his tough hide.

Ce charged in again, driving his tonfas into Ou Xing's face while the demon had bent low to eat Taishi Ci. The sound of stone splintering was punctuated by Ou Xing's shriek of pain. Dropping Taishi Ci and grabbing his mutilated face, Ou Xing surged up, bursting the ring of assailants apart as his body blazed with unholy power. Everyone was knocked flying, slamming against the walls or columns, which instantly grappled onto them, immobilizing their limbs. Ce struggled mightily but could not move.

Ou Xing let out a cackling roar of triumph, knowing he had bested his foes. He glared at Sun Ce.

"_**You shall watch me kill your woman and then I shall bleed you dry, mortal! For the crime of opposing me, a god… your punishment will be death!"**_

Ou Xing turned to Da Qiao and she cried out in terror. Everything about this being was repellent and blasphemous. Within the cracks and rents in his iron hide, Da could see hellfire and madness. Ce thrashed about furiously and yelled, hoping to distract Ou Xing, but to no avail.

Da Qiao seemed doomed when the demon staggered and began to shudder. A deep, sonorous chant began to echo around the great hall. From the entranceway, Zhou Yu moved into the room, followed by dozens of holy men, all of whom were droning and reciting a prayer of binding. Ou Xing bellowed furiously but seemed to have trouble controlling his body. The chanting grew steadily louder, with priests, seers and monks appearing on the balcony overhead as well. Ou Xing's demonic minions wailed in pain and his hideous, undead servants began to fall to the ground.

Ethereal bonds seemed to lash themselves about his limbs, restricting Ou Xing's movement. He howled and struggled, his skin searing at the touch of the mystic constraints.

"Ce, I caught him off-guard," Zhou Yu said in a weak voice. "But I can't keep him bound forever, he is still too strong!"

Ce strained with all his might to pull away from the wall. With a great shout he finally wrenched himself free. His tonfas in hand, he leapt back at Ou Xing, his mighty battle aura swirling around him like a corona of fire.

"Back to where you came from, pal!" he shouted in fury. He drove his tonfa into Ou Xing's chest again. With a sound of screeching, splintering metal, the rents in the demon's chest widened. Ou Xing shrieked in pain, writhing as he attempted to free himself.

Ce's brutal blows rained down on the demon, faster than lightning and harder than the hammer of Lei Kung, the god of thunder. He ignored pain, he ignored fatigue, willing himself past his frail human form and acknowledging only total victory.

With a deafening roar, Ou Xing burst free of the bonds. Zhou Yu collapsed, finally spent. Ou Xing swung at Ce with his mighty fist but the valiant warrior stopped the blow cold with his tonfa. Ce glared at Ou Xing, who howled in rage. They lunged at each other, their mighty auras blazing with untold power.

Ce could not feel his body; he was aware only of Ou Xing. Slowly, inexorably, he was sensed the demon waning. The fiend was not as mighty or imposing as he had been before. The rage, hate and unbridled lust began to give way to fear and panic, even terror. Ce pushed himself harder, punishing his foe relentlessly.

He now became aware of something else- wails and cries that sang of both pain and ultimate release. Ou Xing screamed hideously as the countless thousands of souls he had consumed were freed from their eternal torment inside his hellish body. They swirled about and struck at him, passing through him and finally fled, free to find the eternal rest he had robbed them of for the sake of his endless thirst and cruelty.

Ce ignored the shades, ignoring their cries of release, their pleas for vengeance- there was only the here and now, defending those who still lived. His only thought was the destruction of Ou Xing. The mighty demon prince diminished before his relentless onslaught, his howls of agony echoing through out the castle and even across the countryside.

Harder and harder Ce struck, without mercy, without respite- his eyes flashed with righteous fury. The titanic beast began to wither away, its obscene form replaced by an emaciated body. The being, now no larger than a person, screamed in anguish as mortal death once again consumed it. The husk swatted Ce away with a bony hand and turned to flee but collapsed, its legs unable to support it.

The thing began crawling, still screaming in pain, toward a space in the middle of the room, where once Ou Xing's great mound of festering corruption had sat. There now rested an intricate, jade box, in which the demon had been sealed for years uncounted.

The piteous corpse crawled, shrieking in torment, seeking that last hated refuge. From deep sockets where eyes had been, points of demonic light flared madly. The desiccated skin was peeling and sloughing away from the brittle bones, and still Ou Xing grasped and crawled. The arcane box glowed, offering sanctuary from obliteration.

The corpse stopped suddenly, unable to move. Ou Xing looked back in panic and saw Xiao scowling at him, gripping his ankles. With a shriek and a hideous tearing sound, Ou Xing pulled himself free, leaving his legs hips twitching in his assailant's grasp. He crawled on. He was so close…

His body juddered to a stop again as Da strode up and slammed the spike of Ce's halberd down through his spine, pinning him to the floor. She glared down at him coldly, with a revulsion born of having seen inside his mind.

The thing let out a strange, pitiful whine and strained at the neck, protesting the universe's cruelty. He was less than two feet away from the sacred box when Sun Ce loomed over him, his eyes flashing vengefully. As Ou Xing reached out, Ce slammed the butt of his tonfa down on the jade treasure shattering it utterly into a thousand pieces.

Ou Xing's skeletal jaw went wide and he let out a rasping, ear-piercing screech. His frame shuddered spastically and bony hands grasped at Ce, reaching for his throat.

Before everyone's eyes, Ou Xing, the demon prince of Changsha, Yaoghuai of ancient times, became naught, collapsing into a pile of bluish-grey dust.

--

Ce sighed heavily and looked around the room. The demons Ou Xing had summoned were gone and his undead fiends lay still. All was quiet.

Da Qiao ran forward and embraced her husband, who held her close.

"It's alright, we won." Ce said quietly. "Ou Xing's not just banished or contained, he's gone forever. He'll never plague us or anyone else ever again."

"I am so sorry, my lord…" Da whispered with tears in her eyes and her face nuzzled to his chest. "I had a dream and I-"

"Never mind, Da." Ce said soothingly, stroking her hair. He then looked down at her and smiled. "You're the only person I know that can be covered in tentacle spooge and still look cute."

Da Qiao sniffled out a laugh and wiped a tear from her eye. She was relieved this nightmare was finally over.

Ce held his wife tight, happy that he had found her. Giving her a piece of his mind would wait until later. Moments like this were hard to replace.

He just kept Da in his arms until he heard Xiao crying out in a panic.

"Zhou Yu! Zhou Yu darling!"

"Oh, hell…" Ce said as he disengaged from his wife and sprinted over to where his sworn brother lay. Zhou Yu was still, his skin a deathly white. Xiao had pulled his head into her lap and was patting his face, trying to wake him up.

"Zhou Yu! Please, Zhou Yu! Ce, what's wrong with him? Is he dead? He can't be dead!"

Ce knelt next to his friend and pulled up the sleeve of his crimson battle robe. Xiao and Da both gasped in horror as Ce revealed the bite wound Zhou Yu had received earlier. It was a hideous black that spread all the way up his arm and onto his chest. Ce examined his skin closely and could see the darkness coursing through his veins. They were too late.

"_I'm sorry, my friend. I promised you I would save you from a fate worse than death itself, and I failed you. Can you ever forgive me?"_

Xiao burst into tears, the crystalline drops raining down on Zhou Yu's cheeks. She caressed his cold skin and called to him desperately. Da Qiao bit her lip and her own eyes filled with tears. Her heart was broken, since she thought of what she had endured when Fang Yu had told her that Ce had died, or her agony upon seeing Sun Jian's body. The dream Ou Xing had sent them had come true, at least partially.

She looked over at Ce, but she could not see his eyes. His head was hung as he knelt next to his friend. She could not imagine what he was going through at this moment and didn't know how to console him.

Xiao was sobbing against Zhou Yu's face, holding him to her cheek.

"Don't leave me! You promised you'd never leave me! I gave myself to you and you promised you'd never go!"

She took his face in her hands, pulling his eyes open and crying out to him loudly in desperation.

"Zhou Yu, don't leave me, damn you! YOU PROMISED ME!"

Zhou Yu squinted and winced. "Ow… loud…"

Xiao's eyes went wide. "Zhou Yu!" she squealed as she crushed his face into her chest in joy. The strategist flailed wildly and made muffled sounds of protest.

"Xiao, let him go, you're gonna smother him!" Ce said, bursting out laughing. Xiao squeaked and let Zhou Yu fall back. His eyes were wide and he gasped for air, his hand over his heart.

"Thank you… Xiao..." he breathed.

"For what, Zhou Yu?" she asked excitedly, holding his hand over her heart.

"For not… killing me…" he said, still trying to catch his breath.

Xiao's gleeful expression faltered for a moment, replaced by confusion. Then her eyes flared and she scowled down at him angrily.

"What's the big idea, leaving the city without your sword? Aren't you supposed to be some kind of genius or something?"

Da just shook her head while Ce looked away from the scene. Even Taishi Ci took a step back and pretended to not be there.

"And you get me all terrified and look like you're going to die on me and leave me to fight some big demon-thingy while you just stand there and-"

Ce and Da slowly backed up and walked away, leaving Zhou Yu to his fate. She slid her arm through his and sighed in relief.

"How mad are you at me for running off like an idiot and wrecking all your carefully-laid plans?" she asked.

Ce shrugged. "I dunno, all of my carefully-laid plans might not've worked, y'know? Maybe this was the only solution."

"So… you're not annoyed with me?" she queried hopefully.

"Oh, I didn't say that, it was a real dumb thing you did." Ce pointed out, patting her hand. "You didn't even think of telling me about your dream and we might've thought of some other plan."

Da sighed. "I am sorry, my lord. I just… well, you know what we Qiao women are like."

"Stubborn as hell, yes." Ce said, nodding. "Not prone to thinking ahead, acting almost always on emotion, failing to consult with a superior officer about-"

"I get the point, thank you." Da said dryly. "I need more work, yes. Doesn't it count that I was willing to risk everything to save you?"

Ce chuckled. "Of course it counts, it's why I haven't had you beheaded yet. Besides, how many other people are insanely brave enough to face a demon prince by themselves?"

"Well, I'm glad you think so," Da concluded. "I don't want anyone thinking that I'd do this sort of thing lightly or on a whim."

"A fair bet." Ce remarked as he led her out of the dark and dreary great hall. He led her through a maze of hallways and out into the darkness of night. They stood together outside the gate and looked up at the stars.

"What Ou Xing did was terrible." Da said softly. "All those men he killed… those things he created- they were people once. Denied death, they existed only to serve his will."

Ce nodded. "Now that he's gone, I'm thinkin' that those who were not completely dead or taken over will recover. Zhou Yu oughta be dead by now, but with Ou Xing gone, the taint is leavin' his body."

"So he will be fine?" Da asked.

"Yeah, if your sister doesn't kill him." Ce observed. "She seemed pretty hot."

"Oh, she was just venting." Da said casually. "Before long she will be her normal, bubble-headed self."

"Must've been a helluva dream, then." Ce suggested.

Da shuddered as she remembered the nightmare. "I would just as soon not talk about it, my lord."

"Fair enough," Ce said cheerfully. "Let's gather everyone up and get to Changsha."

Da nodded and smiled. It would be good to leave this place behind.

--

Sun Ce sat on the royal chair atop the dais while Lu Meng and Taishi Ci were kneeling before him. Da and Xiao Qiao stood next to the chair on one side while Zhou Yu stood on the other. The strategist was unusually pale, and even though Ren Neng had healed his wound, the mark of Ou Xing would forever been seen on his body.

"My lord, you are certain you wish to suppress the news of these deeds?" Lu Meng asked. "For surely word of such a feat would spread across the land and inspire the people."

"Yeah, maybe, but the people will do enough talking as it is, there's no need for the state to push it along."

"So much for your propaganda ploy." Zhou Yu commented.

"I decided against it in the end," Ce replied. "It kinda sounds like somethin' Cao Cao or Yuan Shao would do. I don't need to blow my own horn. What I wanna know is how Zhou Yu showed up with a battalion of monks alluva sudden."

Zhou Yu coughed. "Actually, Ce, I had nothing to do with that- that was Lu Meng's idea."

Ce looked at the dour commander. "Really?"

"Well, mine and another's, lord." Lu Meng said, nodding to someone else in the audience hall.

Da Qiao glanced over to see whom Lu Meng had meant and espied an officer standing amongst the other junior commanders- a young man with fair features who wore an elegant tattoo under his left eye. His robes were long and stately and one his hip he wore a slender _jian._

"I guess I owe you one, pal." Ce said genially. "So what do they call ya?"

The young officer stepped forward and bowed humbly. "My family name is Lu, sire, and my given name is Xun. My style name is Boyan. I am honoured by your recognition."

"Titles don't matter to me, so just keep doin' what you're doin' and you'll be rewarded accordingly, got it?" Ce said. "Now tell me about sending the monks to save us."

Lu Xun, who was obviously not much younger than Da, bowed again. "I took note of how effective the chants of the priests, mendicants and monks were in protecting the city from the demon. I had also heard about how you summoned Ou Xing through a binding ceremony back in Baifu, lord. "When Commander Fu Chin Ran had told us about the Ladies Qiao and their rather abrupt departure, I suggested to General Lu Meng that maybe some holy men would be useful in Feilong. They followed Commander Taishi Ci out of the city as quickly as they could be assembled."

Da blushed as she noticed Fu Chin Ran standing off to the side, her arms folded and staring at her intently. Da found a point on the ceiling that needed her intense scrutiny.

Ce nodded. "Lu Meng, I like him, he can stay- make sure that Lu Xun gets a good schooling so that I can rely on him completely one day."

Lu Meng bowed low. "As you command, my lord."

Ce smiled at Da. "Gather up our daughter, we're goin' back to Baifu."

Da Qiao bowed and exited the room, followed by Fu Chin Ran.

Ce now looked at Xiao and nodded. "You did good, Xiao. Make sure your girls have proper uniforms, because I'm givin' 'em permission to display the Sun family sigil on it, okay?"

Xiao squeaked in delight and clapped her hands. He was glad to see she was her normal self again. There were some things even a demon couldn't ruin.

--

"So what now, my lord?" Da asked as they rode south. She and Ce were at the head of a caravan of horses and carts, the rear of which was brought up by Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers.

"I dunno," Ce said, shrugging. "Even with Ou Xing gone, the land's not exactly at peace."

"At least the threat of your fellow lords is of a more tangible and ephemeral nature." Da suggested, stroking her daughter's hair as the girl slept in front of her. "These are issues and crises you can plan for."

"Depends on how involved you and your sister get." Ce said cheerfully. Da stuck her tongue out at him.

She grew silent as she thought of her ethereal conversation with the sage Zuo Ci. She had elected to not tell Ce about it, at least not yet. She had to figure out what the wizened old man had been talking about.

Da was thankful for his timely intervention, even though he claimed it had been completely incidental. She somehow doubted that the man chose to appear to just anybody.

"My lord," Da said quietly. "If I might ask… why did looking into Ou Xing's eyes not terrify you?"

"What do you mean?" Ce asked.

"Well, when he had me by the throat, he allowed me to see into his mind- I saw in there the fire of Hell and a madness no person should ever know. I screamed in terror and it nearly destroyed my mind. When you challenged him and he bent down to face you eye to eye, it did not affect you so. Surely you saw the same thing I did and yet you were not terrified. Why is that?"

"How can you be so sure I wasn't?" Ce pointed out. "Da, bravery isn't about not feeling fear, bravery is about doing what you need to do in spite of the fear you feel. You already know that."

"Yes, but my fear got the better of me. Fear never seems to be able to affect you, at least not adversely, as far as I can tell. Why is that? What do you know that the rest of us don't?"

Ce shrugged. "I guess I don't fear death or the unknown. Yeah, I'd be pissed about dyin' because I've got you an our daughter now, but I know there's somethin' else beyond the veil of this reality, so why be afraid?"

Da sighed. "I wish I shared your supreme confidence, my lord. It is not that I doubt your words, for I have seen proof of what you say with my own eyes, but my mere mortal body is still subject to fear."

"Don't worry about it," Ce suggested. "When it's your time to transcend fear, you'll be the first to know- or didn't Zuo Ci tell you that?"

Ce snapped his reins and rode off ahead. Da just sighed and shook her head. Was her deep contemplation that obvious?

Ce had stopped at the top of a hill. She joined him on the crest and smiled. Before them stretched the wide, green plain, and standing in the middle of that plain, shining in the westering sun, was Baifu.

She sent up a silent prayer- they were finally home.

--

The following spring, grass began to grow over the ruins of the once shunned and foreboding castle. The rivers ran blue and cold while the fields were painted with flowers. Trees blossomed and bore sweet peaches on the surrounding hills and birds began to sing and nestle in their gnarled boughs. A great evil had left the land and life returned to Feilong.

--

**Author's Notes: **Well, there you have it, the biggest chapter yet. I had considered breaking it up into two chapters, specifically at the point where Da looks into Ou Xing's eyes and screams. Ultimately, though, I just felt like throwing out a large chapter after a lot of little ones.

Hopefully this one came across as creepy and unworldly, because I'm not really a writer of horror. Let me know what you think!

**Notes To The Notes: **Grrr, sorry, folks! Accidentally uploaded my unedited version, hence the number of typos and so on. Edited and reposted, hopefully making it more legible. The gang suffered through Ou Xing for four chapters now, they don't need my atrocious typing to contend with as well. There are some things which I imagine even Sun Ce might not be a match for...


	38. Chapter 38

The Young Conqueror

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 38- Tigers**

"Alright, let's try another scenario." Sun Ce said, smiling patiently. He was looking down at a map that displayed an area roughly three _li_ by three _li_. Various terrain, such as trees, rock formations and a river were represented. Around the map were situated stones in two colours, red and blue. Ce placed the red stones in a small cluster next to the river and dispersed the blue ones about the map.

"So," he said, pointing to the map. "Your three units are here, spread out like so. You get a report that a unit of enemy archers is approaching rapidly and three other units of undetermined type are not far behind. What do you do?"

Xiao Qiao stared blankly at the map and the stones for close to a minute, saying nothing. She glanced back and forth between the opposing forces, the grouped red stones and the encroaching blue ones. She knelt down beside the table, looking along it, her eyes squinting. Eventually she sighed and stood up.

"This is hard." Xiao groused.

"Command usually is." Ce replied amiably. "Just think about your units and what you know about the enemy units and what you should do to prevent yourself from getting cornered and outnumbered. Go on, give it a try."

Xiao stared at the map again, fingering at the little wooden chips she would put next to a unit to indicate its formation. She eventually put a small, star-shaped wedge next to one of the red stones and gazed at Ce expectantly.

"So, you've put your spearmen in a circle," Ce observed. "Alright, now why did you do that?"

"So that they're ready for a cavalry attack," Xiao replied. "You said cavalry has a hard time dealing with spearmen who are in formation."

"True," Ce agreed. "But the closest enemy is not cavalry, they're archers- and now your spearmen are in a stationary formation and can be shot to pieces."

Xiao's face fell. "Oh…" she said quietly.

"But you still have two other units," Ce pointed out. "What are you doing with them?"

"Hey, you're right!" Xiao said, brightening up. "I've got archers and guys armed with shields and swords. So… using my archers to shoot at the enemy archers would be dumb and my spearmen are unprotected if they charge… I'll send my swordsmen after them!"

She moved the red stone that represented her swordsmen toward the blue archer stone, smiling evilly.

Sun Ce nudged the archer stone away a few inches.

Xiao frowned and moved her sword stone closer and once again Ce moved the archer stone away. Xiao sniffed like an indignant cat and moved her red stone again. Ce moved the blue stone away.

"Stop that!" Xiao yelled irately at the miscreant blue stone. She took her red swordsman stone and thumped it down next to the offending blue one with authority. Predictably the blue stone moved once again.

Xiao took the blue stone and threw it out the window.

Ce raised an eyebrow and looked down at Xiao in what could only be called amusement. Xiao felt his eyes on her and looked up at him sheepishly. She then hung her head and exited the room. She was gone for several minutes but Ce waited patiently.

Xiao eventually returned, soaking wet. She plunked the retrieved blue stone back down on the table in its last position. She noticed with dissatisfaction that the other blue stones had encroached further on her beleaguered red forces.

"Apparently stone archers are faster than stone swordsmen…" she grumbled.

"Yeah, archers are pretty quick, they have to be." Ce said agreeably. "Question is, what do you do? You can only chase 'em so far before your swordsmen get surrounded."

Xiao sighed despondently and stared at the map again. She pondered it for some time before a furrow creased her dainty brow.

"Tigers," she concluded. "I'll chase 'em down with tigers."

Ce blinked. "What? You don't have tigers, Xiao."

"Well, why not?" she asked.

"Because… I didn't give you any." Ce replied, perplexed.

"Why?"

Ce wasn't sure how to answer.

"Why hasn't my quartermaster provided me with tigers?" Xiao asked.

"Because no one has ever asked me for combat tigers before, I have to admit." Ce reasoned.

"Then I need a Nanman quartermaster." Xiao declared. "There is no reason for me not to have tigers. The jungles aren't _that_ far away."

Ce threw back his head and laughed. He went to the door of the antechamber they were in and instructed one of the Night Tigers on guard to find a scribe. Less than a minute later, a small man carrying some sheaves of paper entered the room and bowed.

"Hao-le, I want a squad of tigers attached to Lady Qiao's current command."

The scribe looked confused and Xiao's eyes went wide.

"Er… by Lady Qiao, you mean Lady Xiao, milord?" Hao-le asked.

"The one and only," Ce said, nodding. "Yes, I want tigers and their handlers for her. Get her, what, about… ten? Whaddya say, Xiao, ten tigers?"

Xiao shrugged and nodded, at a loss for words.

"Alright, ten, then," Ce concluded. "So she wants them by the end of the month, make it happen."

The scribe bowed and hurried out.

Ce turned to Xiao and grinned. She looked at him with her head tilted and a confused expression on her face.

"Okay, what just happened?" she asked.

"I gave you tigers." Ce said simply.

"Yes, but why?"

"Because I'm open to new ideas; and if anyone could use tigers effectively for us, it's you, I figure."

"Really?" she squeaked, excited.

"I'm serious, Xiao." Ce said, nodding. "I think you'll make a really unorthodox and effective commander one day."

"But… but I can't even catch stone archers properly." Xiao whined, pointing at the map. "And you're going to trust me with tigers?"

Ce walked over to his sister-in-law and tapped his index finger against her forehead, smiling. "I believe in you, that's why. Don't you think it's about time you began believing in yourself?"

He nodded to her and then walked out of the room.

Xiao stood quietly for nearly a minute before squealing in delight, jumping up and down and clapping her hands. She dashed out of the palace and sprinted across the parade ground to the elegant pavilion she shared with her husband. She bounded up the steps to the study on the top floor, where Zhou Yu was sitting and composing an elegant poem.

"Zhou Yu!" she chirped as she burst through the door. "I couldn't catch the stone archers so Ce gave me tigers!"

Zhou Yu's brushed trailed slowly down the elongated sheet of paper, marring the poem. He hung his head and sighed in despair.

"I really have to have a talk with that man…" he said wearily.

--

"So let me get this straight," Da said as she walked alongside her younger sister through the royal pavilion's menagerie. The gardens were fragrant and beautiful. Xiao walked her pet salamander on a leash fashioned to look like blossoms. She was convinced that her amphibian felt pretty while wearing it.

"I just want to make sure I heard you correctly. Ce gave you tigers to fight with?" Da asked, eyeing her sister almost suspiciously.

"Yep," Xiao answered happily. "He said I'd do a better job than anyone else with them because of my unorthodoxy."

"You don't even know what unorthodoxy means." Da pointed out.

"Sure I do, it means I get tigers." Xiao replied. She turned down a small side path, pulling gently on her pet's leash. The salamander croaked and followed. She walked on Xiao's other side, away from the green and red monstrosity. It was normally a docile creature but she had seen it panic on occasion…

Da sighed and wondered about cosmic justice. Here she was, working her behind off to become a competent commander, shedding blood alongside her valiant troops and Xiao's lunacy got her access to exotic warbeasts?

She frowned, shaking her head. She had no business being jealous of her younger sister- Xiao wasn't married to Sun Ce, she was. Xiao wasn't princess of the Southlands, she was. In the grand scheme of things, Da had very little to complain about. After all, nobody was making her take her troops into the field and help command the armies of Wu; she was just dumb enough to insist.

"Why do you fight, sis?" Xiao asked, as if reader her thoughts.

Da pondered her response. "Why do you?"

"Oh, good answer, mighty sage." Xiao said dryly, stopping to let her sulfurous pet drink from a pond. "I want Zhou Yu to be proud of me. He's so smart and I guess I feel like I need to earn his attention and respect. Your turn."

"Ce needs me to." Da said finally.

"Oh, he does not," Xiao snorted. "As soon as he's figured out how to be everywhere at once he won't even need an army."

"It's a little deeper than that," Da reasoned as she stooped to caress a water lily that was floating in the pond. "Ce needs me to be more than I am."

"Oh, this relates back to your trippy conversation with the old guy with the white beard and weird tattoo, right?" Xiao asked, allowing her salamander to glide slowly into the water.

"If you mean the great sage Zuo Ci, then yes."

"Well, if he's so great, then why has my Zhou Yu never heard of him?" Xiao asked as she stepped onto the salamander's back and letting it float her across the pond. She leaned forward and stood on one foot, balancing herself. Da walked along the edge of the water, placing the lily blossom she had plucked in her hair.

"Not even Zhou Yu knows everybody or has heard of everyone, silly. But if Zuo Ci is right, and I am inclined to believe him, then the Da Qiao I currently am must give way to a new and stronger woman."

I'll miss the old Da Qiao," Xiao said, changing feet. "Just promise me that no matter how strong or crazy you get you'll always be my sister, okay?"

"I don't think you need to worry about that." Da said, smiling warmly. She loved the way the trials of the world did not bother Xiao. In a land fraught by strife and hardship, all Xiao cared about was making sure they'd be sisters forever.

Da turned and looked across the menagerie- across the wrought-iron partition fence, overgrown with ivy, she could see her husband and daughter, playing with their pet white tiger. The girl and cat were chasing Ce around a sward of emerald grass. The girl squealed in delight as the cub gamboled after him. The tiger squalled and leapt as Ce's legs. Laughing, he fell to the ground, instantly pounced upon by his daughter and her furry conspirator.

Da Qiao was entranced, just watching. What had she ever done to deserve such a wonderful, blissful and perfect life?

"Sis? Sis? Hellooooooo…"

Da snapped out of her reverie. She looked over at Xiao, who was standing on her salamander's back in the middle of the pond with her hands on her hips and one eyebrow raised.

"We all know how lucky you are to be the most powerful and important woman in Wu, but the rest of us don't feel the need to zone out about it."

"Sorry." Da murmured, blushing.

"Yeah, and I'm the airhead." Xiao muttered. Her pet reached the opposite side of the pond and she hopped lightly off it's back. The salamander crawled up onto the elegant stone path and she stooped to scratch it along the crown. It gurgled and croaked appreciatively.

"You have to admit, a lot has happened lately." Da pointed out.

"Lots of stuff is always happening to us and it's still no excuse for always having your head in the clouds." Xiao replied. The irony of being told this by her younger sister of all people was not lost on Da.

Xiao decided to get her sister back into the original conversation. "So, you need to be a great and glorious warrior-queen. What do you plan to do about it? Is being a good commander enough?"

"I have no idea." Da said, shrugging. "I don't really know what's involved with being a good warrior-queen, to be honest."

"Well, being a good commander would make you just another good commander, and we have plenty of those, I think." Xiao ventured. "So there's gotta be something else."

"True," Da conceded. "So then it has to be something only I can do…"

Xiao watched her sister for a moment. "Oh, I know that look. Whatever it is you're planning, just promise to start small, okay? Don't bite off more than you can chew."

Da smiled. "I promise."

The walked along together, enjoying the fragrance of the exotic flowers of the menagerie and the warm summer air. A beautiful peacock strode onto the path and Da stooped down to stroke its plumes. The bird clucked and cooed happily. It then looked up expectantly at Xiao, who complied. After a few seconds, the bird looked at the salamander, head cocked to one side, obviously expecting more of the same.

The amphibian snorted, flame gouting from its nostrils and immolating the hapless bird. The peacock screeched horribly and then collapsed in a greasy heap of burning carbon. Ever other avian in the menagerie went berserk, flying around in a panic and molting.

Da Qiao looked at her sister. "Well, that had been my favourite studding peacock, with impeccable lineage. Now he's just lunch."

Xiao blushed furiously. "Sorry, I'll replace him."

Da watched with revulsion as the salamander leaned forward and began eating the charred remains of the peacock. It paused and looked up at her, chewing and crunching slowly, blackened feathers dangling from its mouth. It let out a low croak.

"Same to you, bug-face." Da said sullenly.

--

The Valiant Cavaliers were drinking and laughing loudly as they sat around the tables prepared for them. Out in the field to the north of Baifu, a feast had been prepared for them by the order of their commander, the Lady Da Qiao. The night was wearing on but the men were merry with wine and enjoying the antics of the entertainment.

The men sang and caroused while wine was heated and served for them. Their plates were piled high with savoury meats and delicacies while girls whirled about in dances and musicians played for their amusement. In the middle of the head table, Da watched and smiled at the proceedings, happy that her men were having such a good time. She spent so much time away from them that she hardly felt like a proper commander, in spite of their near-fanatical devotion to her.

Two weeks ago, a huge brawl between the Valiant Cavaliers and another of Huang Gai's companies known as the Iron Fists had occurred when one of the men from the Fists made a comment about Da's martial competency and several of her Cavaliers took issue with the man. It was only the furious intervention of Taishi Ci and Huang Gai that had prevented the matter from getting out of hand and turning into something more serious than a company-wide fistfight.

In spite of this atrocious lack of discipline, Da asked Huang Gai for permission to feast her men, to keep their spirits up. The General had granted her request, understanding the importance of morale. Da attacked the task with a will, overseeing all the preparations herself, as only a first-class courtesan could do. Every detail was seen to and no contingency unplanned for.

The evening wore on and Da agreed to entertain the men herself, as only she could do. She sang and danced and did impressions. Se mimed the Yellow Emperor Huang Di, legendary first ruler of China, in all his belligerent glory. Next she caricatured Huang'O, the goddess of the moon, pining eternally for her husband Yi, the Celestial Archer, while her men whooped and feasted.

She entertained the men for some time with her impressions and finally bowed to their applause, wiping a sheen of sweat from her brow. She was thoroughly enjoying herself.

"Thank you, my friends!" she said grandly. "I will do one more impression before turning the entertainment back over to the musicians! Whom would you like to see me portray?"

One young man, who had clearly had too much wine, called out loudly. "Lord Sun Ce!"

There was dead silence throughout the company.

The man flushed with embarrassment while many of his comrades gazed at him in something akin to shock and horror. This was an offence worthy of a severe flogging, if not death itself.

Da felt bad for the man, who was clearly ashamed of his drunken outburst. Unable to bear his discomfort any longer, she made her decision and bowed to him.

"Good sir, nothing would give me more pleasure than to grant your request."

Her troops watched in stunned silence as she turned her back to tem and began to prepare. She tucked her blouse into her pants, making sure it was tight. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath…

She turned around and faced her men, standing lazily into one hip, with a cocky grin on her face.

"So, you're all here to see me, huh? Lucky you, because I don't do this for just anyone', y'know…"

The Cavaliers watched in silence as she sauntered around the clearing between the long tables, illuminated by the licking flames of the great fire.

"So they're callin' me the Young Conqueror. These guys're makin' me blush."

A couple of the more senior members of the company began to chuckle at her impersonation of the lord of Wu. Da was capturing his facial expressions perfectly.

"Oh, so you guys like to laugh, is that it?" she asked, turning to face the head table. She began swaggering towards them, her gait aping that of a person with much larger muscles. She cricked her neck and rotated her shoulders, as Ce was wont to do when he was warming up for a fight.

The men began to howl with laughter. Da held up her hands in a tiger claw posture, dancing back and forth from foot to foot rapidly. She jumped out of the way of some imagined and mighty strike and landed lightly, grinning at her invisible assailant.

"That all you got, pal?" she asked tauntingly. "Because as massages go, I'd give that a six outta ten."

She danced and leapt back and forth, striking and dodging as she had seen Ce do on the battlefield. She may not have known exactly how all this maneuvering related to combat, but she could mimic effectively, if nothing else. She would pause during the feigned fight and pace in a slow, measured circle, 'flexing' her chest muscles as she did so.

She picked up two sturdy sticks from the fire pit and began spinning them around as Ce did with his tonfa. She delivered mighty blows to the unseen foe, spinning and striking swiftly and gracefully.

"Am I good or what?" she called loudly as she finished off her opponent.

The men were whooping and hollering in delight at her antics. She threw the sticks away and slowly turned her back to the men and began flexing her muscles, smirking at them over her shoulder. Her second-in-command actually fell out of his chair, he was laughing so hard.

She then took a scroll from the head table and began perusing it, making a wry face. She made a gesture to hand it off to someone else, clearly Zhou Yu. She then proceeded to flex and appreciate her biceps, which were clearly of more interest to her.

Her impression lasted another ten minutes and her men were hoarse by the time she'd finished. They applauded loudly and she bowed with a casual laziness that Ce was renowned for. The Cavaliers thumped on their tables ecstatically or shook their blades in the air. She returned to her place at the head table and was served wine by her grateful commanders. They kept her drinking well into the morning and she decided that she didn't care if she would have a murderous hangover the following day.

--

Da and Xiao entered the throne room and were instantly aware of the air of tension. Ce sat casually on his throne, looking as unperturbed as ever, while Zhou Yu stood patiently beside. Everyone else, though, seemed apprehensive.

Da bowed before her husband and joined him on the dais while Xiao stood off to one side. "My lord, why is everyone so nervous?" she asked.

Ce shrugged. "I dunno, we just have some visitors coming."

Da's eyes narrowed. "Who, my lord?"

As if in response, the great doors to the hall opened and were held open by their attendant Night Tigers. From outside entered several figures, led by two very distinguished individuals…

Liu Bei and Cao Cao, side by side, strode into the hall. Behind them came a selection of generals and guards, notably Xiahou Dun with Cao Cao and the mighty Zhang Fei with Liu Bei. Both men seemed to be on a mission and their faces were stern.

Sun Ce stood as they approached and smiled at them before bowing. "It is good to see you both again, my friends," he said cheerfully. "How can this humble servant of the imperial house help you?"

Liu Bei returned the bow respectfully while Cao Cao nodded curtly. "We have urgent business to discuss with you, lord of the Southlands…" the latter said in his tight and penetrating voice.

Ce nodded. "It'd be my pleasure. But first, my congratulations to you, Lord Cao Cao, on being named Prime Minister by the Son of Heaven, and you, Lord Liu Bei, for finally being recognized as an Imperial uncle and scion of the Royal House."

Liu Bei clasped his fist in his hand and closed his eyes. "Thank you, Lord, for your kind words. Your reputation for warm words is well-known and obviously merited."

"Where is your other brother, Guan Yu?" Ce asked.

"Alas, my younger brother is not with us for this venture," Liu Bei said somewhat sadly. "He has remained in the north, guarding the borders facing Xia Pi, for a strong warrior is needed there."

"And that is what we have come to discuss with you, Lord Sun Ce." Cao Cao interjected. "There is a menace in the north that I believe requires the attention of all faithful lords of the realm."

"I'm willing to bet I already know what you're getting at." Ce mused. "What of your bodyguard, Lord Cao Cao? Where is the renowned Dian Wei?"

Cao Cao's eyes grew hard. "He fell, alas, defending me from treasonous swine in Wancheng. Were it not for him…"

"I did not know him, but I am sorry for your loss." Ce said, descending the dais, still wearing his great vermillion and gold cloak about his shoulders. "It is always painful to lose a loyal vassal."

He was looking at Cao Cao but he couldn't help but notice his sister's attention firmly fixed on Liu Bei. Sun Shang Xiang seemed thoroughly intrigued by the scion of the Han. He filed that away as an issue to ponder later.

"I'm gonna go out on a limb and say that Lu Bu is causing trouble in the north." Ce said, standing in front of the two men. Xiahou Dun seemed to almost bristle as Ce approached his cousin, but said nothing.

Cao Cao nodded. "And since you are one of very few to ever fight with that monster and live, we thought we should come and speak to you about the potential solution to this problem. Only my cousin, Xiahou Dun, and Master Zhang Fei have fought him one-on-one, aside from yourself. Your input on this matter would be appreciated."

Ce nodded. "Perhaps we should discuss this in private. I will have a room and wine prepared for us promptly…"

--

Sun Ce sat around a low table in a quiet antechamber, while servants poured cups of wine for each of them. Nearby, Xiahou Dun, Zhang Fei and Taishi Ci waited silently. Zhou Yu sat off by himself, ready to record any pertinent details.

Ce nodded to the other two men. "So then… Lu Bu is on the rampage? What has that bastard done now?"

Cao Cao looked grim, even by his standards. "As you may know, he has, over the past few seasons since the death of Dong Zhuo, allied himself variously with lords around the north, all of whom were eager to have such a powerful warrior as an ally."

Ce pursed his lips. "And, of course, he turned on them as soon as it suited him to do so."

"Like enough," Cao Cao agreed. "And to my shame, I must admit that I too played host to him for some time, before his arrogance and danger to my house became intolerable."

"It was I who last gave him shelter, in Xia Pi." Liu Bei added. "He was fleeing from Yuan Shao and I succored him, along with his mistress, Diao Chan and another warrior, Zhang Liao."

Ce nodded, and no one seemed to notice the darkening of his countenance at the mention of the realm's most famed courtesan, rivaled only by his own wife, Zhou Yu's, and the lady Zhen Ji, married to the son of Yuan Shao.

"My brother, Guan Yu, was abroad on a mission for me while Lu Bu was my guest. Unfortunately, one night, after Zhang Fei and I had imbibed too much wine…"

"Oh, don't lie on my behalf!" Zhang Fei boomed. "I got drunk and fell asleep, you were out of the city, brother. You don't need to cover for my mistake!"

"In any event," Liu Bei continued. "Lu Bu decided one night that Xia Pi rightfully belonged to him and attacked my garrison, routing it almost instantly. My men got Zhang Fei out of the city-"

"Still drunk." Zhang Fei added testily.

"And we fled to find my brother, Guan Yu." Liu Bei finished. "Since then, we have been on the move, looking for a place to settle down."

"Seems to be a habit of yours," Ce said cheerfully. "Just remember, my invitation to you three stands- you will always be honoured guests within my realm."

"Pleasantries aside, we have a problem on our hands." Cao Cao said. "Lu Bu now controls the vital territory of Xia Pi and looks to ally himself with Yuan Shu, your overlord. Left free to rampage…"

"He's gonna be more than a minor nuisance, yeah," Ce concluded, his brow furrowed. "Alright then, what's your proposal?"

"Lord Liu has agreed to raise troops, along with some other nobles, to ride alongside my own armies to Xia Pi to deal with Lu Bu once and for all. What we want is for the Southlands to provide troops to march alongside our own."

Ce was silent for some time before raising his eyes to look at the other two lords. "I'll go. And I'll bring my Night Tigers with me."

Cao Cao raised an eyebrow. "So few you offer? I know your realm is young, Lord Sun Ce, but it is not so fledging as to send forth such a pittance."

"This war against Lu Bu ain't gonna be won by throwing thousands of men against him and you know it." Ce said reasonably. "It's men like Zhang Fei, Xiahou Dun and I who will take him down. There's no sense letting innocent men get slaughtered for no reason."

"I have already told you, he is seeking to ally himself with Yuan Shu," Cao Cao insisted. "Even if men such as you deal with Lu Bu, his men and the armies of his allies will prove formidable."

"And you also just finished pointing out that Yuan Shu is my overlord." Ce said evenly. "I've got no problem fighting Lu Bu and bringing him to the emperor's justice, but I won't fight Yuan Shu. You guys can tussle with him and leave the big guy to me."

Xiahou Dun stood, his one eye blazing angrily. "You dare mock the Prime Minister, Lord Sun? What manner of nonsense is this? What of the vaunted hospitality of the Sun family?"

"I'm not mockin' anybody, General." Ce said firmly. "I am saying that my position requires that I not fight my superior. The Imperial House has not declared Yuan Shu a traitor, so I will not raise my hand against him. The Prime Minister, on the other hand, has declared Lu Bu a menace to the realm, and therefore I will happily go fight against him."

"But why so few troops, Lord Sun?" Liu Bei asked, more intrigued than anything.

"Because if we send lots of troops, they'll just die." Ce reasoned. "If we don't have troops, we'll need to find other ways to fight and to neutralize the enemy forces, including Yuan Shu's. The gods aren't always on the side of the biggest battalions. Lu Bu has never been a threat to us here in the South, why would I get my men killed for that?"

"And if Lu Bu ever decided to take refuge in the South?" Xiahou Dun asked pointedly.

"He'll never would be a guest here in the south, because when I found out he crossed the Great River, I would go myself and kill him. I'm not crazy enough to invite him to be a guest just because he's Lu Bu. I know a lunatic when I see one."

"Well, he has us there, Prime Minister." Liu Bei said, sighing. "We willingly allied ourselves with that monster at various times for advantage, ignoring his history and the obvious."

Cao Cao said nothing.

"I already told you, I agree that he has to go." Ce continued. "But I see no need to waste the lives of my men fighting him. At Hu Lao gate, he destroyed almost an entire regiment single-handedly. But I fought him to a standstill. Zhang Fei has fought him twice and Xiahou Dun held him off in battle too, although it cost him an eye."

Ce leaned forward to emphasize his point. "I will go, along with my Night Tigers. For good measure I will bring Zhou Yu and his Swordwind troops. That's over one thousand elite troops, as tough as any either of you have to offer. My armies are busy securing my borders and contesting the Nanman tribes to the south. They have their hands full already."

Cao Cao drew a deep breath. "Lord Sun, if you will provide but one more division, I will happily agree that you have done your part."

Ce was silent while he thought of an answer. "Alright then, I'll bring along my sister and her Amazon guard- they're as tough as anybody and they'd love to take a crack at Lu Bu. That's three, you happy yet?"

Cao Cao and Xiahou Dun seemed perplexed by Ce's offer, whereas Liu Bei merely nodded and Zhang Fei snorted. Still, none of them could deny the effectiveness of Shang Xiang's troops at Hu Lao gate, single-handedly holding the left-flank.

"Very well, Lord Sun." Cao Cao concluded. I would have you ride north to join our forces in a fortnight. The sooner we deal with this issue, the better. Lu Bu must not get entrenched in Xia Pi."

"No argument there…" Ce said grimly.

--

"My lord, I want to go with you." Da said, watching sun Ce check his war gear in their private chambers.

Ce stopped and looked at her. "Da, normally I don't put my foot down about your crazy ideas, but… are you crazy?"

"I promise to stay out of trouble, my lord." Da insisted.

"You always say that." Ce retorted.

"I know, but this time I mean it." Da said, her tone pleading. "Lord Sun Ce, you are heading out to fight Lu Bu. I could not bear to see you off and then watch as you came back on a litter."

"I won't." Ce said.

"Ce!" Da Qiao said, taking him by the arms and looking up at him, her eyes wet with tears. "It nearly destroyed me to see your father brought back to Jiang Dong slain. I would surely die if you were to return so. You are going to fight Lu Bu. The men may appreciate your bravado, but I am your wife! I cannot bear the thought of seeing you ride north and agonize over whether you will live or die, waiting day after day to hear those drums…"

She burst into tears and hugged him tight, her face buried in his shoulder.

"Those awful, awful, drums…"

Ce enclosed her in his arms, kissing the top of her head and his eyes shut. Did he really want to spend what could quite possibly be his last days parted from the most beautiful and wonderful woman he had ever known?

"Alright, Da, you can come." Ce said finally. "And your Cavaliers will be coming to guard you. But they'll also understand that they are not coming along to fight, their only purpose is to guard you and make sure you escape back to the South if anything happens to me. Got it?"

Da didn't look up at him but nodded.

Ce sighed. "I just can't say no to you, can I?"

Da Qiao stepped back and bowed low. "I shall make my preparations, Lord of Wu."

Ce shook his head as he watched his wife exit the room.

"Zhou Yu's gonna have me released to the doctors for insanity after this…" he muttered.

--

Hong Ling was walking along the path outside the barracks, whistling a tune his mother had taught him. The Valiant Cavaliers had just received orders about two hours ago that they would be accompanying Lord Sun Ce into the north to guard Lady Da Qiao while he fought Lu Bu.

Hong Ling may have preferred to be assigned to fighting, but there was certainly no dishonour in guarding the Lord's consort and the company's commander.

"So, once again, the Cavaliers lead a blessed existence," snorted someone who stepped out of the shadows of a tent. "Your comrades must have a shrine dedicated to the goddess of courtesans, I wager…"

Hong Ling stopped and scowled at Tao Her, the principal antagonist in the brawl some weeks earlier between the Valiant Cavaliers and the Iron Fists. Behind the Fist trooper were other shadows. He was obviously not alone.

"Perhaps you just didn't learn your lesson last time, rodent." Hong Ling sneered. "If you have the time and the balls, perhaps you would care to discuss the point? I'd be happy to see to it that a shrine to Shen Nong is a necessity around your company's camp."

Tao Her and three compatriots stood in front of Hong Ling. The night was dark and the distant torches near the pavilion provided only the dimmest light. Only the moon lit the landscape.

"It sounds to me like one of the Cavaliers is getting a little too self-important." Tao Her taunted. "Hiding behind a courtesan is bad enough, but perhaps his ego has been swollen by getting inside said court-"

He never finished his insult as Hong Ling lunged in and slammed his fist across Tao Her's jaw. The Fist trooper spun backward and collapsed. Hong Ling was on the others like a tiger, determined to not give them a chance to rally. Of the rank and file troopers in the company, he was one of the more skilled in unarmed combat. This would be his one and only chance to avenge this insult to Lady Da Qiao's honour.

He fought as hard as he could but their numbers eventually caught up with him. He was beginning to wear down under their blows when another Valiant Cavalier saw what was happening and charged into the fray, calling for help. Soldiers from both companies caught wind of what was happening and soon the fight was raging hot and heavy on both sides.

Da Qiao, who had been in the menagerie, heard the shouts and sounds of a brawl and dashed out into the street, looking around frantically. She recognized her men immediately.

"Oh, gods, no!" she breathed as she began to sprint toward the scene. Upon arrival she began trying to break up the combatants, but over two hundred angry men was more than she seemed to be able to handle. She pleaded and pulled at them.

"Please, I beg you!" she called loudly, pulling at the broad shoulders of one man.

She never saw the fist that flashed out and rammed into her stomach.

Da Qiao fell to her knees, her eyes wide. Colours swirled behind her eyes and a burning pain in her chest pulled her from the world. All noise became a drawled nonsense.

And through it all came a blazing white fury, and her decision was made.

With a roar she surged up and clotheslined the man who had hit her. Before he had even touched the ground she had vaulted over another and kicked a third in the head. As she landed, the Fist troopers around her backed up, obviously shocked and intimidated by her presence.

"Did I tell you to stop fighting?" she yelled angrily as she attacked them bodily.

They had no choice now but to fight.

--

Xiao Qiao was walking along with her girls when she noticed the brawl. She stopped to watch, as if trying to decide what to do until she saw her sister, deep in the middle of the action.

"Uh-oh. Uhhhh, we'd better get her out of there…" she said finally.

Her girls needed no encouragement. They whipped their habitual cloaks off and sped towards the confused battle.

"Remember, no weapons!" Xiao called as she sprinted to keep up.

--

"Oh, finally something exciting…" Shang Xiang declared as she and her guardian squad of amazons spied the wild melee. "Let's go, girls."

"Er, whose side are we on, my lady?" Fu Chin Ran asked.

Shang Xiang shrugged and then cracked her knuckles. "Who cares? Let's just get in there and show them what we're made of…"

--

Even Taishi Ci's Night Tigers could not bring order to the scene and merely ended up involved in the proceedings. General Huang Gai's guardian squad, the Thunderbolts, could also not restore peace and the venerable warrior ended up trading blows with the commander of the Night Tigers. Like giants battling over and ant hill, their duel raged through the larger melee, where others were little more than collateral damage.

Da Qiao leapt over a trooper and slammed her feet into his shoulders, vaulting overhead as she knocked him to the ground. As she landed she lashed out again, still furious about the unwarranted assault. Her lightning strike was blocked by a graceful, but powerful arm sporting a golden band; she struck again and was caught in a cross-block. She whirled and used her elbow and was blocked yet again. She twisted her torso to look at her foe. Shang Xiang smiled dazzlingly at her and winked before thrusting forward with a spearhand strike. Da bent backwards and somersaulted away, using a fearsome kick to keep her sister-in-law at bay. She grabbed an Iron Fist sergeant and flung him at Shang Xiang, who casually batted the man aside before turning to try out another foe.

--

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu watched impassively from a balcony of the pavilion. The raven-haired strategist just shook his head.

"Honestly…" he said in his mellow tenor, obviously disapproving of everyone's lack of decorum. "Should we go down and stop this now or should we wait until they have vented a little?"

Ce cracked his knuckles. "You kiddin'? I ain't missin' out on this."

Zhou Yu sighed. "Very well. I shall stay here and make sure your daughter doesn't see you and her mother misbehaving. Please make sure Xiao doesn't get in over her head."

"I promise." Ce said cheerfully. He stood on the rail for a moment and leapt into the night.

Zhou Yu hung his head. "I really need to release that man to the doctors on a plea of insanity…"

--

He landed like a thunderbolt in the middle of the melee. Before his knees had even fully flexed he had spun into a low sweeping kick and knocked several men off their feet. In the same fluid motion he surged up, slamming his fist into the jaw of a large, burly Cavalier and sending the man sailing. He spun and tagged another trooper with the back of his fist. Having cleared himself some space, he smiled and rotated his shoulders as he warmed up.

"Alright, let's get this party started…"

He was a whirling engine of chaos from which no one was safe. Any foe unlucky enough to be within range was quickly put to the ground, no doubt thankful to still be alive, let alone conscious. Even in the dim light, the combatants quickly learned to steer clear of the newcomer's reach.

Xiao's girls, still fighting as a tight unit, suddenly found themselves face to face with Sun Ce. Only the one known as An had attacked before recognition kicked in. Ce side-stepped her ferocious punched and took her by the wrist, spinning her gracefully into a knot of troops, on whom she collapsed unceremoniously. The other girls thought twice about continuing and turned to hustle Xiao away from the battle. She squawked in protest, but once she saw Ce she grinned and flashed him a victory sign.

Ce walked casually through the brawl, idly blocking attacks and counter-striking with annoying indifference. He made his way towards Fu Chin Ran, who saw him coming and stood in a low, defensive posture, clearly wary and wondering what to do next. Ce now stood in front of her, with his arms folded and smiling. She was beginning to wonder what he was up to when the unconscious form of a large Iron fist trooper crashed down on top her, pinning her to the ground.

"Serves you right for getting distracted!" Shang Xiang called derisively from somewhere else in the brawl.

Ce turned and walked away, his work clearly done.

Taishi Ci and Huang Gai were still landing thunderous blows against one another, neither willing to give in. Equally matched in size and power, Huang Gai found himself surprised by Taishi Ci's cunning, while the younger warrior was baffled by his elderly foe's speed. Both men sported countless welts, bruises and abrasions from their duel.

"I think that's probably enough, guys." Ce said, trying to get their attention.

Neither of the giant men seemed to notice and kept on fighting.

"Hey, I enjoyed this as much as the next person, but I think enough is enou-"

Ce ducked frantically as a pair of fists tried to knock his head from his shoulders. As he stood back up she shook his head and smirked.

"Well, y'can't say that I didn't try…"

He simply stepped in and took them both by the back of the head, slamming their foreheads together with thunderous force. The sound was so loud that anyone nearby actually stopped fighting to see what the noise was. The two massive warriors slumped to the ground against one another, deeply unconscious.

"The nerve of some generals…" he said as he waded back into the fray.

Tao Her had finally regained consciousness and he was standing up. His whole body ached, not only because of the dreadful blow that punk Hong Ling had tagged him with, but because well over two hundred people happened to be brawling across his supine form.

Embarrassment burned in him and he was eager for revenge.

"Alright!" he yelled as loud as he could. "Everybody step back and give a man some fighting roo-"

Tao Her slipped back into unconsciousness as Da Qiao slammed her fist across his jaw.

--

"Alright, Da, I think that's about all anyone can handle." Ce said amicably as he approached his wife. She had just finished kicking someone in the head as he walked up. He reached out to touch her shoulder when she spun about and her foot slammed across his temple.

Ce's head snapped to the side and then he looked back at Da. He shook his head in an attempt to uncross his eyes while he looked at her in confusion.

"Ow, Da…" he said in mild exasperation.

"If you can't take the heat, don't tickle the dragon, little man!" she yelled as she rushed him, obviously intent on defending her company's honour. He dodged a blinding strike with her fist and twisted to the outside as she followed up with a thrust kick.

Somewhat at a loss, Ce backed up as she attacked, mostly just dodging her attacks, but instead of his cocky grin he seemed somewhat perplexed. As he backed away from her he slammed his fists into two combatants behind him, dropping them both and giving himself room to avoid his wife's furious assaults.

Before long, a large space had cleared for the two of them and practically all other combat had stopped as people looked on in astonishment. No one, anywhere, could have predicted this. The huge crowd went silent as they gazed at the spectacle.

Da pressed her attack, using her speed to get closer and closer to Ce, forcing him to at least block, or, gods willing, fight back. Her graceful, coordinated attacks gave way to striking however she found possible, whatever it took to close with her reluctant foe.

"You sure this is what you want, Da?" Ce asked one last time.

Da Qiao did not answer but struck and struck and struck again. She needed Ce to finish this before she exhausted herself and dishonoured her men.

"Alright, then!" Ce said loudly as he spun and stepped away, his powerful arms crossing in a tiger claw posture. His eyes blazed and his battle aura swept around him like a corona of fire. Those watching backed up in what could almost be described as fear, or even panic.

Da Qiao closed her eyes as she centered on Sun Ce and leapt in. She ignored the terror she felt as she reached out with a spear hand, praying her aim was true…

"Lord Sun Ce! By the gods, stop, I beg you!"

Ce leapt away, releasing himself from the grip of battle frenzy, landing like a cat. Da Qiao stumbled to her hands and knees, her eyes wide and breathing hard. Both she and her husband looked over at the person who had implored them to stop.

Tao Her was on his knees, forehead pressed to the ground, hands spread out in supplication.

"Please! There is no need for this! This entire ordeal was my fault and I alone bear the blame for it!"

Ce stood and walked toward Tao Her, intrigued to hear what the man had to say. Da also quietly approached. Her heart was still thundering in her chest.

"Lord Sun Ce…" Tao Her said, his voice trembling. "I… insulted your wife. I made unforgivable remarks about her to a member of her company in order to pick a fight with him. What I have done brought great shame to not only myself, but my worthy company… please hold none responsible except for this worthless servant…"

Ce stooped down and picked Tao Her up by the shoulders and looked the man in the eyes. After several seconds, he smiled and clapped the man on the shoulders.

"Huang Gai, I'm ordering you to raise another company for yourself, because I am reassigning the Iron Fists to my wife. She will now command both the Fists and the Valiant Cavaliers."

Huang Gai bowed somewhat unsteadily, propping himself up on Taishi Ci's shoulder. "As you wish, my lord."

"Commander of the Iron Fists!" Ce called loudly. A veteran warrior rushed up to Ce and bowed, his forehead to the ground.

"My lord!"

Ce nodded, his hands on his hips. "You and your men will work alongside the Cavaliers under my wife's command. That means playing nice with the other boys and obeying her without question. Got it? Questions? Concerns?"'

"None, great lord!" the man said readily. "I was dazzled by the Lady's skill in this fight. If I allowed myself occasion to doubt her before, I see now the error of my ways. There is none I would not fight on her behalf, excepting your own self. She is indeed worthy of our loyalty and respect!"

Ce sighed. "Well, that was fun. Alright folks, everyone back to your tents and rest up. If you're busted up, go see a healer, tomorrow's gonna be a busy day."

The crowd began to disperse.

"Except for you, sis…" Ce said sternly.

Shang Xiang, who had been attempting to slip away unnoticed, froze dead in her tracks.

"Busted…" Fu Chin Ran said under her breath.

--

Ce watched as the old mystic healer Ren Neng worked diligently on healing Da's cuts, abrasions and bruises. Unlike Ce, whom he had forced to sit in a vat of foul-smelling, enchanted ichor, Ren Neng merely dabbed dutifully at the Lady of Wu's injuries with a cloth steeped in said concoctions.

"Now who smells like a demon's ass?" Ce quipped, grinning.

Da Qiao shot him a look. "Not funny. I nearly got killed out there today."

"And who's fault was that?" Ce asked.

"My men's, of course." Da reasoned. If they had not been so quick to defend my honour, this never would have happened."

"So when Tao Her implied that you were letting them all take a poke at you, Hong Ling should have done nothing?"

Da was silent for moment. "No, I… oh, shut up."

She made a wry face and touched her cheek gingerly, which was sporting an ugly black bruise, from where a trooper had punched her. True, she had made him pay dearly for it, but still…

"Ow…" she groused. "Why do you boys always seem to know where to hit a girl so it feels like your eyeball is going to burst right out of its socket?"

Ce chuckled. "You can always ask one of the dozens of men you kicked in the groin, I suppose."

"They had it coming." Da grumbled darkly. "You don't hit girls."

"Even lunatics who get themselves involved in the fight and even after they've ordered you to fight back?" Ce queried.

"Knowing when to shut up is not one of your strengths, you're aware of this, right?" Da said wearily, too tired and sore to banter with her smart-assed husband.

"Lord Sun Ce…" she said finally. "When I… when I attacked you and insisted on fighting you, would you… did you intend to… fight back?"

Ce sighed. "Da, there are somewhere around ten warriors in all of the Southlands who are better than you in a fight- Ling Cao, Lu Meng, Huang Gai, Taishi Ci, my sister, Fu Chin Ran, old Mo Jing, Zhou Yu and myself. You're getting better and better, there's no question, but any one of those people will still hand your ass to you."

Da sighed. "I work so hard to get better, too. And you didn't answer my question."

"Da, being the tenth beast fighter in the southlands ain't nothin' to sniff at. You do work hard, and everyone respects you for it."

"And yet Xiao gets tigers for being a lunatic." Da said sullenly.

Ce shook his head. "And you just got another company to work with, may I point out."

"A company I had to beat into submission, may I point out…" she replied, mocking his tone.

Ce laughed. "When you're determined to be bent out of shape there's no stopping you, is there?"

"I guess it was a pretty stupid fight." Da admitted.

"It was actually kinda fun, a real good tension reliever." Ce countered. "At least I don't have to answer to my daughter for getting involved, she expects it from me."

Da flushed. She hadn't thought of that before she began swinging. Trying to explain her current condition to sun Kai-ying would not be pleasant. She shuddered as Ren Neng dabbed at her ribs, lifting her right arm over her head. She was going to be back and blue for weeks, she was sure of it.

"Ce, he's touching my breasts…" she said tightly between her lips.

The lord of Wu shrugged. "If they weren't the colour of eggplants he wouldn't need to, great sage. If you want to get involved in the punch-ups, I think you can count on that happening."

"Just answer me already, you jerk!" she hissed. "Would… you… have… fought… me?"

Ce was silent before finally coming over and helping to pin up her hair, so that Ren Neng could get at the bruises on her neck. "Y'know, the Iron Fists are a tough bunch. They're not as tactically flexible as the Cavaliers and are more suited to assault. They like using dadao's in combat when possible. In the assault on Hu Lao gate, they were key in forcing-"

Da Qiao closed her eyes as Ce rambled on about the Iron Fists. Obviously he had no intention of answering her, and to be honest that was probably for the best. Her body ached and stung and her lungs were still on fire. Did she actually enjoy fighting or was she just venting her anxiety against the world?

"You weren't… horrified or angry when I attacked you, were you?" she asked nervously.

Ce laughed. "You kiddin'? To be honest, I was kinda turned on."

"And on that note I take my leave, Lord of Wu." Ren Neng said, stepping away from his charge and heading out the door. "Please let me know when it is safe to return."

Da just shook her head as the healer left. Ce smiled and stroked her cheek gently, where it was swollen and bruised.

"I'll wait outside while you get dressed."

He turned to leave but she reached out and pulled him back to her, snuggling against her back.

"Don't go," she whispered. "Some tender and caring contact would be nice after that rather unpleasant night."

Ce nodded and turned around to hold his wife. No matter how insane or violent things got, in her heart of hearts, she would always be the gentle soul he had fallen in love with. Nothing would ever change that.

--

The small room was dimly lit and Xiao stood there, staring at the table, where still waited the dreaded red and blue stones from earlier that week. She had tried reading scrolls and manuscripts, she had stared at the table for uncounted hours, and _still_ nothing came to her. Was she really _that _inept a commander?

She sighed and turned to look out the window, into the night. The moon shone brightly as she contemplated command. She had to admit, she harboured no desire for it, outside of the need to make Zhou Yu proud of her. She was pretty certain she had no natural ability for it.

She gazed sullenly down at the menagerie below, listening to the sounds of night insects and the croaking of frogs. She loved that little world so much, with it's pristine and ornate walls, that held back the vast world. She didn't mind the openness, as long as she had a comfy spot to retreat to when it all got to be too much.

Why was she bothering Ce for tigers? She didn't really deserve them, did she?

She muttered and picked up a small grey stone from the pile of tactical units and threw it angrily. It sailed far beyond the walls of the menagerie and she heard it splash into the running water beyond the walls that fed the pool.

Xiao's eyes went wide when she saw how far it had gone- it had gone much further than she expected. Had she really grown that strong so quickly? She flexed her arm, looking at the smooth skin and feeling the taut dancer's muscles beneath. She went over to a heavy bronze statue in the corner of the room and attempted to lift it. She grunted and strained for several seconds before the thing teetered and fell over. She squeaked and scampered out of the way as it crashed to the ground with a loud clang- the statue's head snapped off and rolled around the floor. It sounded like someone had exploded a war gong.

Xiao winced and uncovered her ears finally, once the noise had ended. She rushed to the door and poked her head out of it.

"Ummmmm… everything's fine!" she called out, in case anyone was planning on investigating.

She closed the door and leaned back against it, sighing and pondering why she always did the most boneheaded things. She picked up the severed head and rested it on a table while she pondered why the rock she had thrown flew so far.

She went back to the window and stared out again. If the gods had chosen that moment to bless her with a sudden feat strength, their timing was terrible.

Then it occurred to her- she was on the top floor of the pavilion! She had an advantage in height and so she had thrown the stone farther than she normally could! Greater height equaled greater throwing distance because an object thrown from higher up took longer to hit the ground, right? And it kept going forward during the extra time, so…

Xiao rushed back the table and stared at the tactical layout- she looked at her little group of red stones. She spotted a nearly hill, the peak of which read that it was eighty spans above ground level. She also noticed that one side of the hill was quite sheer.

Xiao placed her spearmen near the crest of the hill, indicating a shieldwall formation, while her archers were strung out in a line behind the spearmen. Just behind the archers, the sword and shield-bearing troops waited as a swift reserve.

Xiao squeaked in delight and clapped as she realized she had figured it out- she had now height on her foes, meaning that she could fire farther than they could and they would have to trudge up the hill to reach her. Furthermore, since one side of the hill was so sheer as to be impassable, the enemy would have to approach from the front, meaning she could not be flanked! Her spearmen could protect the other troops from a cavalry charge, and her archers could rain death down on anyone attempting to approach.

She'd done it. She didn't need tigers.

Oh, she still planned to have them, but now she didn't need them. She could officially make due.

Zhou Yu would be so proud of her.

--

**Author's Notes: ** So here comes our rematch, something I've been looking forward to writing. Concerning the other characters from the other kingdoms, I am kind of picking and choosing their personalities form the various games- this, of course, requires no thought on the part of Cao Cao, since he has never changed over the course of the series. He is actually very close to his persona in the book, inscrutable and menacing, even though he's not evil. Xiahou Dun, ever dour and grumpy, needs little modification, although you must admit, he IS kinda rocking that new emo haircut. The same can be said for Zhang Fei, although I very strongly picture him in his DW 5 outfit, since watching him wear his jammies in 6 is just painful. I miss his rumbling bass, too.

Of note is my adaptation of Liu Bei. This character is based strongly on the presentation offered up in DW6. _Finally_, a Liu Bei I can live with. He is very like his character in Three Kingdoms (minus the psychotic episodes where he's bouncing Liu Chan's skull off the ground), and he even is finally carrying two swords, the way he ought to. Liu Bei's earlier incarnations drove me loco- all he ever did was scamper around with his hand dutifully raised to his breast and babbling "Virtue virtue virtue virtue!" Frankly, he was about as deep as a rain slick.

In a game full of character holocausts (cough Shang Xiang cough), I welcome this new and wonderful Liu Bei with open arms… and he is a total beast on the battlefield!

But what of the other characters? Wei Yan now looks like a rhinoceros beetle and fights with a potato masher, Zhang He looks gayer than ever, and Zhou Yu, while he still kicks ass, looks like a hooker in those boots.

Xiahou Yuan… dude, put some clothes on, seriously! Armour is no use if your big ol' pasty belly is flopping out from beneath it. Change your name to Cleitus and get it over with!

Does anyone else think that Pang Tong looks like the Tick's sidekick Arthur? Not sure this is an improvement over the hobo look…

Dian Wei now uses a wrecking ball and lethal gas to dispose of his foes. His weapon recovery time is atrocious, so hope you hit the first time around. And apparently he let Xu Zhu draw on his face while he was asleep.

Speaking of everyone's favourite special ed fat kid, he returns to the Dynasty Warriors series after a stint as the mascot/emblem for the Big Boy burger chain. I think I'll keep his 5 appearance, if you don't mind.

Sima Yi seems to have suffered a teleporter mishap that crossed him with Fuma Kotaro from Samurai Warriors (minus the Beijing opera makeup and drag-queen fishnet t-shirt). He now uses extendo-clawz instead of a feather duster. And he's not an absolute jerk-off of a human being. He still wears a dress, though.

Guan Ping seems to have been given a court order to relinquish Cloud's Buster Blade and now uses a halberd. His hair also seems to have finally relaxed, so I assume this means Xing Cai finally put out for him. Go, Ping.

Guan Yu's ridiculous Dragonball Z haircut, just… wow… His outfit in 5 was perfect, end of story. Yes, he is still a wrecking machine, second only to Lu Bu, who now looks like an oversized, armoured cockroach, complete with feathery feelers.

Sun Quan has spent a little too much time reading 90's Italian fashion magazines, because he seems to think he's Fabio now. I will be sticking with his 5 persona and appearance, if you don't mind.

Gan Ning, while still cool, is no longer a cocky bad-ass. Worry not, he will retain his dadao and tats from 5, I promise. Love the bells in 6, though. One of my roomies really likes playing him and every time I hear them I start doing my impression of Elvis singing "Here Comes Santa Claus!"

Ling Tong is still a bitch and now he's missing his wheat threshers. The disco party pants remain a nice touch.

Lu Meng seemingly works at a dude ranch in the off-season- that's the only way I can explain the bandana. Or maybe he just has a really bad cough?

Huang Gai looks like an oversized Dwarf Troll Slayer from Warhammer.

I am pleased with the new take on Lu Xun. He is still a femme, but he is no longer a twink. The Wushu swordplay is a nice touch.

I think what pisses me off most about Ce is that he's becoming a lunkhead. He was such a cheerful, carefree frat boy; now he's… I don't know. I assure you, his persona in 6 will not be making any appearances, and his outfit is going to be an occasional thing.

Zhao Yun is, well, Zhao Yun. With every game he gets closer and closer to just coming out of the Fantasy Roleplay closet and admitting he's a Paladin. Don't hold your breath, you might miss it.

Zhuge Liang (hereafter known as Julio Liang), is more and more turning into a pimp. The addition of the feather boa to his outfit did not help matters. He just needs to start referring to Yue Ying as 'bitch' or 'ho' and his transformation will be complete.

Speaking of everyone's favourite Valkior (singular of Valkyrie, children), she has apparently abandoned Odin for the rather pitiful job of being Shang Xiang's motion clone. Wielding a bow, even in the most brutal CQC, she is exceedingly irritating to use.

Dong Zhuo, the world's greatest asshat, now looks like a monstrous demon gerbil. And, like Wei Yan, he likes to use a potato masher to dispose of his foes. Seriously, why does the dysfunctional fat kid get a story line while our poor Da Qiao gets left out entirely?

Diao Chan gives up her melon hammers and the suckiest move set in history to actually kick some ass; not to mention she's got some serious underboob going on. Hornballs everywhere rejoice!

Xiao Qiao, while still a complete and utter twinkie, no longer falls over while she fights. I LOVE her new deadlock-breaking move, it's the best thing ever. I miss her musou tantrum.

Shang Xiang… oh my dear lord in heaven… what have they done to you? This, without question, is the single most brutal psyche/character transformation in history. Winston Smith didn't suffer this radical a change in the novel 1984. She dresses like a circus clown, sounds like Xiao (gee, wonder why), uses a bow, and if she were any dumber she would have to be watered twice a week. I love Japanese culture, generally, but my only hypothesis about this unwelcome hijacking of her persona is that the Japanese consumer was threatened by a strong female character and they dumbed her down to meet this outrage. Who says misogyny is dead?

I guess it's a good thing Fu Chin Ran isn't in the game, eh?

Everyone's favourite Flaming Jesus, Zhang Jiao, looks more than ever like a frilled lizard, but at least he's wearing shoes now. I'm just happy about the shoes.

And then there are the missing characters- admittedly I don't give a crap that Jiang Wei is gone, but I miss Meng Huo. I also miss Zhu Rong and her fur bikinis. Silver or red-haired, she was totally hot, even if she sounded like Bebe Newerth. Yee…

Xing Cai, Zhang Fei's daughter with the squeaky voice and the oversized shrimp fork, is also mysteriously missing in action. Half-hearted sleuthing has led me to conclude that Hinoi Team called her back to complete an album or two…

Zuo Ci is also AWOL, and maybe this is for the best, since he was ridiculously overpowered- even Lu Bu just bent over and took it when the great sage arrived on the field; and that whole thing where he looked like he was directing on orchestra while he killed you with his tarot cards? If I wanted to be killed by Herbert von Karajan, I'd go find the Berlin Philharmonic and get killed by Herbert von Karajan, simple. I don't need some goofy old Chinese guy with an indigo fetish to do it for me.

I have it on good authority that Da Qiao was not cut from the cast but simply refused to be involved, now that her husband is a total effing moron. Can't say as I blame her.


	39. Chapter 39

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 39- The Fall of Lu Bu, Part I**

The little army had gone north, up the rivers and along the coast to Jiang Dong. Word had been sent ahead to Sun Quan that the Lord of Wu was coming and he met his older brother in the royal palace, standing deferentially to one side while Sun Ce took his place on the throne.

"What news, brother? I hear you received some visitors recently." Quan said as Da and Xiao rushed up to hug him.

"We're headin' north to Xia Pi, Quan." Ce replied, grinning.

Quan's countenance darkened. "I have, of course, heard of the troubles in the north. Lu Bu is making a menace of himself once again."

"Well, that's what Cao Cao gets for dealing with people like that." Ce said. "It never occurred to me to negotiate with that monster."

"So now you ride against him?" Quan asked. "What business is it of ours?"

Ce's eyes hardened. "Because wherever he goes, he's a plague upon the land. Even if we keep him out of the south, people elsewhere will suffer because of him."

"That and you want a rematch, don't you?" Quan ventured,

Ce shrugged. Minor benefit, and we want to make sure this operation succeeds. I've brought some of my toughest regiments and Liu Bei and Cao Cao are doing the same."

"Besides," Shang Xiang said as she strolled into the hall, followed by Fu Chin Ran. "We must learn to work with the reasonable lords of the land. Heavens know there are enough unreasonable ones to deal with."

Quan hugged his sister and everyone bowed as their mother entered the room, along with Kuang.

"It is nice to see you again, my son," the dignified woman said, bowing to Ce. "It is so quiet around here without you and your antics."

Lady Sun walked up to Da Qiao and took the younger woman's hands in hers.

"And how is the greatest lady in the realm?" she asked, smiling at her daughter-in-law.

Da bowed her head humbly. "Privileged, as always, to be married to the greatest family in the land and mother of the most beautiful daughter ever known."

Lady Sun smiled warmly. She loved Da Qiao greatly, considering her the perfect wife for her son.

"And my granddaughter?" she asked. "Did she accompany you?"

"She is with her cousins in the kitchen, mother." Da replied. "Like their mother, Xiao's children eat constantly. I hope your larder is well-stocked."

Lady Sun laughed and turned to Shang Xiang. "And what of you, Shang Xiang? Have you any plans for providing me with great and glorious grandchildren?"

Shang Xiang rolled her eyes. "Mother, we've been over this. I like girls, remember?"

"As a strong young man should." Lady Sun said, nodding. The comment caused Fu Chin Ran, who was standing next to Shang Xiang, to snicker. The matriarch turned her attention to look at her.

"Ah, your commander. A pretty girl, although her bearing is unsuitably martial…"

She took Fu Chin Ran by the wrist and examined her arm. She frowned slightly as she noted the taut muscles and sinews. She bent the limb slowly, causing Fu Chin Ran to flex her arm. She clucked her tongue in dissatisfaction at the pronounced bicep.

"Mother, be kind to her!" Shang Xiang hissed indignantly. "She is my captain and personal bodyguard!"

"She should be Ce's bodyguard, judging by the looks of her." Lady Sun muttered.

Taishi Ci raised an eyebrow.

"Must you both go?" the matriarch asked. "I try to not get involved in these political affairs…"

Ce, Quan and Kuang all looked at the ceiling and Shang Xiang blinked at the statement.

"But I have heard of this man you go to fight, this Lu Bu. He is labeled as a warrior without equal. Why must you go to fight him and jeopardize the future of our family?"

"Because who's gonna stop him if I don't?" Ce pointed out. "What if he came to Jiang Dong? This man is a killer, plain and simple. He will not care that Kuang is a pacifist, he will slay anyone who tries to hinder him."

"But are even you ready for such a challenge, son?" she asked. "I would point out the time your father, a man several years your senior, soundly thrashed you in one of your sparring matches."

"I was eight at the time, mom." Ce said in a slightly exasperated tone. "Things are a little different now."

"Yes, your father is gone," Lady Sun said sadly. "He defeated that awful Hua Xiong single-handedly."

"And I fought Lu Bu to a standstill." Ce retorted.

"Your father _slew _his foe, something you did not seem capable of…" his mother countered.

"Hua Xiong and Lu Bu are slightly different, mom. I could have handled Hua Xiong." Ce said somewhat tightly.

"Then why did you leave your poor father to fight him all alone?" she asked morosely.

Ce pinched his eyes in despair. Da giggled and smiled at her mother-in-law, bowing gracefully.

"Great lady, please do not torture him so. I still have need of him."

Ce's mother raised an eyebrow. "Why, my daughter? Has he not already given you a child? What further use could you have for such a stone-headed monkey?"

"He has uses that sates other needs, mother." Da said, shrugging. "I am a woman, after all."

"Try women some time, then." Shang Xiang muttered.

"And _this_ is why I love marchin' off to war." Ce announced. "Because Lu Bu'll be easier to deal with than her."

He stood now and looked around the room. "Alright, listen up, folks! I'm marchin' against Lu Bu in Xia Pi, to make sure he never troubles anyone again. Jiang Dong is our first line of defense and it's gonna supply our task force with everything it needs for the campaign. Scribes!"

Scribes hurried over and bowed obediently in front of the throne.

"We're gonna need at least three months worth of supplies for each of the companies and regiments going. Keep the supplies efficient and basic, I don't plan to be long. Make sure there are lots of extra arrows and timber for siege weapons."

"Brother!" Quan said, kneeling before Ce. "Most humbly I beg you to allow me to accompany you and bring my Wolf Guard along. Please do not deny my men the chance to earn glory in this historic event."

Ce looked down at Quan, initially saying nothing, struggling with how to answer his brother's plea.

"Take him with you, Ce." Lady Sun said quietly. Kuang and I can look after Wuchang in his absence, I assure you."

Ce raised an eyebrow. "You sure, mother?"

She nodded again. "You do not live for nearly two decades as the wife of Sun Jian without acquiring some martial skills, son. Lu Bu will stand no chance if the Sun family stands together, led by you, the eldest and strongest."

Ce looked at the commanders of the forces he would be leading against Lu Bu- Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers, Zhou Yu and his Swordwind regiment, Quan and his Wolf Guard, Zhou Tai's Steel Dawn company, Lu Xun and his Firefox irregulars, Shang Xiang's amazons, and Da Qiao, accompanied by the Valiant Cavaliers and Iron Fists.

Nearly three thousand troops.

Comparatively speaking it was a pittance, given that Cao Cao was bringing over fifty thousand soldiers and Liu Bei nearly twenty thousand. Other lords, such as Kong Rong and Gongsun Zan were contributing another ten thousand, including the renowned White Riders.

But it was certainly enough for what he had planned.

"Do we march to meet our allies, brother?" Quan asked, approaching Ce, his eyes flashing.

Ce threw back his head and laughed, exulting in the sight of the ferocious tigers he had assembled for war.

"Not a chance, Quan," he said cheerfully. "The warriors of Wu have their own way of doing things…"

--

Da Qiao stood beside her husband at the bow of the ship and looked out into the night. A cool, refreshing breeze caressed her face and curled through strands of her hair. She missed the sea.

"Will Cao Cao not be angry that you did not ride to join him but arrived by sea instead?" she asked.

Ce gazed into the darkness, his arms folded across his chest, "Don't really care, I'm not under his command. Stormin' Xia Pi from the east by sea is somethin' only we can do. Our three thousand won't add much to the host, but it's enough to throw Lu Bu's forces into confusion when we hit them from an entirely different direction. Even he can't be two places at once, so if we divide his forces…"

"It will be easier to take Xia Pi." Da concluded, nodding as the strategy unfolded for her. "Who, my lord, will keep the territory?"

"I dunno," Ce said, shrugging. "Lu Bei was the last administrator before Lu Bu chased him out, but he never seems to stay in one place too long anyway. Cao Cao will probably want it, since he is Prime Minister and could claim to be returning it to Imperial rule, but Yuan Shao's lands are closer and his claim would be pretty solid."

"Do you intend to stake an interest in the territory, lord?" she asked.

"Not really, no." Ce replied. "It's kinda far and we don't have the troops yet to man such a remote outpost that other lords will always be jabbing at."

"I have been to Xia Pi," Da said quietly. "When Xiao and I were merely children."

Ce turned his head to look at his wife. "Really? You've never mentioned that before."

"My father's visit to the region seemed rather trivial until now, lord." Da replied. "I merely mentioned it now in passing because we go to siege it."

"Remember anything useful?" Ce asked.

"I doubt it, my lord. I could not have been more than six at the time."

"Well, try anyway." Ce pressed. "Every little bit helps."

"My lord, did Liu Bei not supply you with recent maps of the land and schematics of the fortress? Surely those would be more useful to our expedition that vague memories from nearly my child-"

"Humour me, Da." Ce said gently but firmly.

Da Qiao sighed, realizing a tactics lesson was imminent. She took a charred stick from a nearby cooking fire set into a bronze fixing and knelt on the deck, drawing rough images.

"You've got a good memory, Da." Ce said, watching his wife in fascination.

"Xiao's better with art and images, though." Da replied, concentrating on her task. Ce sent a guard to fetch Xiao and soon the two sisters were working diligently at their task. Ce frowned as he listened to them speak to one another, but he could not understand a single thing they were saying.

"What are you two babbling about?" he asked. "Do Qiao women have their own secret language?"

Da paused to look up at her husband and smiled. "After a fashion, my lord. We are speaking Latin."

Ce raised an eyebrow. "Latin? What the hell's that?"

"Latin, the official language of that empire you are so fascinated with, Roma."

"How, by all the gods, do you two know that?" Ce asked, incredulous.

"Well, when that trader, Dayu-kah the Mede sold you all those goods, he gave you countless scrolls, many of which were written in Latin. I commissioned several Uyghur scribes to give me phonetic translations of their language into ours. Xiao and I have been practicing for months now, although neither of us is as good as our daughter."

"So you two can speak it?"

Da pursed her lips as she considered her answer. "Only on a rudimentary level, and mostly only for our communication purposes. I imagine a native Latin speaker would have a hard time understanding us. We lack a great deal of syntax and declension, but we can understand and relate basic concepts."

Xiao giggled and pointed at Ce. _"Stercorum pro cerebro habes!"_

Da hissed and swatted her sister, who squeaked and went back to drawing.

"Uhhh… what did she just say?" Ce asked.

Da flushed. "She… she said that she loves how your ponytail flows in the breeze."

"Riiiight," Ce said dryly. "You're a terrible liar, Da, even in other languages. She probably said I have shit for brains or somethin'."

Xiao hunkered down and kept working on the project. Da joined her again and Ce waited patiently while they finished. Finally the two of them stood up and Da wiped the sweat form her brow.

"It is crude, my lord, and drawn from memory, but I hope it will suffice."

Ce squatted down and observed the schematic intently.

"So these are outlying forts, right?" he queried, indicating four squares at the corners of the central structure.

Da nodded. "Yes, my lord, tall palisades atop earthen ramparts that guard the approach to the main fortress' gates. They were… how many skips apart were they, Xiao?"

Xiao closed her eyes and counted on her fingers. "Ummmm… three thousand four-hundred and sixty-six."

Da nodded. "Three thousand four-hundred and sixty-six skips, with three spans to a skip, meaning that they were… ugh, where is an abacus when I need one?"

"It's three _li_, Da." Ce said simply.

She scowled at him.

"What? Somebody in this family's gotta be good at math, and it sure ain't you or our daughter." Ce pointed out.

"Anyways," Da continued, ignoring her husband and pointing down at the image of bygone Xia Pi. "The outlying forts were close enough to one another that the central fortress could only be approached by the narrow corridor they and their adjoining walls created. The main fortress had concentric walls of defense around a strong central tower."

"Hmmm…" Ce murmured, observing the layout.

"But as I said, my lord, this was more than fifteen years ago and we know things have changed since then." Da finished, her voice tinged with regret.

"Alright, you two go and get some sleep." Ce said finally. "Thanks for the history lesson, ladies."

Da and Xiao looked at each other, shrugged and left for their berths below deck. Ce leaned back against a beam and stared at the image. Some minutes later, Zhou Yu came above deck and saw Ce studying something intently. He came over and joined his friend in staring at the image.

"Turns out our wives had been to Xiao Pi when they were little," Ce said, his eyes still scanning the drawing. "I'm assumin' it's to scale, since they measure it in skips."

Zhou Yu kneeled and traced over the image with his finger, adding in shapes that obviously represented more recent structures. Ce smiled and nodded as they arrived at the same conclusion.

"Those girls are geniuses." Zhou Yu said as he stood back and observed the altered schematic.

Ce chuckled. "That's our story and we're stickin' to it."

"I recommend Lu Xun." Zhou Yu suggested. "He is young and daring and unusually wise."

"Reminds me of someone else I know," Ce said, clapping his hand on Zhou Yu's shoulder. "So we know what to do now, let's get some sleep and think on it."

Zhou Yu nodded and they walked toward the lower decks.

"By the way, Zhou Yu… _stercorum pro cerebro habes._"

"I most certainly do not!" the strategist said indignantly.

--

The ships landed in the dead of night, under the cover of clouds that obscured the light of the moon. The lithe, fleet troops ships debarked their passengers and withdrew, while the larger transport barges grounded and opened their hulls, unloading supplies, timber and horses.

Only two units were mounted, due to space and supply constraints- the Valiant Cavaliers and Shang Xiang's amazons. The other companies and battalions were all on foot, since this was likely to be a siege and Ce did not want horses consuming undue amounts of their supplies and storage space.

While the troops were unloading, Ce lined up the commanders and discussed what would be happening next.

"This has got to be timed just right, guys," he said. "Our plan is to hit Xia Pi when Lu Bu is far enough away and readying to engage our allies. We attack the fort while he's readying to throw his forces into confusion. He'll have to come back to try and stop us, and our allies'll attack him from behind. If he engages us before our allies are ready, we'll suffer losses we shouldn't, and if we attack too late our allies will accuse us of holding back."

He turned to Lu Xun. "You understand what's being asked of you and your men, right?"

The young commander bowed. "Whatever you ask of me, my lord, I shall endeavor to accomplish with my meager ability. I shall not fail you."

Ce had assigned Lu Xun and his Firefox company to an unusual and dangerous assignment. Using the layout Da and Xiao had drawn for them, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce had developed a plan to have Lu Xun and his men find and make use of old, abandoned tunnels to make their way under Xia Pi castle and emerge inside the defenses when the enemy least expected. Working with Lu Xun were one hundred warriors who had mining or architecture experience, who would assess, reinforce and, if necessary, delve tunnels that would lead them under Xia Pi.

Zhou Yu had also assigned a company of his elite Swordwind troops to the endeavor. It would be they who led the charge when Lu Xun emerged inside the fortress. Armed with light, strong straight blades, they were some of the deadliest swordsmen south of the Great River.

Ce liked what he sensed in Lu Xun- there was a keen mind behind those glinting eyes, a mind as bright and sharp as the steel of the sword that sat on his hip. Lu Xun was perceptive, like Zhou Yu, but he was also humble, something Ce would never accuse his best friend of. Zhou Yu was well aware of his intellectual might and used it to cow those in his presence. Lu Xun surprised you with his unexpected wisdom, whereas Zhou Yu exuded it, wearing his acumen like a glorious robe.

Ce had sparred with Lu Xun before they'd left Jiang Dong, and was quite pleased with his performance. He was very fast with his sword and struck with confidence- his speed was comparable to that of more experienced warriors, such as Zhou Yu, Da Qiao or Ling Cao's son, Tong. He was not as fast as Ce (no one was), but his execution was flowing and flawless. Ce predicted and blocked the young warrior's attacks and broke his guard easily, but he was nonetheless impressed. The sword style Lu Xun utilized was an ancient and traditional one from the Lujiang region, little known in this day and age. Ce also knew that the exotic white tattoo Lu Xun sported under his left eye was common to the nobility of the lush plains of Gu.

"This is a dangerous mission, Lu Xun," Ce said to his commander. "If you are discovered you are likely to be trapped in the tunnels and killed. I entrust this mission to you because I think you understand the risks and are not afraid. Be patient, careful and expeditious. Is there anything you want to say?"

"Nothing, great lord," Lu Xun said, bowing. "I only ask that you remember the boon I have begged of you in my family's name."

Ce nodded. "Right, your family's name and honour. Remember your duty to me and I will remember my duty to you. You have my word. Now get your troops ready."

Lu Xun bowed again and hurried off.

"Right," Ce said, turning to the rest of his commanders. "Now Lu Bu doesn't know we're here yet. We've secured our landing site and now we'll have to move fast. I plan to flank around the castle, north and south and get between Lu Bu and Xia Pi after he's sallied out to meet our allies. That'll put us between him and his fortress."

He cracked his knuckles. "But that means we're gonna have long supply lines, and we'll need to guard them in case of counter-attack and especially secure our landing site. Da, you and your two companies are to guard the ships against all odds. If the enemy takes 'em, we're gonna be strung out really thin with nowhere to retreat to."

Da Qiao nodded her assent. She had eight barges to protect and two hundred men to do it with. She would not fail.

"Sis, you and your girls will be securing and guarding the southern route," Ce indicated, pointing to the southwest. "Since you're all mounted, I'm countin' on you to respond to any threats that might cut off our supplies."

Shang Xiang thumped her fist into her palm and bowed her head.

"Quan, you're securing the northern passage and you're gonna be working with Cao Cao's forces up there. It's my understanding that ol' Mengde's cousin Xiahou Yuan is attacking from that direction. We don't really know anything about the Xiahou clan at all, so you're representing our family. Make sure we give a good account of ourselves, got it?"

Quan nodded. "Of course, brother."

No one doubted Quan and Shang Xiang's courage, but everyone also tacitly understood that Ce was keeping his brother and sister out of harm's way. If Ce was slain by Lu Bu, it would fall to the two of them to avenge him.

Ce smiled confidently. "Alright, that leaves me Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers, Zhou Yu and his Swordwind, minus Lu Xun's borrowed company, and Zhou Tai's Steel Dawn company to hit Lu Bu from behind. That oughta be more than enough."

"_A good start," _Ce thought to himself. _"Time to show that featherhead what the warriors of Wu are made of…"_

--

Quan rode in front of his Wolf Guard, who marched dutifully behind him. Carrying shields and spears while wearing swords and bows on their hips, they were tough and flexible troops, renowned for their stalwart bravery in the face of any foe.

It was the lord of Jiang Dong's understanding that Xiahou Yuan had secured the north of Xia Pi with surprising speed. In command of over ten thousand men, Cao Cao's cousin was an unknown quantity to the armies of Wu and he intended to find out more. The night was dark as they marched north, and although they passed few settlements of any size and none that could be qualified as more than a village, he could not shake the feeling that they were being watched intently.

Torches blazed up around them. Without a word, the Wolf Guard leapt quickly and effortlessly into a complex and concentric defensive formation around Sun Quan- the shield wall bristled with spears, protecting archers who would kill any who dared approach. Centered around Quan was a ring of heavily-armoured swordsmen. He drew his sword.

"Hold!" he shouted with authority as his flashing green eyes scanned the darkness beyond the torches, looking for foes. He and his men would give a good account of themselves, even if it were Lu Bu himself who had surrounded them.

A man on a dapple horse rode out of the night, accompanied by a squad of cavaliers. The Wu soldiers could now see men in armour and blue surcoats thrown about them in a ring. They were completely surrounded. The commander's helm was high-peaked and scaled, in the manner of the northern warriors of the Han.

"Who are you? State your intentions!" Quan called, looking at the commander levelly.

The man smirked. "Perhaps, since you have encroached on our territory, I should be asking you to declare yourself first. But since you are obviously our allies from the south, I shall do you a courtesy and introduce myself to you."

Quan watched intently as the man rode forward, leaving his guard behind.

"I am Xiaohong Gao, lieutenant to General Xiahou Yuan. He bade me to come and greet you and conduct you to his encampment, so that you were not wandering about like children lost in a foreign land."

Quan bristled but said nothing.

"And might I ask your name now, captain?" Xiaohong intoned.

"I am Sun Quan, second son of Sun Jian and brother to Sun Ce, the Lord of Wu." Quan declared in a proud and stern voice.

The lieutenant assessed Quan for a moment, but in his eyes could be sensed a change. He finally bowed his head and beckoned for the Wu contingent to resume the march.

"Please, follow me, Lord of Wuchang." Xiaohong said deferentially.

The Wolf Guard fell silently into place behind Quan and followed their host into the night.

--

Xiahou Yuan sat on the wide, cushioned chair inside his tent. To his right was a low, wooden table on which sat many silver trays bearing heaps of food- exotic fruits, spices, jars of wine and haunches of meat. He casually tore the leg off a roasted northern lamb and yanked off a great hunk with his teeth. He chewed loudly and swallowed before sucking the grease off his fingers. He finished off the leg with a deep quaff of his wine.

His tent was a study in contrasting lifestyles- the elegant blues and silvers along with arrogant hints of Imperial yellow adorned the place. The braziers burned oils scented with jasmine. The space was strewn seemingly carelessly with the furs of animals, plunder and other signs of barbaric splendour; racks of weapons lined the walls and banners and battlefield trophies were in plain view, meant to impress the visitor.

Several women sat in patient attendance while the general gorged himself. Lieutenant Xiaohong was admitted to the tent and bowed.

"General, the contingent of southern warriors has arrived, led by Lord Sun Ce's brother, Quan, the Duke of Wuchang."

Xiahou Yuan looked up from his food for a moment and then grunted.

"Alright, alright, show him in."

Quan entered the tent and stood in the dim light of the braziers quietly, assessing his ally. He hoped his eyes did not betray his bewilderment- this greasy lummox was cousin of the Prime Minister and renowned for his command of the running battle and swift engagement?

Quan clasped his fist into his hand and bowed his head,

"General, I am Sun Quan, brother of Sun Ce, Lord of the Southlands. I am his regent in Jiang Dong."

Xiahou Yuan nodded as he got up from his chair. He let out a loud, rolling belch and thumped his fist against his breastplate. He lumbered on over to Quan and returned the bow.

"Welcome, Lord of Wuchang," he said in his guttural tenor. "Will you sit and eat with me? Some wine, perhaps?"

Quan nodded and followed the general back to a low, lacquered table. The sat on small cushions opposite one another and waited while servants brought food- untouched trays of meat, bowls of clear, spiced broths and sweet, gemlike fruits. Xiahou Yuan dug in while Quan selected gingerly from the pickled fruits and vegetables.

"Please, Lord Quan," Xiahou Yuan said, gesturing. "Take what you will. The duck is excellent."

"I thank you for the offer, general," Quan replied politely. "But I practice a rather ascetic form of the teachings of the Buddha and as such I do not partake in animal flesh."

Xiahou Yuan raised an eyebrow. "You do not follow the Tao?"

"Well, yes, of course," Quan said. "It is my belief that the Tao and the Great wheel are one and the same, just observed from different perspectives."

"The truth has many faces." Xiahou Yuan intoned, nodding. "My cousin Cao Cao has told me that this foreign religion has gained a following in the south. So you do not eat meat. Tell me you at least still partake of wine, my lord."

Quan nodded. "Of course, I would be honoured."

"Might I ask you an esoteric question, then?"

"Please do."

"How do you reconcile not eating meat when the gods themselves do? After all, if memory serves, at least three of the Eight Fabled Dainties are forms of meat- ape lips, rabbit embryo and phoenix marrow, yes?"

Quan made a wry face. "I thank the gods I am not one of them, then. One would think they would be content with Xi Wang Mu's immortal peaches."

Xiahou Yuan laughed. "Indeed. Let the gods keep their rabbit embryo and ape lips; wine is good enough for the likes of us."

"Indeed," Quan said, chewing thoughtfully. "Now, general, if I may be so bold as to ask you something, please."

"By all means." Xiahou Yuan said, grinning.

"I have heard that your cousin, Lord Cao Cao, is not a Cao at all but was born a Xiahou. Is this correct?"

The grin remained but the countenance behind the eyes darkened. The general nodded.

"It is as you say, lord. Indeed he was of our clan, but was adopted when young into the powerful Cao family, with whom we already have close family ties going back some generations. He is a great man, my cousin."

"He has the ambition of one, certainly." Quan agreed. "In these uncertain times, heroes will be needed, wouldn't you say?"

"I once fought alongside your father," Xiahou Yuan remarked. "He was a leader and fighter the likes of which are rarely seen in these times. My cousin was greatly impressed with his defeat of Hua Xiong. Is your family actually descended from the Great Martial Sage, as is rumoured?"

"So I am told, and since we are in possession of many manuscripts written personally by the Great Sage, I am inclined to believe it."

"You do not take pride in this prestigious lineage?" Xiahou Yuan asked.

"I can take no pride in my name, if I do not earn it for myself." Quan answered truthfully. "Certainly my father and brother have never been content to rest on the accomplishments and names of our ancestors, I could certainly do no less."

"As any worthwhile man knows." Xiahou Yuan now declared, beckoning for wine to be brought. "Pleasantries aside, my friend and ally, what brings you to my humble tent?"

"I know not, to be honest," Quan said truthfully. "My brother sent me north to meet you and learn what kind of man you are."

"And what will you tell him, if I may ask?"

"That your barbaric splendour conceals a thoughtful mind, general. I have yet to see you take to the field, though, which I believe was my brother's principal compunction in giving me this assignment."

Xiahou Yuan chuckled. "And your brother is such an enigma to my cousin. You southerners are a strange breed to us- unconventional and a little coarse at times, but honest and straightforward, with little thought for dissembly or guile. We are pleased for your nation's prowess in arms, as well as your brother's, and we were pleased to hear he had agreed to help us deal with Lu Bu."

"He almost left us all at home at came by himself." Quan remarked. "However, we convinced him to allow a few troops to come along."

"A few? How many is that?"

"We number some three thousands," replied Quan. "However, it is enough for the tactics we plan to execute."

"They had better be," Xiahou Yuan said, not sarcastically but with concern. "Would you mind divulging your plan to me, that I may better assist with the coordination of our alliance?"

"I will tell you what I can, for in truth I do not know it all myself." Quan said truthfully. "We are attacking from the eastern shores, both north and south, pincering around the fortress of Xia Pi to get behind Lu Bu as he rides forth to engage the main host. Beyond that, only my brother and his strategist Zhou Yu know the entire plan."

Xiahou Yuan nodded thoughtfully. He liked this Sun Quan but was well aware that loyalty to his cousin came before any bonds of friendship. He harboured no doubt that the destinies of the north and the south would collide, and he wanted to know everything he could about this future enemy. He remembered the name Zhou Yu, a young man reputed to be a brilliant philosopher, warrior and tactician, schooled in the finest academies. If he fought alongside the mighty Sun Ce, there could be trouble.

"I am impressed with your Wolf Guard." Xiahou Yuan said casually, directing the conversation in a new direction. "They are very well disciplined and hardy-looking. Are all the troops of the south trained in such a manner?"

Sun Quan considered his answer carefully, wondering what information he could safely volunteer to his ally- certainly it was widely known that the armies of Jiang Dong had been small but professional, since they fought in the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the campaign against Dong Zhuo. The tale of the defeat of the tyrant's army by scaring them off with a bagua formation was told across the land. But what else could he say without compromising the security of the Southlands?

"My brother believes in small, efficient armies of volunteers, well-paid and maintained. Conscripts have low morale and we consider them an imposition on the people."

"But have not your lands grown rapidly?" Xiahou Yuan asked. "How can you garrison such a realm, no matter how elite your forces? And even for elite armies, losses and attrition in war are inevitable. How do you avoid the need for conscript levies?"

"The people are happy, we never lack for volunteers to serve in our armies." Quan said simply. "Well-paid and trained, our armies are inspired by their leaders. True, heroism on the battlefield can be rewarded on the spot with bags of gold, but I have seen men refuse the money as long as they are praised for their efforts. The reward money is sent to their families. The people of the south are not militaristic, but they are warlike, when called upon to be. The warrior is a respected profession in our lands."

"Surely you are not implying that it is not respected elsewhere within the Middle Kingdom." Xiahou Yuan said, his tone level.

Quan thought about how to answer. "I believe it to be, of course. But I perceive a difference in this manner- in the south we have a warrior tradition. Here in the north and elsewhere, you raise soldiers. And between the two, I believe there is a difference in philosophy."

"Aye, I would agree." Xiahou Yuan said genially. "Not only that there is a difference, but I would also agree that you raise warriors in the south and we have soldiers in the north. The Confucian conformity so desired by Han society is not as strong in the south, which has a history of fierce independence, which in turn is the perfect breeding ground for the fiercely independent warrior."

Quan knew he was being probed and measured, but he saw no harm in answering. These people were his allies, not his enemies… yet.

"There are warriors in the north, of course," Quan added. "Lu Bu is never referred to as a soldier, nor was Dian Wei."

"And I've no doubt there are soldiers in the south. The point is a moot and esoteric one, really, the domain of men too busy to fight. You and I both know that both the warrior and the soldier only prove their merits on the battlefield, one trial at a time."

A soldier rushed into the tent and bowed before the two leaders.

"General! An enemy force has been spotted stalking northward! They number some five hundred cavalry and three thousand infantry, if our scouts are right!"

"Hmmm, they know we are here," Xiahou Yuan mused. "Or, at least, they know we are somewhere about. It seems the enemy has word of us, and perhaps we should make ourselves fully know to them, yes?"

The general stood up and scratched at himself, chuckling. Quan tried to not look at the rather repulsive folds of hairy flab that stuck out from beneath Xiahou Yuan's breastplate. He watched as the northerner walked to a corner and picked up a blade of bizarre design- overly large, it seemed to have been crafted to gut enormous fish, not men on the battlefield. Did he really use such a weapon?

"Now, Lord of Wuchang," the general said, his dark eyes glinting with determination. "I shall demonstrate to you why the Prime Minister trusts such a fat oaf as myself with the business of the unexpected attack. Would you care to accompany me and together we shall share the honour of drawing first blood in this historic war?"

Quan nodded. There was no doubt in his mind. For the first time in his life, he, among his family would claim that coveted honour. The Wolf Guard would be remembered for striking the first blow against Lu Bu.

--

Da Qiao stood at the bow of the capital ship, looking out into the night. The Wu army had marched off, splitting north and south, leaving the eastern shores guarded by her Valiant Cavaliers and Iron Fist companies. They were charged with safekeeping the barges that the army relied on for its supplies.

In spite of the recent turmoil and conflict between the two units, they were working very well together. The company commanders discussed with Da Qiao the best way to coordinate their tactics effectively- the flexible Valiant Cavaliers could skirmish or hold a battle line, while the offence-oriented Iron Fists could counterattack with the heavy swords.

A squabble and brawl nearly arose over which company would provide the squad of bodyguards for their lady commander. The Cavaliers claimed the right because they had been her troops ever since she took command, whereas the Iron Fists pointed out they were the older unit with the more illustrious lineage and they had the battle trophies to prove it.

Da Qiao settled the dispute by declaring that each company would provide on five-man squad to act as her guard unit and the troopers would be rotated monthly until she decided otherwise. Both commanders wisely agreed.

She then chided them both. To the commander of the Valiant Cavaliers she said "Indeed I have been your commander longer, and your ill-behaved, disrespectful men have the flogging scars to prove it. Since the Fists have come under my auspices, not a single one of them has felt the lash. In that same time, thereof your men have felt its sting and another got General Huang Gai's boot up his behind for getting a local shrine priestess drunk and laying with her."

The commander of the Cavaliers kow-towed with great humility; he knew Da Qiao adored the Valiant Cavaliers and that this reproach was mostly for show, but there was no denying the truth of her words. They were not the worst-behaved company in Huang Gai's corps, but they certainly weren't the best, either.

Da turned now to the commander of the Iron Fists. "And as for all these vaunted merits and battle trophies in your past, what is that to me? How many glories are you planning to win for me in _this_ campaign?"

She then strode off toward the capital barge. The two commanders watched her go.

"An extraordinary woman, but you would have to be such a man as Lord Sun Ce to put up with her, _shi_?" the Iron Fists captain said.

"A rare lady," the Valiant Cavaliers commander agreed. "She is learning quickly to be a leader but there is the matter of her self-confidence. She feels that she is but a courtesan, who, by the will of the gods or joss, has been compelled to command men in battle."

"They say your first engagement with her in command at Ox Landing was an outstanding success."

"In spite of her, yes," the Valiant Cavaliers commander said, smiling. "We'd been ambushed and staged a defensive withdrawal. She nearly ruined everything by assuming we were in full rout and she attacked the enemy force by herself. We had to charge back in to save her."

"Is that so?" the Iron Fists captain asked, eyebrow raised. "I've heard tell that by the time your men got their leaden asses moving, she had single-handedly driven off the enemy."

"As you said, an extraordinary lady," concluded his counterpart. "And a downright lunatic."

"Perhaps, but I deem she is worthy of our dedication. Together our companies shall make her the pride of the corps. Assuming we survive her command."

"On that point we agree."

--

Da Qiao had not heard what her commanders were saying as she walked away and frankly she didn't care. She knew she could rely on them if battle came. She also knew they were supposed to stay out of trouble- Sun Ce had made this abundantly clear to both commanders. His wife was to be kept safe so that he did not have any concerns aside from facing Lu Bu.

And while Da had every intention of avoiding Fengxian, she could not help but hope that at least _some _action came their way.

For the sake of her men, of course.

Standing now on the prow of her barge, she listened to the night and its sounds. She had forbad conversation above a whisper and all open flame. Nearby, her two guardian squads waited in total silence.

It struck as odd that everything was so quiet, since by morning the land was surely to be engulfed by the chaos of war. The calm of the night seemed somehow out of place to her, as if it were a façade that held back something else. And yet, many of her men seemed callow, as if they expected to see no action at all in this campaign.

Da knew they were valiant and hardy. She knew of their spirit and courage. But because they were charged with safeguarding the princess, they ran the risk of spending less time campaigning than any other companies in the corps. She was determined to…

To what? To give them a chance to fight gloriously and get themselves killed?

She shook her head as she realized how strange this sounded. Sighing, she sat down on a large coil of rope. She gazed at one of her ornate battle fans- even in the blackness of night she could make out its details clearly. The crème-coloured silk that spanned the elegant frame, so delicately painted with golds, greens, coral shades and sweeping vistas recreated in unreal detail. She could see the great Mt Tai, soaring into the heavens and piercing the pearly clouds. On the broad, lower slopes of the mountain could be seen houses in clusters and around the homes were people. They seemed serene, almost transcendent; and who would not be, living on the slopes of the mountain that was home to the gods themselves?"

Above the clouds, the peak was surrounded ethereal mists that were cunningly arrayed to look like great, celestial homes or palaces, but only if you were not scrutinizing too carefully.

Da Qiao saw fantastic animals, both on the ground and within the clouds- fanciful birds, such as cranes, pheasants, peacocks and even a brilliant crimson and gold phoenix could be seen. Da found a dragon nestled amongst the clouds that she had not noticed before (maybe it had not been there before) and she smiled warmly as she espied the river dragon, making his way up the Luo River, seemingly further along than he had been before.

On the far left side of her fan, the frame was bordered with a magnificent gold disk, representing the sun. Beneath this glorious disk was portrayed the palace of the Goddess of the Uttermost West, Xi Wang Mu. It was a palace of the purest jade and an army of celestial animals danced attendance upon her.

She examined now the far right side of her fan, the "east". Though she loved the sunrise, most people of the coastlands associated the east with the mighty and terrible storms, the _"tai-fung"_. Pale blues representing the eastern sea gave way to roiling grays and purples, squalling winds driven by Lei Kung, the Duke of Thunder. She swore she could see his terrible, fanged visage in the storm clouds and found she was now leaning in to look at her fan, observing it almost obsessively.

She sat up and blinked a few times, taking deep breaths. She could feel the fan in her grip- she had always been puzzled by how they felt somehow alive and she wondered if her mother was correct about them being blessed and magical.

She stood silently and made a graceful motion with the fan, watching as she passed her arm to the side. The moon broke through the clouds and cast a silvery light over the deck of the barge. Da turned her wrist and brought the fan back in front of herself in a fluid motion. Her other fan now joined in the form and she began a slow, graceful dance beneath the moon. The music that always caressed her mind now flowed forth, inspiring her with an ancient dance of Taishan, home of the gods.

"_What shall I say of the Great Peak? --  
The ancient dukedoms are everywhere green,  
Inspired and stirred by the breath of creation,  
With the Twin Forces balancing day and night.  
...I bare my breast toward opening clouds,  
I strain my sight after birds flying home.  
When shall I reach the top and hold  
All mountains in a single glance?"_

The war fell away, conflict and the world itself fled- there was only her and the moon. The music of all that was filled her, directing her movements while a profound and unique serenity filled her.

Was this the Tao?

The mighty stellar river above her wheeled and flowed, singing of eternal truth; a cascade of shooting stars lanced through the night. She listened to her body as she danced, reveling in the feeling of oneness she shared with the great vault of Heaven.

She wasn't sure how long she had been dancing but she suddenly became acutely away of scores of unseen eyes focused on her. She stopped the hypnotic movement and scowled into the darkness, her hands on her hips and her foot tapping.

"Don't you lot have a war to fight?" she growled.

Her troops stopped gawking and went about their jobs. Da sighed and shook her head wearily.

"Perverts…"

--

Sun Quan and his men marched, wary of ambush. Xiahou Yuan had received word of an enemy force in the area and the two commanders had gone forth to meet the threat. Xiahou Yuan and his cavalry had ridden off into the darkness and Quan had not seen them since.

Quan's scouts reported that a large enemy force was headed straight toward his Wolf Guard. Quan had hoped to catch the enemy off-guard, but it sounded like he would be defending himself instead. Initial reports estimated that he was outnumbered at least three to one.

As they advanced, Quan made a series of hand gestures, instructions that all of his sub-commanders understood readily. When the enemy came, each company would know exactly what to do.

The east had turned scarlet, heralding dawn and the sun. It was still dark overhead when horns sounded ahead and out of the darkness came several companies, hoping to overwhelm their foes with sheer momentum.

Quan and his men advanced steadily and silently. Each company was marching in a line twenty-five men long and four ranks deep. The first two ranks had their spears and shields ready while the third rank was nocking arrows into their bows. The fourth rank drew their keen swords, waiting for the moment to counterattack.

Quan reined in his horse to let his Wolf Guard advance by him, providing a solid wall of iron. In spite of being an obvious target, he chose to remain mounted, his armour and robes resplendent in the growing light. He drew his Wolf Blade and watched as the enemy came on.

The enemy rushed in like a mob and scores fell as the Wolf Guard archers sent a hail of arrows into their midst, volley after volley. The flanking companies began to fall back as the enemy spread in an attempt to outflank them. Soon the Wolf Guard formation had come to a halt, having formed a stout square around their commander, ready for attack from any side. Quan and his reserve company waited within the square.

The first wave of foes crashed into the front ranks and a chaotic pushing match ensued as the two sides hacked and slashed at one another. Quan held his sword high and shouted orders and words of encouragement to his men. His blood was growing hot within him but he resisted the urge to join in the fray.

The enemy had surrounded them, trying desperately to get inside the formation. Quan watched carefully, directing the fire of the archers of the reserve company to where it was most needed. He held his reserve back, feeling out the crucial moment where they would prove most useful.

The flanks seemed to be hold and the rear company, while under pressure, was fighting with a cold ferocity that the foe could not overcome.

Quan was spun about as an arrow struck him in the right breast and he tumbled from his horse. His reserve company commander shouted and made to assist him, but Quan held up a hand, staying him. He rose and plucked the arrow forth. The head had pierced the bright iron of his cuirass but become stuck in the tough leather vest beneath. The arrow had not touched his skin, but he would be sporting an ugly bruise before long.

Quan turned to glare at the enemy, after calling out to let his men know he was okay. His gaze was drawn to one archer who was standing near the rear of the enemy ranks. Their eyes met and Quan knew he had found the offender. The man went pale as Quan's green eyes leveled on him, the bow limp in his hand.

Quan took his bow from his squire and slowly nocked a black-feathered arrow, his piercing eyes locked on his target. The archer, looking very nervous, began to look around and then started backing away. Quan drew the bow slowly, deliberately, to its full bend. The enemy archer panicked and bolted, running in terror back the way her came. Quan released the arrow and turned away. The fate of his target was not in doubt.

"Captain," he said to the commander of the reserve company. "Have your men draw their swords and assist Fourth Company to the rear."

"But my lord," the commander said, slightly perplexed. "Is it not First Company that needs our help most in the front?"

"No," Quan said firmly, drawing his Wolf Blade. "Help Fourth Company break the enemy and then turn the flanks, splitting your squads left and right. As for First Company, they do not need help, they just need some inspiration…"

Quan leapt forward now to assist his First Company, just as the swordsmen rank became engaged. With his great blade he clove one foe in two. His appearance in their midst revitalized his men, who now counterattacked with a renewed savagery.

The balance of the battle swayed back and forth, like water about to boil over from a pot, when horns sounded behind the enemy and Xiahou Yuan's cavalry burst into view. Fleeing before them were the remains of the enemy companies they had already engaged.

As Xiahou Yuan's forces appeared, Quan's Fourth and Fifth companies broke through the foe and turned the flanks, causing a rout. The Wolf Guard's ferocious counter-assault had shattered the morale of the enemy to the front, who were now caught between the spirited Wolf Guard and a new foe to their rear.

"Take them alive!" Quan called loudly as his men surged into the fleeing enemy. "Slay none who surrender willingly!"

The Wolf Guard shouted heartily in response.

Quan took several deep breaths now that the danger had passed. He winced as he rotated his shoulder to try and keep it from seizing up. He nodded wearily as Xiahou Yuan rode up. The general grinned.

"Nice of you to entertain our foes until my arrival, lord of Wuchang, though it looks like you have left little for my men and I to do, except clean up."

In spite of his bulk, Xiahou Yuan leapt deftly from his horse and walked forward. He clapped his ally on the shoulder, not seeming to notice Quan's grunt of discomfort.

"A spirited defense if I have ever seen one!" Xiahou Yuan declared as they watched their men hunt down the enemy. "Your men have iron discipline and you have a talent for defending hopeless positions, seemingly."

Quan nodded absently, thinking back to something Ce had once said to him: _"You think it's your offense that is strong, but in truth, your defense is stronger."_

Xiahou Yuan chuckled as a trooper brought up two cups filled with hot wine and gave one to Quan, his victorious ally.

"You are a dour man, lord of Wuchang. I swear by all the celestials, I shall one day see you laugh!"

Quan nodded and drank, determined to enjoy a well-earned victory.

--

Dawn had arrived and the ships sat silently. The land was quiet. The Valiant Cavaliers were bored. The Iron Firsts were bored.

Da Qiao was most certainly bored.

She hung upside down now from the rigging of the main mast, scowling out toward Xia Pi. Her knees were hooked into the latticework of ropes, suspending her nearly a hundred spans above the deck. She had already warned her men that they had better not try to look down her shirt, or there would be almighty hell to pay.

Da had climbed to the platform near the top of the main mast and gazed out toward the west. From this vantage point, a keen-eyed man could make out the central tower of Xia Pi castle, just barely.

She sighed and hung there for a while, hoping that spending time upside down would give her a new perspective. Unfortunately, there was no such revelation, only a tingling in her feet and a warm, dizzy flush to her face.

Then a lookout on the ship at the northern end of the line called loudly, announcing that enemies had been spotted in the woods nearby.

Da released her feet and dropped to the deck, landing lightly. She began shouting orders to ready the defense of the ships. The Cavaliers rushed to form shield walls in front of the ships while the Iron Fists remained just behind, poised for a counter stroke. Everyone waited eagerly for the action to begin. Da Qiao stood on the deck of the capital ship, ready to lead her men to glory.

As the Wu warriors watched, a single rebel soldier emerged from the woods, limping along frantically and whining piteously. Everyone stared in silent disbelief at the lone man, who hobbled his way south, a black-feathered arrow sticking out of his right buttock.

Da and her men stared at the renegade, then back at the woods expectantly, waiting for more foes to reveal themselves. None did.

Da sighed, dropped her fans and hopped off the deck of the ship. She walked toward the man, scowling in disgust. He saw her coming, yelped in fright and tried hobbling faster, to get away from her.

She reached out and took hold of the arrow shaft, noticing it had black feathers.

Quan…

She gripped tightly and held the man in place. The man keened and struggled but could not free himself. He was pinned.

"Oh no you don't…" Da grumbled sullenly. She exerted some pressure on the arrow shaft, turning her prisoner of war toward the ship. He squawked in protest but headed toward the capital ship.

"Stop grousing," Da muttered, poking him with the arrow lodged in his backside. "It's going to be a long siege…"

--

**Author's Notes: **Sorry about the delay, folks, severe internet issues have prevented updates. I know some people might raise an eyebrow at the notion of Da and Xiao speaking Latin, but what the heck, right? I have lots of new characters to introduce, so keeping the earlier ones fresh is essential.

While scribing this little story, Warriors Orochi 2 came out. There are some fun aspects to it, including the Orochi story arc, along with new characters. I have been having a blast with Samurai Warriors 2 XL, since you get to play the lord of Shikoku, who kills people by shredding on his biwa. A couple of the other new characters are fun, but some are annoying. Oda Nobunaga remains the single best thing about the SW series.

I decided to use the Cleitus version of Xiahou Yuan because I wanted something other than a fat man with a stick to work with.

So I've been hearing rumours about DW6: XL possibly coming out and I've seen some (supposedly authentic) pics of the new characters offered- still no Da. But apparently you can play as Zhu Ran, who lobs fireballs while wearing big-assed prayer beads.

At least I _hope_ those are prayer beads, you can never really be certain with the Japanese these days.

Personally I would have liked to see them add some people back, or pick some new worthwhile characters, like Kong Rong or maybe Hu Che Er. Hua Xiong might have been fun.

Oh, wait, I ganked him…

Y'know, one of the interesting things about playing DW is if you are a martial artist. Yes, a lot of moves are exaggerated, but most of the rendering is done from actual styles of martial arts. For instance, Zhao Yun's spearmanship is based on _Tang Loong Cheung_, the "Flying Dragon Spear" style. Ma Chao's, on the other hand, is very similar to the Shaolin style known as "Pear Flower", both of which I am a practitioner of. Shang Xiang's basic forms with her Wind & Fire Wheels follow a historical model as well.

Okay, now some styles are utter piffle and rot (I give you Meng Huo, Lu Bu, Zhang Fei and Zhu Rong, by way of example), but a couple can pique my curiosity now and then. I own a seven foot, twenty-five pound _kwandao_ that I imported from Lungchuan in China, and believe me, Guan Yu's style of fighting is DEATH. Swinging that bastard around is lethal for your tendons, shoulders and just joints in general. I refuse to do that Wushu stuff with halberds that flex and are lighter than air (what would my man Guan think?), but if I can pull off being even a tenth that fast with my mighty can opener of doom, I shall be well-pleased.

Anyhoo, more fun to come! Next chapter: "Who Says A Woman Has To Be Weak? (except Koei)"


	40. Chapter 40

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 39- The Fall of Lu Bu, Part II**

**Who Says A Woman Has To Be Weak? (Except Koei)**

Sun Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran stood on the bridge and surveyed the territory with satisfaction. The amazons had secured the entire south of Xia Pi and now controlled passage in every direction for thirty _li_. It was a job well done, although the princess had been disappointed by the lack of opposition they encountered.

To the west, Ce's forces had gone to meet up with the alliance armies converging to deal with Lu Bu. Eastward, Da Qiao's Valiant Cavaliers and Iron Fists were guarding the Wu army's beachhead and Quan had gone north to meet up with Cao Cao's cousin, Xiahou Yuan.

Earlier in the day, a bright and glorious sun had been overhead, but now the sky had turned a dark grey. Menacing clouds and cast a shadow over the plain and rolling thunder echoed across the land. Fu looked up at the sky.

"What do you suppose that portends?" she mused.

"A storm is coming… our storm." Shang Xiang replied, her arms folded across her chest as she gazed up at the clouds. Fu smiled warmly, lost in the sight of the woman she had devoted herself to, body, mind, heart and soul. There was nothing about the Sun princess she did not love; she would defy even the gods themselves for this remarkable girl.

Shang Xiang turned her head to look at Fu. "What are you staring at?"

The captain blushed. "Nothing, my lady."

"You lie," the warrior-princess said, smirking. "You had that dopey look in your eyes that you get whenever you are entranced by me."

Fu coughed and looked away. "A momentary lapse, I assure you. Inevitably you speak and break the spell. Sun Jian's children would be easier to love if they didn't talk."

"Quan must be your favourite person in all of creation, then." Shang Xiang quipped before taking Fu's hands in her and placing them on her breast.

"My heart knows only three loves- my family, glory and yourself. We have told each other of our love and while we cannot troth, be sure of my devotion. It is a love that nothing can stay, until the end of time itself."

Fu Chin Ran pressed her lips to Shang Xiang's fingers and kissed them. "I am an unworthy guardian and a jealous lover- there is no danger I will not face for you, no peril I will not dare, and no trial I shall not endure. As long as I walk with you, whatever the circumstances, I deem my life to be complete."

Shang Xiang caressed her captain's cheek with her fingers, gazing lovingly into her eyes. She was about to kiss her when horns blared from close by. Both women pivoted to face the noise, ready for trouble. Shang Xiang's keen eyes swept over the plain to the bridge that led over the river and into Xia Pi. Somewhat less than a _li_ away, troops burst out of a forest and were rushing toward them.

Fu Chin Ran bit her lip. "How… but we have secured this area!"

Shang Xiang's eyes flashed. "A secret passage, then, meant to get troops behind an enemy that attacks Xia Pi. It must have been very well-hidden, given that we thoroughly scoured that forest."

The troops kept pouring out of the woods, hundreds of them.

Fu pulled her war horn from her belt and blew a long, ululating note on it, calling for help.

"The closest troops are Li Mei's, but even mounted it will be some time before they get here," she said tightly. "These foes just appeared right in the middle of our position."

"That is war." Shang Xiang replied almost indifferently. "It is just you and I and we will have to fight hard to win."

The women waited silently at the head of the bridge, watching the foe approach, men armed with spears, swords, clubs and halberds, yelling and whooping like cranes.

"Wait for it…" Shang Xiang said quietly.

There now must have been close to a thousand men.

In the blink of an eye, the women had their bows ready and began firing at the enemy. Shang Xiang's first arrow sped into the enemy and lodged itself in the throat of one man, who tumbled to the earth. Another cried out in agony as Fu Chin Ran's arrow lodged itself in his eye. The two warriors fired their arrows with great skill and speed, until both their quivers were spent.

Fu had drawn her straight sword when she looked over at Shang Xiang and her eyes went wide as she spied the arrow that the Sun princess was nocking into her bow. It was at least a third longer than any normal arrow and had a wickedly barbed head made of black iron. The feathers were black as night and symbols of ruin and doom were carved into the thick shaft.

Shang Xiang smiled evilly as she bent her bow. The wood creaked in protest as she bent it back to nearly a full circle.

"How can you use that arrow and claim to like women?" Fu asked.

"Don't think of it as not liking women," Shang Xiang replied, taking careful aim. "Just think of it as… hating men."

She released the arrow, which leapt forward like a bolt of black lightning. It punched clean through the chest of its first victim before coming to a stop in the two men behind him, who fell to the ground pinned together in a most unflattering position.

Fu made a wry face. "That was _so_ non-consensual."

"Am I good or what?" Shang Xiang said, tossing her bow aside and taking her chakrams off her back. She could almost feel the weapons singing to her, delighting in battle.

"You sound like your brother." Fu pointed out.

"Well, I was always a better shot than Ce or Quan."

"That is why they call you the bow-hipped princess, I guess." Fu said as she gripped her sword, rotating her wrist. The enemy was not far off now, still charging headlong.

"So, we have accounted for forty-one of them. Nine-hundred and fifty-nine to go…" the captain commented as the foe closed.

"My kind of odds," Shang Xiang replied. "Although I must admit, I feel rather bad for them."

The enemy was now less than fifty paces away.

"Shang Xiang" Fu said quietly. "I love you."

Shang Xiang's voice was like iron as she responded. "Do not say such things. None worthy of my love would fall to a rabble like this."

"Got that right!" Fu said as the foe came within range. She let out a loud war cry and drove her _jian _forward, plunging it into the chest of a swordsman. She then pivoted sideways and kicked him off the blade as she pulled it back and swung in a wide circle, severing the heads of several men who got too close.

Shang Xiang whirled about in graceful, bloody arcs, felling every for who got within reach of her fearsome blades. A spearman thrust at her and she bent backward, allowing the head to pass harmlessly over her. Her chakrams cut the haft to pieces, even as the toe of her foot caught him in the throat. She spun herself into a low sweep, her front foot knocking several men to the ground.

The women warriors fought as a team, covering each other with uncanny intuition and skill, as if they always knew exactly where the other was and what they were doing. This allowed them to swing their weapons with eerie abandon and consummate skill, without the fear of injuring one another.

Shang Xiang pirouetted backward, her twin blades flashing through the air with blinding speed, taking the men who had, until a second ago, been behind Fu Chin Ran off-guard. They died before they knew they were facing a new foe. Fu Chin Ran, meanwhile, had ducked underneath her partner's sudden, whirling assault and drove her blade into the belly of a man who was now to Shang Xiang's rear. She surged up and drove her palm into the nose of another man before kicking a third in the chest, crushing his sternum.

Shang Xiang instinctively backstepped to close the gap between herself and her captain; she then turned to slash her blades across the back of a man who had been stupid enough to get between them. As long as they could keep individual foes terrified, they were not in danger of being overrun by sheer numbers alone.

"Getting hard to step around here…" Fu muttered as they faced off against the pressing horde. She spun and struck they head off another swordsman.

"Work with it, we will not let them have the bridge!" Shang Xiang replied as she jumped and kicked another man in the chin, snapping his neck.

The two women stood now resolutely at the foot of the bridge and not a single foe could set foot on it. There was a pause in the fighting as the two sides glared at one another; the rebels were far the greater force but unwilling to get within reach of the defenders' blades.

There was a loud shout and a huge man burst through the attackers' ranks, wielding a massive axe. The rebels cheered as he surged toward the women, but if they thought his appearance would be enough to make the defenders recoil, they were dead wrong.

One of Shang Xiang's chakrams sped through the air and his neck. As the now headless corpse fell to the ground with a dull thud, Fu grabbed the brute's axe and with a great yell hurled it into the ranks of the dead man's comrades, killing and maiming at least three more.

Shang Xiang had picked up and sword, which she now brandished at her foes, along with her remaining chakram. A spearman thrust at her desperately. She calmly caught the haft of his spear inside the hollow of her chakram and pulled it aside while she plunged the sword down into his throat, driving him to his knees. She swept up the spear and threw it one way while she hurled her chakram in the direction of the original. The princess drew the sword from the dead spearman's neck and stood back to back with her captain.

The horn from the woods blared again. The rebels shouted angrily and surged forward. Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran stepped back to the bridge, narrowing their flanks as the foe engaged.

The Wu warriors met the assault head-on, giving no ground and no quarter. Every attack was countered expertly and no opportunity for a counterstroke was wasted. Shang Xiang drove the tip of her sword into one man and then threw him bodily into his comrades. She kept his sword and now was wielding two of them.

"Kill them!" shouted one commander angrily. "They are just women!"

This derisive statement earned him a sword embedded in his skull, flung by an indignant Shang Xiang. She ducked the swipe of a halberd and left her remaining sword wedged in the assailant's ribcage while she picked up yet another blade, this time a heavy _dadao_.

Fire coursed through her veins as she attacked her foes ferociously. The _dadao_ was almost exclusively an offensive weapon, with its forward-weighted, curved blade, and not given to defensive stances. Her piercing war cry chilled the enemy's blood as she whirled about in a bloody battle frenzy. She cleaved metal, flesh and bone and none could stand against her.

Fu Chin Ran sensed her mistress' battle fury and lunged in beside her, wielding her deadly _jian_ in one hand and a wicked axe in the other. Using sheer strength and uncanny speed, she helped force the enemy back from the bridge.

Advancing into the enemy's ranks, Shang Xiang had retrieved her chakrams and was attacking her foes with a lethal grace, mowing down any more unfortunate enough to be near her. Many of the enemy seemed to be paralyzed with fear or awe, their weapons hanging limply in their hands as she slew them. The bodies of the dead lay heaped about the bridge with the maimed or dying, whose piteous cries drowning out the shouts of the still vital.

The throng parted as a squad of brutish men armed with huge clubs bound with iron surged forward. They began swinging savagely, trying to beat the two women into the ground.

Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran both spun low, in unison, sweeping the legs off two of their foes before surging into the mass of rebel warriors, who attempted to back up and give their club-wielding comrades more room. The girls knew that the safest place to be (aside from back in Baifu altogether, and where was the fun in that?) was amongst the club-wielding warriors' fellow rebels. The men fought back in a panic, frantic to avoid the crazy women and the brutal assaults of their allies.

Fu slew a spearmen, seized his weapon and drove it backward, through the neck of one of the club-wielding thugs who had come up behind her. She then kicked to her side, killing another man and spun, ripping the spear viciously from the throat of the club wielder. Her sword sheared the arm off another man and then the spear got embedded just below the abdomen of a fifth.

Pain flashed up her arm as a club smashed into it, splinters of ice-cold agony shivering up the limb. She cried out in fury and grabbed the man's club, holding him in place while she rammed her head into his face, snapping his neck back. Protecting her injured arm, which held her sword, she spun the spear overhead in a wide circle, keeping her foes at bay until she could reorient herself.

The thugs with clubs rushed her. One of them impaled himself on her long spear as she dropped back into a low, defensive stance and thrust the spear forward. She had ducked the swung of the other foe and rammed her fist up between the man's legs. He groaned loudly and fell over.

Another man rushed up and shoved his foot into her chest, knocking her to the ground. He raised his sword to slay her but Shang Xiang darted in and grabbed his wrist, stopping the strike before it had begun. She glared at him coldly before twisting his wrist and forcing him to ram the sword into his own abdomen. As the man shrieked in pain, Shang Xiang ducked. The brutal club swing from behind smashed into the side of her victim's head, shattering it messily. She stood up and reached behind herself grabbing the thug by the neck. She slung him forward, over her shoulders, snapping his neck. He hit the ground with a dull _thud_ and his comrades scampered out of the way.

Shang Xiang now stood in front of Fu Chin Ran, staying between her and the rebels while the captain recovered, rising unsteadily. They were both breathing heavily and Shang Xiang felt now the sting of dozens of minor wounds all over her body. Fu was in similar condition but her arm also hung limply at her side as well.

They backed up toward the bridge again and their foes followed slowly, weapons leveled. In spite of how exhausted and hurt the two guardians of the bridge were, the fearsome glare in their eyes made it perfectly clear that any for stupid enough to get close would surely die.

Shang Xiang gazed now at the ground before the bridge- hundreds of the rebels lay dead or dying. A fierce pride welled up within her, because even if she and her beloved captain were to die here today, tales of this heroic deed would surely be sung to the end of days, the Last Stand of the Bow-Hipped Princess.

Fu now stood tall beside her, blade gripped tightly in her good hand. A strange sense of calm detachment came over them both.

"Remember what I said earlier, when we began this fight?" Shang Xiang asked.

Fu Chin Ran nodded, her eyes still on the enemy.

"I was wrong. Anyone worthy of my love is also worth dying beside." Shang Xiang murmured. "I die now willingly, with you in my heart and by my side."

Shang Xiang raised her chakrams and drew aggressive fire symbols in the air before her and committed her soul to the gods. She was about to attack when the horn blared from the woods once again. The enemy soldiers paused and began backing away. Tempted as she was to follow, Shang Xiang opted to stay put and catch her breath.

From the woods emerged a small guard of obviously elite troops, marching in front of a man riding on a beautiful grey horse. He wore gleaming silver armour beneath his surcoat. His helm was tall and peaked. His eyes glinted with a keen intelligence and rare daring. In his hand he carried a graceful halberd.

He approached at a casual pace, his eyes fixed on the two women but betraying no real intent- no fear, no interest, no curiosity, mostly just indifference. Clearly he considered them an unnecessary hassle and his men were likely to suffer for delaying him with so inconsequential an obstacle.

The man came to a stop about twenty paces from the bridge and pointed his halberd at them.

"I am Zhang Liao of Yan Men. Step aside and I shall spare you."

The princess stood tall and called back. "I am Sun Shang Xiang, daughter of Sun Jian, the renowned Tiger of Jiang Dong. Sun Ce, Lord of the Southlands, is my brother. And the only way to this bridge, Zhang Liao, is over my broken body."

"This is no game or fanciful story, girl." Zhang Liao declared. "Are you even worthy of dismounting my horse to deal with?"

"Step a little closer and find out." Shang Xiang replied, glaring.

Zhang Liao's eyes flared and he leapt down from his steed. He began striding forward, obviously intending to deal with this nuisance quickly.

Shang Xiang reached out a hand and moved Fu Chin Ran onto the bridge behind her, away from the approaching foe.

"Stay back. This one is mine. If I am slain it will fall to you to avenge me."

Fu initially resisted but once she heard the tone in her lover's voice she bowed her head and shuffled back onto the bridge, taking deep breaths and recovering her strength.

Zhang Liao was obviously done talking, because his halberd through the air in a lethal arc. Shang Xiang did not flinch or back up but caught the blade on her chakrams. Toe to toe she stood with the warrior, glaring balefully. Zhang Liao's eyes blazed, obviously irritated by her defiance.

They pushed away from each other and spun, their weapons whirling about them to discourage pursuit. They sized one another up for a moment before Zhang Liao leapt high into the air, halberd over his head, set to cleave Shang Xiang in twain.

Shang Xiang cartwheeled away from the deadly strike. Zhang Liao followed quickly, but found the bridge's narrow span a hindrance to using his halberd effectively. He could slash up and down or thrust, but horizontal strikes were impossible below the torso level.

And this damned girl was insisting on fighting in a low stance.

Now that she had restricted his weapon and movement to a more linear style of fighting, Shang Xiang went after Zhang Liao. She lunged in low with her chakrams, slashing diagonally in tight arcs. The rebel warrior blocked skillfully with the haft of his weapon and counter-thrust at her with the spike on the butt of his halberd. She twisted her torso to avoid getting hit but Zhang Liao, with the speed of a striking serpent, flipped the weapon and slashed down with the blade again. She cross-blocked hastily and pivoted to kick his knee, but the wily warrior had already cross-stepped and thrust the haft of the weapon at her, attempting to pin his foe. Shang Xiang dropped her chakrams and wrestled with her foe for control of his weapon, even as she was borne backward, to the surface of the bridge.

Zhang Liao was certainly a finesse fighter but apparently also stronger than he looked- her arms bent as she strained against him. He leaned over her, attempting to crush Shang Xiang into submission. Unable to overpower him, the princess lifted her feet, pressing them into his midriff and rolling backward, throwing him.

Not to be caught off-guard, Zhang Liao rolled to his feet, but now was within reach of Fu Chin Ran. She thrust at him with her sword but he batted the blade to the side and spun her by the wrist, shoving her away.

Shang Xiang had leapt to her feet and attacked Zhang Liao with his halberd. He caught the shaft of the weapon in one hand as it swept down toward his head and lunged low, ramming his armoured elbow into Shang Xiang's stomach. She exhaled violently, to keep herself from getting winded or stunned, but still she staggered back.

Zhang Liao had given himself some room, but was now caught between two determined (if bloodied) foes. He gripped his halberd, retrieved from Shang Xiang, and advanced on the southern princess. He thrust and slashed rapidly at her. She dodged his strikes, backing up until she had reached her chakrams. She tucked backward into a roll and as she stood, her fearsome weapons were back in hand.

Zhang Liao paused, measuring his foe. He spared a glance back at Fu Chin Ran. He focused his attention on her a split second too long for Shang Xiang's liking and she realized he was daring her to attack.

Shang Xiang whirled and flung one of her chakrams at the soldiers who had been creeping up to attack while she was distracted. The gleaming blade struck the head off the shoulders of the foremost man. His comrades scampered back in panic, clearly willing to let their commander deal with the situation.

The two women attacked Zhang Liao in tandem, Shang Xiang with her remaining chakram and a knife she had pulled from her belt while Fu Chin Ran came in with her sword. Zhang Liao stood his ground, blocking, parrying and counter-attacking expertly, never allowing the women to gain momentum and keeping their attacks uncoordinated.

Zhang Liao swatted Fu's sword aside with the flat of his halberd and then slid the blade down hers, shearing off the guard and forcing her to drop the weapon or lose her hand. He spun the halberd behind himself and caught Shang Xiang's strike on the haft. Fu lunged in but the rebel warrior was quicker- in turning to face Shang Xiang, he slammed the butt across the side of Fu's head. She swayed drunkenly for a moment before sagging against the railing of the bridge.

Shang Xiang roared furiously and attacked in a frenzy, determined to protect her captain. Zhang Liao caught her strike on his blade and they strained against one another, vying for advantage. Their eyes met and deep in her heart, Shang Xiang knew she could not defeat this foe.

Not yet.

The rules changed in that moment and she set herself a new objective. As they contested strengths and wills, she could feel the spirits of their weapons, also locked in conflict. The keen, bright steel of Zhang Liao's halberd was stronger than the dark, venerable iron of her chakrams.

She forcefully dragged her blade across his in a shrieking shower of sparks. Zhang Liao squinted reflexively and Shang Xiang shoved him backward with a great shout, even as her blade snapped in two. Her heart broke at the passing of her beloved weapon, but it, like she, would be reforged, stronger and brighter than ever.

She rolled by him and swept up Fu Chin Ran's sword, parrying Zhang Liao's attack. He fought magnificently in spite of how the bridge hindered is weapon's ability to strike. Shang Xiang stayed low, where her opponent's options for attack were limited and predictable.

Her body, pushed beyond endurance and bleeding from dozens of wounds, begged for respite, for an end to the agony, but she denied this need- even unto death, she would not let her foe have this bridge. In her mind's eye, she could see the great acts of valour that her family and her people were renowned for- her father Sun Jian's defeat of Hua Xiong; Quan and Zhou Tai's assault on a bandit encampment that nearly cost them their lives; Da Qiao's desperate attack that repulsed a Nanman war elephant; Sun Ce's duel with Lu Bu at Hu Lao gate and his defeat of the demon prince Ou Xing…

Could she live with accomplishing anything less?

She closed her eyes and gritted her teeth as she felt his halberd blade slide across her thigh. Ignoring the icy pain, she gripped the haft of the weapon, pinning it. She let out a cry and thrust her sword at his head. Zhang Liao merely tilted his head to one side, allowing her blade to pass by harmlessly. His palm slammed into her chest and she toppled backward, stunned.

Zhang Liao stood over her, staring down at her coldly. She attempted to hold the sword up, but her arm would not comply. She crawled backward slowly, trying to put distance between them but then the point of his halberd was at her throat.

"This is your last warning, girl." Zhang Liao said quietly. "Step aside now and I will spare your life."

Shang Xiang's smile was weak but defiant. "We have a saying in the south, rebel…"

She held up her fist, offering it to him with the thumb tucked into her palm.

"Go fuck yourself!" she hissed.

Zhang Liao shook his head slowly, as if he regretted what he now had to do. He raised the halberd overhead, poised for a single, decisive strike…

A war horn sounded and Zhang Liao whirled about to confront the new threat. From the west, bearing down hard on his remaining troops, was a single rider, wearing green trimmed in gold and bearing two swords.

Liu Bei.

From north of the bridge, horns called out in response and Shang Xiang recognized the call of Li Mei's company, as well as Xiao's squad. Summoning all the strength she had left, she surged to her feet, weapon gripped tightly in both hands. Zhang Liao, however, had sprinted back to his men, who were taken by surprise and beginning to panic.

Liu Bei charged deep into the confused enemy ranks, laying about with his sword as if her were a giant mauling an anthill. She watched wearily as the Scion of the Han assaulted his foes fearlessly- what he lacked in technique he made up for with a fiery passion. Men scattered before his charge.

Xiao and Li Mei stampeded by on their horses, plowing into Zhang Liao's soldiers from the flank. Zhang Liao had mounted his steed and was trying to contain a rout but Liu Bei was on him. Blades flashed as the warriors attacked and counterattacked. Liu Bei was fresh to the fight but his skill was not the equal of his foe's. He soon found himself fighting on the defensive, parrying wildly as Zhang Liao brought everything he had to bear.

Zhang Liao knocked one of Liu Bei's swords from his grip and then struck him across the shoulder with the butt of his halberd, unbalancing him. He was about to cleave Liu Bei in two when his horse shrieked and rear, an arrow buried in its hind leg. Zhang Liao was thrown and landed roughly on his back. Liu Bei and Xiao's girls were on him instantly, restraining him.

Shang Xiang turned her head, to see who had shot the arrow. Behind her, Fu Chin Ran was leaning against the railing of the bridge, her bow braced by one foot while her good arm had drawn the string. Pale but grim, the captain nodded to Shang Xiang before dropping the weapon and slumping down to rest, her eyes shut.

Li Mei and her troops routed the remaining foe, taking prisoner the vast majority of those still alive. Most had thrown down their arms and surrendered- without their valiant captain, they were in no mood to fight. Finally, Li Mei sounded the all-clear on her horn. She then turned her attention to her princess and the captain, accompanied by Liu Bei and Xiao Qiao.

Shang Xiang willed herself to remain upright as they approached. The coppery taste of blood was in her mouth and every inch of her screamed in pain. She could feel her injured leg giving way but she fought it. She swayed unsteadily, twisting to one side, her body trembling with effort.

Li Mei, Xiao and Liu Bei all knelt before her, their head bowed.

"Lady Sun," Liu Bei said. "I apologize for not arriving sooner. I-"

"No apologies are necessary, Lord Liu." Shang Xiang managed to say. "I am grateful for your assistance, or surely my captain and I would be dead by now."

"I am sorry for the loss of your troops, my lady." Liu Bei stated with regret. I will help you recover their bodies and-"

"What troops, my lord?" Shang Xiang asked, puzzled. "Li Mei, did you lose any troops in your assault?"

"No, my lady," Li Mei replied, scanning her company. "We are all accounted for."

"You rescued only my captain and myself, lord." Shang Xiang said to Liu Bei. He looked up at her and then stood, his face betraying his confusion. He turned to face the scene of the carnage and his eyes went wide.

"But… there must be nearly six-hundred dead here…" he whispered.

"We did not slay more than fifty in our assault, lady." Li Mei said.

"And I accounted for no more than twenty." Liu Bei aid almost breathlessly. "But… that would mean…"

"Li Mei, please see to the captain while I explain this to the male." Shang Xiang said somewhat wearily. Li Mei bowed and hurried over to Fu Chin Ran.

With more difficulty than she imagine was possible, Shang Xiang almost staggered forward to stand beside Liu Bei and gaze out at the field of battle. Xiao moved to help her but Shang Xiang stayed her with a hand.

"What troubles you, my lord?" she asked, already knowing the answer.

"I… you mean to say…" Liu Bei stammered. "That… you and your captain…"

"Yes, she and I alone held this bridge against Zhang Liao and his men, slaying over five-hundred of them."

Liu Bei's mouth worked, but no sound came forth.

"Why so surprised, lord?" she asked. "Are you robbed of speech merely because I am a woman?"

Still no answer.

"Are only men capable of such feats of arms, men such as Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Lu Bu or my brothers? Who says a woman has to be weak? Are there no strong women in your world, Lord Liu?"

"I… I am sorry, Lady Shang Xiang," he said, seeming to recover. "But surely this is a feat worthy of endless song. I dare say even men such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei or your brother would be hard-pressed to match the skill and valour you have shown here today."

"My entire force is made of women, my lord, and every one of them is as hardy and courageous as any man." Shang Xiang declared proudly. Xiao nodded in agreement.

"Forgive my underestimation of you, my lady." Liu Bei said quietly. "I promise you that neither I, nor anyone else shall do so again, once word of this heroic deed gets out."

"It was nothing, really." Shang Xiang said wearily. She felt blood trickling down the side of her head from a heretofore unnoticed wound and the world was beginning to blur around her.

"My lady, we must get you to Ren Neng." Li Mei said with some urgency as she assisted Fu Chin Ra in walking. "You have done more than enough and you must not allow the troops to worry- not only your own, but Lord Sun Ce will surely move to aid you if he gets word of this."

Shang Xiang nodded, realizing she was in no condition to resist.

"Worry not, lady," Liu Bei said, bowing. "I shall take word of this incident to your brother myself and let him know what has transpired here."

"Thank you, Lord Liu…" she drawled as she tried to focus on his face. "Why… might I ask… are you riding alone… so far from your troops…"

Liu Bei smiled. "Guan Yu and Zhang Fei are both capable commanders. I slipped away to see if the concealed egress in the woods had been found. Apparently it had."

Zhang Liao was now brought before Shang Xiang and made to kneel. He was dirty and smudged, mostly from being roughed up by Xiao's girls, but he sported a few cuts and bruises, courtesy of his duel with the princess.

Shang Xiang beckoned for him to rise. Even in defeat he was a proud warrior and he looked upon her with admiration.

"My respects, Lady Shang Xiang," he said, his head held high. "Though you are not my equal in battle, your heart is unmatched and you outthought me. Should the gods see fit to spare my life, I look forward to testing you again one day."

Shang Xiang nodded. "I look forward to that day as well, Zhang Liao."

Xiao's girls led him off while Li Mei's troops secured the area and escorted Zhang Liao's troops as prisoners.

"I go now, lady, to speak with Lord Sun Ce." Liu Bei said, putting his hand over his heart and bowing his head in respect. "There is still much to be done. I will see you inside Xia Pi."

He mounted his horse and dashed off into the west.

Thunder rolled overhead and lightning flashed across the sky. Seconds later, sheets of rain heralded a very wet night.

Shang Xiang unsteadily retrieved the pieces of her beloved chakram and one of her warriors accepted it reverently. The day would come when it would once again be feared across the battlefields of the Middle Kingdom.

"And now I go… to see Ren Neng…" Shang Xiang murmured. Fu Chin Ran and I… shall lean on each other… for this was our victory…"

Fu released herself from Li Mei's support and shuffled over to her princess. They leaned against one another, arms slung over each other's shoulders for support and began walking unsteadily over the bridge and toward the west.

"Do you think either of them have the mental capacity left to remember that Ren Neng is with Sun Ce and well over sixty _li_ away?" Li Mei asked, watching the two warrior-women totter off into the downpour.

"Nope." Xiao replied, shaking her head as Shang Xiang and Fu slumped to the ground, unconscious. "I'll get the litters made…"

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Sun Ce and Zhou Yu stood atop a tall hill covered in trees. Behind them, concealed in the forest, were their troops, waiting for orders. Before them was the broad plain that surrounded Xia Pi castle, now less than a _li_ away. Lu Bu's banners fluttered atop the towers and walls proudly.

To the west of Xia Pi were the encampments of the alliance forces, commanded by Cao Cao- Liu Bei, Kong Rong, Gongsun-zan and others, totaling close to a hundred thousand warriors.

All to dispose of one man.

As the Wu warriors watched, a small contingent of heralds left the alliance encampment and approached the great gate. The leader of the contingent sounded a long note on his horn. In response, a single, huge figure in crimson appeared atop the wall. Although Ce could not hear what the herald was saying, he was pretty sure that he was delivering an ultimatum.

In response, the man atop the wall drew his bow, almost faster than the eye could follow and shot the herald right off his mount. His mocking disdain followed the dead man's compatriots fled back to the allied camp.

"I guess the negotiations are over." Ce commented grimly as horns and drums sounded across the alliance lines, signaling a general advance.

"This has to be timed perfectly." Zhou Yu said. "There is some factor at play here we do not understand. We must be careful, Ce."

"Aren't I always?" was Ce's cavalier response.

The alliance army had begun a slow advance across a long front. In response, the great gate of Xia Pi opened and out marched company after company of halberdiers and spearmen. On the walls appeared archers, ready to rain steely death upon the enemy.

The halberdiers and spearmen arranged themselves in alternate companies, supporting and protecting one another in depth. The long spears covered the halberds, who provided a deadly counter-punch when the right moment came.

Suddenly there was a clear fanfare from the alliance lines and thousands of riders surged toward the defenders. The cavaliers rode brilliant white chargers, led by a man in silver and gold armour. His heralds blared their horns as they thundered across the green plain. Their swords and spears gleamed beneath the steel grey sky.

"Those guys on white horses are terrifying." Ce said quietly, watching the riders bear down on their foes. Frantic drum beats summoned them back to the alliance lines, but they were ignored.

"They are the noblest cavalry in the empire and the worst led." Zhou Yu replied. The White Riders, led by Gongsun-zan, were renowned for their splendour and irresistible charge. Their leader's arrogance matched that of the Yuans and his ambition was legendary. He had no doubt chafed at Cao Cao's leadership of the expedition to defeat Lu Bu.

The defenders did not move, but Ce could sense the wave of apprehension that rippled through them as the foe was identified. The White Riders were formed into a huge wedge, spears leveled at the waiting infantry.

Anyone who expected a thunderous clash when the two forces collided was sorely mistaken. The spearmen and halberdiers seemed to almost melt away before the unstoppable charge. The White Riders drove deep into the enemy formation, trampling any who stood before them. The hail of arrows from the walls seemed to hinder them not at all.

Ce looked over toward the alliance lines. Cao Cao had clearly brought the advance to a halt in light of Gongsun-zan's unexpected charge and they now watched. The troops and commanders cheered loudly, encouraging the White Riders. Only Cao Cao, sitting at the head of his elite bodyguard, the Wildcat Riders, watched stoically, betraying no emotion.

To Cao Cao's right, the forces of Kong Rong stood, resplendent in white and orange. Reputed to be a direct descendant of Confucius, Kong Rong was one of the Jian An Seven, a council of renowned scholars and intellectuals, schooled in the Taoist classics as well as Confucius' tenets of noble administration.

Ce pondered these men while the battle raged and his thoughts turned to Zhou Yu. Certainly his friend was more than brilliant enough to stand in the company of such an august group, but he had turned down such an invitation earlier in the year. He seemed to eschew any comparison. Humility, perhaps? Possible, but Ce suspected it had more to do with standing alone and outshining them. Non-comparison was, after all, an indirect form of comparison.

Gongsun-zan's White Riders had nearly completely bisected the enemy's defensive formation. It was one of the most basic principals of warfare- if an enemy formation is uniformly strong from flank to flank, pierce the center to divide their forces in two. The halberdiers and spearmen were wavering when Xia Pi's gate opened again and drums rolled like thunder. Out of the fortress, like a bolt of lightning, came Red Hare, bearing his infamous master, Lu Bu.

Before the White Riders could react, Lu Bu was among them, hewing about with his dread halberd, Sky Scorcher. Gongsun-zan and his bodyguard charged and engaged Lu Bu, but he held them off while he pressed further into the White Riders.

The tide of battle turned quickly and the White Riders soon found themselves on the defensive, a situation that rarely favoured cavalry that was being attacked by disciplined infantry. It was not long before the White Riders were defeated and began streaming away from the battle, leaving more than a third of their number laying before the gates of Xia Pi. Gongsun-zan had barely escaped, the white plumed sheared from his tall helm by Lu Bu's halberd.

"That's the end of the White Riders." Ce murmured as Lu Bu and his soldiers gave chase, emboldened by their sudden victory.

"Lu Bu has left the protection of Xia Pi, Ce." Zhou Yu said, his keen grey eyes glinting. "This is our chance to get behind him and-"

"Wait…" Ce said, looking around apprehensively. "Somethin's not right…"

Zhou Yu paused, trusting his friend's intuition. He watched as Ce knelt and pressed his palm to the ground, closing his eyes and concentrating deeply.

Ce's eyes snapped open. "Oh, hell…" he said as he stood up, his eyes alight with concern. He looked out toward the alliance camp. The troops were pulling back behind the hastily dug trenches.

"Zhou Yu, pull the men back, _fast_!" he said urgently. Zhou Yu whirled around and began issuing orders to the company commanders to have the men retreat into the forest as quickly as possible. He then ran off to join his Swordwind battalion.

Ce leapt and grabbed a branch that loomed overhead. He quickly scrambled up into the highest boughs and watched before. Before long, the tree was shaking, responding to the oncoming torrent of water Ce had felt moments before through the earth.

As Ce watched, a great wall of water thundered onto the plain, bypassing the coalition camp on its hill and slamming into the defenders. Company after company was swept away by the raging flood. The alliance forces cheered as the plain submerged rapidly.

There was a great yell and Lu Bu, still astride Red Hare, burst forth from the water's grip and began racing toward the fortress. So great was the mighty horse's speed that he outran the deadly torrent, which raced to catch him.

Ce watched in fascination as the magnificent steed gained the walls and leapt, high over the battlements, to safety. Lu Bu leapt from the mount's back, even as he cleared the wall. The fearsome warrior turned to glare out over the plain. The mighty waves crashed up against the wall and Lu Bu sneered contemptuously as he spun his halberd in front of himself like a blurring shield, dissipating the force of the water with little effort.

"_Cao Cao has diverted the course of the river in an attempt to flood Lu Bu out of Xia Pi." _Ce thought darkly as the frothy water rolled over the plain. Indeed the surge had penetrated the gates and flooded the outmost perimeter. Ce harboured no doubts that the inner fortress was not thus affected. That would be too easy.

When the water had flooded through the forest and stopped moving, Ce leapt down from his vantage point to the floor of the forest. The water was hip-deep around. He was wading back toward the Night Tigers when Zhou Yu met him.

"A rather unpleasant play on the Prime Minister's part," the strategist observed as he slogged up to Ce. "Predictably, though, Lu Bu has survived and Cao Cao nearly drowned us, his allies."

"Yeah, I doubt he'd be too broken up about that." Ce commented dryly. "Probably as far as he's concerned, it serves us right for not being a part of his strategy. Are the men alright?"

Zhou Yu nodded. "No casualties."

"Will Lu Xun and his men be drowned?" Ce asked.

"I would think not," Zhou Yu mused. I anticipated such a maneuver on the Prime Minister's part and positioned Lu Xun to begin his excavation operation beyond the likely flood zone and well beneath it. He should be fine."

Ce chuckled. "Well, you _have_ thought of everything. No wonder I keep you around."

The steel grey sky now thundered and flashed with lightning.

"Lord Sun Ce!"

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu turned to see Liu Bei riding up to them. The Scion of the Han leapt off his horse, clasped his hand in his fist and bowed. Ce and Zhou Yu returned the gesture.

"Well met, Lord of the Southlands," Liu Bei began. "I return from south of Xia Pi and bear news of remarkable events!"

"Yeah?" Ce replied cheerfully. "What did my sister do now?"

"I have never seen anything like it," Liu Bei said, recalling what he had witnessed. "An enemy force of a thousand men, led by Zhang Liao, assaulted the bridge guarding passage into Xia Pi. Only your sister and her captain stood against them."

"Ouch!" Ce said, laughing. "So how many of the poor bastards are left?"

Liu Bei faltered a little, taken aback from the cavalier question and the unsurprised attitude of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu. "I… those who survived have been taken prisoner. They slew over five hundred foes between them."

Ce considered. "Hmmm… not bad. She's getting better, eh, Zhou Yu?"

The strategist nodded sagely, his eyes closed.

Liu Be was aghast. "Lord Sun Ce… how can you be so… I… surely this feat will be renowned throughout the Middle Kingdom."

"The devils of all Nine Hells would think twice about taking her on. Zhang Liao and his men should be thankful they didn't wake her up or they would _all_ be dead to a man. What kinda shape is she in?"

"Alive, amazingly enough," Liu Bei said, still baffled by Ce's lack of wonder. "She is covered in wounds but far too stubborn to die. Once the area was secured, I told her I would find you myself and inform you of these events."

Ce looked at Zhou Yu, who nodded and rushed off to find Ren Neng. Liu Bei looked out over the flooded plain.

"It is very wet here," he observed. "I guess that means Lord Mengde attempted to flood Xia Pi by diverting the river?"

"Yep."

"How did that work?" Liu Bei asked.

Ce pointed to the tall wall of the inner fortress, where Lu Bu now stood, glaring out hatefully toward the alliance encampment.

"Of course," Liu Bei said wearily. "So this fight is far from over."

"Not even close. Just make sure your brothers are ready. Numbers aren't gonna take Lu Bu down."

Liu Bei nodded pensively.

"Your sister is quite a fiend on the battlefield," he said finally, obviously still stuck on the subject. "What magnificent skill."

"Yeah, she's a handful." Ce said agreeably.

"She would prove quite a challenge and a prize for the man who married her." Liu Bei mused, looking east from whence he had come.

Ce raised an eyebrow at what the Scion of the Han was saying. Was this guy crazy?

"That's… an interesting thought…" he said in a non-committal tone.

"And what a lovely wife she would make." Liu Bei continued.

"So, uh… how's your wife, Lady Gan? Ce asked.

Liu Bei blinked. "Oh… she's fine. I have not seen her for some time."

They watched as the corpse of one of the White Riders floated by, face down, along with his steed.

"The White Riders," Liu Bei whispered. "I was a classmate of Gongsun-zan. What has happened to them?"

"He decided it would be a good idea to tangle charge out on his own and tangle with Lu Bu." Ce said casually. "Don't worry, he got away, but his men paid a hefty price."

Liu Bei sighed. "He always was on the arrogant side. He reminds me of the Yuans that way."  
"There's no place in the Middle Kingdom for heartless rulers like Gongsun-zan or renegades like Lu Bu." Ce said, his voice hard. "W can't have peace while they're around."

The two lords just looked out over the plains of Xia Pi, saying nothing. Both knew of the trials and perils that awaited them.

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Da Qiao was discussing disbursement of supplies to Sun Quan's Wolf Guard with her quartermaster when a scout from the Valiant Cavaliers rushed up. He bowed hastily and reported.

"My lady! We have caught a spy!"

Da nodded. "Bring him to me."

She waited while her scout sprinted off. She had received reports of engagements in both the north and south of Xia Pi, resulting in victory for Wu forces. Moments later, a surly-looking man was brought to her, his hands and feet bound. He was made to kneel before her and he scowled.

"Your stronghold is thoroughly invested," Da said coldly. "If I return you to your master, maybe you will be able to convince him of his folly."

"Foolish woman," the man sneered. "You have no idea what you are talking about! I am no thrall of Lu Bu."

Da paused. "Then… who…"

"My lady!" called the lookout from atop the great mast of the capital ship. "There is a large force approaching from the north along the coast! It is Yuan Shu!"

Da frowned. "Yuan Shu? Why has he come?"

"Stupid bitch!" the captive hissed. "Yuan Shu, loyal retainer of the Han, has come to break this illegal siege! And if Sun Ce, ostensibly his vassal, stands against him, then he shall be known as a traitor and oath-breaker to all! He-"

The back of Da's hand cracked across the man's cheek harshly, silencing him.

"_Don't_ call me a bitch!" she growled, her eyes flashing.

She sprinted up onto the capital shit and scrambled up the mast to join the lookout. She peered to the north and went pale. Regiment after regiment was marching into Xia Pi, wearing the arrogant yellow-gold of the Yuans- tens of thousands of troops, more than enough to raise the siege.

"They are heading right for us, my lady," the lookout whispered. "We are but two hundred. What shall we do?"

Da bit her lip, her mind racing. If this possibility had been planned for, no one had told her.

"Send our fastest men to both Lord Quan and Lady Shang Xiang. Tell them to avoid all confrontation with Yuan Shu. Defend if attacked, but otherwise, do not interfere! That is an order from me!"

"And what about us?" the man asked.

Da was silent for several moments. "Get the men aboard the ships and have the sailors move four us _li_ off-shore."

The man looked aghast. "We will retreat?"

"For now," Da said firmly, not relishing the idea. "Lord Ce would think it wise that our supplies be reserved. These supplies must not be taken and we cannot fight Yuan Shu, we are his vassals."

She looked out again to the north at the long columns of approaching soldiers, Yuan Shu riding at their head with his royal guard.

"_Gods help us all…"_

**Author's Notes: **I have wanted to do this Shang Xiang chapter for some time now. I know a lot of people will be mystified by my decision to allow her to defeat a warrior as grand as Zhang Liao, but there were a couple of reasons for this- first, I wanted to have Shang Xiang kick some ass sooner rather than later and make it meaningful, so this scenario suited my needs.

Second, I have decided that by saga's end, everyone's favourite Wu princess will be the best female warrior in the land, without question, and also just a premier warrior. She will belong to what I call the Second Tier of warriors, the second-best in the land. The first tier includes such men as Sun Ce, Lu Bu, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and… well, that's it. Tier 2 is composed of such notable figures as Zhang Liao, Dian Wei, Zhou Yu, Xiahou Dun, Huang Zhong, Ma Chao, Zhao Yun, Shang Xiang and Taishi Ci. People such as Liu Bei, the Qiaos and so on are in the third tier. Keep in mind that these tiers are by no means exhaustive (well, Tier 1 is), but 2 or 3 are quite malleable.

I doubt Da is ever going to be a truly terrifying and formidable fighter, there is no need for her to be. Her struggle is not to be the greatest warrior in the realm, just to be a worthy consort to her mighty husband, whatever that entails.

A lot more action coming up, and we find out exactly what kind of bastard Zhou Yu can really be. See you in two weeks!

**Nest Chapter: **"Not Just Another Pretty Face"


	41. Chapter 41

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 39- The Fall of Lu Bu, Part III**

**Not Just Another Pretty Face**

The alliance troops had made several sorties against Xia Pi, testing the remaining defenses. In some places the outer walls but had been gained, but incessant missile fire from the inner keep was making life difficult. Occasionally, Lu Bu himself would appear and shoot several of the attacking troops with flawless accuracy and ridiculous ease. Fear of his mighty bow made any gains ephemeral.

The outer perimeter of the fortress was completely flooded. Kong Rong had suggested building fire boats to drive the defenders back, but no commander was willing to risk more troops to Lu Bu's murderous aim. The allied generals debated and argued heatedly about how to proceed.

Everyone universally agreed that it was a victory of sorts to have relegated Lu Bu and his men to the inner keep, but those remaining seemed well-supplied and prepared to wait.

But what were they waiting for?

Sun Ce had left his troops encamped in the great woods south of Xia Pi and beyond the flood zone, under Taishi Ci's command while he and Zhou Yu went to confer with the other alliance generals. After several hours, he had to admit that he wished he was back with his men.

They sat now in a large pavilion erected by Cao Cao, around a long wooden table, debating the situation. Ce mostly just sat and listened quietly, with Zhou Yu standing patiently behind him, his hands behind his back.

"The enemy is contained but also unassailable!" Kong Rong stated. "If their provisions hold out, how long must we siege them for? A protracted siege will adversely affect morale, both amongst our troops and back in our own realms."

"They have also been able to tighten their defenses." Gongsun-zan added. "And to come within range of Lu Bu's bow is death. What now shall we do?"

Cao Cao was impassive. "We all agreed that Lu Bu was a menace and to be disposed of, whatever the cost. Do you mighty lords not mean to stand by your high and fell words? Did your hearts hear only of glory, only to shrivel at the first sign of travail? What else did you expect?"

"This cannot go on!" Kong Rong said emphatically. "Any and all advantages must be capitalized upon to keep this endeavour from dragging out beyond our collective means. My army is here and this means the borders of my lands are only thinly guarded against the Xiongnu."

"We had an opportunity to get behind him and we did not take it!" Gongsun-zan vented. "It was my understanding that the Southerners had plans to flank Lu Bu while we drew his attention. What of those vaunted schemes?"

Everyone looked at Sun Ce, who just shook his head.

"Gee, I dunno, maybe I didn't expect to need _boats_ to get behind him."

"An unfortunate oversight," Cao Cao intoned. "Lord Sun Ce's plan was daring but unknown to us."

"And it cost me dearly!" Gongsun-zan exploded. "I and my White Riders bore the brunt of Lu Bu's wrath while these Southerners skulked about in the trees. And what manner of allies at all? By their own lord's account they number some three thousands, hardly enough to be considered the vanguard of our splendid host."

"Yeah, a lot of good your numbers did you, pal." Ce retorted.

"Enough!" Cao Cao said firmly. "Lord Sun Ce's realm has never been plagued by Lu Bu and yet he willingly brought troops to deal with him. We are not here to assign blame. None of us wants this siege to continue and no one wants to lose more men to that treacherous monster. Fighting amongst ourselves will not solve anything. Did you learn nothing from the campaign against Dong Zhuo?"

Gongsun-zan fumed and sat down. Liu Bei stood and now spoke.

"No one doubts the valour of men willing to face Lu Bu in combat and those who cannot should not be labeled as cowards. I believe Lord Sun Ce is correct in his assessment- it is not numbers that will prevail against Lu Bu, but the skill of great warriors. There are maybe five men in this encampment and ten in the whole realm who could stand against Lu Bu in single combat."

Ce pursed his lips- ten was a generous number. He would match himself against Lu Bu. Guan Yu or Zhang Fei, certainly. Taishi Ci and Xiahou Dun might hold him for a while. The only other warriors he could think of who might stand a chance were Yan Liang and the barbarian Hu Che Er.

"If we defeat Lu Bu then his men will surrender," Liu Bei suggested. "Their morale is predicated on his might. With their commander Zhang Liao in chains, they have only Red Hare's master to look to."

Gongsun-zan snorted at the mention of Zhang Liao. "How good a warrior can this Zhang Liao of Yan be, if he was bested by a mere woman?"

"He was not, my friend," Liu Bei said quietly, but his voice had a hard edge. "But Lord Sun Ce's sister and her valiant captain saved our southern flank from collapse by slaying over five-hundred of his men and holding Zhang Liao at bay until aid arrived."

"Preposterous!" Gongsun-zan shot back. "That is a rumour spread by the Sun family to compensate for their paltry contribution to our forces."

Liu Bei's eyes flashed angrily at his classmate's slight to Shang Xiang's bravery. "I saw it for myself, Gongsun-zan! You are a fool if you are not blind! And I have no use for fools."

"That would not be Lady Shang Xiang's first great deed on the field of battle, either." Kong Rong pointed out. "It was she and her women-warriors who held our flank at Hu Lao gate against the onslaught of the Nanman mercenaries Dong Zhuo employed."

"And she stood alone against Hua Xiong at Si Shui Gate!" another commander added.

"Yeah, maybe you guy're enjoyin' envisioning my sister bouncin' around in those tight pants and doin' high kicks, but it's makin' me sick." Ce interjected. "I came to take Lu Bu down. What're we gonna do about it?"

The commanders were all silent as they pondered the issue when a messenger from Ce's army rushed in. He bowed to the generals and then knelt at Ce's side.

"My lord! Word from our troops in the east! A vast force has marched into Xia Pi from the north! It is Yuan Shu!"

The commanders began exclaiming and muttering to one another at the news.

"This is a problem," Kong Rong said heavily. "If he has come to aid Lu Bu, then not only will we be facing fresh troops, but our foe will have an escape route to his rear."

"The Southerners hold the east and the coast," Gongsun-zan said. "What do they intend to do to prevent this?"

"What _did_ our forces on the coast do?" Ce asked the messenger.

"They boarded the ships and are sitting about four _li_ off of shore, sire."

"What good are your forces out at sea?" Gongsun-zan demanded.

"Yuan Shu is my liege," Ce said calmly. "How can I fight him without being called a renegade myself?"

"So what use are you to this endeavour?" sneered the commander of the White Riders.

"I came to take out Lu Bu," Ce said firmly. "If you wanna tangle with Yuan Shu, that's your business, pal. Take what's left of your White Riders, go fight him and you can leave Lu Bu to me."

Gongsun-zan coloured in fury and was only restrained by Kong Rong. Ce paid little attention to his 'ally's' ranting, praying that Da was okay. He hoped her promise to stay out of trouble would hold out and rule any decisions she made.

The arguing between the generals grew louder, while Ce and Cao Cao say quietly, wondering what to do.

No one noticed Zhou Yu slip quietly out of the pavilion.

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Da Qiao gazed back toward the shore. It was now nothing but a sea of yellow tents. In the center of the mighty encampment could be seen Yuan Shu's royal banner his lavish personal pavilion.

There had to be nearly a hundred thousand soldiers.

She thought about what the scout they had captured told her. Yuan Shu had come to aid Lu Bu. Prior to the expedition, there had been rumours that the fearsome rebel warrior was trying to cultivate alliances with other great lords of the realm, who as yet held no personal grudge against him. He had made entreaties to the powerful Yuans, but nothing had seemed to come of it.

Now Yuan Shu was here and the fate of the tiny Wu army hung by a thread.

Da could tell her men were anxious- eager to fight but also intimidated by the huge army that awaited them on shore. She had to admit to a cold chill running up her spine at the sight of the foe. She bit her lip as she considered her options. She pondered landing the fleet farther south, but then Quan would certainly be cut off from any hope of supply.

She considered what Yuan Shu might do. If he attacked, the Wu forces would be overrun quickly. Hopefully Quan and Shang Xiang would retreat to join Ce and the alliance in the west, but this would effectively break their stranglehold on Lu Bu.

Drums rolled from the shore and the Yuan troops engaged in drills, no doubt meant to intimidate any alliance spies in the area and to lend encouragement to the beleaguered troops in Xia Pi.

"My lady!" called a lookout from atop the main mast. "They are assembling boats! They look to be small but swift!"

"_What is he doing?" _she wondered. _"If there is any sort of wind, his light boats will outpace mine…"_

"_Keep your head, silly! If Yuan Shu is concentrating on you, then he is not focusing his attention on Sun Ce or the alliance. How can we keep Yuan Shu's attention?"_

Da turned to her pilot. "Bring our vessels closer to shore and see if we can draw Yuan Shu's vessels out."

The man looked grim. "They will be faster than us in these shallow waters, my lady. We may run the risk of being boarded and engaged."

"That may be," Da replied. "But Yuan Shu and his people are not mariners and we of the south excel at such warfare. Bring our lighter troop vessels closer while the barges head south, as if we intend to land."

"And if they do not take the bait?" he asked.

"Then we land farther south and find a way to open our supply lines again." Da said firmly. "Either way, I will not allow Yuan Shu to paralyze us into inaction."

The man smiled. "That is the determination I was told to expect of you, Lady Qiao. Do we have your permission to defend ourselves if we are engaged and boarded?"

Da nodded. "You even have my permission to be pre-emptive, sir."

Inwardly, Da sighed in relief. Her men might just see action yet.

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Ce stood on a dais in the center of the alliance encampment, along with Liu Bei, Kong Rong and Cao Cao, looking out toward the mighty fortress of Xia Pi.

"The defenders are using catapults and ballistae from the inner walls if we get too close." Liu Bei observed. "And with the plain flooded we cannot get close enough to counter with our own."

Cao Cao nodded. "It was a risk we all agreed to, for the opportunity to drown Lu Bu outside his fortress. The gambit did not achieve total success, but with Xia Pi's outer defenses flooded, it will be somewhat more difficult for Yuan Shu to succor the rebel."

"What will Yuan Shu do?" Kong Rong pondered.

Cao Cao's eyes were hard. "Two possibilities present themselves- either he will allow Lu Bu to escape to the east and then bring the renegade north to his own realm, or he will march to engage us and lift the siege."

Ce folded his arms. "He will attack. If the Son of Heaven declares Yuan Shu's actions to save Lu Bu a crime, it will bring the whole realm against him. But if he defeats us swiftly, here and now, the emperor will be compelled to forget this operation entirely and just let Lu Bu go until his next act of treachery. Not to mention that several strong lords will have fallen to Yuan Shu, making him extremely influential, perhaps surpassing his brother."

"Then we must be ready for his attack," Kong Rong said urgently. "The Jian An Seven warned the Imperial court of this possibility."

"I wouldn't be too worried yet," Ce said easily. "In a sense, the reinforcements from Yuan Shu favour us. It will be up to them to attack us now, meaning that the flooded plains work against our enemy and they lose the protection of Xia Pi. Yuan Shu'll divide his forces north and south while Lu Bu will drive through the center."

"It's still wet enough that they will have to wait," Liu Bei added, seeing while Ce was getting at. "The waiting itself works against Yuan Shu, for the same reason it was working against us. Why did he come to Xia Pi at all if he intends to do nothing?"

"Do we not have troops in the north and south?" Kong Rong asked. "What will they do if Yuan Shu marches against us?"

"Shang Xiang'll retreat west if he does," Ce assured the scholar-general. "Quan will do the same and I imagine that Xiahou Yuan will pull back with him."

Cao Cao nodded. "Then we must make Yuan Shu's options as unappetizing as possible. Warn our flanking forces and then flood the plain further. Let us force their hand."

Cao Cao turned and strode off, Kong Rong doing likewise. Liu Bei and Sun Ce continued to stare at Xia Pi.

"Even if we are right, the casualties will be distressingly high." Liu Bei said quietly.

"Yep." Ce agreed. "I didn't want to mention this in front of the other generals, but I have a plan in the works that you might be interested in."

Liu Bei looked at him and nodded. "Let us have some wine in my tent, then."

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Ce sat at the low table with Liu Bei who poured him another cup of hot wine. Nearby stood the massive Zhang Fei and the towering Guan Yu, sworn brothers to the Scion of the Han. In spite of these imposing men, or perhaps because of them, Ce felt perfectly at ease.

"Wandering the land must be tough on you, Lord Liu." Ce suggested.

Liu Bei nodded. "Perhaps, living where there is injustice and no virtue is harder, so I shall make no home until I find such a land."

Ce smiled. He found Liu Bei agreeable, even if he was a little unhinged. Certainly he had a vision for the land, but what worried Ce was that Liu Bei was determined to resurrect the Han. Ce had no particular dislike for the concept of the Han, but in practice it had become corrupt, abusive and untenable. Peasants across the empire had suffered under cruel and uncaring nobles for generations and Son of Heaven was kept ignorant of these issues.

The emperor, Ce thought darkly. The Son of Heaven, a man-god supposed to rule earth in the name of the Celestials. The Han had been founded by the Liu family in Hanzhong some four centuries ago. Before that, a different dynasty had claimed the Mandate of Heaven with a different god-emperor. Was some mighty spirit destined to inhabit the bodies of men, proving divine providence to rule the Middle Kingdom?

Why did this spirit seem to be such a lousy judge of character?

Maybe the emperor was not a divinity at all but just a series of pragmatic men who claimed divine descent in order to sway the populace?

If Ce ever became emperor, he would make sure they everyone knew he was not a god.

"So what did you wish to speak with me about, Lord Sun?" Liu Bei asked, looking over his cup of hot wine.

Ce put his cup down. "Using old plans of Xia Pi, I have men burrowing under the walls to emerge at a pre-determined point and wreak havoc."

Liu Bei nodded. It was a daring plan that entailed no small amount of risk. "Are you troops not worried about running into Lu Bu? I do not fancy their chances if he follows them down into their tunnels."

"Yeah, but I am bettin' he'll be out front," Ce said. "He won't turn down a fight with your brothers, Xiahou Dun or myself. If we time it right, we'll draw him out and leave our infiltration troops to seize Xia Pi behind him."

Liu Bei smiled. "You are lucky the Prime Minister's flood did not drown your men."

Ce nodded. "My strategist Zhou Yu apparently anticipated that tactic and had them start diggin' outside the flood zone."

"A wise man, your strategist, and he formulated an audacious plan. Why do you entrust this arrangement to me?" the Scion of the Han asked.

"I wanted to give you an opportunity to contribute troops to the effort," Ce suggested. "You've brought nearly twenty thousand men, but if Lu Bu is defeated, it will be by heroes, not numbers. A few of your assault companies could make a big difference inside."

Liu Bei considered the proposal. ""Who, thus far, do you have dedicated to the operation?"

"One of my young commanders, Lu Xun, is in charge of the endeavour. He has two companies entrusted to him at the moment, one of which is a company of Zhou Yu's elite Swordwind troops."

Liu Bei nodded. I have heard of them, they are nearly as infamous as your own Night Tigers. Where is your strategist, by the by?"

Ce pondered. "I dunno. Checking on our troops, I imagine."

Liu Bei considered the proposal some more. "It is a great task to be entrusted to a brave few. I could offer you three companies of swordsmen. Would that suffice?"

Ce bowed his head. "Very generous of you, my lord, and most welcome. Who will command your men?"

Liu Bei looked at Guan Yu, who stared back down from beneath his mighty eyebrows, but he considered for only a moment.

"No, you're ridiculously tall, you'd knock yourself out on the tunnel ceiling before you ever reached Xia Pi…"

He then looked at Zhang Fei, who crossed his arms and looked away.

"I'm fighting Lu Bu. Deal with it!" the obstreperous warrior boomed.

Liu Bei sighed. "As yet, my other officers are rather green. I suppose I could assign them to one of your commanders."

Ce smiled. "Well, they're tunnelin' from the south. Assumin' that she ain't driven west, I imagine my sis is gonna want in on the assault. If she's well enough, that is…"

Liu Bei's eyes widened ever so slightly and Ce realized for the first time that his eyes _were_ set rather far apart. Perhaps he really could see his own ears.

"Lady Shang Xiang is going?" Liu Bei breathed. There was a pause. Perhaps, Lord Sun, if you are amenable to the idea, I should lead my men to assist you."

Ce tried to look surprised. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei both just rolled their eyes.

"I don't know, my lord," Ce said reluctantly. "Your own army will need your leadership and they-"

"Guan Yu will command in my absence." Liu Bei interjected.

"I appreciate your willingness to participate, lord, but I-"

"Four assault companies." Liu Bei pressed.

Ce made a wry face.

"Five, companies, armed with dadaos, led by me," Liu Bei said firmly. "It is a magnificent offer, you must not refuse, Lord of the Southlands."

Ce finally assented, although he was sure his sister would kill him. "You're right, I cannot refuse. Thank you, Lord Liu."

Liu Bei nodded and rose. As Ce stood he bowed. "I go now, to pick the companies I shall take with me…"

He rushed out of the tent. Ce stood there quietly, along with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, staring at the tent flap.

"Well, at least if he is deep underground with your sister, then he's not babbling at us about her…" Zhang Fei rumbled.

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Da Qiao had left the capital barge and now stood aboard one of the smaller, lighter troop carrier ships, cresting into the shallow waters closer to shore. Not far behind, a few dozen small, swift craft were giving chase, attempting to overtake the southern vessels.

Da, who knew nothing about naval warfare, could not help but smirk- as the commander of Yuan Shu's ships (a distant nephew of the great lord) shouted in frustration, ordering his men to try and keep up. The man bellowed and cuffed his men about the head, threatening death if they did not manage to catch their targets. The troopers aboard his boat had finally had enough and the commander was 'accidentally' pushed overboard. When he resurfaced, spluttering and cursing, another of the troopers 'accidentally' smacked him in the head with an oar. The commander went rigid and sank below the water.

"They're… they're terrible." Da commented almost in exasperation. "I could pilot a boat better than them. Even my sister could."

"My lady, are we not trying to avoid getting caught?" the pilot asked.

"I'm not sure these idiots would do us any harm if they did catch us." Da muttered. "Maybe we should just put them out of their misery."

The pilot looked over at her, eyebrow raised.

"Okay, out of _my_ misery." Da corrected.

"I am sure the men would like nothing better, my lady."

Da nodded and held one of her fans high. Over many boats, men who had stripped down to their skin slid quietly into the water. Da watched in silence, feeling almost sorry for her foes.

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The troopers were sweating profusely as they laboured to try and catch the Southern vessel. Even though the target ship was larger and more cumbersome, its skilled crew was deftly avoiding the pursuing ships, turning and jinking and displaying a masterful manipulation of even the slightest breeze. The trooper in charge of the boat's ersatz ten-man crew was grunting as he struggled with the sails, attempting to gain on the foe. The troopers his craft was carrying waited impatiently, wearing heavy armour and carrying swords, spears and shields, for when the boarding actions began.

One of the crewmen frowned as a silhouette passed beneath the boat.

"Sergeant? How big do the fish get off these shores?" he asked.

"How would I know?" groused the man wrestling with the sail lines. "Why are you staring at fish when you should be steering this damned boat?"

The inquisitive trooper made a wry face and leaned to look over the side of the boat. "Because I swear I just saw a really big damned fish. It was fast, just a glint of silver before it passed under us and-"

"Pei, just shut up and bank left, hard!" hissed the sergeant as he tried to follow the Wu ship.

And what was that damned woman aboard their target smirking about, anyway?

Pei grumbled and shoved the rudder in the desired direction, but yelped as the tool pulled off the stern entirely, the ropes that had once secured it in place clearly severed. The crew and the waiting troopers shouted in protest as the boat banked suddenly, coming about in a complete circle. One of the armoured troopers squawked and fell overboard, sinking rapidly beneath the dark waves.

"Pei, what the hell!" bellowed the sergeant angrily.

"I don't know!" Pei shouted back. "The rudder-thing just came clean off! I don't-"

Several men shouted in shock as a gleaming blade plunged up into the boat from below and then was gone just as quickly. Water took its place and began to fill the vessel rapidly.

The crewmen all jumped from the sinking craft while the heavily-armoured troopers called desperately for help, doomed to drown unless the other ships came to their aid.

It was now rather obvious what that damned woman was smirking about.

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"Corporal, they seem to be dumping supplies!" a trooper observed as they chased an enemy ship.

The corporal grunted in satisfaction. "Probably trying to lighten their vessels so they can gain speed, I think."

The Yuan boat was beginning to gain on its target, in spite of the flotsam being left behind. A small crate drifted in, bumping into the side of the craft…

The explosion blew the pursuing ship to smithereens, sending wood, rope, sails, water and men into the air.

"_Why did my grandfather ever leave the Southlands to serve the stupid Yuans?"_ the corporal thought darkly as the world tumbled about him before splashing to black…

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Da was giggling behind her hand as she watched, her eyes welling up with tears of mirth. The pilot of her ship took his eyes off the steering for a moment to look at her.

"Isn't General Huang Gai going to be angry that we are using his fuse bombs?"

Da shrugged. "I don't see why, he has plenty."

"Isn't this aggression on our part?" he asked.

"It's not our fault if they keep running into floating fuse bombs," Da pointed out. "They _could_ avoid them, after all."

They looked over in the direction of another _boom!_ And saw another Yuan ship disintegrate.

"You'd think they'd have learned by now, wouldn't you?" the pilot muttered.

"Let us hope that they don't." Da replied.

Another Yuan craft floated up beside a box. The crewman –designated-Captain pulled the top off the box and yelped in panic as he recognized the contents. He dropped the box and lobbed the fuse bomb toward Da's ship, directly at her. She scowled and swatted the bomb with the edge of her closed fan, The explosive sailed back and landed amidships of the Yuan vessel. The crew shouted in fright and bailed, even the armoured troopers. The craft exploded, showering the area in driftwood.

"What progress are the barges making?" Da asked.

The pilot peered after the larger ships. "They are heading south, unopposed, my lady. They should be able to land."

As if on cue, trumpets and drums sounded from the Yuan encampment. The southernmost regiments began moving, as if to follow the barges.

"Their army is large enough to spread out and prevent our landing, my lady…" said the pilot.

"It does not matter," Da mused. "If Yuan Shu is wasting time maneuvering to counter us, then he is not trying all that hard to rescue Lu Bu."

The man considered. "That is true, but the attention of a hundred thousand men on me is somewhat disconcerting."

"Try being a renowned courtesan some time, then." Da replied.

The strange, disjointed chase and melee continued for another half hour. Various Yuan boats exploded. Others sank when swords penetrated their hulls suddenly, leaving ragged holes. Those Yuan troopers who did not sink under the weight of their armour failed helplessly in the water until they were rescued by a nearby vessel. More often than not, though, they ended up wet again when the rescuing boat also suddenly sprung a sword-shaped leak and began to submerge.

Several of the pursuing boat crews grew so frustrated that they began firing arrows at the Wu vessels. The missiles landed ineffectively on the deck or lodged themselves in the stout wooden beams.

"There is no doubting their aggression now, my lady, is there?" the pilot said.

Da nodded. "Any man armed with a bow may use fire arrows to destroy their sails. Fire at will."

On Da Qiao's orders, archers began firing flaming arrows into the sails of the Yuan vessels. The sails rapidly caught fire about several ships, causing them to drift helplessly while the crews jumped into the water.

Those boats not yet ablaze were starting to panic. Da drew back her bow, pointing a flaming arrow at the sails of a nearby craft. The crew aboard her target was frantic as they watched her take aim and then release. The armoured troops desperately tossed their shields in the air, trying to block the missile, but to no avail. Seconds after the dart landed, the sail was burning.

"I think you're starting to enjoy this a little too much, Lady Qiao…" the pilot observed.

"Not even close," Da replied emphatically, dropping her bow and then stripping out of her clothes until she was in nothing but a thin shift. The pilot turned red and looked away hastily.

Da drew her sword and smiled evilly at another nearby Yuan craft. She waved at them, as if to say "good-bye", and then dove into the water.

The target vessel was now alive with frenetic activity as the troopers and crewmen searched desperately for her, expecting the devil-woman to perforate their craft at any second with her blade. They scanned the sides of the boat, plunging their spears and swords into the water to keep her away. They rocked the boat so badly in their desperation that at least three men were pitched overboard.

The crew was busy for several minutes with this hectic activity. Meanwhile, Da has resurfaced on the other side of her vessel. She climbed up a rope that was hung over the side of the ship for her and joined the pilot, wringing her hair out. She watched with vague disgust as the Yuan crew continued to try and skewer her.

"This is just so sad…" she commented.

"Oh, but it is _such_ an honour to serve a prestigious family such as they Yuans, isn't it?" the pilot asked, smirking.

"You serve the Sun family, what do you think?" Da queried.

The man laughed. "There is no comparison, my lady."

They both glanced over as another fuse bomb went off, sending men and timber sailing into the air. Da turned and walked away, stretching.

"I'll be below decks, drying off…" she said casually.

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Sun Ce gazed out from the subtle platform that had been constructed in the top boughs of the tall tree they used to espy Xia Pi. He frowned as he assessed the situation. Lu Bu and his troops were still holed up in the inner fortress and as yet proving invulnerable. Various sorties against the inner walls had failed decisively, mostly due to fear of Lu Bu.

The alliance troops were nervous and frustrated- everyone knew that Yuan Shu's massive army lay to the east, ready to pounce. Morale was beginning to suffer in several of the armies, especially Gongsun-zan's forces, who had been so badly mauled by Fengxian, the renegade known as 'The Flying General'. A minor lord had already withdrawn, returning to the north and claiming that his lands were being harassed by river pirates and brigands. Several other warlords were considering a similar course of action if their fortunes did not reverse soon.

He had to do something to stem this tide of despair…

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Mao Yin was patrolling along the outside of the inner wall, spear in hand. The water was hip-deep and had become tepid from sitting in the courtyard. Bodies and debris floated everywhere and he made a wry face as the corpse of a white horse bobbed up and down nearby, turning over slowly as the body bloated.

Mao Yin's patrol partner, Gao Xi, was a few spans away, poking at the body of a White Rider, to see if anything of value could be looted. Since Gao sneered in disgust, Mao could only assume the body had already been pillaged. Gao pushed the corpse underwater grumpily before turning his attention to another body. Discipline had been lax inside Xia Pi ever since General Zhang Liao had been captured by the enemy earlier in the siege. Everyone feared Lu Bu, who had been unpredictable and mercurial, even for him. Two officers had been slain for suggesting courses of action that contrasted with his point of view and a trooper had been beheaded for sneezing while on guard.

But now Yuan Shu had come to aid them and it seemed as if they just might triumph against what had seemed like impossible odds, even if the mighty Lu Bu was on their side.

A log was floating nearby and he went to examine it, mostly out of boredom. Something about it puzzled him, but he could not immediately put his finger on it. It was an ordinary enough log…

Then he noticed that the water in the courtyard was lapping as more water rolled through the gates slowly. All the other floating objects bobbed in the slight waves, but not this log. He frowned as he approached it, noticing that some strange, out-of-place reed seemed to be sticking out from beneath…

Gao looked over as he heard a splash. He peered in the direction that he had last seen Mao in, but all he could see was a log. The water there seemed to have been disturbed. Had the idiot submerged himself to see if anything valuable was on the underside?

"Mao? Mao…" he called as he approached, irritated with his patrol partner's ineptitude. He approached the log, still seeing no sign of Mao Yin. Then he saw the strange reed that seemed to be stuck beneath the log. He bent closer to see what it was. He only just noticed the flashing human eyes beneath the breathing tube before an iron-hard fist slammed into his face and broke his skull.

Ce emerged from the water and pressed himself against the inner wall. He made sure no one had seen him and then he took out two small, keen knives he had on his belt. He wedged them as quietly as he could in between the stones of the wall and began pulling himself up by sheer strength alone. He would hang tightly by one, keeping his arm flexed as he reached up and dug the other blade higher up in the wall and then pulled himself up further. The burning in his arms was hellish but he would not heed his muscles protest. As soon as he made it to the top, it would be over. It wasn't _that _far.

The inner wall was nearly a hundred feet tall but Ce made short work of it. He knew exactly what he had come to do, and no matter how dangerous it got once he was inside, the sheer physical strain of this climb would be behind him. Within two minutes he was just under the parapet. He took a final breath, thought of his wife, and committed his fate to the gods…

He flung himself over the wall, landing like a cat in front of a startled trooper. He grabbed the man by the collar and pitched him over the side of the wall. The man cried out, alerting the other troops patrolling the wall, but Ce was already sprinting full out, not stopping to fight but bulling his way through his foe, knocking them in every direction.

Trumpets blared as the guards tried to alert all the troops in the keep about the intruder. Ce raced along the top of the wall, the knives still in his hands, tonfas across his back. A squad of five men came rushing at him, swords drawn. He leapt into them feet-first, knocking three of them clear off the wall and the other two backwards. He kept running, stopping for nothing, knowing that he could only pull this off if he kept the entire fortress off-guard.

The main keep, taller still than the inner walls, was not exactly in the center of the fortress- it was slightly off to the left, its awnings, roofs and gables protruding from every level and offering purchase.

Ce took the coiled rope from his belt, the grappling hook on the end glinting. He chose a distant target on the outside of the donjon and began spinning the rope as he ran, to give it momentum.

This _had to work…_

Of course it would, he was Sun Ce, after all.

He threw the hook as hard as he could, aiming for a gable about two levels above his relative position. He knew he had hit the mark and he flung himself out into open air, still holding onto the other end of the rope. The defenders gaped as he swung freely through the courtyard and up. The momentum carried him around the side of the tower and he loosened his limbs as he slammed into the wall, absorbing the impact, rather than resisting it. Now against the wall of the donjon, he scrambled hastily up to more levels, abandoning his rope and once again using his knives for purchase. The stout would was easier than stone to penetrate and he rapidly scaled the last few spans…

He leapt up on top of the keep and seized in his hand the royal banner that fluttered proudly in the breeze. He drew a horn from his belt and blew a great, clear note upon it, signaling his triumph. With a wrench he pulled the banner from its staff and looked around to assess his situation.

Men were looking at him from the walls and readying bows. Doubtless troops would also be surging up through the keep to get him.

_Do the unexpected…_

He leapt off the roof of the donjon, landing lightly on a curved cable. He skidded down the tiled edifice and dropped the one below, which stuck out slightly further. He noticed that there were no more gambrels to descend, to he kicked in the shutter of a window and dashed inside, hoping that actually entering the keep would surprise them.

It did. As he burst out of the room he'd come in through, he met a knot of soldiers in the hallway, who seemed shocked to see him. He bulled right through them, injuring as many as he could with his knife without slowing down. He smashed the banner into the face of a watch sergeant, who reeled backwards, opening the way down the hall for him.

He was sprinting down the stairs of the donjon when he heard lots of yelling below, coming up towards him. He dashed onto another floor and was about to head one way when a patrol came around the corner. He pivoted instantly and headed in another direction, a cold chill heading up his spine.

The patrol had been led by a woman.

The bottom floor could not have been far away now, but possibly still too far to jump from a window. Yet it became more and more plain that the hallways were filling with troops and they knew where he was.

He ran into another room and leapt through the wooden shutter. But instead of leaping out into the air, he caught himself with one arm and dropped a single level, kicking in the shutter and swinging inside again.

He listened at the door for a moment before ducking out quickly and resuming his escape. The floors were getting larger. He must nearly be at the ground level…

A huge figure in gold and vermillion surged around and corner and tried to bisect him with a halberd. Ce dodged, but only barely, ramming his knife at Lu Bu's neck. The renegade warrior avoided the lethal strike and struck again. Ce rolled away, flinging his knife at his foe to buy time. These cramped quarters favoured Lu Bu, and Ce needed every advantage he could get with this behemoth.

"Wretched worm!" Lu Bu roared. "I shall avenge myself!"

"In your dreams, pal!" Ce yelled as he stood, his other knife out now. The banner was still in his hand.

Lu Bu was on him instantly, but Ce was ready. He dodged another strike from Sky Scorcher and then spun low, kicking at Lu Bu's knee. The traitor leapt nimbly and landed, swinging the butt of his halberd at his smaller foe. Ce absorbed the impact on his crossed arms, which felt like they were splintering with icy fire, but he held. Ignoring the pain, he swiped with the knife again, feeling it bight into the back of Lu Bu's knee.

The great warrior staggered for only a moment, but it was all Ce needed. He had not come to fight Lu Bu, the renegade was still on his own ground. Every fiber of Ce's being wanted to stay and finish this fight, but he also knew that this was not the time. Not yet…

With Lu Bu hobbled, Ce dashed off again, clearing a flight of stairs in a single leap to reach the ground floor. Inside the great hall, he thundered off like a great stallion, ignoring any and all foes in favour of exiting the donjon and reaching the courtyard.

He bit his lip as he reached the outdoors, noticing that the courtyard was still completely flooded, at least waist-deep. Knowing that they would begin firing arrows to stop him, Ce took a deep breath, filling his lungs with precious, life-giving air and dove into the water.

He began swimming as quickly as he would, staying submerged. He became acutely aware of arrows landing in the water nearby and wishing that he had been able to bring his armour, or, more to the point, wishing it would not have weighed him down.

By his own calculation, he didn't have much time left.

The thud of hoofs. They had sent cavalry into the courtyard after him. And they were still firing arrows. They were getting desperate and he was running out of options.

The outer walls… they were not much farther ahead. The ruins of the great gate were close.

He took a chance and burst forth from the water and began running. Powerful and fast as he was, it was still sluggish work. He pressed on toward the gate…

The cavalry closed in. They would reach him just before he gained the gate.

He felt the distinct and ominous rumble in the earth- not horses, something else.

_Right on time…_

The lead cavalier thrust at him with a keen spear and Ce twisted to avoid the strike and grabbed the haft. He flung the man from his mount and leapt onto its back. Standing tall, he leapt for the wooden and iron ruins of the gate.

The thundering rush of floodwater slammed into the outer wall, just as Ce scrambled above it. Cao Cao had mentioned earlier that day the precise time that he would release yet another torrent upon Xia Pi and Ce had timed his raid precisely with the Prime Minister's plan, down to the minute.

The cavaliers were swept away as Ce reached the battlements over the gate. He blew another great note on his horn, making sure everyone in the alliance camp knew he was there and holding aloft his prize. Distantly he could hear horns sounding in return- Liu Bei's horns. He smiled.

_Danger…_

He whirled about and his hand clamped over a large arrow that stopped just a single hand span away from his breast. He looked up and saw Lu Bu glaring from the donjon, his great bow in hand. The rebel yelled in fury, robbed once again of his prey.

_Well, that's another souvenir…_

Carelessly, he leapt over the side of the wall and down onto the plain. The still surging waters pressed him against the outer wall, but he knew he was safe, even if he could not move readily, not yet. Within a minute, Cao Cao's men had hastily shut the makeshift floodgates and the water calmed, allowing him to move.

The burning in his arms began again as he slogged towards the alliance camp. Shouts rang from the south and the Night Tigers, led by Tashi Ci, surged out of the woods and toward their lord.

The commander of Ce's bodyguard seemed fit to be tied because of his lord's recklessness, but the men were clearly jubilant. The cheered loudly, whooping and hollering while carrying Ce atop their shoulders toward the alliance encampment.

They entered the camp and were met by the lords of the alliance. Liu Bei was beaming, while Cao Cao was nodding in stern approval. Kong Rong seemed astonished and if looks could kill, Sun Ce would have been dead instantly from the glare Gongsun-zan was giving him.

Ce leapt down from his men and approached the commanders. He sighed heavily but was obviously very pleased with himself. He held out the banner for Cao Cao to take. The Prime Minister unrolled it and people gaped in awe.

"A brave and reckless deed, my friend, one that is sure to boost the morale of our men and wither that of our foes." Cao Cao said levelly. "How did you arrive on this plan?"

Ce shrugged. "I like to think on my feet."

"And what of Lu Bu?" Kong Rong asked.

Ce held out the arrow. "He still back there and no doubt really pissed off. We tangled a bit, but I was set on getting' outta there, to be honest."

"What foolishness!" Gongsun-zan snapped. "All this for a banner? You were fighting our foe and you ran off with a trinket? Why did you not slay him? Surely this siege would have ended if you had done the sensible thing and ended his life instead of engaging in shallow bravado."

Ce nodded back at Xia Pi. "I'm sure he'll oblige, pal, if you're offerin' to finish what I started."

Gongsun-zan glowered but said nothing.

"A great prize it is, too." Liu Bei added, taking the banner from Cao Cao and examining it with admiration. It was a brilliant crimson field emblazed with a golden phoenix. "This, Lord Sun, should occupy a place of honour in your great hall."

"A victory is a victory," Kong Rong said sagely. "In this dilemna, we must take every one we can get."

Ce cricked his neck and massaged his forearms, which burned with pain. He would be paying a visit to Ren Neng for this soon.

Trumpets blared from Xia Pi and even over the distance they could all hear a shout of utter rage. From the south came riders, scouts from Ce's army. The men rode up, threw themselves off their horses hastily and bowed to the assembled lords.

"Lord Sun Ce!" said the lead scout. "Yuan Shu's army! They are breaking camp and heading north! They are leaving Xia Pi!"

Ce looked surprised. "All of them?"

"Yes, my lord! All of them. Our forces in the east off the shores saw the whole thing."

"But… why?" Kong Rong asked. "Yuan Shu has been here less than a few days. What could compel him to just up and abandon the man he had come to support?"

Cao Cao just grunted and walked away, obviously deep in thought.

Ce nodded to the scouts. "Go and rest. Send fresh messengers back to the coast and tell our forces to begin sending supplies to Quan and Shang Xiang again as soon as they are sure it's safe."

The man bowed and hurried off. Ce turned now to Taishi Ci.

"No sense pretendin' that we're gonna get behind Lu Bu anymore. Bring the troops up into the encampment and pitch tents next to Liu Bei's army."

The gathering dispersed, beginning preparations for the next phase of the operation. Against all odds they had been saved for possible disaster and they had yet to figure out why.

Ce didn't care. He sat down right where he was, closed his eyes, cleared his mind and began to take slow, deep breaths. The turmoil fell away and he was once again a part of everything. He was the strength of the earth, the kiss of the wind over the grass…

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Yuan Shu was sitting inside his great pavilion, looking haughtily down at the messenger. He was a raven-haired men, quite young, but with keen grey eyes. His scarlet robes were immaculate as he knelt before the great lord.

"Lord Yuan Shu, I come to you on behalf of my vassal and my liege, Sun Ce." Zhou Yu said in his quiet, mellow tenor.

"Speak, then, boy," Yuan Shu said, trying to sound disinterested. "What manner of vassal takes the field against the ally of his liege? What now should I think of Sun Ce? Would he turn against me?"

"Never, great lord," Zhou Yu said humbly, still kneeling and looking at the floor. "At his behest I have come, with tidings of great import."

"What would those be?" Yuan Shu asked almost disdainfully.

Zhou Yu reached inside his robes and withdrew a small, silk napkin, in which was wrapped something. With great care, he unwrapped it. The guards, advisors and even the lord himself gasped in shock.

Great import indeed.

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Ce knelt across from Zhou Yu inside his tent, arms folded and looking at his friend in confusion. Zhou Yu did nothing but sip at his tea nonchalantly.

"But…" Ce began. "You gave him the Imperial Seal?"

Ce stood and went over to a trunk in which sat his clothes. He pulled out a small, plain wooden box and opened it. He displayed the contents.

"It's right here, Zhou Yu," he said. "I have the Imperial Seal, same as ever. It hasn't gone anywhere."

Zhou Yu considered. "Goodness, then I must have accidentally given Yuan Shu that clever forgery I had made soon after your father found the actual one. How silly of me. Now he thinks he's got the Mandate of Heaven and that he's going to be emperor."

Ce laughed heartily as he put the seal away. "No wonder he left in such a hurry. Zhou Yu, you are a wonder. What would I ever do without you, pal?"

"I'm not just another pretty face, after all," the strategist said, moving aside a few strands of his silken raven hair. "You can't have your way all the time and brawl with everybody."

Ce sighed as he sat back at the tea table. "I guess not. Still, you missed an awesome fight. I was really tempted to stay and finish it."

"I know, Ce," Zhou Yu said soothingly. "That time will come, and something tells me that Lu Bu will fall at your hand, but we must wait until the Heavens decree that time is at hand."

Ce nodded. "I know, I know. So tell me about Da and her antics on the shore."

Zhou Yu smiled. "And you thought _your _day today day bizarre…"

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**Author's Notes: **Well, there you have it… Handsome Zhou Yu, Talented Zhou Yu, Zhou Yu the Bastard. Think about how far back Sun Jian found the seal and told Ce and Zhou Yu about it. He's been planning this little caper since then. Now _that's_ patience.

Da, of course, proved her normal, unconventional self. If she ever starts believing in her own abilities, heavens help the enemies of Wu.

Some people have been requesting more interaction with the other 'kingdoms', so I have been trying to include them, especially Liu Bei and his brothers. I like the DW6 Li Bei enough to include him regularly and you all know I am all about Guan Yu. Trying to give Kong Rong a little play, since he is not represented in the games, and he is a member of the Jian An Seven (not to be consued with the Fab Four). Gongsun-zan is going to be my whipping boy for a while, and given what a butt he is, I am sure none of you will object.

Hopefully Lu Bu seemed as dangerous as ever, even if I let Ce get the drop on him for once.

Next ep, Xia Pi is breached. About damn time, too.

**Next Chapter: **The Younger Conqueror, Chapter 40- "Chick Fight" ( Yeah, I couldn't think of a better name...)


	42. Chapter 42

** The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 40- The Fall of Lu Bu, Part IV**

** Mercy And Justice**

Under Lu Xun's direction, the sappers had been making swift progress. The young commander watched from outside the aperture, his hands resting on the pommel of his slender sword. Next to him stood Da Qiao, and with her Sun Shang Xiang. The three of them consulted a map.

"Your men have done good work, commander." Da commented. "They seem to be well ahead of schedule."

"Thank you, my lady, I am also pleased." Lu Xun said humbly. "They worked so quickly that we actually had time to burrow tunnels as far as the west. Timed just right, Lord Quan will be able to enter and take part in our assault."

Da nodded. My companies are looking forward to it.

Shang Xiang looked at her sister-in-law. "Is that why you're here? What happened to guarding our ships and the eastern garrison? If they flee, who will prevent their escape?"

"One of the other allied commanders agreed to send troops to the east." Da said. "That way my Valiant Cavaliers and Iron Fists can take part in this operation and win a little glory for themselves."

"Well, I'll be glad to have another female commander along." Shang Xiang mused. She grimaced as she rotated her shoulder. Da knew that although Shang Xiang had been visited and healed by Ren Neng from the wounds she sustained in her battle with Zhang Liao, she was still sore and ached all over. On the hip she wore a keen, curved blade and her bow was slung across her back. Knives were strapped to her thighs.

Da took Shang Xiang's hands in hers and looked into her eyes. "I am sorry about your chakrams, Shang Xiang," she said gently. "I know you are strong, stronger than I could ever be, but the loss of those old friends must pain you deeply."

Shang Xiang smiled, but in her sparkling green eyes could be seen a gleam of sadness. "I do mourn the loss, Da, but they shall be reforged, brighter, stronger and deadlier than ever. I made a decision in that fight where I sacrificed both them and my heart to a greater purpose. I shall be a warrior now the likes of which I have not dreamed and they shall be my shining steel warrior's pride, a mirror of my soul."

Da pressed her forehead to her sister's and closed her eyes as she spoke quietly. "I am glad you will be with me," she whispered. "For even though I am certain Lu Bu will be out front fighting the alliance army, I still tremble in fear at the thought of running into him somewhere in that fortress."

"Don't worry, sis, I'll be there with you both!" Xiao Qiao chirped as she skipped up to them. The tender moment passed abruptly and Shang Xiang just shook her head as she dropped her and Da's hands. Da rolled her eyes and walked away, with Xiao following and nattering at her.

Shang Xiang now looked down at Lu Xun, still perplexed that he was only barely taller than Da Qiao. Yet his eyes glinted with intelligence.

"So who is the alliance commander taking over in the east?" she asked.

Lu Xun bowed his head respectfully. "I know not, my lady, but I have also been told that he will be providing assault troops for our operation and he is leading them himself."

Shang Xiang raised an eyebrow.

"I am quite pleased with the prospect," Lu Xun added. "My two companies, Lady Qiao's two companies, you leading your assault company, possibly Lord Quan's Wolf Guard, and five assault companies from this other commander… that will be at least ten companies for us to wreak havoc with once we are inside Xia Pi."

Shang Xiang nodded. "Screw wreaking havoc, we will capture Xia Pi while Lu Bu is fighting out front, and guarantee he has nowhere to go."

Lu Xun smiled and bowed. "Then with your permission, my lady, I shall make that our sole objective. Excuse me now, if you will, I want to inspect the tunnels."

And with that he walked off, leaving Shang Xiang with her thoughts.

Shang Xiang was pondering who the allied commander was when horns sounded just to the west. She glanced over to see five assault companies, armed with dadaos, marching toward the position, wearing green. Riding in front of them, beaming at her and waving, was Liu Bei.

"Oh, fuck me…" she muttered under her breath.

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The companies stood ready for inspection, as the commanders walked up and down the lines, making sure all was ready. Lu Xun walked along with Shang Xiang, Da Qiao, Xiao Qiao and Liu Bei, inspecting every detail and piece of equipment. This operation was perilous and they were leaving nothing to chance.

The sappers were stationed throughout the tunnels and several squads were securing the openings in the west, making sure Quan could join in the assault, possibly joined by Xiahou Yuan. Da had sent riders from the Valiant Cavaliers to inform her brother-in-law of the plans and to be ready.

Lu Xun had offered to defer command of the operation to Shang Xiang, whom he considered to be the senior officer involved, but she refused. Once they were inside the walls, she didn't want to waste time directing the battle, she wanted to fight. Her heart burned in her breast, calling for her to face the enemy and triumph through sheer force of arms and relentless will.

Lu Xun pressed the issue and it was not until Shang Xiang had put him in a headlock for nearly a minute that he finally agreed to stop offering.

"Lu Xun, you have my husband's support and total confidence," Da Qiao said gently. "And although you are the most junior officer here, except for Xiao, we have all agreed to follow your lead in this matter. Your knowledge of this type of warfare exceeds our own, at least until we get inside the fortress."

"I appreciate the validation, Lady Qiao," Lu Xun said. "But what if I have miscalculated and this is a disaster?"

Shang Xiang grunted. "Better that a junior officer screw up than a senior one. It won't look quite as bad for us that way."

Lu Xun looked at her. "Thank you, my lady. I think…"

"Less thinking, more doing." Shang Xiang declared as she drew her sword. "Now let's position ourselves. My brother says that they plan to begin the advance and draw Lu Bu out of Xia Pi six hours hence."

"More than enough time," Lu Xun said, nodding. "Very well. My sappers are acting as guides in the tunnels, they will lead the companies to the various emergence points inside the fortress. Lord Zhou Yu's Swordwind company will go first, since they are the swiftest and most experienced. Lady Shang Xiang's company will follow, heading for the granary near the donjon. With her shall go Lady Qiao with her two companies. They will secure the donjon for us. Lord Liu Bei, your five companies shall secure the walls, two companies on the main gate and one company to the east, north and south walls. Lord Quan's forces shall act as a reserve, since I do not know their disposition yet."

The commanders all nodded.

"This entire operation is entirely predicated on speed and surprise," Lu Xun stressed. "Your objectives come first. Once they are secured, then you may look to see if your support is needed anywhere else. I pray that all goes smoothly but we must be prepared for the worst."

Lu Xun now clasped his fist in his hand and bowed his head. "May the gods go with us."

The commanders assumed their positions at the head of their companies. Before Liu Bei reached his men, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder, staying him. He turned around to see Da Qiao looking up at him.

"Lord Liu, I appreciate all you are doing for us in this engagement, but I have another favour to ask of you."

Liu Bei nodded. "Of course, my lady. You need but name it."

Da Qiao looked earnest. "I was never here. My troops and I were not part of this assault. We were never in Xia Pi, do you understand?"

Liu Bei looked confused.

"The army knows I am here and that is well, but you must never let anyone know. Promise me, even if it makes no sense to you."

"I see no harm in that," Liu Bei reasoned. "You have my word."

Liu Bei walked away and Da turned to join her troops when Xiao flew into her arms and gave her a big kiss on the cheek.

"Ack! Get off me, you lunatic!" she sputtered. She could hear her men chuckling nearby.

"Sorry, sis!" Xiao said, her eyes wide. "I'm just really really scared about being in all those dark tunnels and I am glad my big sister is going to be with me."

"Oh, Xiao," Da said softly, her heart melting as she caressed her sister's cheek. She knew that Xiao was terrified of enclosed spaces and the nightmare tunnels beneath Ou Xing's ghastly lair had never quite left her. But she was so determined to fight alongside her older sister that she was willing to brave that subterranean utterdark just to prove herself.

"Be brave, darling." Da whispered, smiling. "Qiao women are braver than anything, remember what mother taught us."

Xiao nodded, but her bright eyes still glinted with fear. "I wish Zhou Yu were here."

"And I wish Ce were here," Da murmured. "But they are going to be out front, fighting Lu Bu. And they _must_ fight him, they cannot hang back."

She took her sister's hands in her own and placed one of them over her heart.

"Feel my heart thumping?" she asked. "I am terrified too. But I will do whatever needs to be done. Because if I do my part just right, then Lu Bu will lose Xia Pi and be captured. He is no threat to my husband if he is in chains. Ce needs my help, and in a sense, my protection. Zhou Yu will be fighting by his side, darling, so think of protecting Zhou Yu when you are in those tunnels."

Xiao smiled. "I can do that. When I'm scared, I just distract myself by thinking of us naked then he will-"

"Okay, that's enough, back to your squad." Da interrupted, the moment passed. "Think of Zhou Yu and just remember to not stop moving, okay?

"I can do that too!" Xiao chirped. She hugged Da and ran off again.

Da walked back to her two companies and stood in front with her back to them. She couldn't hear anything, but she knew they were all smirking.

"If you know what's good for you, then you all saw _nothing_…" she growled.

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The alliance army was marshaled out in front of their encampment. Regiment after regiment was lined up for the march toward Xia Pi. Cao Cao's massive force held the center, anchored on his elite bodyguard unit, the Wildcat Riders. His army was composed mainly of heavily armoured spearmen who were back up by archers, with their compact but powerful Northern bows.

The left flank was held by Kong Rong and Gongsun-zan's forces, totaling some twenty-thousand. The striking orange and blues of Kong Rong's army contrasted with the brilliant white of Gongsun-zan's, although the latter's forces seemed tattered and looked depleted and shaken.

The right flank was held by Liu Bei's army, under the command of Guan Yu. As Cao Cao rode down the front of the lines, he stopped in front the huge warrior and looked around.

"Where is your lord, Liu Bei?" the Prime Minister asked.

"Scouting, I believe, my lord." Guan Yu boomed. "He assigned command of his army to me in the interim. Does this displease you?"

"Not at all, Guan Yu," Cao Cao replied. "I merely like to know everything that is going on at so crucial a moment. I would give a good regiment for a diversion or distraction right now…"

Guan Yu nodded but said nothing. Zhang Fei gripped the haft of his mighty Viper Spear as his mount shifted restlessly back and forth. Cao Cao rode now to the end of the line, where Sun Ce sat on his mount in front of the Night Tigers. Beside him was Taishi Ci, dour and vigilant. Zhou Yu commanded the Swordwind and Zhou Tai waited silently in front of the Steel Dawn regiment. His fearsome curved blade waited inside its sheathe on his belt.

"The time has arrived, Lord Sun," Cao Cao said grimly. "You are one of two men living to fight Lu Bu twice and survive. This must end today. The Han will never know peace with that monster marauding the land and as long as lords seek alliance with him because of his strength."

Ce nodded, noting Cao Cao's reference to the Han, as if he thought it needed to be protected or even saved. He did not believe Cao Cao, but there was no point in arguing that right now.

"He's goin' down. Everyone else engages his forces and pins them while Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Xiahou Dun and myself take the fight to Lu Bu. It ain't gonna be pretty, but we will win."

"He _must _not escape back to Xia Pi," Cao Cao pressed. "I pray our casualties will be light, but I expect them to be fearsome. If he makes it back within the walls it will be on a wave of our blood, and I doubt the other commanders will assent to another siege with fewer troops, no matter how badly he is bloodied."

"He won't." Ce replied. There was no doubting him.

Cao Cao nodded and snapped his reins, riding back to the front of his army. Once he was there, he paused for a moment to look out toward Xia Pi. The sun was high overhead and in top of the mighty main gate could be made out a huge figure, resplendent in crimson and gold, glowering balefully and holding up his massive halberd, which gleamed in the midday light, their challenge accepted.

Cao Cao drew his sword and held it aloft. In response, thousands upon thousands of banners unfurled across the alliance lines, fluttering in the prescient, fateful wind. All was silent and the peace of the land hung in the balance.

Cao Cao swung his sword overhead in a circle and drums rolled and horns blared, signaling the advance. With a lurch, the alliance army began to roll forward toward Xia Pi.

Ce listened to the music and songs of the armies, noting what it indicated about that host's disposition. Far on the left, Gongsun-zan's White Riders rode to a cadence that spoke of royalty and nobility, arrogant and pretentious. Kong Rong's army, influenced by its commander's austere teachings, marched forward to arrhythmic drums and flutes.

Cao Cao's army marched inexorably toward Xia Pi, its troops shouting and whooping like cranes, their battle cries meant to chill the enemy.

Guan Yu led Liu Bei's army forward and they were silent as the forest and strong as a mountain. Their faces were fell, bent only on war. Sun Ce had instructed his own men to march in silence, engaging in none of the war songs or battle chants that the Southlands were famous for. Not yet, anyway.

As the host came on, the gates of Xia Pi opened and once again, swordsmen, halberdiers and spearmen marched out in ordered companies, arranging themselves in a tight defensive formation. The wall was once again lined with row upon row of archers. The gates remained open, and Ce knew that waiting just behind it was Lu Bu with his cavalry, waiting for the moment to counterstrike.

As the infantry marched forward, the archers stopped, nocked arrows and drew their bows. At the command of their captains, thousand upon thousands of missiles were released into the air, sailing down toward the defenders. The well-armoured troops weathered the barrage beneath their shields, but it pinned them long enough for the alliance forces to begin their charge. From the walls of Xia Pi, the bowmen responded with their own hail of arrows, concentrating on the White Riders; dozens fell, but still they came on.

Cao Cao's army, at his signal, broke into their dash toward the armoured wall, their war cries reaching the heavens. The flanks raced forward, cutting off escape to the sides. This battle was a final one, to be decided by sheer force of arms. One side would emerge bloodied but victorious, the other side would simply not exist.

The clash sounded like a bolt of thunder, shrieking across the plain. Hundreds perished in the initial press alone, crushed by the sheer weight of men, clamouring to come to grips with the enemy and their own fear. The war chants of the living mingled with the wails of the dying and the land sang back in agony.

Ce saw without seeing as he led his men forward, lost in the turmoil of the earth, rebelling against the slaughter and the destruction wrought across it. He saw not forms but flames, the flickering spirits of men too small to survive this horrible struggle, and the shining blazing souls of great men who sought to impose themselves upon this chaos. The screech of steel and the thunder of countless feet were all lost on him. Everything slowed to a crawl, perfectly clear and vivid now.

He felt himself racing toward the flanks, leaving Taishi Ci in command of the Night Tigers and Zhou Yu in command of the Swordwind. They could not keep up with him, not even a horse could. He spied a company of halberdiers, anchoring the defensive formation's left wing. His army would chip away at the corner until it crumbled, then they would roll up the flank.

He was on them like a demon, his tonfas in hand. Swinging, crushing, kicking and giving no quarter. Their stout armour gave way before his assault and they counterattacked madly, desperate to keep this _guaihu_ from annihilating them. Their halberds, deadly weapons that could shear a horse in half with a good stroke, were compromised by the close quarters and the fact that Ce was now in their midst, having leapt out of nowhere.

His tonfas blocked and blunted their strokes expertly and he spun low or whirled about, clearing space for himself. The men did not falter but tried to press their attack, baffled by Ce's speed and tenacity. They shouted furiously as they tried to contain him. He seemed not a man so much as a great, blazing spirit in the form of a huge tiger, its claws rending their armour like it was paper and its terrible jaws crushing them effortlessly.

Nearby a terrifying green dragon tore great, gaping holes in their ranks, and nothing could stand against it. Guan Yu's halberd, Green Dragon, also known as Frozen Glory, could not be stayed, and Zhang Fei's mighty Viper Spear slew any who came within reach.

Zhou Yu and his Swordwind warriors now entered the fray. Masters of the running battle, they dashed into the gaps between the halberd and spear companies, attacking the heavily armoured swordsmen that waited in reserve. The elegant commander whirled about, his ancient blade shining and trailing flames as he slew. The warriors of the Swordwind, some of the most elite in the army of the Southlands, were trained to strike fast and hard. They were lightly armoured compared to their foes, but faster and more agile. They supported one another and teamed up to target foes, aiming for weak spots in armour with expertly-placed thrusts.

The Steel Dawn company engaged now, grim troops that mirrored their commander Zhou Tai in their approach to battle- they made not a sound as they slew and they were masterful in the counterstroke. A Steel Dawn warrior would draw an enemy in to attack, parry and then with blinding speed strike the foe down.

Zhou Tai was renowned for his use of the 'Fire and Coals' technique, where he could get an opponent to strike and then in parrying would force the foe's weapon down, exposing their back. In a single, whirling arc, he would bring his curved blade down on them, and nothing would survive.

Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers drove headlong into the foe, being the most heavily armed of the Southlands troops present. With their long spears and stout shields, they engaged in a fearsome pushing match with the spear companies, pinning them while the more agile Swordwind troops overran the position to get in their rear. Taishi Ci waited patiently to the rear of his battalion, directing their efforts until the right moment had come. His grim eyes observed the battle, sensing for a decisive shift in the flow of the battle.

"_They are men, our foes. Well armed, well armoured, but there are no heroes among them. And with our heroes we shall crush them…"_

The dread commander leapt high over his troops and landed with a thunderous impact, his mighty clubs sweeping wide and sending dozens of foes flying. He stood tall and began beating his foes brutally into the ground, entire squads melting away before his onslaught.

Zhou Yu, Zhou Tai, Taishi Ci… against these terrifying warriors the defenders could not stand. They held, as long as they could, like water about to boil over the side of a cauldron.

Zhou Yu ducked and thrust, sliding his gleaming blade between the metal bands of a foe's cuirass with deadly accuracy.

Zhou Tai spun about the captain of the company that opposed him and his sword passed through the man's torso, bisecting him.

Taishi Ci's club sent his enemy hurtling backward into his own men, every bone in this body crushed by the force of the blow.

Deep in the defenders' midst, Ce let out a great war cry and struck the ground with his tonfa, rending the earth around him in a shockwave of flame, bringing death to the swordsmen he preyed upon.

The morale of the men of Xia Pi had wilted when suddenly drums thundered and horns sounded. It seemed to them as if a great and terrible phoenix with burning eyes had descended from the heavens to smite their enemies and save them from certain death.

The renegade Flying General had come forth at last.

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Deep under ground though they were and many _li_ away, the infiltration troops could not help but hear the deep rumble in the earth of the battle that raged in the west. Men looked around as they crept through the tunnels, twisting and winding to their destination points. The torches Lu Xun's sappers had placed along the way provided just enough dim light to guide them.

Da Qiao concentrated on the path in front of her, ignoring the tight confines of the tunnel, reminiscent of the hellish passageways beneath Ou Xing's lair. The sweat on her neck was cold and damp. She kept telling herself it was the environs, but she was sure it was not.

They reached a juncture and there was Lu Xun, torch in hand, directing companies toward their targets and telling them how soon from departing the spot they were to strike. He seemed to have it all planned down to the second.

"But sis, what if we're wrong in our timing?" Xiao whispered.

"We're trusting that we're not, Xiao," Da replied quietly. "We trust that Lu Bu will hold himself in reserve for a counterstrike. His forces cannot stand against the alliance army for long without him. Once we are certain he has left the fortress, we will be striking hard and fast, whatever the cost. To slow down for even an instant will mean failure."

Xiao looked grim. "So even if Lu Bu is still inside the fort, we keep going."

Da nodded. "We may not succeed in trying, but if we retreat then we will die. There is no other option or outcome, Xiao."

The younger sister sucked on her teeth. "Well… I mean, you and I have faced greater foes before, right? We've come through in tougher battles, haven't we? Lu Bu is still just a man, isn't he?"

"That is my hope, Xiao…" Da said under her breath.

Shang Xiang had taken the lead in the tunnel that led to the donjon. Behind her came her amazon company. It felt strange to not see Fu Chin Ran at Shang Xiang's side, but the valiant captain had been left to hold the staging area and the southern passes with the remaining four companies. If the infiltration troops were routed and came streaming back out of the tunnels, some forces had to cover their retreat.

Hopefully that would not be necessary.

Xiao's squad of girls brought up the rear of Shang Xiang's company. Although technically not a member of Shang Xiang's guard unit, Xiao had insisted on going along with her sister, whatever the cost, and nobody had the time or inclination to dissuade her.

Behind Xiao came Da, leading the Iron Fists and the Valiant Cavaliers. The tunnel was barely wide enough to walk two abreast, and some of the larger men had to walk single-file. The air was almost stifling and stale, making it hard for Da to breathe.

The passageway inclined upward slowly and the air seemed somehow less oppressive. Finally the amazons had come to a halt and Da turned to look at her men.

"Now," she said in a quiet but firm voice. "Listen to me, all of you. There will be plenty of fighting to do up top, so I am telling you this once… Lady Shang Xiang's amazons are going first. If I hear even a single complaint from any of them about being jostled out of the way, you will all answer to me."

She could make out their shadows nodding. They may have been eager, but they weren't stupid.

Da now joined Shang Xiang and Xiao at the head of the amazon company, beneath the aperture that had been prepared for then. Wide enough for two warriors to emerge at once, some short ladders had been erected against the wall. The aperture was skillfully concealed by debris and wooden planks.

"What is above us?" Da asked.

"It's the supply house Lu Xun told us about from Lord Liu's maps." Shang Xiang replied. "I will go first and take out any sentries I see. We will assemble as many in the available space as we can and then attack while the others emerge as quickly as possible."

Da nodded, gripping her fans tightly. Her hands were slick with sweat and she took a deep breath. Shang Xiang heard her and turned to stroke her hair gently, smiling reassuringly.

"It will be fine, Da. We will emerge victorious and you will see my brother again."

Da nodded, comforted by her beloved sister-in-law's words.

Shang Xiang then scaled the ladder and pushed on one of the wooden planks. She lifted and set a corner of it aside as quietly as possible and peered out, squinting as the grey light hit her eyes.

They store house turned out to be surprisingly large, possibly with enough room to marshal all three companies before they struck, if they were fast enough.

She spied one guard, standing in a corner by the door, his back to them. He seemed to be relieving himself. Through a small, grated slit in the door, she could see other shapes waiting outside. The thunder of drums and the clash of steel and the cries of men echoed distantly.

She moved enough of the boards to allow herself to get out. She hauled herself up quietly on her arms and stood. Silently, she glided on up to the man, a wicked knife in her hands. He just seemed to be finishing his business when she clamped her hand around his mouth and slid her dagger into the back of his neck. He went limp instantly and she caught his weight before he fell over.

Cheers suddenly went up from in the citadel, including the guards out front.

"The general has counterattacked the enemy!" someone shouted. "Pan, Lu Bu has taken the fight to the alliance! We are going on the roof for a better look!"

As the men scrambled away and began climbing ladders onto the storehouse's roof, Shang Xiang put aside the guard who must have been Pan and sprinted back to the aperture, moving the debris aside and hustling everyone out as quickly and as quietly as she could.

Within two minutes, the raiders had assembled into their squads, only a few remaining in the tunnel below. Shang Xiang did a final cheek with each of the commanders and then gave them an evil grin.

"Warriors of the Sun family," she said, her voice tight with anticipation. "The enemy will never know what hit them…"

And with that she kicked the door off its hinges and burst into the citadel, her ululating war cry taken up by her amazons and a look of nightfall on her face.

Elsewhere, the infiltration troops also emerged into the fortress, assaulting their designated targets.

And all hell broke loose inside Xia Pi.

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Lu Bu, atop Red Hare, had thundered straight into the middle of the alliance lines. Since there seemed to be no weak point, he thought to pierce its center and divide the attacking force in two. Cao Cao's spearmen bore the brunt of the charge, and so ruinous was the renegade's onslaught that it looked like they might not contain him.

The deadly wedge drove deep into the waiting infantry, who pushed back desperately with their long spears, but the cavalry's momentum was almost too much. Lu Bu smashed at least three companies aside, hundreds of men dying underfoot as he thundered toward his target, the hated Prime Minister who had betrayed him.

At Lu Bu's emergence, Cao Cao and his Wildcat Riders had turned and retreated, hoping to draw the traitor after him. But Lu Bu's charge had been so powerful that the plan nearly failed as the center threatened to collapse.

Gongsun-zan and Kong Rong were fighting hard on the far left against the newly invigourated defenders, but the tide of battle was slowly turning in their favour. Arrows from the walls whittled at their numbers, but the counter-barrages from the thousands of archers on the ground kept the damage sporadic and from becoming excessive.

On the right, Sun Ce spearheaded a furious assault on the enemy's flank and turned it. As the defenders' left flank routed suddenly, Ce bellowed for his men not to follow and not to slay, but to race toward the center. He sprinted over the heaped bodies until he and the lead units of the Night Tigers smashed into the foes facing Guan Yu and the troops of Liu Bei. Their pressing attack, along with the general terror created by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, proved too much for these men and the entire left collapsed. The tiger and the dragon fell now on the enemy center, hoping to cut Lu Bu off from infantry support.

As Cao Cao's army, commanded by Xiahou Dun from the front, did whatever it took to hold off Lu Bu, Ce battered his way through companies of swordsmen, never stopping to engage but simply overrunning them. Ce spared a moment to glance over in the direction of the renegade warrior- he was towering above all others atop Red Hare, bellowing and mowing down foes with his dreaded weapon, Sky Scorcher.

Xiahou Dun had attacked him savagely, his mighty blade clashing with the halberd. He attacked relentlessly, heedless of his own safety, seeking only to occupy Lu Bu and to protect his cousin, Cao Cao.

Ce threw himself at a squad of spearmen, rolling suddenly to emerge inside their bristling defenses. He spun about with his tonfa, battering shields and shattering bone with every strike. Three fell almost instantly and the rest fled in terror, only to be slain or run down by the Night Tigers.

Ce could feel Lu Bu's presence. Every muscle in his body sang with a dreadful eagerness to just leap over all the turmoil and have this out now, once and for all, to see who was strongest.

"_No… stick to the plan…testing yourself is secondary! Who cares about glory if Lu Bu kills you and Da and your daughter are left alone? Maybe you'll never get to find out who is mightiest. But there's something more important. Stick to the plan…"_

Ce attacked a company of swordsmen alongside Zhou Yu, knowing that his great test was still to come. This was just a warm-up.

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Xia Pi was in an uproar. Da could hear the chaos all about her. The three companies, led by Shang Xiang, had stampeded into the donjon, ignoring all other possibly targets and trusting that everyone else would to handle their assignments. This was a bold tactic entailing extreme risk and it could bear no failure.

Two full companies of rebel troops had been waiting in the great hall on the bottom floor of the donjon and when the infiltration troops had burst in from several doors, led by whooping women-warriors, they had recovered quickly.

The initial clash had been terrible and vicious. The Iron Fists plowed into the enemy with their heavy swords while the amazons south to get by the rebels and take the fight to the upper floors. The flexible Valiant Cavaliers were broken into squads, assigned to defend secured areas from inevitable counter-attack.

Da had sprinted around the side of the disciplined, armoured shell of defenders and was looking for a weak spot on their flanks. The rebels were aware of her and tightened their formation to ward her off, in case she came head on.

She bit her lip as she considered for a moment and then dashed in. Several men thrust at her with their bitter-tipped spears but she skidded low, beneath the strikes and kicked at their legs with all the strength she could muster. The armour at the back of their knees was not much more than stout padding, but still, pain flashed up her leg from the multiple impacts she forced it through. Several of the men were knocked off their feet or at the very least unbalanced. She rolled away and sprinted to another location, this time swiping with her fans.

The Iron Fists pressed harder as their commander picked away at the enemy's stance. Finally, several of the defenders could take no more of her harassment or their futile efforts to stop her and charged. Da now raced backwards and leapt against the wall and then springing high over their heads to land behind them. She attacked their rear, moving through the rebels with graceful, fluid and circular ease, felling those within reach of her fans.

One man struck at her with his sword. She batted the downward slash away and then slammed her fans across his legs, shattering them. She had attacked another target before the first swordsman had even dropped.

The defenders' morale could hold no longer and they began throwing down their weapons in surrender. With not enough troops to take them prisoner, Da turned to Shang Xiang for advice, but the bow-hipped princess had already disappeared. Da sniffed indignantly and then made sure the surviving rebels were weaponless and herded out into the court before the donjon. She then had the stout doors locked behind them and placed two squads of the Valiant Cavaliers on guard.

They were now locked in, but with any luck, the defenders, especially Lu Bu, were locked out. She needed every advantage she could get.

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Xiao scampered down a hallway, having split off from Shang Xiang's main company and was supposed to be clearing this floor of defenders. Her squad raced alongside her, their various weapons in hand as they tried to keep up with her.

Xiao rounded a corner and found she was confronted by a squad of stout halberdiers. She growled even as she raced towards them. If there was _anything_ that she hated more than being chased by tigers, it was tackling halberdiers head on.

Well, that and being covered in tentacle gick.

They waited for her, halberds leveled, daring her to attack. She launched herself at them, leaving her feet and skidding ungracefully along her front and into their legs. She yelped as she deflected their iron graves with her face.

Unprepared for this bone-headed tactic, several of them men were staggered and two were knocked over. Those remaining upright turned in to cut down Xiao, but her tiny form was pinned beneath the bulk of the men she had unbalanced and they could not get at her without killing their comrades.

Xiao's girls were on them like wolves, slaying the men mercilessly for daring to try and harm their commanding officer. Only one survived the assault and he was cut down by Shen with her bow as he tried to flee.

They pried Xiao out from beneath the corpses and dusted her off. She blew a stray strand of hair out her face and scowled.

"Ow," she groused, rubbing her nose. "Why does that work for my sister and not me?"

"I know I am only a green trooper, Lady Qiao," Bo said deferentially. "But I might suggest that it does not work so well if you lead with your face, yes?"

Xiao gave her a withering look.

"I am just saying," Bo added, shrugging. "I have never seen your sister try it that way, maybe there was a reason for that."

"Good, next time we'll try using _your_ face, Bo." Xiao growled. An giggled.

Xiao spread her fans and beckoned for them to follow.

"C'mon, that can't be all of 'em on this floor, can it?"

It turned out that those had been the only rebels on the floor, so Xiao found some stairs and led her girls up to the next level, in the hopes of find more defenders to pick on.

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Although she could distantly hear the great battle raging outside of Xia Pi, Da ignored the sounds and her worry about Sun Ce and continued sprinting up the stairs. Most of the floors of the donjon were getting cleared, but each level was resolutely defended and the quality of the rebel warriors was increasing as they reached the final floors.

Da Qiao had sent her Iron Fists on ahead while she stopped on one of the lower levels to help a Valiant Cavaliers squad break up a determined counterattack by the rebels. Once the floor was secured, she raced to catch up with her assault troops.

She had reached the topmost level and skidded to a stop as she saw several of her Iron Fists scampering down the hallway, covering their heads and looking terrified. They raced right by her to hide in the stairwell.

"What the…" she exclaimed in bewilderment.

She looked over in the direction they had come from; around a corner she heard yelping and a strange cracking noise. She walked forward, curious as to what could make her tough assault troops cringe like children and run like rabbits.

"Lady Qiao, no!" one man called from the safety of the stairwell. "She's crazy!"

Da rounded the corner and stopped dead, her jaw hanging slack. She simply could not have been prepared for the sight that met her eyes.

She watched as an Iron Fist sergeant swung his blade about, trying to deal with a slender, beautiful girl, in whose hands was a wicked, red barbed whip. She dodged his attacks gracefully, with the elegance of a dancer. Da was enchanted by how she moved, for she had never seen anyone but herself or Xiao moved with such grace.

The woman's long, silken hair was a honey-brown, her eyes soft as a doe's, yet carrying the spark of defiance. Her clothing was splendid and magnificent, silken and brocade, threaded with gold and precious stones.

Surely she was a courtesan.

Surely this was the renowned Diao Chan.

She caught the man's sword on the chain of her iron-red whip and they strained for a moment, fighting for advantage. Diao Chan then gracefully melted away from the strike and pirouetted about the man, who stumbled. She stood tall and began striking imperiously with her whip, as one might have beaten an errant slave or dog. The men yelped in fright, cowering before scrambling away from the devil-woman. He jumped behind Da Qiao and looked out from behind her diminutive form, his eyes wide.

Diao Chan took a deep breath as she composed herself, adjusting a few strands of hair that had fallen free during the melee. She turned and paused as she noticed Da Qiao standing at the corner of the hallway, observing her.

They stared at each other for several moments and there was utter silence, the chaos on the other floors and out in the citadel falling away. Da stepped slowly into the hallway, realizing that she had finally made it to the private chambers of the lord of Xia Pi. The walls were a rich vermillion and edged with gold. Tapestries and vases lay strewn about, shattered by the wild brawl that seemed to have occurred before she arrived.

Diao Chan watched her approach.

"You are beautiful," she said in an honest and silken voice. "I have never seen the likes, you are surely one of the Qiao sisters."

Da nodded in acknowledgement. "And you can only be Diao Chan."

"We met once, long ago, in Chang'an," Diao Chan murmured. "We were but young girls, still learning the arts of being revered women, to be graceful, refined and talented, the ultimate commodity for the men who rule the world."

"Far away days in a far away land," Da replied, never taking her eyes off Diao Chan as she approached. "Though the chaos has brought tears to my eyes and I yearn for simpler times, I hold to those memories with a girlish heart, hoping that one day I will know the simple joy and peace of singing and dancing for my lord."

"Your lord is indeed a great man, Lady Qiao," Diao Chan said without guile. "Were he to rule the land, it would be a prosperous day for all."

"Then why do you fight?" Da asked, drawing closer. "Surely you see that this turmoil must end. Men like Lu Bu, who live for only conflict must not be allowed-"

"You do not know him like I do." Diao Chan said, cutting her off before blushing and bowing her head. "I am sorry, I was wrong to interrupt you. I know why you say what you now say and why it makes sense, but that is no longer my concern. Other men aside from my Lord Lu Bu would plunge this world into chaos even more readily. Who, aside from he, has the strength to stem that tide?"

"There are others," Da said earnestly, not wishing to fight. "Men of virtue and peace who will show the way."

"And what of my Lord Lu Bu?" Diao Chan asked, her eyes glistening. "Do you think that those mighty and rare lords will pardon him? Will he be spared the indignity of his head on a pike? If he surrendered right now, would his life be given back to him?"

Da was silent. They both knew the answer.

"That is why I fight," Diao Chan said quietly. "I love him, Lady Qiao. No matter what fate awaits him, I will be there to live, fight and die by his side."

"Please…" Da begged. "I do not want to fight you. I do not want to hurt you."

Diao Chan smiled sadly. "Nor I you, my lady, but that is not seemingly what the gods have in mind for our little lives."

"You cannot win," Da said in desperation. "Even now, our troops are securing Xia Pi behind your lord's back and my Lord Sun Ce, Guan Yu, Xiahou Dun and others close about him. Even he cannot win."

Diao Chan bit her lip as she heard the truth in Da Qiao's words.

"Have you ever known despair, Lady Qiao?" she asked. "A deep and dark despair that was only lightened by the burning love you shared with another? And when they were gone, that only the bittersweet kiss of death and oblivion could end the ache in your heart?"

Da was silent, remembering the agony that the murderous assassin Fan Yu had put her through and how close she had come to taking her own life.

"There are worse men in this land than my Lord Lu Bu." Diao Chan said with a quiet finality. "He may not be the greatest of men, nor the most virtuous, but he is everything to me…"

She now stood and drew her whip between her fingers, stepping back into a graceful defensive stance.

"And without him, I will have nothing. Death take me, for I shall defend him against the gods themselves."

Da Qiao nodded slowly, her heart breaking. They were doomed to be enemies, but they had a crystalline understanding. It was something she could not deny.

"As you say, my lady," Da said, opening her fans and going into a low stance. "For our men and their lives."

Diao Chan nodded. "My heart even now sings a song of yearning for other days… a song, a time and a place where we could have been friends and loved one another as sisters…"

Eternity was measured in heartbeats as they sized up one another.

Outside, horns blared, sounding someone's countercharge.

As if taking her cue from the horns, Diao Chan whirled in, her deadly whip curling about her like a graceful serpent. She pirouetted one way, the whip flashing out from the other, hoping to confuse Da Qiao.

Da was not distracted and she let the whip wrap around the frame of one of her fans, snapping it shut. The other fan struck out toward Diao Chan, who cross-stepped aside and drove her elbow at Da Qiao's face. Da arched backward gracefully into a somersault, her legs kicking out to discourage pursuit.

Diao Chan pulled hard on her whip, trying to dislodge it from Da's hand, but the Southern girl would not relinquish it. They strained against one another for several moments before Diao Chan yanked hard, pulling her whip free. They both spun and face each other in a low stance, wary of the next move.

"I cannot let you have my Lord Lu Bu." Diao Chan said, her voice still melodic but carrying a hint of iron resolve.

"And if your lord does not perish then mine surely will," Da replied. "And this I cannot endure or allow."

She leapt high now, somersaulting through the air and landing with her fans flashing out like the wings of an immortal crane. Diao Chan stepped back with a grace belying her speed and her whip snaked out at Da again, who blocked the strike with crossed fans. She jammed them forward and now Diao Chan was the one who somersaulted backwards to avoid death. When she righted herself, Da was already on her.

This fight had to be finished by one of them.

The battle was graceful and fluid, unlike anything anyone could have described, not even a poet with the heart of an immortal blossom. The women spun and struck, whirling about each other in an elegant dance of death.

Da spun around Diao Chan, her elbow thrusting back, to be caught in her foe's palm. Diao Chan counterstruck with her elbow and Da blocked the strike with her forearm. Back to back now, they thrust away to gain some distance and then lunged in for another bout.

Both women were dancers, the best the realm had known in generations. The contest was even, not to be won on physical prowess but desperation. Both knew that only one would walk away from this. For the other, there would be nothing.

Da struck with a tiger claw, such as Ce had taught her to use, while Diao Chan countered with a crane fist. They batted each other's strikes aside and both women used short, low kicks to unbalance the other. Too good to be caught so early by a simple kick, they both hopped over the strike and dropped, to get in a low fist strike. Da was dropping into a split when she was distressed to see Diao Chan to the same.

They caught one another's strikes in their hands and strained, body to body, looking into each other's eyes, sensing the anxiety they shared.

They both rolled backward and attacked again, grace giving way to tenacity and a willingness to endure harm if they could end this agony.

Da spun backward and faced off against her foe, leaning low and panting as she rested her hands on her thighs. Diao Chan watched her warily, also taking a moment to catch her breath. Equally matched in speed, grace and skill, they were at an impasse.

"What the hell is going on here?!" echoed a hard but somehow female voice from the stairs. The Iron Fist troopers who had been watching the beguiling duel yelped in panic and stood at attention. Storming around the corner came Shang Xiang, who stopped and stared in bewilderment.

"Do I even want to know?" the warrior-woman asked testily.

Da Qiao sucked in a deep breath, looking at her sister-in-law. "Well, she is rather good, Shang Xiang."

Shang Xiang made a wry face. "How good can she be? She's built like a dancer."

"Hey now…" Da protested, trying to sound offended.

Shang Xiang pointed at the stairwell, her eyes hard.

"If you can't be bothered to finish playing, then go help secure the third level and I will take care of this dainty."

Da tried to contest the order. "But… Shang Xiang, she-"

"Get out of here, Da, you're putting us behind schedule!" Shang Xiang growled, clearly not in the mood to listen to her sister-in-law's tender heart. She whirled about to look at the Iron Fist troopers.

"And if I find even _one_ of you lead-asses hanging around here, I will personally shove this donjon so far up your ass, they'll be painting the inside of your noses to redecorate…"

The Iron Fist troops disappeared in an instant.

Shang Xiang looked back at Da and made a curt dismissive gesture with her head. Da looked at Diao Chan and bowed her head, her heart heavy. She was walking around the corner when Xiao bounced up.

"Hey, we secured the fourth floor and – ooooh, a duel, can I watc-"

Da took her sister by the back of the shirt and pulled her down the stairs.

Now alone, Shang Xiang looked back at Diao Chan, who regarded her levelly.

"I can see in your eyes that there is no point in telling you to surrender," the princess said. "Even though Xia Pi is lost and Lu Bu is surrounded out front, it is perfectly clear that you mean to sacrifice yourself in his name."

"If that is what the gods have decreed, then that is what I will do." Diao Chan said resolutely.

Shang Xiang cricked her neck and rotated her wrists. "Well, I try to avoid killing girls when I can, so here's what's going to happen, honey…"

She began advancing on Diao Chan.

"You're beautiful, every bit as divine as my sister-in-law, and I would not see your fair face perish. So I am not even going to draw my sword. All I promise you is that by the end of this little encounter, you will either be unconscious or trussed up in your own whip."

She began advancing on Diao Chan, who stepped back into a defensive stance, her whip ready.

"Stay back…" the courtesan warned.

"Yeah, that's not happening, darling." Shang Xiang said without concern. "Let's get this over with, okay?"

Diao Chan lashed out with her whip, sending it straight at Shang Xiang's face. The Southern girl tilted her head to one side slightly to avoid the strike and Diao Chan backed up hastily as Shang Xiang continued to advance. She whirled and spun low, sending the whip snaking out at her foe's legs, but Shang Xiang once again avoided the attack with ease. Diao Chan stood and struck again, but this time Shang Xiang twisted her torso and grabbed the whip as it shot by. She gripped it tight, wrapping it around her hand. Diao Chan strained to retrieve it but could not. Shang Xiang pivoted on one leg and thrust out with the other, putting her foot into Diao Chan's chest, knocking her backward.

The courtesan tumbled several feet, coming to rest on her stomach. She tried to rise, wheezing and the world spinning about her. She sucked in lungfuls of air as Shang Xiang approached, casually tossing away the whip.

"Had enough yet, girly?" she asked.

Diao Chan scrambled to her feet and ran to a nearby wall, on which a pair of ornate golden melon hammers. She took them down and brandished them at Shang Xiang, her eyes wide with determination and fear.

"I must stop you," she said, a hint of a tremble in her voice. Shang Xiang had unnerved her, badly. "My lord-"

"Is going down." Shang Xiang said plainly, not interested in a honeyed soliloquy. "The world can be a cruel place, darling, and you are either going to end up poisoning yourself or writing beautiful love poems about how lonely you are. But this fight is ending and your determination really doesn't matter."

Diao Chan bit her lip as she awaited Shang Xiang's approach.

"It's simple, really," Shang Xiang pointed out. "You're a dancer and I am a warrior. Your muscles are taut and strong enough to allow for graceful movements, but weapons and using your body to inflict injury, well, you're muscles aren't trained to do that. I see every move you make before you know what you are going to do."

"Do not mock me!" Diao Chan said through gritted teeth.

"I'm not, I am giving you simple truths, courtesan." Shang Xiang replied. "If you want to do this the hard way, that's your business, but it's all the same to me."

Diao Chan let out a cry of anger and whirled toward her foe, the melon hammers twirling about in graceful but cumbersome arcs. Shang Xiang could see where the strikes slowed and where Diao Chan strained through her wrists and forearms to keep the heavy weapons moving.

She had to admire Diao Chan's spirit, even if she thought she was just being a dumb girl.

She dodged the hammer strikes, some of which we so slow they could have been preserved in amber. She smiled as she predicted the following three strikes ahead of the one she just dodged, depending on what awkward position Diao Chan had twisted herself into to finish a strike.

Shang Xiang weaved and bobbed, moving only when Diao Chan did and just stepping around her in a close circle. She could tell Diao Chan was beyond thinking now, so desperate was she to even just make contact with her foe.

She finally stepped beside Diao Chan and wrapped her arm around the girl's head, bending her over and ramming her fist into the courtesan's stomach. Diao Chan exhaled violently and her knees buckled as Shang Xiang tossed her away, tumbling again.

The Southern princess waited patiently as her foe tried to rise. Diao Chan's arms were shaking with the effort to prop herself up. Tears are helpless rage glistened on her scarlet cheeks.

Useless. She could do nothing.

"Please…" she sobbed quietly.

Shang Xiang nodded, understanding. She drew her sword from her belt and skidded it across the floor to Diao Chan. She waited silently while the beautiful young woman stood, body still trembling while she gripped the sword in two hands and faced her foe.

"I promise you, Diao Chan," Shang Xiang said tenderly. "This is the end. You have given it your all. I will not let you give anything less."

"Thank you…" Diao Chan said, her eyes glistening. The sadness remained, but the ache of frustration was gone from them.

With a great cry, Diao Chan charged forward, the point of the blade aimed right at Shang Xiang's heart…

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Lu Xun raced forward, sword in hand, at the head of the Swordwind company he was commanding. He had left for himself the job of acting as a reserve, and he found that it was necessary to be almost everywhere at once. The troops taking the fortress' south wall had needed assistance when they encountered stiff resistance.

Lu Xun had acted swiftly, throwing himself into a furious battle for control of a tower that led up to the walls. In the cramped stairwells of the tower, he and the Swordwind crossed bitter blades for every step they gained. Lu Xun found the environs not to his liking, since his preferred style of swordsmanship was circular and very fast, a circumstance not afforded him in the thrusting and hacking melee that he now found himself in the middle of.

Once they had forced the enemy back and out onto the walls, he felt more at ease. Leading the charge, he demonstrated great skill with his sword, felling foes with blinding strikes almost too fast to follow. As the enemy broke, he leapt up onto the wall and waved his men by, directing them to clear the battlements.

He was back now on the ground and ran to relieve a squad of Liu Bei's swordsmen that had been cornered by an enemy company. He drove into the rebel's rear, whirling about in an unusual pattern of strikes that went from top to bottom, instead of the more conventional side to side. It was an ancient form, deeply rooted in the mystic past, and meant to strike down into the exposed neck of a foe, where the armour was weak or non-existent. It resembled more of the spear-thrusting style of an ordered spear company and several leading warriors might have considered his school an anachronism, but he didn't care. It was a tradition as old as his family and he fought proudly with it.

Not to mention that modern warriors seemed to be given pause by it, which in turn gave to him the crucial first strike. Lu Xun was a big believer in doing the unexpected.

The Swordwind broke the rebel company quickly, their swift, merciless style of combat too much for the foe. Nearly a third were dead before they realized they were being assaulted from the rear. The rest threw down their arms and surrendered, begging for mercy. Lu Xun left Liu Bei's squad to guard the prisoners.

The Swordwind company was confronted now by an enemy company of swordsmen- heavily armed and armoured. The two sides stared at one another for a moment before charging. The rebels come on in a tortoise formation, covering themselves with their shields and presenting a solid iron wall. The Swordwind troops fanned out around them and began tearing them apart piecemeal, concentrating their efforts on one foe to fell him and open up a tiny hole in the formation, all the while avoiding the shorter and heavier thrusting swords of their enemies.

Lu Xun felt the fire in his breast as he spun and snaked about the foe, ducking to jab at their knees and feet before dancing out of the way of a counterstroke. He knew that they Swordwind would defeat this foe, eventually, but their armour and coherent formation made it a slow process.

A great war cry sounded and from behind the enemy appeared Lord Sun Quan, followed by his Wolf Guard. Without a second thought, the lord of Jiang Dong had thrown himself into the enemy and was laying about like a giant with his dread Wolf Blade. Armed with spears and shields, his troops joined the Swordwind in surrounding the foe and began pressing in with their long weapons, forcing the rebels back on themselves.

Lu Xun followed Quan's example and lunged in where he saw an opening. He was inside the enemy's formation and slashed freely, knowing that it was only the enemy his sword was biting. He made not to remember that quantity had a quality all of its own.

The rebels were beat and surrendered. Lu Xun bowed to Quan and asked for permission to continue supporting the charges. Quan suggested that he leave the reserve to the fresh Wolf Guard and that he take the Swordwind to the wall of the main gate, where the fighting raged on.

Liu Bei's troops, led by the Scion of the Han himself, had forced some of the towers leading to the main gate and were now engaged in a savage brawl for control of the battlements on the left and right side of the gate.

But the troops guarding the gate were now hurrying to support their comrades on the left and right, with only a small force remaining on the structure itself.

The Swordwind troops used their ropes and grapnels to rush up to the wall and scale it quickly, catching the squads remaining on the gate of guard. The struggle was fierce but quick and the defenders slain to a man. The Swordwind then dashed into the troops defending the walls from Liu Bei and savaged them from the rear. On the narrow confines of the battlements, the defenders' numbers counted for little and many of them were archers, armed with little more than light swords for melee.

The west and south walls were now captured, and the north and east were not far behind. He could hear fighting rage throughout the donjon and assumed that everything was going according to plan there. The various buildings and redoubts built into the fortress were being systematically reduced and before long would be no more.

He turned his attention now to the battle outside the walls, eager to see how his allied fared…

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The battle out front continued, a savage, whirling melee that saw the momentum gradually shift in favour of the attackers. Lu Bu's cavalry, deep in Cao' Cao's lines, was almost entirely cut off from its infantry support and the barrages of arrows from the walls had almost completely died away, although nobody really had the time to look up and question why.

Gongsun-zan and Kong Rong had finally mastered the heavy infantry battalions on the far flank, pinning them and wearing them down while the armies of Sun Ce and Liu Bei ignored the shattered remains of the enemy left in favour of closing in on the still holding center.

Lu Bu roared as he hewed men down like wheat before a scythe from atop Red Hare. So ruinous had been his charge that the only way to stop it was to have the entire center push forward, the men behind literally shoving those in front toward his halberd. Even Red Hare could not stand against such a throng and his forward momentum was blunted. This was of little consolation to the troops cut down by Sky Scorcher.

Sun Ce ducked and swung with his tonfa, shattering the jaw of a halberdier who had exposed his body with a wide swing. The defending companies in the center were now little more than a huge mess of desperate men, thrusting and swinging violently to preserve their lives.

Ce turned and looked toward the center of Cao Cao's line- Lu Bu was contained, but only barely. The morale of Xiahou Dun's men would not last much longer and every attack that the one-eyed general made against Lu Bu was repulsed.

"Ce…" Zhou Yu said, standing beside his friend, leaning on his sword and panting. "It is now or never. You, Guan Yu, Zhan Fei and Taishi Ci must see to Lu Bu before he slays the Prime Minister. Leave Zhou Tai and I to clean this rabble up."

Ce nodded, feeling very distant from the events around him. He sensed a convergence of destinies here, as if a great scale was being balanced and which way it were to fall depended on what happened in the next few seconds.

Lu Bu let out a thunderous war cry and the phalanx in the center was broken. Thousands of men fled before his rage and The Wildcat Riders hustled their Prime Minister back out of immediate danger. Xiahou Dun brought his sword, the Kirin Fang, to bear and readied his elite guard for a furious assault.

Ce held out his hand and Zhou Yu handed him a small, round object. Ce nodded as he lit the fuse.

"Time to deprive him of his big mobility advantage…"

He lit the fuse bomb, waiting for a few seconds after the wick had sparked and tossed it close to Red Hare. The device exploded close at his flank and the animal reared in shock before falling over. Lu Bu was thrown but landed on his feet, halberd ready for action.

Before Red Hare could recover, nearby troops had thrown a heavy net over him, per the instructions given for finally defeating Lu Bu. The beast shrieked and struggled, but to no avail. Before long, a company armed with nooses and poles that had been held in reserve were struggling to remove him from the battlefield.

Lu Bu roared and charged but was confronted by Zhang Fei, who swung at him with his Viper Spear. Spear and halberd clashed and they wrestled weapon to weapon, neither able to move the other. They struck furiously at one another before Lu Bu finally shoved Zhang Fei back, just in time to block a mighty strike from Guan Yu's Green Dragon. Matched in strength and height, the mighty warriors strained for many agonizing seconds. Guan Yu spun low and struck and Lu Bu parried before leaping back as Xiahou Dun dashed in with his sword and struck. Sky Scorcher flashed in a lethal arc and Xiahou Dun caught the blow on his blade and skidded backward, tumbling off his feet before leaping back up and getting ready to charge in again.

Lu Bu whirled and slashed at Taishi Ci, who readily buffeted aside the attack with his mighty clubs. He then lunged in, spinning with his weapons, the impact of which would crush even Lu Bu's bones. Lu Bu dodged back again, turning to press his attack on Xiahou Dun but Zhang Fei stood in his path suddenly. Another furious bout and the surly oath brother of Liu Bei was knocked on his behind.

Guan Yu roared angrily and slashed at Lu Bu, who blocked the strike and counterattacked. Guan Yu's mighty blade was ready and the exchange sounded like steel thunder. Dragon and Phoenix wrestled, spirits howling in the heavens as they did battle.

Taishi Ci lunged in from behind but Lu Bu was not caught unawares and spun out of the way, his halberd whirling about him in a vicious arc, discouraging pursuit. Physically far away enough from his foes to take a look around, his eyes widened as he noticed for the first time that his cavalry were all dead, slain to a man and his army was routed. His eyes flashed in defiant rage.

"I don't need those weaklings to destroy you fools!" he roared, spinning his halberd about himself. "You will all die, and with you, the corpse of the Han! I am invincible."

"Keep tellin' yourself that, pal," Sun Ce said as he strode toward the massive warrior, rotating his shoulders and gripping his tonfas tightly. "I think your day has finally come."

Lu Bu glared at him, unafraid. "Step closer and find out…" he growled.

"_He's off-balance," _Ce realized. _"He's not tired by any stretch, but he's not thinkin' straight. He'll be incredibly strong and dangerous, but predictable. Exactly how you want him…"_

Ce planted his feet on the ground of the gore-soaked battlefield, feeling the wind and the sky in his lungs, the steel of the earth in his bones, the roaring, limitless waves of the ocean in his muscles and the fire of the heavens in his eyes. His terrible battle aura blazed about him like a corona and the Tiger roared…

"_Watch over me, Da…"_

Ce lunged in and struck, measuring his foe, who dodged the blow almost contemptuously and swung his halberd at Ce's head. The smaller, faster warrior dodged the strike easily and pressed his attack, trying to get inside Lu Bu's effective range of action.

The duel raged as they maneuvered for advantage, not allowing themselves to get put off balance. To do so in such a contest was certain death. Ce hammered away at his foe, blindingly fast, but never fast enough to penetrate Lu Bu's superb defense. Similarly, Lu Bu could not seem to connect with the cunning tiger of the south, who refused to stand and trade blows.

Xiahou Dun lunged in again and struck, Lu Bu blocking the blow with the stout steel brace on his arm. The sword bit into the metal but did not penetrate and Lu Bu flung him away with a roar, even as he spun his halberd to deter Ce's attack.

"_Mental fatigue…enrage him… don't let him think… frustrate him..."_

Ce spun low and struck wide, the outer tip of his tonfa glancing off the back of the knee he had wounded the other day during his brief encounter with Lu Bu. The giant did not fall, but staggered for a moment, shouting furiously and swiping at Ce, who spun away quickly.

Ce lunged in again, striking savagely, once again to be blocked by a miraculous defense. Taishi Ci charged in and tried to shoulder-block Lu Bu to the ground, but even his bulk could not topple the rebel. Lu Bu skidded back while thrusting with the haft of his weapon, knocking Taishi Ci away.

He bellowed in rage and pain as Ce had lunged in low and again pummeled the back of his injured knee before dashing out of range. Zhang Fei leapt high and slammed his Viper Spear down at Lu Bu, who caught the blow on his halberd and shoved him violently, sending him vaulting through the air, to land several paces away.

Guan Yu struck from one corner and Xiahou Dun from another. Once again, Lu Bu was forced to catch Xiahou Dun's stroke on his arm brace while he parried the deadly Green Dragon. Zhang Fei was charging in again and Taishi Ci was also poised for another assault. The massive Lu Bu dove and rolled out of the center of the box, determined to not be hemmed in. He came to his feet, but Ce was on him instantly, literally having leapt through the air to land on his upper chest. He drove his boots down onto his foe and Lu Bu was driven to his knees. He swatted Ce away angrily as he regained his footing and brandished his weapon at his foes. He cared not that these so-called heroes were determined to finish him, he cared not that a massive army was closing in around him. He would tear a hole in their ranks and retreat to Xia Pi to fight another day. Their strength was not his.

"It's over, big fella," Ce said, smiling as he walked back toward his prey. "This day is long past due."

"Fool!" bellowed Lu Bu. "Come to your death!"

Ce lunged and feinted, coming so close that Lu Bu had no choice but the take the bait and counterstrike, in case Ce really had been trying anything as suicidal as a frontal assault. Sky Scorcher's blade came within an inch of Ce's throat as he changed direction and the murderous soul of the blade screamed at him, a sound that even the fearless Lord of the Southlands found chilling.

But the feint had worked and Lu Bu, for once, was wide open. Ce struck, hard, and felt the nigh-invincible cuirass Lu Bu wore crack and give way. Not stopping to celebrate his success, he pivoted and struck again, driving his tonfa into the small of Lu Bu's back.

"_He's just a man… and like any man, his meridians supply precious life and energy to his mighty limbs. Shut them down. Rob a man of the channels that feed his soul and he has nothing. The strength of creation is not his…"_

He was dimly aware of the sound of Lu Bu grunting. As the rebel spun to slay him, Ce dropped low, smashing his tonfa into the top of Lu Bu's armoured foot and was rewarded of the satisfying sound of the metal giving way.

He never stopped moving. He leapt high and his weapon drove into the nerves of Lu Bu's shoulder. No matter how strong the warrior was, no force on earth would help him move that arm now.

"_Rage… insurmountable rage…avoid it and exhaust it… you nearly have him…"_

Ce vaulted backward as Lu Bu let out a war cry that shook the plain before the citadel. He was blazing with a wrath that had become palpable. The earth split asunder around the raging warrior as he thrust back any who sought to oppose him. Ce landed in a low, defensive stance, ready for a brutal attack when horns sounded from Xia Pi.

Lu Bu's blazing eyes flashed to the ruins of the gate and went wide. Atop the gate stood Liu Bei, Sun Quan, Lu Xun and Shang Xiang, clearly in command of the fortress.

In Shang Xiang's arms, Diao Chan lay, wilted and pale, like a dead thing.

The rage and defiance disappeared from Lu Bu's eyes, replaced by disbelief and bewilderment. It was as if he could not comprehend what he was seeing. His mouth worked silently, no sounds coming forth as the reality of his folly became apparent to him.

"Diao Chan…" he murmured finally.

And then the world broke apart around him.

"DIAO CHAN!!!!" he roared with an inhuman rage. He lunged forward with blinding speed, racing toward the ruins of the gate and his beloved. Xiahou Dun was batted aside almost like a doll as he attempted to block Lu Bu's way. Zhang Fei's mighty blow was parried and he was spun away by the force of the repulse.

Taishi Ci struck but the blow seemed to not affect Lu Bu at all as he raced past. Guan Yu's assault was met with a desperate counter and still Lu Bu stampeded on, intent only on reaching the gate.

Ce was all that stood between him and the gate now, and he was not moving.

Lu Bu bellowed and swung Sky Scorcher in an arc that seared the very air. Ce was ready and leapt in, catching the blow on his tonfa while the other rammed home. With a crack like thunder, the spirit meridian on Lu Bu was broken, and his world tumbled into a miserable and pathetic dark…

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Within the courtyard of Xia Pi, the assembled lords now presided over their prisoners, who knelt before them, bound tight. Lu Bu, Zhang Liao, Diao Chan and the hundreds upon hundreds of soldiers that were captured both inside the fort and without.

Lu Bu was especially bound tight and an entire squad of spearmen was trying to keep him in line as he struggled angrily.

"Let me go, you scum!" he snarled. "You can't do this to me!"

"Lu Bu, have some dignity," Zhang Liao said stoically, his head held high as he sat still, his arms bound behind him. "Even a defeated general has pride, and you dishonour yourself with this ignoble behaviour."

Lu Bu stopped struggling, at least for now.

In front of the prisoners stood the alliance leaders- Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Kong Rong, Gongsun-zan and Sun Ce. They assessed their captives quietly as Lu Bu was brought to heel. Finally the Prime Minister spoke.

"Lu Bu, you have defied the decrees of the Son of Heaven. For such a crime there is only one punishment, and I will see it carried out, swiftly and with more mercy than you ever showed those you have slain."  
"Wretched worm!" Lu Bu roared, trying to rise and being wrestled down again. "Pretender to faith! You hide behind the corpse of the Han, claiming to uphold it while you wait for its final, rotten breath and then you may take the land as your own! Not one among you is worthy of my blade!"

"That is not your judgment to make, renegade." Cao Cao said firmly, not intimidated. "Your days of terrorizing this land are over. By nightfall your head shall be mounted from a pike outside Xia Pi, and within a fortnight it shall be presented to the Son of Heaven as proof of your demise."

Lu Bu glowered but said nothing.

"Get him out of here, and make sure his head is in my audience chamber by sun down." Cao Cao said in a voice like cold steel.

As the soldiers roughly got Lu Bu to his feet, Diao Chan got to her knees, her eyes wide.

"My lord! Lord Lu Bu! I-"

"Diao Chan!" Lu Bu called back as he was shoved away from the square.

"My lord!" she cried out, her eyes glistening. "If you must die, I want to be by your side! I will die with you!"

"No!" he said desperately. "You must live! Live on, Diao Chan! This world is nothing without you!"

"Lu Bu!" she almost screamed as he was taken out of sight.

Silence.

Cao Cao looked now at Zhang Liao, who stared ahead calmly, as a man who had accepted his fate. Even in defeat, he was regal and poised, a paragon of warrior pride.

"Zhang Liao of Yan," Cao Cao mused. "I see you are a soldier of peerless honour. Though you fought for a losing cause, I do not see evil in your heart. Were I to spare you, would you serve me unto death with total loyalty?"

Zhang Liao's chin was raised higher into the air. "I need no charity for my life. A warrior fears not death if he believes in his convictions."

"Mayhap," Cao Cao replied. "And yet I deem that your time has not come, and I sense also that you do not believe that you have achieved that which you seek to become. Join me, and see your destiny fulfilled."

Zhang Liao was silent for several moments before finally nodding his head once.

"I hear thee, Lord Cao Cao. So be it."

He was unbound and led off to be healed and cleaned up.

Cao Cao now looked at the remaining throngs of prisoners. "Release the prisoners, and have them swear an oath of fealty to the harm and to never take up arms again unless ordered to do so by an Imperial Office. And dispose of the girl."

"Lord Cao Cao!" called out a lyrical voice. Everyone turned to see Da Qiao rush forward and bow before the Prime Minister.

"Lord Cao Cao!" she said humbly and earnestly. "I beg you, spare Diao Chan. She is no enemy of the Han."

Cao Cao looked bewildered for a moment and glanced over at Ce, who just shrugged and shook his head. He looked back down at Da Qiao.

"This woman was the consort of a man who opposed the Son of Heaven. By law, her life is forfeit."

"Great lord," Da Qiao continued, bowing even lower. "Please, I speak with the same foolish girl's heart that ruled her actions in this terrible affair. Love blinds a woman to all sense of right and wrong."

"Why this interest in the woman, Lady Qiao?" Cao Cao asked, intrigued. "She is no enemy of yours, nor the Southlands, so what is her fate to you?"

"There remain in this Middle Kingdom but four or five maidens of dreams and exquisite training such as Lady Diao Chan, lord. Lu Bu was right in one thing, and that is that their light must not be allowed to be extinguished from this world."

"You would have me spare the courtesan?" Cao Cao mused.

"Release her unto us of the South, if you care not for her fate, Prime Minister." Da Qiao begged. "As you said, this was not our fight, and in return for such service as we have rendered, it would be a trifling boon. I beg you, heed my plea."

Cao Cao looked again at Ce, who looked up at the sky absently.

"Very well, Lady Qiao." Cao Cao said finally. "I release her into your care. Her life is now your responsibility, on the understanding that the wide lands north of the Great River are now barred from her, never to return."

"Thank you, Lord Cao Cao." Da said gratefully.

Diao Chan was released and she stood now amongst the people of the Southlands, her features as white as fine linen and her eyes deep with a sadness that no poet could articulate. She bowed deeply to Da Qiao.

"Lady Qiao, I bow to your magnanimity. You are both wise and cruel. Deprived of love and the will to live, I must now go on, a shade of what I was born into this world to be. I honour your intentions, though my heart weeps at this outcome."

Da Qiao bowed but smiled wanly. "I hope you will in time blossom again, my lady. The Middle Kingdom still has need of us."

"Well, I'm ready to go home," Ce said, interrupting the increasingly morose dialogue. "I am sick of the dry air and the lack of blossoms."

"Me too," Quan said testily. "Xiahou Yuan kept trying to get me to eat meat and asking me about the nature of the Tao."

Shang Xiang laughed. "In other words, you're angry because somebody made you talk. Well, our work here is done and we have proven that the Sun family is mightiest…"

"Isn't that right, honey?" she whispered to Diao Chan while patting her on the behind. Diao Chan jumped ever so slightly and squeaked, blushing furiously.

"Be nice, Shang Xiang, it's been a rough day for her." Da scolded. "Now let's leave this place and get back to Baifu."

They were making to depart the fortress when Ce was stayed by Liu Bei, who clasped hands with him.

"Thank you, Lord Sun, for all of your help in this great endeavour," he said, smiling genially. "My heart sings of the glories I have seen in this campaign."

"No problem, Lord Liu." Ce said easily. "Remember, my offer always stands."

"I shall not forget it," Liu Bei said, still clasping Ce's hand but smiling now at Shang Xiang, who pinched her eyes. "I dearly wish to see the beauties of your new capital of Baifu."

Ce nodded. "It is beautiful in the summer when everything blossoms."

"I hear we're due for a perfect summer in about forty years, you should visit then." Shang Xiang muttered.

Liu Bei turned and left. Ce bowed to Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, who returned the gesture and strode off after their brother.

Zhou Yu stood now beside Sun Ce and watched them leave. "The land's lords grow fewer. Of the great names there are but very few now. Ourselves, Liu Bei, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Gongsun-zan, Kong Rong, Liu Biao and maybe three others of consequence."

Ce nodded. "Yeah, we need to get back. There's work to be done."

"The war against Yuan Shu will follow quickly." Zhou Yu intoned. "He will not waste time in declaring himself emperor now that he thinks he has the Imperial Seal."

"Better to face Yuan Shu than Yuan Shao," Ce commented. "Yuan Shu doesn't have the resources or the talent in his army to hold out once he is declared a traitor. Yuan Shao just might. Any plans for dealing with him?"

Zhou Yu nodded. "I already sent a forged letter to Gongsun-zan's capital, demanding fealty to Yuan Shao. Gongsun-zan will go to war and Yuan Shu will destroy him and then be forced to contend with Cao Cao in the north."

"And only one of them will survive that war." Ce reasoned. Cao Cao's got the brains, but Yuan Shao's family is ancient and powerful. He may be too much for an upstart Prime Minister."

"Whichever one wins, we need not divide our forces between them. A single foe is always easier to defeat than many, you proved that with Lu Bu."

Ce cricked his neck. "Yeah. At least that's behind us, and now my mother can get off my back about letting everyone else do the work."

"Somehow I doubt that." Zhou Yu said quietly.

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The army of the South marched now from Xia Pi, leaving it in Cao Cao's hands. The two cavalry companies rode as scouts and heralds while those on foot marched east to the shores and the waiting ships. The sun was set and twilight was upon them.

"We'll take it slow and reach the ships tomorrow," Ce said easily. "We need to drop Quan off in Jiang Dong, I see no point in hurrying, right?

Da Qiao nodded. "Indeed, and even her badgering of you will seem peaceful in comparison. But I must ask, my lord… were you worried about being slain by Lu Bu?"

Ce looked at her. "Do you mean was I afraid I might not be good enough and he might beat me?"

Da nodded.

"Were _you_ worried about that?" he asked, grinning.

"Oh no you don't," she said, her voice like an iron blade sheathed in velvet. "You are answering me for once. Now give it to me straight or you're sleeping by yourself until we're back in Baifu."

Ce chuckled. "The thought had occurred to me, but I hate not thinkin' I'm the best, so I just decided I was gonna win."

"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard." Da muttered. "If anyone else said that, we'd think they were deluded."

"Maybe." Ce said agreeably.

"Did you need the help of the others?" Da asked. "Word you have been able to beat Lu Bu without, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei or Taishi Ci?"

Ce considered for a few seconds. "Yeah, I think I could have. I'm not sayin' it would be a certainty, but I'm the only one who got more than one good hit in on him. Don't get me wrong, it was great having them there to wear him down…"

"Oh, never mind," Da said, realizing she was not really ready for whatever metaphysical babble Ce was about to lay on her. "I'm just glad you won."

"Me too." Ce said cheerfully as he snapped the reins of his horse and rode on ahead to confer with the scouts. Da rode along in silence until she was joined by Shang Xiang.

"That was a very noble thing you did back in the citadel," the princess said, regarding her sister-in-law. "I think I agree that Diao Chan must live."

Da nodded. "She is a good person, Shang Xiang- gentle, loving and rare. No harm has she ever done or meant me, so why would I not be her supplicant?"

Shang Xiang stared at Da for a moment. "No harm?"

Da nodded. "I am not counting the duel, of course, and even then, we were not really-"

"I don't mean the duel, silly." Shang Xiang interjected.

"Then what exactly do you mean?" Da asked.

Shang Xiang stared at her for several moments, her eyes glinting with bewilderment. Eventually she just shook her head and rode off to join Fu Chin Ran. Da rode silently again at the head of her companies, lost in thought.

"_Every day my life changes a little. Gone is the foolish girl who dreamt of romance and the adulation of thousands, most renowned beauty in the land. Gone is the empire that might have given me that life, waiting for me is the dynasty that still needs a warrior-queen…"_

Night fell and Da was lying on a small hill, looking up at the stars. Ce was taking his sweet time in returning, and even if they reached the ship tomorrow, it would be another day before Zhou Tai's Steel Dawn finally arrived, having waited back at Xia Pi to make sure everything had been secured.

"_More wars will come, perhaps terrible wars. That seems to be what Zhou Yu and Ce are preparing for. What part do I wish to play in this great saga? If I chose to remain behind, surely everyone would approve, but would I ever be who I need to be?"_

So many considerations…

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Ce and Zhou Yu were sitting by the fire when a scout rode up, sent by Zhou Tai. He bowed and knelt next to Sun Ce, whispering in his ear. Ce nodded and the scout ran off.

Ce looked back at the fire. "Sounds like there was a battle after we left and Lu Bu escaped. They caught all the men who tried to escape with him, but he's still missin'"

Zhou Yu glanced at him. "Do we need to go back?"

Ce shook his head. "Not yet, I want all of our troops outta this place. Let's get everyone on board and then you and I will figure out what to do."

Zhou Yu nodded. "What will he do?"

Ce looked deep into the fire. "The same thing I'd do…"

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Diao Chan was walking slowly along the path, lost in her thought. She had trailed behind all but the final company heading to the shores, wanting to be alone. The forest was silent and the sun peeked through the green canopy as she turned over in her mind the meaning of her life and what was to become of it all.

She turned as she heard footsteps behind her and she smiled warmly.

"I knew you would come, my lord."

Lu walked down the worn trail toward her, Sky Scorcher held loosely in his mighty hand. He said nothing as he trudged on, just looking at her.

She put her arms out to hold him be he paused right before reaching her. His eyes rolled up into his head and he fell forward onto his knees. In shock and fright, Diao Chan took him and held him close.

Her eyes glistened with crystalline tears as she saw the three large arrows in his back. She felt his heart shuddering to a stop and she cradled his head on her shoulder, caressing the back of his neck.

"Rest now, my love…" she whispered, in the gentlest voice he had ever heard.

The forest was so silent.

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**Author's Notes: **A long arc and an important one. I tried to intersperse humour throughout, as always, but still treat the subject with the gravity it deserve.

Yes, yes, I know there are going to be loony malcontents out there who are outraged that I am bringing Diao Chan to the south, but guess what? Shaddap. I'm not beginning some insipid love triangle and I actually have some uses for yet another courtesan.

Initially I had Da Qiao finally beating Diao Chan in a superb duel, but ultimately decided that it made more sense to have Shang Xiang do it. My proof-reader said that the fight between SSX and Diao Chan was tame compared to what she had expected, but I decided that Shang Xiang _does_ have a heart, after all. Now if Fu Chin Ran had been the one to fight Diao Chan…

I hope Liu Bei (Lame Bei, as some of my readers call him) is proving likeable yet irritating. I am _so_ glad DW6 came out, if for no other reason than they made Liu Bei tolerable and Lu Xun is not everyone's bitch anymore (except Shang Xiang's).

**Next Chapter: **The Young Conqueror Super Deformed Wumake Theatre #4.


	43. Chapter 43

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 41- The Coming of the Men of the West**

Elryk trudged forward grimly through the night, thankful to have finally left the accursed mountains behind. For months uncounted, he and his people had marched, defying the gods and the world itself as they sought the fabled lands where the sun rose.

The horse that walked beside him snorted in satisfaction at the change in the air and he patted its flank. On its back rode his first Gailavira, carrying their newest child, Alaric. The godrotting steppes had nearly killed both mother and son, but Gailavira was too proud to surrender.

Elryk thanked the god of night for watching over him and his people, so far from the mighty forests they had called home. While other tribes had fallen fighting against the unstoppable legions of Rome and others submitted, Elryk and his brother Aengava, shaman and seer for their tribe, had been haunted by visions, sent by strange beings that commanded them to find the lands of the sun.

Fleeing before Rome and Emperor Septimus Severus, Elryk, chieftain of the Wolf tribes, had gathered together the villages under his rule and any refugees who had flocked to his call. Numbering some thousands of men, along with their women, children and animals, Elryk had set out on a clear winter's morning, heading east.

That had been over two years ago.

The proud Germanic warriors marched resolutely into the unknown. The familiar forests gave way to fearful and hideous swamps that in the heat of summer brought plague and death. The native tribes, the superstitious and savage Balts, fled before the Germanic host or harassed it mercilessly with darts and traps.

Beyond the swaps lay vast, flat and fertile plains that were aglow with golden seas of wheat. The migrants rejoiced as they partook of what they found and brutal battles were fought if the locals contested the bounty. At the behest of Aengava, they hoarded much of what they took, finding ways to preserve it, for the spirits had spoken to him of even greater trials ahead.

Fall gave way to winter, a murderous and bitter cold that was unknown to these hardy folk. Hundreds died of exposure, in spite of the fur vestments and linings they wore. Still they trudged on, but many decried the brothers and their accursed quest, pointing out that they sought the lands of the sun but had found only dark and icy death. Some revolted, attempting to turn the tribes back, but Aengava's fell words and Elryk's deadly blade made sure that order was maintained and the march went on.

Then the horsemen came.

Only a terrifying vision from Aengava had warned them in time before the Sarmatians attacked in the dead of night. The shield wall surrounding the encampment held off the assailants and Elryk had warned his people to cover their wagons in treated hides that resisted the fire arrows the enemy pelted them with continuously.

One of the companies, unable to endure the harassment and the frustration of not being able to come to grips with an enemy that melted away before any assault broke formation and charged the Sarmatians on foot. Elryk called loudly and a reserve company rushed up to fill the gap left by the errant warriors. Nobody moved to help the insubordinate troops as they were surrounded and destroyed to a man.

Unable to penetrate the ring, the horsemen retired. Elryk saw the worry in his people's faces and knew he had to do something to change the circumstances if they were to survive. Surmising that nothing but a cold and dark death awaited directly east, Elryk turned his people south. Many protested angrily at this, shouting that Elryk had told them their future lay east, not south.

"And I still believe it does," Elryk said. "But the east is as wide as the south, and we will find another path to the sun. The Romans conquered the east, we were told, and they did so from further south than these god-forsaken lands. And this cold will be the death of the women and children, or the horsemen will surely take us."

"We cannot outrun them!" one man shouted in fury. "How do you plan to protect the Wolf peoples from that?"

They were now heading south, hopefully toward warmer climes. Elryk had not mentioned to his followers that Aengava had received a vision of a terrible range of mountains ahead that blocked their path east utterly. He would not let that stop him and he would not fail them.

The cold remained but grew somewhat milder as they left the steppes and foothills came into view. The Sarmatians had followed them doggedly but had not attacked again. Elryk knew this would not remain the case and they would surely charge before they lost their prey in the foothills.

The refugees began to run as they approached the hills, which beckoned and sang of safety. The Sarmatian captain watched in disgust as the warriors ran at full stride, leaving the women and children trailing behind with the wagons and supplies. He ordered his men to sweep in from the rear, for it was the baggage train that was the prize.

The women were falling behind, obviously putting themselves between their children and the approaching horsemen. Clad in heavy woolen cloaks and furs, they could not keep up. The Sarmatians closed in for the kill.

Elryk flung his hooded cloak aside and yelled for his men to turn. The hundreds of 'women' who made up the rear of the column cast aside their concealing raiment and swung about to meet the enemy. The 'warriors' in the van sprinted back to gather up the children and reach the protection of the wagons.

The Sarmatians were too close to halt their charge effectively, Elryk's timing had been precise. Brawny warriors, brandishing spears, swords, axes and shields, met the oncoming cavalry with terrifying shouts and a savagery borne of desperation to protect their families.

Bitter battle was given under the stars as a grey dawn was born. The Sarmatians were thrown into confusion by the sudden reversal and dozens died before those behind knew what was really happening. Elryk hewed the enemy captain from his horse with his great axe while his elite bodyguard, the _comitatus, _drove deep into the enemy host.

Rarely does cavalry that has lost its momentum fare well against spirited infantry that has maintained its formation. Herded together against one another, the Sarmatians found it difficult to fight against their foes, astonished by their brute strength and savagery. Pulled or hewn from their horses, they stood little chance against their Germanic foe.

A rout followed and what was left of the Sarmatian host fled. The refugees would not be attacked or harassed again.

With renewed hope, Elryk and his people turned east again, daring the endless foothills rather than the murderous steppes. They met caravans and traders and traded the exotic furs and jewelry they had plundered from the Sarmatians for food, garb and other necessities for survival in these arid lands.

Doggedly they marched and they let nothing deter them. They skirted the Mede empire's northern borders, arriving eventually in the inhospitable land of Bactria, which marked the legendary Alexander's furthest penetration into Asia. In Alexandria-the-Furthest they rested and Elryk conferred with Aengava about how to proceed. At his brother's behest, Elryk hired two young scribes from a race of people called Uyghurs. They were to learn the language or Elryk's people and act as their guides and translators in these strange lands.

The Uyghurs, apparently named Lap and Khun, worked hard to learn the guttural and unlovely tongue of the migrants, gleaning most of their useful syntax from Elryk, Aengava or the children. Realizing that Elryk intended to brave the distant but visible Barrier Mountains and find the farthest east, Lap and Khun tried initially to dissuade him, but once the yellow-haired giant had made it clear that he would not be deterred, they began making sure their new charges were ready and equipped for this perilous journey.

Even though they had negotiated established trade routes, hundreds more would die in the passes. Hala, Elryk's young daughter, who had once been a Roman hostage and spoke Latin, called the dizzying peaks _Corona Mundi_, 'the Roof of the World'. Elryk held his people to this terrifying path through sheer force of will.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, they emerged onto the broad, flat lands that lay beyond those indomitable mountains. The plains that surrounded them were broad and fertile. Elryk gazed now into the flickering campfire as they rested, lost in thought about their harrowing ordeal. Less than a third of those who had begun the journey remained. If Lap and Khun showed them how to plant and grow the local crops, they could live quite comfortably here.

But the brothers knew their destiny lay still further east.

"Elryk, this is madness!" one of his followers said in exasperation. "These lands are vast and fertile! We are many leagues from any local settlements that could trouble us and we lie astride a trade route! We could thrive here!"

"I hear you, Athalaric, and I see the common sense in your words," Elryk said quietly, still looking into the flames. "But this is not where we are meant to be. The gods have decreed-"

"To hell with the gods, Elryk!" Athalaric shouted in fury." For two years we have followed you and your cursed brother, chasing a dream that has no damned end! Our people have suffered hardships unlike any other on this journey. I lost my wife on the steppes and both my children in those infernal mountains!"

"I am sorry for your loss, my friend," Elryk intoned. "But we began this undertaking at the behest of the god of night, and no matter how we may protest or try to flee, we cannot escape his will, or the oath we all took."

"Madman!" Athalaric raged. "The gods did not save us from the Sarmatians, our steel and our strong arms did! The gods did not succor us in the mountains, our will to survive allowed us to triumph! You see yourself as a visionary! All I see is a madman who needs his swollen head removed!"

Athalaric's sword was out and he leapt at Elryk, who sat still, staring into the flames. Athalaric shuddered and fell to the ground, a keen knife in his throat. Beside Elryk, a slender warrior with long raven hair and glittering grey eyes folded his arms calmly. On Elryk's other side, a huge, glowering blond man waited in ominous silence.

Theudis and Glandyth were the captains of Elryk's _comitatus_ and his closest confidantes, except for his brother Aengava. Theudis was the swiftest warrior Elryk had even known, deadly with his two long knives and thrown weapons of any kind. Glandyth was a giant of a man, even by the standards of Elryk's people, who were generally regarded as they strongest and tallest of the Teuton tribes north of the Roman Empire. Glandyth could snap a sword in half with his bare hands and break the neck of even a stout bull with a single wrench. They were feared and held in awe by all and respected only Elryk, who was the one person to ever best either of them in battle.

Elryk's ice blue eyes stared into the fire, unmoved by what had just transpired.

"Athalaric has joined his wife and children," he said quietly. "Perhaps he is the lucky one."

He stood now and towered over all except Glandyth, but still his gaze was directed into the flames.

"I indeed have led you to this, the end of the world, for Lap and Khun have informed me that there is not much farther east one can go. But I forced none of you to come with me. You gave me your loyalty and your oaths and I have held you to them, nothing more. It pains me that your only other choices were subjugation to the hated Romans or annihilation at their hands, but that was not my decision to make for you."

He walked now away from the fire and looked up into the night sky and its alien stars.

"The god of night commanded us to go east, but told us not why or all of the design. Aengava and I were bound to heed this call, but no such burden was placed on you."

He stood before the fire and gazed into the eyes of his warriors. Little more than four hundred remained now. So many had fallen, to plague, cold and foe. They all looked back at him, keen to hear what their mighty chieftain had to say, now that he had led them to the land where the sun rose.

"Athalaric was correct, though, about our resolution and strength getting us through these trials. The gods reward the brave; they do not succor the weak. There is no room for weakness in the People of the Wolf."

"Our beloved homelands we abandoned to the legions of our hated enemy. We braved the swamps of the Baltic and its savage tribes. On the broad and cruel steppes we faced death from icy winds and starvation, not to mention the relentless horsemen. We skirted the Mede empire and the harsh levies they demanded for our passage, making our way ever east."

"In Ind and Bactria we encountered people we never dreamed existed. We fought savage battles against the northern Ind kings, defeating them and their strange monsters. I regret that none of our kinsmen back home will ever hear of our deeds."

"But we found not only enemies but allies in these strange lands- the caravans we traded with and the hardy Bactrians aided us, seeing our courage and resolution; the same resolution that defeated the Gauls, the Belgae, the marauding Dacians and held off the legions of Rome saw us through to here, the very edge of the world."

Elryk clapped one of his warriors on the shoulder and smiled grimly, the distant gaze in his eyes now replaced with a flashing audacity.

"We will not remain here merely because we perceive safety, this is not our way or our calling. We will march on until the god of night bids us stop. The mountains could not stay us. Murderous cold and stone death we leave behind; fertile fields and abundant life we inherit."

Elryk threw back his head and laughed, something he had not done before they ventured into the Barrier Mountains. His laughter carried into the night and infected his men, who cheered.

They had defied death at the behest of the gods, proving themselves mighty amongst the children of the world as they sought the lands of the god of the sun.

To feel this good was worth dying for.

***

"Run that by me again." Sun Ce said as he sat up in his throne and paid attention. "I want to make sure I heard you right."

The messenger bowed his head, still kneeling. "Our scouts in the Riverlands have reported the appearance of a strange warband out of the Barrier Mountains, lord. The speculation is rather wild but consistently mentions that they are unusually tall and have yellow hair and eyes the colour of the sky or the deepest blue of the sea."

"Really? Yellow-haired giants invading the Riverlands? Never a dull moment around this place." Ce said, grinning. "Have we contacted them?"

"No, my lord, since we have not been ordered to," the man replied. "They are not yet anywhere near our borders and as far as we can tell, the locals have avoided them entirely."

"Who are the local rulers?" Ce asked.

"We believe the closest ruler is Liu Zhang in Chengdu, my lord."

Ce looked at Zhou Yu, who furrowed his brow as he tried to recall anything about Liu Zhang.

"A distant cousin of Liu Bei, I believe. A mediocre lord at best, if memory serves. He will no doubt try to avoid them and any contact will be typically phobic."

Ce pondered the situation. "Have Ling Cao send some of his best scouts to observe them. What do they seem to be doing?"

"They seem to be trying to communicate, but everyone flees at their approach. They are slowly heading east, lord."

"Well, that answers that," Ce said, slapping his thighs as he rose from his throne. "The men of the west are comin' and we'd better go greet 'em, right?"

"Whom will you bring, my lord?" Da asked, bowing.

"Well, how many of 'em are there?" Ce queried, looking at the messenger.

"They number a few thousands, my lord, counting the women and children, but the able-bodied men seem to number no more than four or five hundred, if the rumours are accurate."

"So then… Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers, Zhou Yu and the Swordwind, Shang Xiang and her girls, Huang Gai and the Stone Demons, and Da with her two companies; strong enough to make an impression but not too many as to intimidate, right?"

Xiao pursed her lips. "They sound scary, sis. Do you think it will be alright?"

Da looked at her sister. "Scary? You _have_ met the girls of your squad, right?"

***

Elryk strode along at the front of the column, with Aengava, Glandyth and Theudis. His wife Gailavira and daughter Hala rode behind in a cart pulled by Elryk's oldest son, Theoderic and two of his friends. Behind marched the _comitatus_ and then the rest of the warband, in ordered companies while the women and children followed in the wagons.

Elryk was aware of how strange his people must have looked to the inhabitants of this land and was not at all surprised when they avoided the migrants. Lap and Khun explained to him (haltingly) that the people of the Middle Kingdom were phobic about outsiders and it was easier to simply pretend the barbarians did not exist.

Conceivably there was safety in isolation, but Elryk did not believe this was the god of night's design. If Elryk and his people were to survive here, they would have to learn to live alongside the strange little Easterners.

To that end they continued their march toward the sun. Spring had given way to a warm, balmy summer. They marveled at the green fields, many of them submerged in water and oddly terraced to grow some strange crop. Other foods they recognized, such as wheat, millet and exotic forms of cabbage.

But the fields were always empty, the workers having fled at word of the outsiders' approach.

Lap and Khun had procured maps for Elryk and he marveled at the substance they were inscribed upon. Maps conveyed little or nothing to the minds of the illiterate Germans, but the determined Uyghurs still managed to get their point across. They spoke of a great bridge spanning a wide river, and beyond the bridge lay the civilized lands of the Middle Kingdom and the furthest east, the land of the sun.

"You say god of night tell you come to land of sun, I right?" Khun asked.

Elryk grunted and nodded, looking toward the eastern horizon.

"You want make live therely?"

"Yes."

"People over bridge, they civil, yes? You understand?"

"You mean they are civilized, like the Romans?" the German chieftain asked.

"Guess so." Khun agreed. "You are not like they, your civil different."

"Is this a problem?" Elryk growled.

"Not know. Ruler over bridge, he different from others."

"How so?"

"His mind not close. He curious about rest of world. He not judge by how you look. He not care that your skin colour of pale piece of pig's ear." Khun said helpfully.

"I suppose I should be encouraged by that." Elryk said dryly. "After all, you and the other people of this land look strange to us."

Khun nodded sagely.

"What can we do to appear more presentable to them?" Elryk asked.

Khun drew a deep breath. "You not kill if I tell?"

"Go on."

"That not promise." Khun pointed out.

"I promise to try to not kill you." Elryk said stonily. "Now tell me."

"You and your people stink like yaks," Khun said, wrinkling his nose. "Whyfor not bathe?"

Elryk ignored the anger that flared in him. He had promised, after all. "Is bathing so important?"

"Oh, very," Khun replied, nodding firmly. "It prolong life, you not smell bad and you not covered in… things."

"Things? What things?" Elryk demanded.

"Khun paused for a second and then went to Glandyth and beckoned for him to bend down. The huge man roared in outrage as Khun proceeded to pick through his shaggy mane of hair and lifted the diminutive Uyghur to tear him apart.

A sharp word from Elryk saved the scribe and Glandyth sullenly let Khun continue with the violation. Finally finished, Khun patted Glandyth on the shoulder, who put him down. He returned to Elryk, trying to control his shaking.

"Sorry so long, he big head."

"Go on already." Elryk said testily.

Khun held out his hand. In the palm were the corpses of tiny insects.

"Fleas… lice… these not good. Make dirty, itchy and sick."

Elryk scowled. "Bathing won't get rid of fleas, they're a fact of life."

Khun tapped his head. "I not have, Lap not have."

"You're both bald!" Elryk growled. "We, unlike you, have hair. Lots of hair."

Khun shrugged. "You asked how to civil, I tell. Bath make bugs go away. You ask, I tell. Khun do job, agree?"

Elryk fumed silently for several seconds before drawing his sword and holding it aloft, bringing the caravan to a halt.

"Listen, the lot of you!" he bellowed, stepping on top of his cart so everyone could see him. "As of today, we are going to begin bathing! Every godrotting one of us, no exceptions! Every man, woman and child!"

"Why?" one woman asked, clutching her child to her almost possessively. "Why must we start doing such a thing?"

"Because the people of these lands do." Elryk said. "And if we are to live alongside them, we must adapt!"

"We fled from the Romans because they sought to impose their ways upon us!" one man protested. "Now you would have us willingly accept the customs of these people? Where is the sense in that?"

"As you said, the Romans sought to impose upon us. Here in these lands of the sun, our home forever lost to us, we must adapt or perish!" Elryk announced loudly. "Look around you! Some of the crops they grow are unknown to us. Would you refuse the bounty of the earth because it is not our tradition to eat these plants?"

"I cannot swim!" another man said weakly.

"So we'll use godrotting buckets and pour water over ourselves until we are cleansed!" Elryk shouted. "We do not own these lands and there will be times we must accept new ways!"

"Then why did we leave at all, Elryk?" demanded a warrior. "Why journey through endless leagues, through icy death, scorching heat and devil horsemen to escape one tyrant if we are doomed to bow before another?"

"I never promised you complete freedom on this venture and you all know I would surely die before living as a lowly thrall," Elryk said sternly, his tone leaving no doubt of the truth in his words. "The god of night's purpose in bringing us here is unknown to myself or Aengava. As the gods have directed, I have followed. Since when do the clans of the Wolf fear a challenge?"

He then stripped off his dirty, sweat-covered clothing and stomped into a nearby rice paddy and began splashing himself with water. Obviously grumpy with the whole process, he soon was not only wet but covered in the leaves and roots of rice plants. He glowered at Glandyth, who had approached the water's edge, pointed and burst out laughing.

Theudis walked up beside his compatriot and pushed him in. The entire caravan roared with laughter as the berserker spluttered and thrashed about violently, as if he were in danger of drowning in water that did not even reach his knees. Elryk finally joined in the merriment as his daughter Hala tackled Theudis from behind, carried him into the paddy.

The other migrants began taking off their clothes and jumping into the water. The two Uyghur scribes just watched in bewilderment.

"What just happened?" Lap asked.

Khun shook his head. "Strong-headed but strangely adaptable, these crazy white devils," he said resignedly. "It is well we set aside a discretionary fund, since we must now compensate that poor farmer for the destruction of his crops."

Lap sighed. "They will also be covered in rice cockroaches. Cleaning these people up will be no small task."

Khun nodded. "But the trader-lord, Dayu-kah paid us both well to make sure that they were delivered safely into the hands of Sun Ce of Wu."

"I have heard of this man. They call him 'The Young Hegemon', I believe." Lap observed. "Will he really know what to do with these _guaihu_?"

One can only hope," Khun said grimly. "For in the eyes of any other Middle Kingdom lord, they will be nothing more than a barbarian menace to be destroyed."

***

The march east had been slow and cautious, with Elryk spending an unusual amount of time conversing with Lap and Khun about the lands that lay beyond the river they spoke of and the lands they were currently passing through.

Through persuasion, coercion and even outright threats of imminent death, Elryk kept his people bathing, at least once every few days. Not surprisingly, it was the children who embraced the new practice most readily, and the mothers were more or less forced to follow suit. Grudgingly the men also got into the habit. Elryk had to admit, everyone did smell better.

"People eat different foods in Middle Kingdom, yes?" Lap said to Elryk. "We grow other things, eat and drink other things."

"That rice stuff," Elryk replied. He could not fathom surviving on it as it seemed so insubstantial. He had also agreed to try some infernal concoction that Lap and Khun called 'cha', which tasted like hot water flavoured with grass. If he thought that getting his people to bathe was a challenge, he was certain that he would have a full-scale rebellion on his hands if he tried to make them drink that piss.

He had to admit that they would certainly need to adapt their method of dress, as the warm climes they now trudged through made the wearing of furs and skin nearly impossible. He marveled at the silk substance the Uyghurs had introduced them to. The linen of the Romans had been considered a luxury and this silk far exceeded linen in its versatility and uses.

The land fascinated him with his unusual topography- vales threaded with rivers; tall outcroppings of rock covered in trees and lush vegetation; fertile and wet fields with countless paddies that fed the people; orchards with trees that bore exotic fruits and fragrant blossoms…

Surely the god of the sun lived in a place such as this.

Lap and Khun explained that even the lowliest peasant was compulsive about their hygiene and the two scribes seemed very insistent on this point. Elryk had decided to lead by example and tried to bathe at least every two days and washed his hands, feet and face daily. He did in fact feel better and he had forgotten how lovely and white his wife Gailavira's skin was.

He inquired about the local gods- he was surprised to learn that these people too revered their ancestors and the spirits of nature, who were ruled over by a pantheon of gods who seemed to resemble the Germans' own. He knew his men would be most interested in the gods of war and thunder while the women would be drawn to the spirits of the hearth. While not given to religious discourse, Elryk did what he could to learn and mostly thrust the job upon Aengava, who, as the tribe's shaman, would need to understand these issues- or so was Elryk's reasoning.

Onward the pilgrims trod, following the wide, flat dirt road that led east. Many had stripped off their shirts and tops to deal with the unaccustomed heat while others complained that if the locals would not trade, then they should raid their settlements to take what provisions they needed. Elryk however, had strictly forbidden any raiding or pillaging, knowing that they were still not safe in a land they didn't know and that knew them not.

It was a warm and balmy day and Elryk was sleeping beneath a blossoming persimmon tree during a lull in the march when Lap came up and gently nudged him. The Uyghur scribe knelt and bowed.

"So sorry wake, large lord, but we day away from big bridge and civil lands, yes? Talk to Lap, can?"

Elryk sat up and squinted, rubbing his eyes. "Can. What do you suggest?"

Lap looked serious. "Clean good, but else be selves, yes? Proud barbarian warriors."

Lap's use of the word 'barbarian' irked Elryk, but he had also come to realize that these people considered everyone who was not of their lands to be a barbarian. He was certain that his people looked by barbaric by almost any standards and normally was quite proud of it. If all Lap wanted was clean barbarians, that didn't seem to be asking too much.

Elryk immediately called his warriors together and told them of his plans for when they met the people who ruled the land beyond the bridge. They began to prepare eagerly and diligently. When they moved out again, they looked like a proud and menacing warband, come to sack the jewel of any empire that dared stand against them.

Elryk wore no shirt, revealing his huge, muscular chest and his brawny shoulders and arms. He limed and twisted his hair so that it sat flat against the top of his head and sprang from beneath his helmet like a wild horse's mane.

Across his chest he wore two gilded leather belts and his sturdy round shield was strapped across his back. Made of a tough wood from the deepest reaches of the forests, it was covered with three treated ox hides and bound in dark iron. Bronze nails and symbols decorated the face, symbolizing wolves and ravens and warriors.

Around his neck he wore the ancient golden torc that terminated in wolf's heads that was the symbol of chieftainship amongst his people and had been for generations uncounted. On one hip he wore his sword and on the other his fearsome double-bearded axe. His face and body were painted with the signs of his race and rank.

Beside Elryk stood Aengava, his dark hair offset by his unusual and vivid violet eyes. He carried a gnarled staff studded with bronze nails in one hand and his sword on his belt. Although not as large or as muscular as his older brother, Aengava was still strapping of build, sinewy and strong. He may have been the tribe's shaman, but he was more than capable in a fight.

Glandyth and Theudis walked behind the brothers, silent and menacing. Like the other warriors, they were keen with anticipation, looking forward to crossing the bridge and finally meeting the inhabitants of the so-called 'Middle Kingdom', They had been astonished by many of the structures they had seen, such as the ornate temples and pagodas, dedicated to strange gods.

Certainly since leaving Bactria, the most interesting moment had come while visiting a local temple, dedicated to a goddess named Xi Wang Mu or some such thing. With more than a little reluctance, Lap and Khun had guided them into the sacred building. Elryk told his followers that anyone who was curious could come, as long as they touched, pillaged and broke _nothing_, on pain of death. The temple had plainly been abandoned for many years, but Elryk made it quite clear that everything was to be left as they found it. He had no intention of making enemies of these foreign gods.

While the Germans carefully explored the temple, Elryk and Aengava gazed long upon the enormous statue of the goddess. It stood several times larger than a man, made a wood covered in scraps of gold leaf and bronze. The temple seemed to have been plundered of all valuables at some time in its past and Elryk, even though he knew not these gods, felt a pang of remorse.

He knelt before the statue and muttered words inaudible to everyone except his brother. He had no doubts many of his people would find this action strange, but he was in no mood to explain himself.

They now marched on and Elryk wondered what sort of adaptations would be necessary if there were to not only live but prosper here. He heard some of his people discussing how long this journey was to last and how long it would be before they could return home.

Some were even whispering that they had come to find some mighty weapon that would help them drive back the legions of Rome and free the tribes.

Elryk ached inside to see his steading, which sat atop a hill, surrounded by a stout palisade and the endless forests, still free of Roman rule. He pictured the village of his clan, with the hurts threading up the side of the tall hill, crowned by his warrior hall, blessed by the god of thunder.

He knew he would never see his home again.

It was a bitter realization, but Elryk was determined to not live the regretful and hollow life of an exile. Here, in the land of the sun, he would carve out his destiny for all to remember.

Khun pointed ahead toward the sun. Less than a mile away, the land was scythed by a beautiful, crystalline blue river. Spanning the water was a wide white bridge, made of stone and carved wood. For a simple woodsman from the forests of Europa, it was an impressive structure. As they approached the bridge, Elryk could see people, many hundreds of them, drawn up in ordered companies on the far side of the span.

Standing in the middle of the bridge was a single man, a long halberd in hand, his hair and vermilion cloak flowing in the breeze.

***

Ce watched intently as the motley caravan approached, assessing the visitors. They were indeed tall, at least in comparison to the people of China. Many of them had the amazing yell hair and vivid blue eyes he had heard about. They were a strongly-built and rugged people, tough from a lifestyle of constant toil and war. The women were also tall and Ce smirked when he noticed they were impressively endowed, which would not sit well with the dainty ladies of the Han.

The man who was obviously their leader strode in front, his bearing grim but noble. He was tall and very muscular, Taishi Ci's size at least. The man walking beside him was somewhat shorter and not as well-muscled but impressive in a mysterious way.

Behind the leader were his personal bodyguards- the one was slender and moved with a serpentine grace that was not present in any of the others. The other man was an absolute giant, with a terrifying physique rivaling Guan Yu's and Zhang Fei's. Ce held no doubt that this chieftain was very well-protected with this two by his side.

The caravan itself was an intriguing sight, consisting of rickety wagons and carts, pulled by people, shaggy ponies, tall horses and strong yaks. Their garb seemed to have been pulled from many nations and cultures, adapted to fit the climes they now found themselves in. His heart went out to them- if the journey they had undertaken was as long as he suspected, they were indeed a valiant people.

The chieftain held his hand in the air as they approached the bridge and the column ground to a halt. He lowered his hand and walked forward onto the span. He stopped in front of Ce and looked down at him in wonder.

Ce was wearing the armour of Iskander and a long red cloak, hoping this would in some way allow his visitor to identify with him. Whatever the huge, yellow-haired man had seen during his journey, seeing Ce in this garb seemed to perplex him but also pique his curiosity.

Ce clasped his fist in his hand and bowed his head. Elryk touched the back of his fist to his head after the manner of his people.

Ce smiled and pointed to himself. "Sun Ce."

Elryk nodded and attempted to pronounce the words.

"Sssssoon… Ssssuh."

Ce nodded. Elryk now gestured to himself. "Elryk."

"Ellalick."

Lap and Khun now came onto the bridge and bowed to Ce. "Esteemed lord, thank you for receiving us. We are Lap and Khun, and we have been guiding these remarkabletravellers across the Barrier Mountains and through the Middle Kingdom."

"Never seen anything quite like 'em," Ce said, grinning. "So where are they from?"

"The farthest west, lord, beyond the empire of Roma, we believe. They are a people called 'Goths'."

Elryk turned his head to look at Lap when he heard his tribe mentioned.

"What did you say to him?" he demanded.

"What did the Goth say?" Ce asked.

Lap and Khun both blinked, sensing that this was going to get strange and somewhat tedious.

"Great lord," Khun intoned, bowing again to Ce. "The chieftain and his brother followed a vision sent by their god of night that told them safety from the Romans could be found in the lands where the sun rose. The caravan lord Dayu-kah, with whom you have some familiarity, instructed us to deliver them unto you specifically."

Ce nodded. "They've come a long way, for sure. It wouldn't do not to treat 'em right."

Ce clapped Elryk on the shoulder and beckoned him to come to the other side of the bridge. As the chieftain followed Lap and Khun trailed behind dutifully. Elryk's people waited stoically while their leader met the host.

Ce thumbed at Elryk while he addressed his commanders. "This is Ellalick and his people have fled from the Romans. If Zhou Yu and I are correct, then they've come from a land more than seven times farther away than the widest breadth of the Han."

No one said anything, but clearly the concept staggered most of them. There were next to no horses in the caravan and nobody seemed to be riding. How could they possibly have traversed such a distance?

"They've been wandering for a long time and they want to see the land where the sun rises. So let's be nice and treat 'em like honoured guests."

The entire host bowed respectfully.

Ce led Elryk around, introducing him to his commander, while Lap and Khun translated.

"This is my strategist, Zhou Yu. Taishi Ci is the commander of my personal guard; this is my sister Shang Xiang, who commands her own corps…"

Elryk gazed at Shang Xiang in wonder and she held her chin up proudly. She was more than a little bit awed by his size and his unreal hair and eye colour, but she also knew he respected her strength.

"Huang Gai is one of my veteran generals, commanding the stone demons." Ce continued.

"He and your bodyguard, lord," Elryk said through Lap. "I would love to have a trial of strength against them one day."

Ce smiled. "We'll see what we can do," he said cheerfully. "And this is my wife Da and her sister Xiao."

Xiao tilted her head as she stared up at Elryk. "His eyes are even bigger than those of the other barbarians we met here. How big do barbarian eyes get if you go even further west?"

Lap translated for Elryk, who laughed heartily, a loud roaring sound that Da found somewhat disconcerting. He replied to Lap who told Xiao that one day Elryk would tell her the Celtic legend of Balor of the Evil Eye, whose gaze meant certain death. Xiao squeaked in alarm at the thought.

Ce pointed to Elryk's people and Elryk understood that he should move them across. He turned and bellowed in what was absolutely the loudest voice any of the Chinese had ever heard, causing Xiao to jump again. The caravan rumbled to life and slogged over the bridge, the Germans staring at the people who awaited them.

***

Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers were helping the visitors pitch their camp while food was served. Da and Xiao danced and sang for the Germans while Zhou Yu and members of his Swordwind played instruments to accompany them. The food served was alien to the pilgrims but they ate it stoically, thankful for any properly prepared food at all.

Sun Ce and Elryk sat a small distance away, watching the festivities from atop a small knoll as night descended. Elryk ate the fish and pickled vegetables inside his wooden bowl, using his fingers since the strange little sticks the locals ate with confounded him. Khun sat with them dutifully while Lap attended to communications between the two groups.

"You have come a long way, all for the sake of a vision." Ce said quietly as they watched. "Your people are very hardy. How long have you been bathing?"

"Six long weeks." Elryk replied. "Hardest thing I ever got them to do."

Ce chuckled, pleased with how readily they communicated, even if they needed a translator. Conversation with his own people could be stilted and cumbersome due to social niceties; he preferred the direct and frank manner of these foreigners with their open honesty.

"I also believe you were sent by the gods and I was to receive you."

"Are there lands we can settle in safely?" Elryk asked.

Ce considered. "Not really, not on your own. My people do not accept intrusions on their sensibilities well, and your very presence would offend most. When you were beyond the Barrier Mountains you were a legend to be ignored. But now you're here and destroying you would be preferable for most of them to admitting you exist."

"Even these lands here?" Elryk queried, gesturing to the wide plains. "There seems to be more than enough room and the inhabitants are sparse."

"The lords of this region are weak, at least for now." Ce said. "But other lords who are stronger covet these fertile lands and when they have the means, they will come and take them. They will fear you and what you represent and try to obliterate you."

"We are used to danger," Elryk said in a proud and grim tone. "We fear no one."

"I don't doubt it," Ce agreed. "But you are too few to defend yourselves for long. Even if you triumph in your battles, with each death, your numbers will dwindle. And when you are all gone, people will do what they can to forget you. No one will remember you even existed."

Elryk was silent for some time. "I wonder if it was wrong for us to come to the east."

Ce shook his head. "I don't think so. I think you are meant to be here, although the motives of the gods, yours or mine, are not known to us."

"On that point we agree." Elryk muttered darkly.

Ce chose his next words carefully. "There are wars, coming, Elryk. Great wars that threaten to tear this Middle Kingdom apart. It's why you will not be safe and also why I think you were brought to us. I see you and your people are mighty warriors and I believe you have a part to play."

Elryk turned to look at Ce with his penetrating blue eyes.

"What then is your suggestion, lord?"

***

Elryk had returned to his people's encampment. He may have felt relatively comfortable among the strange little easterners, but for the sake of his followers, he judged it best to keep the camp a short distance away from that of their host. Aengava had gathered most of the men and many of the more important women around the great campfire and was discussing the situation when Elryk returned. They ceased their muttering and looked at him expectantly.

"What news, brother?" Aengava asked.

Elryk considered his words. "I talked long with their leader. He is a great warrior and hero to these people, and wise in spite of his years. He told me that this entire land is likely to erupt soon into a dreadful war."

"Is there no safety for us anywhere?" one woman exclaimed.

"We are warriors," Glandyth said gruffly. "What need has a keen blade or a strong arm of safety?"

"These lands are so wide, they must be havens we can find," another suggested. "When we become strong, who then would stand against us?"

Elryk sighed. "There are many strong lords in this empire and their emperor is weak, unlike Septimus Severus. They contest each other for lands and their armies are vast, sometimes numbering in the hundreds of thousands."

Many of the people gasped in shock. A Roman legion numbering between six and ten thousand was almost beyond their comprehension. The free tribes of the north as a whole could not have numbered much more than a hundred thousand!

This Sun Ce has offered us land," Elryk said. "A place to call our own."

"At what cost?" a warrior named Goderic demanded.

_Here it begins,_ Elryk thought. _The next few minutes will decide everything._

"He will let us live there as long as we acknowledge him as lord and keep his peace. When he goes to war we are to rally to his banner."

There was silence in response to his words.

"I know we left our homes to escape the Romans," he continued. "And now, in this faraway land, it seems we must accept one lord in place of another if we are to survive, but listen to me, all of you! Listen! We were not promised complete freedom by the gods when we undertook this journey, only freedom from Rome, and that we have."

"You speak of thralldom, Elryk." Goderic said harshly.

"I do no such thing," Elryk replied. "You all bow to me as your lord and yet you are not my thralls."

"That is different and you know it! You are one of us!" Goderic challenged.

"We are from different clans and some of you are not of the people of the Wolf," Elryk said firmly. "Some of you are from tribes that were even sworn enemies of the Wolf."

"I think they have ensorcelled you!" Goderic snarled. "They have ensnared your mind with promises of stability and peace!"

"I just finished telling you war is coming," Elryk warned. "And you willingly followed the call of the gods."

"Our people! Our gods!" Goderic shouted. "Not these infernal yellow people you cleave to, or their strange gods!"

Goderic stomped away from the gathering, his sword on his hip and made his way toward the Han encampment. Elryk shook his head and trailed after the furious warrior, followed by men of his men, as well as Lap and Khun. This couldn't possibly end well.

Goderic stormed up to the edge of the camp and began bellowing loudly while some spearmen hastily blocked his path. He got the attention of Ce and the others, who came to see what all the shouting was about.

Ce stood near the guards, eyebrow raised, accompanied by Zhou Yu, Taishi Ci, Huang Gai, Shang Xiang, Da and Xiao. Goderic stood outside the camp, pointing and roaring in his impossible, guttural language. The guards watched the huge man warily as he shook his first at them.

As the southerners looked on, Goderic drew his sword and began waving it about, pointing it at various people and yelling antagonistically. Ce looked at Elryk, who just shrugged in resignation.

"I think our friend here is challenging us to a friendly sparring match." Ce said, smiling. "Any volunteers?"

"Ooh! Pick me! Pick me!"

Da turned to look at Xiao in bewilderment. "Are you insane?"

Xiao looked indignant. "Hey, I faced Hua Xiong, didn't I?"

"No, as a matter of fact, you didn't." Da pointed out.

"Yes, I did." Xiao insisted.

"No, stupid, you-"

"Da, you _really_ need to remember this my way or I am gonna chicken out." Xiao pleaded.

"I'm okay with that," Da replied. "Look at him, he'll eat you. His fist is the size of your head, and possibly even harder."

"Well, the bigger they are, the harder they fall, right?" Xiao reasoned. "Besides, it's a little late for me to back down now."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Da said, indicating the shouting barbarian. "He still seems to be calling out for a challenger. I don't think he noticed you."

Xiao paused and stared over at the irate, yellow-haired foreigner and frowned. Her face coloured in indignation and she stomped right up to him.

"Hey!"

The man paused for a moment to look down at her in confusion. He carefully sheathed his sword so as to not injure her by waving it about and went back to issuing his challenge.

Xiao went purple with fury and kicked his in the shin.

The men yelped in shock and then glared down at her. He swung at her head and she pirouetted out of the way. When she came to a stop, she had opened her hands with a graceful flourish. They seemed to have come out of nowhere.

The barbarian looked puzzled, as if he was not sure what to do next. He turned to glance at Elryk, who just scowled at him in annoyance. He then looked at Sun Ce, who smiled and gestured back at Xiao.

Upon looking over at the tiny girl again, Goderic's eyes went wide because she was pointing her behind at him, wiggling it and smacking it tauntingly.

Goderic snarled in rage and lunged at her, sweeping his sword out, clearly intent on avenging this insult to his dignity. Ce watched in fascination as the barbarian moved. They lacked grace and overall coordination, but it was compensated for by an unreal savagery not known to the Chinese mindset. These men were tall and strong of build, with massive frames meant to absorb damage.

A single barbarian warrior was terrifying in his berserk rage. An entire battalion of them could easily turn the flank of an enemy army with its sheer momentum. Only a unit with iron discipline and exceptional training would be able to withstand such an onslaught.

Goderic swung his sword down in a lethal arc, intent on bisecting Xiao. She squeaked in panic and pushed up with her fans to block the strike before it achieved deadly force. She strained with all of her might, hoping to prevent him from attacking, but there was no chance.

She leapt out of the way of the blade in haste and ending up sitting in Goderic's arms. They stared at each other for a moment in uncertain amazement. Xiao recovered her wits first and slammed her fan across Goderic's head. The behemoth went rigid and then fell backwards, landing with a dull thud. After several seconds of incredulous silence, the yellow-haired barbarians burst into hysterical, roaring laughter. Their leader, Ellalick, nodded to Xiao and then approached Sun Ce.

"My apologies, lord. Goderic was a fool and got what he deserved. What manner of people are you that even your women fight so?"

Ce laughed. "We are nothing special, Xiao is just crazy. None of us expected that. So now what?"

Elryk sighed. "You have been more than generous in your offer and I am inclined to believe you when you say we would not be safe without your support. It will take some time to adjust, but with my guidance, my people will come to serve you dutifully, I promise."

Ce nodded and smiled. "I will not tax your people and I will not require that you bow or show obeisance after the manner of my own people. Keep the lands I give you safe from other lords, do not practice cruelty and be ready to rally to my banner when I call you to war."

Elryk nodded.

"Your people lived in cooler climes, so perhaps I shall find you a territory in the north of my realm. You will be under the command of no other vassal of mine unless I specifically request it. You are to fly my banner alongside your own when we march to battle."

Elryk looked proud. "A chieftain's bodyguards are called the _comitatus_. We shall be your _comitatus_, lord, fighting as fiercely for you as your Night Tigers ever could."

He drew his sword and drove the point into the ground before kneeling and bowing his head, his hand on the iron pommel. "My life is yours, great lord."

Ce beckoned Elryk to rise. "I accept your allegiance and you are now one of my trusted vassals. Come now, I shall take you to the capital and from there we shall decide on your people's future."

Elryk followed Sun Ce into the camp while Glandyth picked up the still-unconscious Goderic. They nodded to Zhou Yu as they went by, who bowed politely. When they were gone, Zhou Yu summoned the outriders who had accompanied the army.

"Go now into the Riverlands," he said quietly. "Spread outrageous stories about the appearance of these yellow-haired barbarians and the many battles they fought. Speak of them being destroyed and mysteriously coming back from the dead. Before long, people will be so sick of the rumours that they will dismiss all notions of them ever having existed. No one must believe they crossed the river into the Southlands."

The men bowed. The barbarians would not exist. They never had existed.

***

Da Qiao walked alongside the chieftain's wife, Gailavira, who led a cart with a pony. Da had made her name known and that she was Ce's consort and Gailavira had done the same. Even with Lap's help, their conversation was somewhat stilted because Gailavira did not seem overly drawn to conversation. Da was mildly irked with how easily Ce seemed to get along with just about anybody. She harboured no doubt that Gailavira would have chatted endlessly with Da's husband, blushing prettily the whole while.

Da smiled at Gailavira's daughter, whose name was Hala. The girl seemed to be observing her intently. There was something in her eyes that caught Da's attention, something different from the others. Her eyes expressed not only intelligence but…

Education?

"If speak this, you understand?" Da asked haltingly in Latin.

The girl looked surprised for a moment but then nodded. "Yes, I understand you. Why do you speak Latin?"

"I learn." Da replied. "My sister, my daughter, I, we all learn speak from scrolls. How you learn?"

"I was the hostage of a Roman praetor," Hala said. "He educated me before I was given back to my father."

"Hala, why are you speaking Latin?" Gailavira said sharply.

"Mother, the queen speaks Latin," Hala answered excitedly. "I know you said I was never to speak it openly but we can talk to her now."

Gailavira considered what her daughter said. "Very well, but be careful of what you say, child. We still do not know these people."

Hala nodded. "My mother says we may speak but to be careful what I say to you."

Da smiled. "Understand. Your mother smart. Your people safe in lands south."

Da now beckoned to Xiao who joined them and they talked with Hala, also indirectly asking Gailavira questions.

"My daughter Latin speak better than sister or I," she explained. She talk to you will like."

Hala beamed. "A new friend."

Da had offered Gailavira her horse since the woman seemed weary, but the proud German woman politely refused. Da noticed how none of the barbarians were riding the horses. Could they in fact not ride?

When Da and Xiao's Latin was officially taxed, they went back to using Lap as translator. Even with the new ease of communication, she continued to find it difficult to relate with Gailavira- their lives had been so very different. Da had always led a courtly life dedicated to social graces whereas Gailavira had spent her days making sure the villages under her husband's auspices had enough food, clothing and provisions to endure the harsh winters of the north. These were issues a courtesan never really had to consider.

Unable to identify with Gailavira's life from that aspect, Da considered it from the point of view of a military commander. Da could understand procuring and administering supplies, as she did for the Iron Firsts and Valiant Cavaliers.

"My husband is your husband's vassal," Gailavira finally said in her deep voice. "That means I am your vassal as well. I have never been a vassal before and it will be a hard adjustment for me. I apologize."

Da nodded. "I understand, lady. I would have us start by being friends. If the men will tear the world apart with war, then it falls to us to mend it. My husband will one day be emperor of the Middle Kingdom and your husband his great and glorious general. Between our houses let there always be friendship."

Gailavira smiled finally and it was a pretty smile. "I would like that."

"Your people will no doubt become renowned throughout the land, so they will need a name. Let us, you and I, carve that image for people." Da suggested. "What spirits or animals do you associate with?"

Gailavira pondered the question. We revere ravens… wild boars of the forest… but most of all, the wolf. We are the Wolf clan and it is said that our ancestors were fostered by a great white wolf spirit."

Da nodded in satisfaction. "Then you will be the _Bailangren_, the people of the White Wolf."

***

The wide square before the palace of Baifu was lined with companies of soldiers representing different corps, and each of the Southlands generals was in attendance. Sitting astride his horse, Sun Ce rode up and down the ranks, speaking words of encouragement to each battalion. Each commander and general brought no more than that, so that the Elryk's White Wolves were never outnumbered. It was a decision Zhou Yu had been very firm with the commanders about.

No matter how his fame spread, Ce and Zhou Yu both understood that Elryk would never be more than the dreaded commander of the White Wolves and he probably desired nothing more. He was a fearsome warrior, but large unit tactics were probably beyond him and of no concern. His status as a barbarian lord meant he would both benefit and be hobbled by the traditions of the Middle Kingdom. He would not be expected to adhere to its ways, but also he and his people would never truly belong.

Zhou Yu was explicit with the corps commanders about how Elryk was to be treated- as an equal, even if he commanded far fewer troops. He was, after all, the only one amongst Sun Ce's vassals who was demonstrably of noble birth. No one contested his decision. They all knew the Wu lands were destined to be untraditional.

Elryk stood in front of his _comitatus_, the first company of his battalion, commanded by Glandyth and Theudis. They were twenty hand-picked warriors, renowned for their tenacity, savagery and fearlessness in battle, surpassing all others within the warband.

Ce had garb made for the Wolves, crafted from durable hemp and trimmed with furs and pelts he had brought from the north. Damaged weapons were repaired, shields refitted and a tall banner made of silk created, showing the Sun family insignia and crowned with the skulls and pelts of wolves, symbolizing the people of the White Wolf.

Four hundred tall, strong and ferocious men, ordered into five companies of eighty warriors and the _comitatus._ Ce now rode up in front of them. Elryk touched the back of his fist to his head and his men did the same. The lord of the Southlands called out loudly so everyone in the square could hear him. Lap and Khun translated for the Wolves.

"The mists of time have rolled back and from the uttermost west have come men who need our aid and to aid us in the times ahead! No longer can we of the Middle Kingdom pretend or insist that the world ends where the Barrier Mountains rise into the Heavens. We must accept that other peoples with other songs share what the gods have given and that we are as strange to them as they are to us!"

"These valiant and hardy warriors and their families have traversed lands unknown to us and faced perils thrown at them by the gods themselves. They arrived here, unbidden but not unwelcome and we take them as our own. They are the people of the wolf, and they shall fight alongside us, the tigers of the south!"

The Teutonic warriors began bashing their spears and swords against their shields and chanting loudly in response to Ce's words. The Southlanders watched in fascination.

"I grant now to the Wolf Lord Elryk the lands of Er-litou, ceded willingly to him by General Lu Meng, under whose auspices it had formerly been. The lands are cool but fertile, as close to our new ally's distant home as my realm allows. May the land embrace and bless them and may they thrive on it. The current residents of the region have agreed to stay and help them adjust and adapt. Elryk is their lord, responsible for their protection. Their presence will help foster understanding between our peoples and trust."

Ce now stood in his saddle and spoke louder than ever, holding his halberd in the air.

"Great wars and great deeds await us all! The land will soon know conflict never before endured and the tiger and the wolf will rise to meet and fight the chaos!"

"Sun Ce! Sun Ce!" the Germans bellowed, bashing their weapons on their shields or thrusting them into their air, led by Elryk. The air thundered with their cries and the warriors of the south took up the call until their city and the plain rang with their voices.

_The future is ours… what force can stand against us?_

***

Summer had given way to autumn and then winter. They rode north now, a small company consisting of Sun Ce and Da Qiao, accompanied by a company of the Night Tigers and a squad each of the Valiant Cavaliers and the Iron Fists.

"I will be intrigued to see Baifu, my lord." Da said as they rode.

"Me too," Ce agreed cheerfully. No doubt the great yellow-haired warriors would try to simulate as many aspects of their former lives as they could, so it would be interesting to see what adaptations had been made- the climate, the materials available for both clothing and housing, the food they would eat… Ce would indeed be eager to see how they were faring. The climes were cool compared to those of Baifu in the far south, but hardly intolerable. Ce rode easily on his horse with Da beside him. Just behind rode Taishi Ci, along with Sun Kai-Ying and Hala, who had become inseparable over the past two seasons. Hala had remained in Baifu at Elryk's request, to learn more about the language and culture of their new homeland, but Ce had made it clear the girl could return whenever she or her parents chose.

Hala had at first been downcast, assuming that she was once again a hostage, but perked up almost immediately upon meeting Sun Kai-Ying, who was to be her friend. The months had almost flown by for her, and while she was excited to see her family again, she was sorry to leave beautiful Baifu behind.

She had picked up the language easily enough although exercising Han restraint had proven something of a challenge for her. She knew the other children would treat her differently because of how she looked, but the girls tended to avoid her when at all possible and several boys sported black eyes when they irritated her beyond her endurance.

"The barbarians are a strange people, my lord." Da mused.

"Why do we call them barbarians, mother?" Kai-Ying asked curiously.

Da made a wry face. "Because… they are barbarians, girl."

"Because they are not of the Middle Kingdom?"

"Well, yes." Da said reasonably.

"So because you are not from the Han, that makes you a barbarian?" the girl pressed. She looked now at Hala. "Do you think you are a barbarian?"

Hala shrugged. "The Romans thought we were barbarians."

"Are the Romans barbarians, mother?"

"I do not know, child," Da said, somewhat irked at being called upon to substantiate a perfectly obvious truth while her husband smirked.

"You gotta admit, Da, it does sound pretty pejorative," Ce said easily. "After all, what would you think if these Romans considered us barbarians? Zhou Yu and I got that catapult idea from them, after all."

Da frowned. "Why would they consider us barbarians? We are the Middle Kingdom."

"Why would they care?" Ce pointed out. "Their existence has gone on their whole history without us and they're every bit as certain that their gods created them. Why are we right or better just because our ancestors have always told us so?"

Da shook her head. "You are a heretic, husband-mine."

"Maybe," Ce said. "But tell me this… if these Germans herald the arrival of other cultures greater and with stronger gods than our own, what are we gonna do about it?"

Da didn't answer as Er-litou came into view when they crested a hill. The traditional town lay to the west about two _li_while the settlement of the White Wolves lay directly ahead. Da was quite astonished by the layout of the village- it was surrounded by a wide moat fed by a river and then a strong palisade. Hala told them that the clusters of houses were based on clan or family affiliations, as were the fighting companies, except for the _comitatus._

Taishi Ci grumped at the mention of the _comitatus_. He had begun drilling the Night Tigers harder than ever after the Germans had arrived, knowing that the ferocious warrior-culture of the westerners would produce a loyalty to Sun Ce even his own troops would have to work hard to match. It was rivaled by nothing except the famed Peach Garden Oath.

These clusters of houses were spaced around the settlement, each with its own pens for animals. The one flat dirt road that came across the moat bisected the dwellings and led to a hill, which was surrounded by another spring-fed moat and palisade. Atop the hill stood Elryk's warrior hall, the great doors of which were crowned with a wolf's head of beaten bronze.

As they approached, a guard in a watchtower spotted them and blared a call of welcome on a horn. The people of the settlement rushed forth to meet their lord, gathering in front of the walls.

Elryk stood in front of his _comitatus_ and saluted as Ce leapt off his horse and then bowed respectfully to Da. Hala rushed forward and jumped into her father's strong arms and smothered him in kisses before going to hug her mother. As always, Lap and Khun stood dutifully nearby Elryk, ready to provide translation.

"Welcome, Lord Sun Ce, to Er-litou!" Elryk said in Chinese with an accent so hideous it was barely comprehensible. He stepped forward and offered a hollow horn full of some frothing liquid. He grinned and held up his own drinking horn.

"This, my lord, is a drink of my homelands, fermented from the wheat we grow here. It is called beer."

"Beel?" Ce responded, taking the horn curiously and giving the contents a sniff.

Elryk lifted his drinking horn in a toast and drank heartily. Not to be outdone, Ce tilted the horn back and did likewise, not stopping until he had drained it. Everyone looked at him expectantly.

Ce was silent for several seconds and just stared off into nothing. But then his eyes began to squint and his face turned red. Finally he could hold back no longer and began coughing. The Germans roared with laughter as Da patted her husband's back.

"Strong stuff, Elryk." Ce wheezed as he recovered. "If you and your men fight like you drink, remind me not to attack Er-litou."

"We have had to make many adaptations, but I believe we are finally getting settled." Elryk said as he led them into the steading. "I have, against all odds, kept my people bathing and we are growing used to the local foodstuffs."

"Are you getting along with the locals?" Ce asked.

"Well enough, I suppose," Elryk replied. "Mostly they are wary of us, but they are trying, but my people are not overly friendly at the best of times. It is better than I expected. I have chosen not to interfere in the administration of the region although everyone understands that I am in command of the local militias. We haven't much to trade that they are interested in."

"I have brought silks and hemp and other textiles and supplies for your people, Lord Elryk, along with iron and bronze wares." Da added. Elryk smiled and bowed to her appreciatively.

"I see also that some principals of geomancy have been observed." Da said, noticing that all the doors of the dwellings were facing south (or at least not north) and that the housing clusters formed a larger overall _feng shui _pattern within the walls.

"Yes, that was entertaining to try and arrange," Elryk muttered somewhat darkly. "More than that, your herbalists have been visiting daily and forcing their smelly plants on us. If this stuff is so good for you, then why are all you people of the east so short?"

Taishi Ci raised an eyebrow at Elryk's question.

"And then the man with the thin needles, the… what's the word, Khun? Acupuncturist. Yes, he is a brave man, for he is nearly slain at least ten times a day. Thankfully, his remedies work or he would have died months ago."

Ce laughed. "You will see the virtues in it, I promise you. And I will tell my own people to keep an open mind about things they can learn from you."

"Has my daughter behaved herself and learned your language and culture well?" Elryk asked, ruffling his daughter's hair and causing the girl to fuss. Kai-Ying giggled as she watched.

"Yeah, she learned quickly." Ce said. "Smart girl."

"I would like to send more of our children to Baifu to learn your language and ways, lord." Elryk suggested.

"I'm not sure that is wise just yet, Elryk." Ce replied.

"Why is that?" Elryk asked, frowning.

"Because it's one thing to help you and your people adapt, but I don't want to replace your culture." Ce said reasonably. "Bathing just makes sense, but I don't want your kids to speak our language better than their own. Children can pick things up and take them to heart a little too quick."

"I see your point," the German said, nodding. "Our children could turn their back son their own culture."

"And that ain't my aim. I am sending scholars to the region to build a Confucian academy anyway, so if your kids or even adults want to learn, these men shall come to you and teach you here."

"A fine and wise compromise, lord." Elryk acknowledged. "I chose wisely to serve you. I am curious, though… why are people so cautious in talking about us or even mentioning us? No traders have visited or even seen our settlement."

"I have ordered them not to," Ce said, his voice taking on a serious tone. "I have spread rumours in the lands beyond the river that you were destroyed or had never even existed. I am keeping you a secret, at least for now."

Elryk pondered the statement but then the light of understanding entered his eyes. "More than just our safety from other lords, we are a secret weapon or tactical advantage for you. Wise indeed."

They stood now atop the hill and before Elryk's warrior hall. The long, peak-roofed structure was made of stout wood and the large doors bound with iron and nails and decorated with wolf motifs. The doors creaked open and the inside of the hall smelled like smoke and moss- earthy, alien and inviting.

As Da and the others filed into the hall, the two leaders looked out over the steading, the wind flickering the torches that stood on either side of the great doors. There was silence for some moments between them.

"I pledge to you, Lord Sun Ce, that we shall fight for you like you were one of us, no matter the peril and no matter the foe." Elryk said finally.

Ce nodded. Elryk had guessed at why he had really come- not just to bring Hala back, but to tell the Lord of the White Wolves to prepare for war.

They gazed off into the distance. "Has it ever been your ambition, Elryk, to overthrow the emperor in Roma?" Ce asked.

"I have contemplated it," relied the brawny chieftain. "Do you plan to make war on the one you call the Son of Heaven?"

"No," Ce said, smiling. "But a powerful warlord named Yuan Shu, who is supposed to be my liege, has proclaimed himself emperor. This makes him a traitor and I am going to march against him. Interested?"

"Eliminating a traitor, eh?" Elryk mused. "My people are as ready and well-equipped as they can hope to be. Will it be a tough fight?"

"The Yuans are an ancient family, their army large and powerful," Ce said, nodding. "But they're no match for us."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Elryk said, grinning wolfishly. "Let us go punish this traitor!"

_Finally, _the chieftain thought to himself. _A lord worth serving and a life worth living…_

***

**Author's Notes: **I know I promised a Wumake, but the one I am working on is not flowing quite right and it is getting ridiculously big, so I thought I'd put it on the shelf for a bit. Also, I'm really been eager to begin this arc, which sort of kicks off the beginning of the great wars that are the core of the saga.

As to where specifically this particular tribe of Goths/Teutons comes from, I didn't really know yet. I imagine they are Ostrogoths, since I have them skirting the Baltic region of what is now Poland. That would probably put them in the region of Brandenburg in 'modern' Germany, since Elryk mentions that his tribe has yet to have their home accosted by the Romans directly.

Further to this points, when referencing them, I will be variously calling them 'Germans', 'Goths' and 'Teutons', depending on how often they are to be mentioned in the same paragraph or paragraphs. I am rather a stickler about not repeating myself and one of my strong points tends to be my perspicacity with language.

I know that this arc is really stretching on the realism charts, but I did recently finish the Ou Xing-zombie saga, so I figure this one is going to be fine. I have been waiting for ages now (well, at least since I started playing the newest game) to add Xiao's little bitch-slap maneuver into a scene, and using it on a guy four thousand times her size seemed as good a time as any. Miss Spencer's bitch slap in Rumble Roses is fun, but frankly, I haven't had this much fun smacking someone around since playing Sofia in the original _Battle Arena Toshinden_ game.

It will be tough to use the Teutons as a mere plot point, but I figure if I can do it with Diao Chan I can manage it with them.

Okay, so just to let you in on a glimpse of my writing process, I will have you know that while writing out this chapter on the comp, I fired up iTunes and listened to the black metal song 'The Lost Vikings' by Deathklok for hours on end. Admittedly, I did punctuate said repetition by playing 'Thunderhorse' occasionally, but mostly TLV was my groove song. Is that sad or what? At least I wasn't repeatedly playing 'Ride of the Valkyries' by Wagner…

So while I'm sitting at work, bored out of my skull, I shall write away on paper and then transliterate onto the comp when I got home.

Happy New Year to each of you and all the best from the crew of Wu and I!

(PS- Anyone who does what my roomie did and compares "Crew of Wu" to the "House of Mouse" will be banned from reading my fic. Promise.)


	44. Chapter 44

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

** The Young Conqueror, Chapter 42- Treason**

The news had spread across the realm like a wildfire- in the north, Yuan Shu had apparently come into possession of the imperial seal and declared himself emperor. Lords across the land expressed their outrage and the Prime Minister bade rulers to muster their forces and oust the pretender.

"Well, Ce, this is our chance," Zhou said solemnly as they watched the regiments assemble on the grand square in front of the palace. "We have wanted to throw off the shackles of featly to Yuan Shu for a long time now and here is our chance."

"Thanks to you, pal." Ce agreed, leaning on the railing and looking down at the troops. "You must've had that little ploy in mind for a long time."

"Long enough," Zhou Yu admitted. "Although I was not certain whom the tactic would be used against, it seemed like a good idea."

"The nerve of that guy," Ce mused while he watched Da Qiao order the Valiant Cavaliers and the Iron Fists into their squads as part of Huang Gai's corps. "Imagine, claimin' to be as good as the emperor just because you found a little jade charm with some gold filigree on it."

"Apparently to be in the possession of the imperial seal indicates divine providence," Zhou Yu said, irony tracing his voice. "So who else has heeded Cao Cao's call to rise up against Yuan Shu?"

"Just him and us so far," Ce replied. "I haven't heard of anyone else just yet. Kong Rong probably would, but he would have to march across Yuan Shao's territory to strike at Yuan Shu."

Zhou Yu nodded. "Yuan Shao may be a concern. I cannot conceive of him allowing us to destroy his younger brother."

"Yuan Shao's gonna be busy," Ce replied easily. "He tried to exert control over Gongsun-zan and naturally got defied, so he's busy grindin' the White Riders and their lord into the ground."

"Gongsun-zan hasn't a prayer," Zhou Yu observed. "The army of Yuan Shao is immense and parts of it are very well-trained. With generals like Yan Liang and Wen Chou, he is formidable indeed. Except for the White Riders, Gongsun-zan's armies are mostly conscripts, poorly-trained and equipped."

"Yeah, but he will keep Yuan Shao busy for a while," Ce added. "Besides, I am pretty sure that he won't be happy that his younger brother found the imperial seal and declared himself emperor, rather than turning it over to him. I doubt he'll help too quickly."

"So far then, it is Cao Cao and ourselves who must deal with Yuan Shu." Zhou Yu concluded.

"I'm expectin' we'll receive a diplomatic mission from him soon, actually." Ce said. "And more than likely from Yuan Shu as well, demanding that I lend him troops, if I know what's good for me."

Zhou Yu pondered the situation. "Can we do it? True, we have fought large armies before, but if Cao Cao is our only ally, can we defeat the Yuans? They are the most militarily powerful family in the Han right now, I think. Cao Cao is to Yuan Shu's rear, but he cannot help us if we cross the river."

Ce folded his arms and looked out over the host. "Yeah, we can," he said confidently. "I'm not skimpin' on this one. This'll be an even larger army than we threw at Dong Zhuo. I'm lookin' at around seventy five thousand troops. We can fight pitched battles but we'll still have to fight smart."

Zhou Yu nodded. "We have enough troops to send a strong army and still garrison our borders properly. I would suggest leaving Ling Cao in charge of the defense while we make war on Yuan Shu. Who do you intend to take with you?"

Ce looked out over the plain that lay beyond Baifu. "Quan will march from Jiang Dong, attacking from the east, Lu Meng will move across the river from Changsha and begin occupying the borderlands. Huang Gai's corps will provide the majority of our main battle force and Cheng Pu will act as the reserve. I will command the royal corps and you will bring yours alongside mine."

"What about the independent units?" Zhou Yu asked.

"I'm attachin' Xiao to Lu Meng's corps, she could use the experience with tactical flexibility," Ce said. "Shang Xiang'll command her girls and the new corps, marchin' alongside Huang Gai. As for Elryk, I'm takin' him with me, because I really don't know what to do with him yet. I'm lookin' forward to seein' what effect they have on the enemy."

Zhou Yu nodded. "I too am intrigued to see what potential they hold, although I fear they will not be an asset forever. They can never be amalgamated with another unit and their numbers will increase only slowly as the warriors of the battalion sire children. It will not be enough to sustain offset their casualties in any event. They will need to be invincible or they will just fade away."

"I think Elryk knows that too," Ce agreed. "I already talked to Ren Neng about 'em. But at least for now they'll be an incredible tactical advantage. Yuan Shu's not gonna believe his eyes when these guys hit the field."

"Our people's phobia about all things alien should work to Elryk's advantage, initially, at any rate. Before long his battalion will be a relentless target on the battlefield."

"I think that's what he pledged himself so readily to me," Sun Ce said. "He knows his people need our protection, and he's willin' to fight to earn it."

They watched Huang Gai bellowing loudly and ordering the companies back and forth while he assigned tasks. Ce cricked his neck and stretched his arms overhead.

"Yep, gonna be a heckuva war…" he said lazily as he walked back into the palace.

***

All golden and lovely was the city in the sunset, speaking of the triumph of reason and desire for peace. Broad avenues of stone, set about with elegant buildings of exotic woods and marble, were punctuated with squares that featured glittering silver fountains and rows of lovely, blossom-laden trees. The scent of the blossoms filled the air and the birds sang of harmony.

The golden sunset gave way to a mystic violet that touched the red peaks of the city's roofs and the songs of the birds ceased, to be replaced by the peaceful chanting of monks in the sacred temples. Twilight fell and then the warm and comforting embrace of night. Under the shining moon, naught could be heard but the tinkle of chimes that played in the gentle wind.

Dawn came and spread over the eternal city and onto the plains all about. The swards of grass were green as the heart of an emerald and the rivers blue crystalline blue. Golden fields of wheat waved in the winds that that breathed out of the mountains. Quaint fishing villages along the rivers and the seashore we alive with the songs of the boatmen, while the academies of the learned imparted wisdom throughout the land.

He glided silently over the grass as the wind, was rooted deep in the earth as the heart of a tree and heard ageless songs from days gone by as a stone in the ground. Gently the loving voice whispered all around him.

"Ce?"

Sun Ce looked up and smiled at Da, who was kneeling next to him in his private chamber.

"Lord Yuan Shu's envoy is here to see you."

***

Ce listened intently to the messenger, who spoke as haughtily as he dared, given his surroundings. It was quite obvious that he was irritated on his master's behalf.

"Lord Sun Ce, your conduct displeases your liege greatly. He has called you forth to perform your duty as his vassal and you have chosen to ally with those who stand against him. He demands not only an explanation but an immediate gesture of your remorse for your actions. The man who is the Son of Heaven deserves no less."

"Yeah, that's where the problem lies," Ce replied casually. "Yuan Shu ain't the Son of Heaven, pal, that position is already filled. Yuan Shu has declared himself emperor and last I checked, some guy in Chang'an was still in charge. So that means that Yuan Shu is either crazy, treacherous or both. What's your assessment?"

The messenger coloured furiously. "His majesty holds the imperial seal! The seal is the symbol of imperial sovereignty!"

"So if it dropped out of the emperor's pocket and some kid on the street picked it up, would you be swearin' allegiance to him?" asked the lord of the Southlands.

"Do not mock me, Sun Ce!" the man said angrily. "Your position was given to you by Yuan Shu and he can revoke it at his whim! Think of this before you speak your next words!"

"Yuan Shu is a traitor and I am not gonna be associated with the likes of him," Ce said sternly. "He ain't fit to be my liege, he doesn't know loyalty except to himself!"

"He holds the imperial seal!" the herald said tightly.

"Oh, you mean this?" Ce said, holding up the small jade charm and smiling as the messenger's expression changed to one of shock. "Yeah, I don't know what Yuan Shu's babbling about, because I'm pretty sure that the imperial seal's safe here in Baifu."

The man was still silent in disbelief as Ce nodded his head.

"Get this guy outta here, he doesn't know what he's talkin' about. For all we know, he isn't a messenger from Yuan Shu but just some nut who thinks he is."

Taishi Ci and some Night Tigers led the herald and his escorts off while Ce looked at everyone around the room. They seemed to be staring intently at the imperial seal.

"Well, either Yuan Shu or I have the imperial seal and the other guy has a fake. We're gonna assume Yuan Shu is a fraud and needs to be taken down a peg. Get ready to go to war."

Ce waited while everyone cleared the room, leaving behind only Zhou Yu and Da Qiao. The strategist sighed.

"You might have told me you were going to do that," he said. "No matter how good my security is, I have little chance of containing all news that you possess the imperial seal."

Ce shrugged. "I'd've told you if I'd known I was gonna do it. Besides, no one's really gonna know it or believe it. Yuan Shu's the one wavin' around the imperial seal and claimin' to be emperor, so they'll be after him. If anyone ever asks me or demands to see it, I'll hide it under my pillow again."

Zhou Yu looked at Da. "_Please_ tell me he does not keep it under his pillow."

Da looked away.

Zhou Yu looked down at his friend. "Very well, when do we leave?"

Ce stood up. "We'll be ready in ten days. Do whatever you need to until then. I'm gonna try explainin' to my daughter why we have to make war again."

***

"I am sorry, father, I do not understand," Kai-ying said sadly. "Killing is wrong. Killing people who kill doesn't make sense."

Ce sighed and held his daughter close. He knew this upset her greatly. "I dunno if I can explain it right, but I'll try."

"Will it be so bad if this Yuan Shu is the Son of Heaven?" she asked.

"He ain't, kiddo," Ce said. "There already is an emperor. Yuan Shu is just going to be beat on everyone until they say he's the emperor. He won't stop just because it isn't true."

"Didn't you say once that you would rather die than serve a tyrant, father?"

"Yeah. And I meant it." Ce said.

"So if he is a tyrant and he is going to make everyone serve him, wouldn't it just be better to die? Killing is wrong, so maybe we are supposed to die. Then the Heavens won't judge us for killing?"

Ce wrapped his arms around his daughter and held her tight.

"Remember when those boys had cornered Hala and were taunting her and poking her with sticks because she looks different? Remember how she tried to fight back but it wasn't enough?"

"Yes."

"What did you do?"

Kai-Ying thought back to the incident. "I ran up and hit them until they ran away and left her alone. She couldn't defend herself."

"That's how I feel when strong people pick on weaker people, sweetheart." Ce said, stroking her silvery hair. "I can't stand by and just watch. Could you let them just pick on Hala because it would be wrong to fight to stop them?"

"No, they were hurting her."

"For no good reason, right?" Ce said, smiling. "Maybe the Heavens say we are not to kill, but they're not down here right now, watching loved ones get hurt. I don't have what it takes to watch bad things happen to you or your mother. If I thought getting myself killed would keep you safe, I'd let it happen. But if getting myself killed means that now no one is protecting you, then I just ain't strong enough."

Kai-ying squeezed her eyes shut as she listened to her father.

"Maybe you're right," Ce said gently. "Maybe killing is always wrong, and maybe violence is always wrong. It may be that simple. Maybe if Yuan Shu killed everyone then he would be left alone and would have to think about what he did and maybe he would be enlightened when he joined us in the Heavens, where we'd already been judged innocent. Maybe that's the way it should be, the way it's meant to be…"

He took her face in his hands and looked into her crystalline eyes. "But I don't have what it takes, I really don't. I will never let anyone harm you or your mom, even if it means I get judged harshly and I come back in the next life as a dung bug…"

He grinned and tickled the girl all over as if insects were crawling on her and she squealed and giggled. She rested against him finally and hugged him tight.

"But I accept that possibility," he said. "If being wrong is what keeps you two safe, then I'm wrong."

Kai-ying sighed. "As long as you know that it's wrong, father."

Ce held her close and was silent. His daughter had an annoying habit of being right.

"And while you are gone, I shall be alone again." Kai-ying said sulkily.

"Well, not necessarily," Ce suggested. "I was thinkin' I might take you north and you could stay with Hala in her village, if you like."

His daughter's eyes went wide with delight. "Do you mean it, father?"

"Why not?" Ce said cheerfully. "You can learn something up there just as easily as you can learn down here. And I am sure Hala misses you."

Kai-ying nodded. "And she will teach me more words in her Goth language."

"Oh? What had she taught you when she left?"

Kai-ying thought back. "Well, _anda_ means 'pleasant', _mikils_ means 'great' or 'large', _fram _means 'old' and _vulsag_ means 'glorious'."

Ce nodded. "And how do you say child?"

Kai-ying thought hard. "_Barnav._"

"Well, she can teach you plenty more, I am sure you'll be speakin' it by the time the campaign finishes."

The girl was silent for several seconds. "Father, Hala is very proud of the fact that Lord Elryk is a great warrior and she always talked about the many skulls he took as prizes. Am I wrong to not be proud of you being a great warrior?"

Ce drew a deep breath. "That's their culture, kid. I don't know. They live to fight, I think. If they defeated their enemies they'd probably make war on someone else."

Kai-ying smiled warmly. "That's why I am proud of you, daddy- because you would know when to stop."

Sun Ce nodded and kissed her on the nose. He knew exactly when he would stop.

***

Da Qiao rode at the head of her companies along with the rest Huang Gai's corps. Her men were in high spirits and they had good reason to be. Before the call to war against Yuan Shu, Sun Ce had Zhou Yu had held general maneuvers and drills to assess the state of the forces of the Southlands and were very pleased with the results. Da Qiao's Valiant Cavaliers and Iron Fists had performed well, partaking in several war games, both small-unit and on a larger scale.

The most recent test had happened a mere three weeks prior to the beginning of this campaign- Da and her two units were to defend a position against a numerically superior force for the Warhawks regiment. Outnumbered over three to one, Da had fought cautiously and made sure her troops defended themselves from high ground. The Valiant Cavaliers held the line while the assault-oriented Iron Fists would make well-timed counter-attacks.

While not a pretty engagement, Da had managed to eke out a victory, though it cost her the Valiant Cavaliers to a man. The Warhawks admitted defeat and Huang Gai praised her efforts. He asked her what she thought she had done well and what she might have done differently. She said nothing to anyone but she later overheard the general talking to his subordinates about making her a battalion commander if she continued to perform well, a proposal they all seemed to approve of highly.

Da was not sure she was too enthused with the notion since it meant yet more people would be depending on her and her tactical skills, something she didn't really believe in, even if everyone else did. She considered maybe throwing the issue by not performing well but dismissed the notion instantly, realizing that this might get her men killed, not to mention that she was only thinking of herself.

These accomplishments were not only dearly earned but necessary. Some three months ago, Da Qiao had taken part in a small-scale war game that pitted her two companies and three of Huang Gai's Stone Demon companies against Sun Shang Xiang and a battalion of her amazons and the Bow-hipped Princess had thrashed them soundly.

Shang Xiang's chakrams had been reforged and this seemed to give birth to a new and blazing spirit in their mistress that few could stand against. Always formidable, Shang Xiang was now a terror only Sun Ce, Zhou Yu and maybe Taishi Ci did not fear. While Da and her companies faced off against Fu Chin Ran, Shang Xiang had driven headlong against the fearsome Huang Gai and his burly warriors.

Da Qiao and her men didn't even know what hit them. The amazons literally overran their position- too fast for the static defenses of the Valiant Cavaliers and too nimble for the counter-assaults of the Iron Fists, the women-warriors decimated the flank in no time flat, the assault crowned with Fu Chin Ran unceremoniously dumping Da Qiao on her behind before they wheeled and drove into the rear of the Stone Demons.

Shang Xiang had allowed her company commanders to make short work of their foes while she attacked Huang Gai. In a duel that stunned everybody watching, Shang Xiang outfought the general. Huang Gai, relentless as the waves of the ocean and tough and immovable as a mountain, was brought to his knees, unable to match the fire in her foe's soul.

The venerable general, bulwark of the Sun family's armies for three generations, knelt humbly before his princess and declared her victory for all to hear. In spite of the defeat, it was plain that he was really very pleased.

Da Qiao congratulated Fu Chin Ran and the captain accepted graciously, but Da knew this was a bad sign. The morale of her men was sure to suffer. It was perhaps understandable to lose a fight to Fu Chin Ran and her elite troops, but Da's companies had never stood a chance. The fight had been over before it even really got started.

Her troops were subdued and sullen for days afterward. Da had to admit, she felt pretty miserable herself. They had performed well in the conquest of the Southlands and their spirits had been high during the campaign against Lu Bu…

But to be so thoroughly trounced, so quickly, as if they were green troops…

Da had made a decision soon after the debacle and she stormed over to the barracks of her men. She began drilling them mercilessly for hours, even to the point of exhaustion. For two months she worked them like oxen in a field, never letting up, heaping criticism and even punishment upon those who would not perform. They drilled and maneuvered and exercised from dawn until dusk, with Da Qiao taking part in every single task.

The men were weary and irritable and there were fights and brawls occasionally, but Da let them slide. Her only concern was to beat the shame of their defeat out of her men by honing them to a keen edge that would not allow such a thing to happen again. She often felt like crying when she went to bed, her body and her heart aching, but she resolved to be as strong as they needed her to be.

The regimen paid off and the results were evident with their unexpected triumph over the Warhawks. Huang Gai had been so pleased with her performance that he had awarded both her companies a green banner to fly, one that celebrated the performance of a new unit above and beyond expectations. Though both units were veteran, with histories going back decades, they flew them proudly in honour of their lady commander.

Da felt a swell of pride in her breast as she remembered the presentation ceremony. She clasped her hand over the tiger tooth necklace she wore, a reminder of her days as a member of Shang Xiang's amazon battalion. She knew she would always have felt more comfortable amongst those warrior-sisters, but this was not to be, seemingly. She was commander now of two companies in what was considered the toughest corps in the Southlands and she would perform her duty.

The commander of the Iron Fists rode up beside her. "Is all well, my lady? You seem lost in thought."

Da shook her head. "I am merely considering our part in this campaign and how we shall outshine all other companies and battalions."

The man grinned. "Your men will be ready, my lady, whatever it is you decide."

"Good," Da said curtly. "Because I have no intention of getting my ass handed to me again."

The commander's eyes went wide and she blushed. "Sorry," she said quickly. "Too much."

He laughed. "No, my lady, just unexpected, but somehow refreshing."

"Alright then," Da said. "But just remind the men that if any of them ever dared to use such language in front of me, I will have them string up by their… never mind."

The man laughed again, bowed and rode back to his company.

_To be a battalion commander and to have to find ways to lead men to victory…what is it that allows a person to do so? I have read all the manuals were have thoroughly, I know all the maneuvers by heart, and yet when faced with a foe like Shang Xiang, I could do nothing. Perhaps Ce is right and knowledge must be coupled with an intuition you develop over time. Certainly I am still new to command, relatively speaking._

_But Huang Gai has been a general for decades and Shang Xiang thrashed him. There is just some factor I do not understand yet, some balance I have yet to achieve. Whatever it may be, I must find it._

_But to be a battalion commander…I must find some way of pulling all my troops together and making them fight as a single entity- even now, the Valiant Cavaliers and the Iron Fists struggle occasionally. I need an identity for my men and I; something that defines us and displays our strength and determination to the Middle Kingdom._

_In this campaign, we will find our name._

***

Lu Meng rode at the head of his personal guard, the elite cavalry regiment Thunderhorse. Behind came the rest of his corps, numbering nearly fifteen thousand troops. To the west he could make out the dust raised by Lady Shang Xiang's corps, another ten thousand warriors led by the Bow-hipped Princess. He and Shang Xiang were charged with securing the crossing points on the other side of the Great River and making sure that the heavy battalions of Huang Gai's corps could enter Yuan Shu's territory.

Yuan Shu had declared himself emperor of the Zhong Dynasty and had even been so audacious as to include the imperial suffix '_hanzi'_ in his name. The very notion made Lu Meng's blood burn. He would not allow this pretender to continue this charade. It was an honour to act as vanguard, even against so formidable a foe. Spies in Shouchun had brought back news that as many as a hundred thousand troops were marching to meet them.

"_That's four to one at this point in time,"_ he thought grimly. _"Until Huang Gai arrives, we will be under heavy pressure to secure and keep our crossing points. Tactics will carry us only so far in defending a static position, we must display a tenacity that saps our foe's will to fight."_

His position as a corps commander had not come easily to him. As a young child he had been enamoured of becoming a warrior. He had been raised in the village of Fupo in Runan until his family migrated south of the Great River to escape the smouldering discontent that seemed to be plaguing the countryside. His elder brother-in-law, Deng Dang had gone to serve the Sun family, a small but prestigious clan supposedly descended from the great Martial Sage himself. Their fortunes improved, but not greatly and they still struggled to survive. When Deng Dang took part in the expeditions against the Shanyue tribes of the South, the young Lu Meng had often secretly followed to witness these events for himself. His mother, when she discovered this, had been furious with him, but Lu Meng said to her "It is difficult to survive in poverty; if we can prove ourselves through hard work, then wealth would come eventually. How can we get the tiger's cub if we don't enter the tiger's den?" Lü Meng's mother was so touched at his words that she forgave him and did not punish him.

When he was old enough, Lu Meng had joined the army of the Sun family and through his combat skills rose to become a company commander, though his grasp of tactics was still only rudimentary. He was not, however, without some subtle guile. Sun Jian, patriarch of the Sun clan, was experimenting with new tactics and troop deployments and was merging several units into larger combat teams for more effective use in garrisons. Lu Meng, determined to not be absorbed into a larger regiment commanded by some other officer with more seniority, had scraped together the funds to equip his company with brilliant crimson and gold robes and new fittings on their equipment so that they stood out against the other companies. Sun Jian and his strategist Cheng Pu noticed this and took interest in the young commander, adding more companies to his command.

Lu Meng's companies were renowned in the armies of Jiang Dong for their straightforward and no-nonsense approach to fighting and warfare. While it seemed effective against the pirates that harried the coasts and the Shanyue, Sun Jian realized that Lu Meng was not living up to his potential. He advised the strong-headed captain of this and was met with resistance, as he expected. To prove his point, he had Lu Meng engage in war games against the veteran General Huang Gai. Huang Gai was the toughest and most stalwart commander in the entire army, respected even by Cheng Pu. Huang Gai and his Stone Demons not only displayed greater tenacity and fighting skills than Lu Meng's troops, but also great tactical versatility. Lu Meng was beaten soundly and easily.

Realizing what Sun Jian had been telling him was a simple truth, Lu Meng humbled himself and pleaded to be taught how to be an effective commander. Sun Jian had made it clear that he was to apply himself to scholarly pursuits as well as strictly martial ones, for only once he understood matters both great and small could he achieve his dreams.

Cheng Pu instructed him in the arts of tactics, strategy and logistics. Lu Meng took the lessons to heart and to this very day he was regarded as second only to Zhou Yu in his grasp of grand warfare. Huang Gai's corps remained the bulwark of the Southlands, but no army group was more flexible that General Lu Meng's. And this was why he was now assigned the task of paving the way for the invasion of Shouchun.

"General!" squeaked a little voice. He smiled and nodded as Lady Xiao Qiao rode up beside him, her bright eyes alive with excitement. "I just wanted to say I am honoured to be riding with you, even if I am only a squad commander."

"The honour is mine, my lady." Lu Meng said. No matter how dour one was feeling, Lady Xiao's presence could not help but cheer a person up. And while she may have looked absurd wearing a battle tunic and leather armour underneath it, he appreciated that she was trying so hard. Her determination to become an effective commander was well-known and everyone had resolved to do what they could to help her, even if it meant braving the presence of her psychotic girls.

"This armour is so hot, general…" she said, wiping at her brow almost wearily. "I don't know how you boys do it."

Lu Meng chuckled. "Well, you are rather diminutive in comparison, Lady Qiao," he suggested. "Perhaps you will find that your own style of warfare will not require such a burden."

"But warriors wear armour." Xiao insisted. "I need to do what warriors do if I am going to be a warrior."

"Not all warriors wear armour, my lady," Lu Meng pointed out. "Or at least not such heavy armour as to prove cumbersome. It may be that battle armour is more than you need and perhaps even a hindrance."

Xiao considered. "Well, I _am_ probably going to take it off if it gets too hot," she admitted. "And then I guess I'm just going to have to get real good at dodging arrows, right?"

Lu Meng laughed out loud. "It sounds to me like the lady already knows what her style of warfare is going to be. You discovered it much earlier than I ever did, you have my congratulations."

Her eyes went wide. "Really? You?"

Lu Meng nodded. "Ask General Huang Gai or old Cheng Pu about my early days as an officer. They were pretty sure I was hopeless."

Xiao looked skeptical. "I somehow doubt that, General. If you were hopeless, Huang Gai would have beaten you so hard with that club of his, you wouldn't be any taller than my shin."

"Well, maybe that was a bit of an exaggeration." Lu Meng admitted.

"General?" Lu Xun asked as he rode up. He clasped his fist in his hand as he rode up and nodded deferentially to Xiao Qiao.

"Forgive the intrusion, Lady Qiao, but I wanted to inform the general that our forward elements have crossed the river and inform me that we have maybe seven hours before Yuan Shu's forces arrive to contest the crossings."

Lu Meng nodded. "Then I shall ride ahead with the Thunderhorse and take the principal crossing and reinforce it with the Long Fangs. Lu Xun, ride back to Commander Zhu Ran and tell him to advance as quickly as possible to the designated crossing point at Xiying while Du Zhang takes the crossing at Hu Feng. You and Lady Qiao will cross the river at Zhiliang and await orders."

Xiao and Lu Xun both bowed and rode back to their troops, side by side.

"My lady, I must defer to you," Lu Xun said humbly. "As the wife of our Grand Strategist, you clearly-"

"Forget it, pal," Xiao said firmly. "I don't know a darn thing about commanding. I'm along to learn, okay? Tell me what to do and I'll figure out how to do it, but if you put me in charge, we'll just end up crossing the wrong river and end up somewhere else. You are a company commander, I'm just a squad commander."

Lu Xun nodded. "As you say, my lady. Let us make General Lu Meng proud."

Xiao grinned. "Now _that _I can do…"

***

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's corps had begun crossing the river on the western flank and were making rapid progress. The forces that had opposed them were scattered quickly, unprepared for the lightning assaults of the Swordwind battalion who chased them into the countryside, making sure no scouts would return to Yuan Shu.

The Night Tigers secured the crossing and held it while the rest of the two corps began to traverse the river. Rather than spread out their forces over several crossings, Ce and Zhou Yu had agreed to take just one crossing and hold it in strength, confident that they and their elite troops could burst through any ring the enemy threw around them.

Between the two of them, the commanded many of the most elite units in the Southlands- the Night Tigers and Swordwind aside, such battalions as the feared Hell Drakes and the Iron Scorpions were under the control of Zhou Yu while Ce also led the War Blades and the Howling Devils. The guard unit of Ce's father Sun Jian was also under his command, the renowned Savage Tigers, named after his famed sword.

They flew the banner of the lord of the Southlands but also had the singular honour of flying the personal banner of the great patriarch as well.

While many of the battalions that had come to the south from Jiang Dong were veteran due to the extensive campaigning and bellicose nature of the Sun family, most of the units in the army were relatively green- each of the other crops rarely had more than one or two regiments that could be considered elite. Units such as Huang Gai's Stone Demons, Lu Meng's Thunderhorse or Sun Quan's Wolf Guard composed the core of the new armies. Shang Xiang's amazon guard, colloquially named the "She Devils" when none of them was close by, was certainly to be considered elite by anyone's standards.

As the battalions and regiments came across, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu debated their next move. The fight, if Yuan Shu's army came directly at them, would be a tough one. To the west, the lands were bordered with treacherous and rocky terrain overgrown with thick forests, impassable to any organized unit.

"That will present some difficulties, Ce," Zhou Yu concluded. "We can fight and we can win, but I am willing to wager that our casualties will be higher than we consider acceptable."

Ce nodded. "That terrain to our left hampers Yuan Shu as much as it hinders us, but the onus is on us to break out. If he keeps us contained, this is gonna get ugly. Pity we don't have any troops that could effectively navigate that terrain."

"If I may beg to differ, Lord Sun Ce." Elryk, lord of the White Wolves said as he strode up, towering over Ce and Zhou Yu and touching the back of his fist to his forehead, saluting after the manner of his people. As always, his Uyghur translator Khun was with him and spoke on his behalf.

Ce grinned. "What have you got in mind, big guy?"

Elryk pointed toward the terrain in question, some _li_ away. "My men and I can pass over that ground without difficulty and emerge at any point you command us to. We will engage this traitor's flank and the sheer ferocity of our attack will turn it."

Zhou Yu looked apprehensive. "I appreciate your spirit, Lord Elryk, but the enemy opposing us may number well over fifty thousand. You and your men number just over four hundred."

Elryk nodded. "I understand your concern, Lord Zhou Yu, but I beg you to allow us to try. My men and I can run at speed through that forest and we can run for long periods without rest. I am no tactician but I have seen over these last seasons that there are no units in your armies that can do this. If we emerge behind them or in some place unexpected, we shall shatter their morale. This _was_, as I recall, the entire reason you have kept us a secret, yes?"

Ce smiled. "Well, you guys _do_ have long legs, and I'm pretty sure your stamina's as good as anything our best conventional units could offer. If I let you do this, what are you gonna bring back?"

Elryk nodded, his blue eyes flashing. "I will bring back to you at least ten war banners, meaning we have destroyed or routed ten of the enemy's regiments. And I vow that we will turn this flank for you."

Ce thought for a moment. "Anything you need from me?"

"No, lord," Elryk said. "Trust to my timing to attack when the moment is ripe. And my people are trophy takers. We pillage our foes, it is not only tradition but a matter of survival. The lands we come from are not generous with resources. When we fought and defeated the Romans, we took everything we could from the field of battle. I understand that you now supply us with what we need, but I would still reward my men in our traditional fashion."

"No problem," Ce said readily. "Take whatever you win, just don't make it too grisly, okay? No mountains of skulls."

"A skull for each of my men, one per battle we fight." Elryk said firmly. "Please, lord, I must have this allowance."

Ce laughed. "You drive a hard bargain, Elryk. Alright, one skull per battle and whatever you pillage. Bring me the banners you promised. And one day, tell me about the traditions of gift-giving among your own lords."

Elryk bowed his head. "It shall be so. Do I have your permission to depart?"

Ce nodded. "Yeah, get outta here."

Elryk looked down at Khun. "Stay with Lord Sun Ce. I will come for you when the battle is won."

The huge Germanic warrior then bellowed loudly and loped off to round up his battalion.

Sun Ce looked down at Khun. "Bet your life's been interesting for the past three seasons or so."

"To say the least, great lord…" the Uyghur scribe said wearily.

***

Lu Meng's battalions had begun landing across the river and spreading out to capture important geographical features like hills or narrow passes and bridges. Xiao and Lu Xun had been assigned to the Zhiliang crossing. They expected it to be only lightly contested, but they were ready for anything.

Zhiliang was a small fishing town on the great river and it had been abandoned at the report of the approach of the Southlands' army. Lu Xun's two companies, the Steel Talons and the Red Hawks, secured the town quickly while Xiao rode out to see if the enemy was nearby. She rode out three _li_ from Zhiliang, wheeled about and raced back. She found Lu Xun in the village square and leapt off her horse, even before it came to a stop.

"Yeah, they're coming," she said. "At least five companies, but they're all slow-moving. They look like spear and halberd units. I _hate_ halberd troops."

Lu Xun though about the intelligence she had given him. "They do not know we are here, they are not expecting us to have taken so inconsequential a locale. They are putting small pockets of tough troops between our army groups to disrupt our efforts at coordination."

"There don't seem to be any archers." Xiao added.

The young commander nodded. "Good. Lady Qiao, my men are all on foot, you have the advantage of speed and maneuverability here. Could you possibly harry the enemy into rushing for safety inside the town, where we shall be waiting for them?"

Xiao thought about the request. "Well, we're only eleven warriors on horseback, we're not really a threat if they keep their formation."

"But you have bows and I am told you are all excellent shots even at a gallop." Lu Xun pointed out. "Do you have a good supply of arrows?"

Xiao patted the flank of her horse, which was slung with many satchels of arrows to refill her saddle-mounted quiver. "More than enough, I guess."

"If they have no archers to counter with, they will want to get away from you since they cannot engage. They will head for Zhiliang for cover, where your horses will be at a disadvantage and there my men and I shall destroy them in their confusion, for they will not be able to keep their formations in the narrow confines of the streets."

Xiao nodded. "Okay. I can do that."

"Pretend to be a scout unit that discovers them and harass them with your arrows so that they speed toward the objective. We will make them fear the name of Zhiliang."

Xiao mounted her horse and rode out of Zhiliang, heading east with her squad. She then wheeled north and sped toward the enemy. As they came within sight they heard horns blare, indicating they had been spotted. They kept riding.

"Is it necessary for us to leave any for the little man in the funny paint, lady?" Shing asked as they thundered onward.

"Be nice to Lu Xun," Xiao chided. "It's not easy being this short, you know."

The enemy regiments had come to a stop and were facing Xiao from behind a wall of stout shields, weapons leveled, obviously ready for a charge. Naturally, Xiao had no intention of doing anything as foolish as driving straight into the waiting spears and halberds. She and her girls began to ride about the infantry in a circle, drawing their bows and firing at them.

The enemy had not choice but to pull themselves into a circular formation, hoping to cover all their flanks, but with no archer support of their own, they could do very little to keep Xiao's cavalry from approaching and firing from just out of reach.

Xiao now started ignoring whatever unit was directly in front of her and firing over their heads and at the backs of the infantrymen facing away from her and her girls did likewise. Supplied with plentiful arrows, she slowed the pace of her horses to little more than a fast trot, almost casually picking off targets inside the defensive ring.

Frustrated, one of the spear companies charged from the ring, lunging at the impertinent girl. Xiao broke into a gallop, pulling away easily. She and her squad then began to pound the spearmen mercilessly with arrows, ignoring the other companies in favour of this prey. The company commander called for help and the other units charged forward to assist, but Xiao and her unit merely rode out of the way, continuing to fire on the enemy.

The units began to run towards Zhiliang, as Lu Xun had predicted, desperate to get away from the pesky cavalry and its arrows. Xiao followed them closely, raining arrows down on their backs as they headed for the village. Sometimes she was not more than fifty paces from the rearmost enemy unit. She was tempted to see if she could get closer, but if the foe turned and charged, she did not want to get caught and be unable to retreat readily.

The enemy entered Zhiliang, determined to make a stand in the central square, where Xiao's cavalry would be at a severe disadvantage. They were not yet organized when Lu Xun's two companies descended on them from every alley and house, swords ready. Amazed and caught completely off-guard, the foe tried to fight back but they were herded together where their long and heavy weapons were a liability.

Xiao and her girls leapt off their horses and charged into the town, weapons in hand to finish what they had started. Xiao leapt high in the air and landed on the shoulders of a halberdier, driving him to the ground. She then spun in a graceful circle, her fans felling several men before they even knew she was among them.

She almost felt exhilarated. Once she knew what the plan was, and that plan had made perfect sense to her, she had never doubted their victory. It had seemed perfectly obvious how it would all fall out, there was no other possible outcome, unless they _let_ the enemy go.

"_I understand a little better now how to command. How you keep your head and follow the plan. Be adaptable but believe in your plan. Make it work and make sure the enemy's plan doesn't work. I want this. I want to know more about to command and I want to be good at this!"_

She swatted aside a spear thrust and struck her foe down easily, thinking about how they stood no chance. Her cavalry's actions earlier must have been so frustrating and confusing to the enemy, so unpredictable. She thought of how she watched her monkeys behave, everything planned but looking so random. Mischievous monkeys kept the thing they were antagonizing guessing and frustrated it beyond rational thought. Could she do that? Could she make that a style of command and tactics? Could she have the enemy on the verge of tears and then swoop in for the kill? Was this what Sun Ce had been talking about all this time about finding her own way of commanding?

Her brother-in-law was so smart!

***

Lu Meng sat atop his steed and gazed out at the approaching foe. Directly in front of him, the Long Fangs waited in deadly silence, shields up and spears pointed toward the enemy. Drawn up in two ranks, they covered a wide enough front to make sure they were no overlapped easily, but they would need support on the flanks. To their right had left, companies of swordsmen were falling into position. Archers stood just behind, drawing their bows and waiting for word from their general to let fly.

The Thunderhorse company had divided itself up into squads of ten and was spreading out to take advantage of any breach in the enemy lines. They had to repulse this assault, shattering it so that the crossing could be secured for Huang Gai, who would not be far behind. Lu Meng knew his corps was spread thin, but he had faith in his troops and their tenacity. The farthest left was held by Lu Xun, almost closer to Lord Sun Ce's position than his own. Zhu Ran held the left and Du Zhan the right, closest to where Sun Quan would be approaching from.

Lu Meng held up his halberd, the deadly White Tiger.

"Fire!" he shouted.

The archers began a rain of steel on the foe, who responded in kind with their own missiles. The static positions of the Southlanders held, with few casualties, while the Yuan forces suffered somewhat more acutely, but not enough to slow their momentum. Lu Meng's archers released two more volleys before the infantry clashed, the ring and screech of steel echoing over the land.

Another hail of arrows from the foe and Lu Men held up his shield, feeling several missiles embed themselves in the stout wood. Neither he nor his horse was harmed and he ordered a counter-barrage, instructing his men to concentrate on the enemy archers. He had to impair the enemy's ability to pin his forces down.

The Long Fangs were the most experienced infantry battalion in his corps and they fought with a cold ferocity that few units could match. Composed almost exclusively of veteran warriors who had fought several campaigns, they were tough and level-headed, undaunted by heavy odds and concerned only with holding the line. The two sword companies supporting the Long Fangs, the Edge of Dedication and the Death of Fear, pushed in, fighting hard to turn the enemy flanks. Other companies pushed out to the left and right, looking to expand the bridgehead.

Fighting from this position was never easy, even for good generals with veteran troops. Lu Meng, however, was determined to not lose. He watched the line as the momentum swayed back and forth. More men were coming up on both sides and a pushing match was developing. Whoever could apply more pressure would win.

Lu Meng spun his halberd in his hand and then charged forward, followed by his command squad. His horse leapt high over the engagement and landed amidst the enemy units rushing up to assist, catching them off-guard. His halberd slashed and swung about in lethal arcs, cutting even the stoutest of armour. The momentary confusion he caused gave fresh heart to his men and they fought with renewed savagery. He blocked the strike of a sword and counter-attacked, bisecting his foe. His warhorse snorted, bucking and kicking at the enemy all around.

The long reach of his halberd served him well from atop his mount and he speared it forward, driving the deadly spike through the helmet of a swordsman. He parried again and spurred his mount forward, wading into the enemy, followed by his squad. Surrounded by the foe, he swung with wild abandon, making his presence known. The infantry he was facing began to falter.

"Yes!" he shouted loudly. "Come to me, if you wish for death! I, General Lu Meng, shall give it to you!"

The Long Fangs roared in response to his challenge and drove forward, carrying their foes before them. The defeated units routed, fleeing back toward the north and causing endless confusion amongst the troops coming up behind.

The balance had shifted suddenly and now the Southlands battalions advanced, almost unopposed. As the cavalry units raced forward to chase the enemy, the infantry spread out, securing a larger bridgehead to operate from.

His blood was hot within him but Lu Meng stayed himself and wheeled back to direct the operation instead of pursuing the foe. Glory lay in the success of his assignment, not the number of heads he took. Hundreds upon hundreds of Yuan soldiers littered the ground and more fell as they attempted to flee from the enemy.

Horns sounded from the rear, heralding the arrival of Huang Gai and his corps. Lu Meng had taken the landings just in time. A cheer went up as the Stone Demons began debarking from their barges, along with the Valiant Cavaliers, Iron Fists and the Warhawks. Lu Meng dismounted and strode forward to meet his fellow General.

"Well done, my friend," Huang Gai said in his gruff but friendly tone. They thumped their arm bracers together, a traditional greeting between them. "I see they were no match for you, as expected."

Lu Meng nodded. "It was a tough fight, but when is it ever not, yes?"

Huang Gai laughed, a jovial sound that infected all those around him. His white hair, shaved from his head except for a single stripe over the top that stood straight up like stiff bristles, made the huge, burly man easily identifiable to anyone nearby. He clapped Lu Meng on the shoulder.

"But I am glad you are here," the younger general said. "We have beaten them for now, but they may still greatly outnumber us. I am receiving reports that another wave, an even larger one, is coming our way to contest this landing."

Huang Gai nodded. "Very well, we shall meet them together. We shall repulse this assault and then move on to Shouchun."

Da Qiao rode up and both generals bowed humbly.

"Lady Qiao," Lu Meng said. "I am honoured to fight beside you. You will be pleased to learn that your sister is fighting alongside young Lu Xun and together I think they shall make a formidable team."

Da Qiao smiled beautifully, a smile only a heart of stone or something inhuman could resist. "I've no doubt of it, general. I heard you say that the enemy comes again, what would you have me do?"

Lu Meng looked at Huang Gai and their earlier conversations were silently recalled. They nodded subtly to one another.

"Great lady, please, if you will, leave your Iron Fists here with Huang Gai and I to reinforce the line. Take your Valiant Cavaliers, along with my Thunderhorse regiment and the Wildfire Riders around to the left flank. I want you to sweep in with our available cavalry, wrap around the enemy and destroy them while we keep them busy. We shall be the anvil that your hammer smashes them on."

Da Qiao was silent for several moments, clearly stunned by what they were asking of her, but finally she drew a deep breath and nodded, her eyes glinting with determination.

"It shall be done. I will see you both shortly."

She turned and rode off, giving orders for the cavalry to assemble on a knoll just went of the bridgehead. Lu Meng nodded as he watched her.

"She is much stronger than she gives herself credit for," Lu Meng said thoughtfully. "When she comes into her own, she will be a capable corps commander."

Huang Gai sighed. "I wonder if I shall live to see such a glorious sight."

Lu Meng laughed. "Old man, you will outlive us all, for you are too stubborn and pig-headed to die. Unless, of course, you blow yourself up with one of those infernal fuse bombs of yours…"

Distantly, the horns of the enemy could be heard. They both looked north and saw the clouds of dust the approaching army raised.

"Come, then," Huang Gai said, his voice grim. "Let us finish this. Your Long Fangs and my Stone Demons shall anchor the center. We shall hold and the rest will be up to Lady Qiao."

The generals walked back to their units, knowing that this day was far from over.

***

Shang Xiang had taken her three crossings easily, choosing to rely on lightning speed to surprise them enemy. Her amazon battalion and her newly-acquired corps got along surprisingly well, at least from a tactical point of view. There was not much fraternization between them, but this was not her concern. All she expected was for everyone to work together effortlessly and obey orders, gender be damned.

When Sun Ce had announced that she was commanding a new and expanded corps, she had been surprised by the response- entire battalions and regiments had volunteered to join her command, eager to serve under the Bow-hipped Princess, a distinction that was surpassed in prestige only by belonging to the corps of either Sun Ce or Zhou Yu.

She found it somewhat irksome that she had heavy administrative duties now, but she also knew that if she wished for glory, she also had to do the dirty work. Glory on the battlefield as a warrior was not enough- she wanted to command unstoppable armies that would pacify the realm and make the Sun family name known to all.

With her defeat of Huang Gai in a duel she was widely considered one of the best fighters in the Southlands, a match for anyone except her brother and maybe Lord Zhou Yu. True, Lord Elryk of the White Wolves was still an unknown, but this campaign would certainly show his worth.

The amazon battalion had secured the bridgehead while the rest of her army crossed the river. Ten thousand-strong, they were organized into efficient combat teams, composed of different types of troops that could support one another. In traditional military tactics, it was not uncommon for entire regiments of one type of troop to exist, making administration and provisions much simpler, but their effectiveness on the battlefield could be questionable. A thousand swordsmen might sound potent, but against cavalry with room to maneuver, they were little more than scavenged meat for carrion birds. Likewise, a thousand cavalry had terrifying striking power, but if the terrain was not optimal or if they ran afoul of a regiment of spearmen that held formation, they were all but useless.

Sun Jian had begun experimenting with these more complex but militarily versatile mixed troop combat teams, a work continued by Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, with their unique understanding of the 'legion' concept of the empire of Roma. The cost of maintaining such legions could prove prohibitive, so Sun Jian had concentrated on training a small but elite army that functioned in any manner conceivable and was not hampered by traditional biases. Jiang Dong had been able to support an army of not much more than fifty-thousand, but with the acquisition of the vast Southlands, new possibilities were opened to the Sun family.

The wide, paved roads, while expensive to put into place, meant vast amounts of trade could move rapidly through the territory and armies could move efficiently and at greater speeds. Cavalry also evolved, since the horses of the south were taller and faster on a sprint than the shaggy and sturdy war ponies of the north. Iron was plentiful and small mountain ranges provided plentiful stone. Rice was the principal crop and the Sun family had introduced large-scale irrigation to the people to ensure that everyone was fed and that the armies were ready for war.

Gold and silver were also to be found in the Southlands, along with small deposits of jade. The seas yielded lustrous pearls and trade with the Shanyue and tribes even further south brought precious stones to the region. The potential for wealth was plentiful, but Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were pragmatic and did not let this go to their heads. There were wars to win, and squandering their resources was something only a fool would do.

Shang Xiang watched from horseback as the regiments of her corps marched by. Fu Chin Ran, now official commander of the amazon battalion, saluted smartly as she led her cavalry toward a patch of flat ground they could muster on. Shang Xiang's promotion to corps commander had been hard on both of them, but they knew it was necessary. As captain of the amazons, Fu Chin Ran was still Shang Xiang's aide-de-camp and second in command, but she held the same rank as several other officers now, all of whom were capable warriors and tacticians. Such battalions as the Burning Hearts and the Black Cavaliers belonged to her corps, both of which had come from Jiang Dong as companies.

Once they were all on the north shore, Shang Xiang organized them into their assigned combat teams and ordered them to secure the area. Several enemy scouting parties had approached, but when they saw Shang Xiang's war banners they hastily retreated.

Across the front, the Yuan army had retreated to reorganize, but they had no intention of letting the Southlanders break out of the bridgeheads. A scout approached her, next and clasped his fist in his head and bowed his head.

"My lady, the enemy gathers about twenty _li _to the north. If our estimates are correct, they number over a hundred thousand."

Shang Xiang said nothing but nodded her head. A hundred thousand enemy soldiers… if the Yuan generals were smart, they would concentrate their main force against one target and destroy it while other smaller groups pinned down the remaining Southlands corps. The obvious target was Sun Quan in the east, since he was relatively far removed from support. The main Yuan army could then wheel about and march along the river, overwhelming the corps as it met them.

She pursed her lip as she considered her options. Should she sit tight and secure her zone as instructed, or should she do the unexpected and attack? Surely Zhou Yu and her brother had anticipated such a large force, the Yuans were the most powerful family in the central plains, after all…

She would secure her zone and await orders. There had to be more to Zhou Yu's strategy than met the eye. Invading across a river was always difficult, but she could not see someone of Zhou Yu's insight and cunning not having a plan.

She summoned her commanders and they gathered around her.

"I have been told that the enemy force ahead of us numbers over a hundred thousand. While I admit that my instinct is to charge headlong and grind them into the dust with our superior skills, I believe there is more to our design than can be fathomed. Therefore, we will hold. I want an impenetrable ring of iron around our landing point- spears and halberds supported by swords, protecting the archers and our cavalry waiting for a decisive counter-stroke."

The commanders nodded. They too felt the urge to attack, but they would obey. Shang Xiang drew her chakrams forth and looked at them. The bright steel, accented with gold and rubies of a deep crimson, glinted brightly in the afternoon sun.

"We will triumph," she said confidently. "And our names shall echo through history for our deeds. But show dedication and patience, ignore fear and most of all, remember your duty to one another, to me, your commander, and to the Sun family."

The commanders dropped to one knee and bowed their heads, their fists clasped in their hands. Victory would be theirs.

***

Da sat astride her horse. She had led her cavalry to west and watched now as the enemy approached. The earth rumbled as they marched, so great were their numbers. They were not marching toward her, but still she felt her throat go dry and her heart beat in fear. There were so many of them, and they had yet to divide their forces, indicating their intent.

She thought hard about what they may be up to. Obviously they would attack one group and destroy it, but they were waiting a long time to begin the maneuvers necessary to make such a tactic work. If they attacked their target group with too many men and tried to pin the other Southland corps with too few units, they stood the chance of those groups being destroyed and having the enemy roll up their flanks. Their numbers were a distinct advantage, but they had to employ such numbers judiciously and keep Sun Ce's forces guessing until it was too late to respond.

And what should she do if the Yuan army did not attack Huang Gai and Lu Meng in the center? What if they instead went after Sun Quan in the east or Shang Xiang to her west? Should she remain in support of the center or would she ride to the aid of the corps being attacked?

The captain of the Thunderhorse regiment came up beside her and bowed. "My lady, the commanders all agree that if the center is not attacked, we should ride to support whoever is targeted. Do you concur?"

Da nodded. "I was already thinking about that and I am of the same opinion. Make sure the men are ready to go at a moment's notice, since the Yuans seem to be intent on giving us next to no time to respond."

The man nodded and rode back to the other officers, leaving her looking out from the ridge she stood on. She looked out at the sea of golden-yellow banners that move forward like a relentless wave. This was it, a showdown between two of the most ancient and noble families in the Middle Kingdom.

She couldn't help but wonder how on earth she had become involved in all of this- she remembered when she was young and filled with girlish daydreams about the hero she would marry and the prestige she would enjoy by being his wife. The reality was distressingly different, even from the beautiful and sad poems she had been taught to compose about way and the tragic passing of warriors. Poems where their virtues were exalted and maidens and lovers shed bittersweet tears that melted the heart as one read them, yearning for such exquisite emotion in a grey world.

She thought of the 'exquisite' grief she had felt over the years because of this life promised her because she was a courtesan… she remembered the despair and hateful blackness she felt when Fang Yu had tried to poison her mind by telling her Ce was forever gone. She recalled the agony of loss that had nearly shattered her when Sun Jian came back to Jiang Dong, slain by treachery and all because of the orders of the man they now fought against.

Of the dreams that were promised her by her lifestyle, only one had come true- the promise that she would be wed to a great hero. Everything else seemed to be denied to her or was a lie. She would need to make her own dreams and bring them about.

Thousands of horns blared and the plain echoed with the war cries of the foe.

"_I will have my dreams. And you will not stand in my way, Yuan Shu…"_

***

**Author's Notes: **This particular chapter was a lot of exposition and comparatively little action, but given how much has been happening recently, I am okay with that. If you're going to advance your characters, they need exposition, sometimes a lot of it. They don't just 'level up' after something cool- this isn't a video game or Magic Knights Rayearth, after all…

Those of you who know the book _Sanguo_ will know that I am playing pretty fast and loose with people's ages here. Lu Meng was actually a young man in Sun Ce's service, not Sun Jian's. Technically, Sun Ce was born in 175 AD, meaning he would have been nine in 184 AD, at the time of the Yellow turban rebellion. But what the heck, right? After all, Koei started it with the whole skewing things. Think about it- according to the book, Lu Xun is supposed to be eight spans tall, making him as tall as Zhang Fei and nearly as tall as Taishi Ci. But in the game, he's barely taller than the Qiaos. And as far as Zhou Yu and Zhang He are concerned, I'm not sure that hooker boots had been invented yet. Nor, for that matter, had Dragonball hair. Sorry, Guan Yu and Ping. Wah wah wahhhhh…

My proofreader was quite happy (comparatively speaking) with Sun Kai-ying in this chapter, since she seemed to be more of a normal kid and not quite such a freak. Not sure whether to be offended or not, since I kinda based the little silver-haired brat on myself as a child… minus the whole not eating meat thing, I've always loved rare steak, I think I was a velociraptor in a former life.

Plenty of action in the next chapter or so. Hope you're looking forward to it!


	45. Chapter 45

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 43- Wrath of the God of Night**

Across a long front, Yuan Shu's army advanced, bearing down on the invaders. As hard a fight as was anticipated by Wu's generals, it became obvious very swiftly that it was destined to be even more difficult, because corps after corps arrived to reinforce the defenders. If the scouts were correct, the Yuan Shu's forces numbered over two-hundred thousand.

"That's three to one." Zhou Yu observed as they positioned their forces to defend themselves from the counter-attack. Some _li_ away, the plain was awash with the arrogant imperial yellow of the Yuan family. Thousands upon thousands of spears gleamed in the sun and horns blared.

"Yep," Ce replied almost casually. "This one is gonna be tough. We've gotta rely on our superior discipline and training outlasting their sheer numbers. Our morale will be better, but they're fighting for their homes."

"What do you want to do?" Zhou Yu asked. "Do we simply hold until their will to fight breaks and then take the fight to them? We must be ready to break through in order to help anyone else who needs support, surely."

Ce smiled almost evilly. "You're not the only one who can trick Yuan Shu into doing stupid things, y'know."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "What did you do now?"

Ce folded his arms and watched Yuan Shu's army rolled toward them. "I sent him an envoy demanding his immediate surrender and if he felt the need to do so in person, I told him exactly where I am."

Zhou Yu pinched his eyes. "So he's furious and he's coming here. With everything he's got."

"Probably." Ce agreed without concern. "That's my hope, anyway."

"And you've murdered our envoys," the strategist pointed out. "Yuan Shu will surely kill them."

Ce laughed. "Unlikely, and if he does, I don't really care. Our 'envoy' was his nephew. We captured him near a small town leading a scouting party; apparently he is one of their best outriders. So I sent him back to Yuan Shu, trussed up like a pheasant and with the note demanding his surrender stuffed in his mouth."

Zhou Yu shook his head. "You, sir, are maddening. How does your lovely wife put up with you?"

"Yeah, I wonder that too sometimes. But we'll worry about that little mystery later. Right now, we've got over half of Yuan Shu's army bearing down on us. Let's get ready."

"Something's still missing…" Zhou Yu said suspiciously, his eyes narrowing as he looked at his lord. "What, exactly, do you know about Elryk and the White Wolves that I don't, Ce?"

"Oh, you'll see…" Ce said blithely as he walked back to the Night Tigers to prepare himself.

***

The enemy had borne down hard toward them and the lines had engaged. The battle raged back and forth, with the Southlanders fighting in tight-knit formations to support one another and never let their steel barriers be broken. The men fought fiercely to protect their commanders, who stood tall and gave orders, never shying away from the withering rain of arrows that bombarded their positions constantly.

Huang Gai's Stone Demons anchored the center of the line, along with Lu Meng's Long Fangs. The two regiments held their ground and Yuan Shu's forces broke on them like waves against a mighty cliff, unconquerable and constant. The Long Fangs fought with swords and shields and they were cunning warriors who supported one another. The Stone Demons were all large and burly warriors, like their corps commander and they fought with huge stone or wooden clubs, bound in iron. Even on defense they were terrifying, because to come within reach of their weapons was certain death. They swung with eerie abandon and a cold ferocity that kept the foe at a respectful distance. The rear ranks also had a tendency to throw fuse bombs high overhead and into the enemy ranks, causing further confusion and fear.

Da Qiao watched from a high hill as the tide of battle swung back and forth, telling her men to be patient and wait for her signal. She peered out toward the conflict and she felt a chill go up her spin at what seemed like an endless sea of yellow tunics and battle robes marched relentlessly toward her allies. The lines were holding but the enemy kept coming. Soon the sheer press of bodies would force the Southlanders into the great river behind and destroy them.

She bit her lip as she tried to decide on the right moment to enter the fray. Her makeshift cavalry brigade, composed of her own Valiant Cavaliers company, the Thunderhorse and Wildfire Riders regiments, would prove a devastating weapon if employed correctly.

"Do not worry, my lady, Lord Lu Meng and Huang Gai are not yet in danger," said the commander of the Thunderhorse regiment as he rode up beside her. "When the Stone Demons are in trouble, they begin letting out piercing horn calls that signal a suicidal charge is about to begin. It sounds like nothing else, so you will know it if it happens."

"That is encouraging, I suppose." Da said, glad everyone around her seemed to be such an expert on what was happening. "I am looking for when the enemy's momentum is stalled and our charge will catch them at their most vulnerable."

"So far so good, though," the commander replied, watching. "I hope they have need of us at all. I was rather looking forward to engaging our 'imperial' foe."

Da could not decide if his comment was a veiled jab at her, since if he stayed under her command here, he was implying he would be left out of the action. She decided she was reading too much into his statement and went back to surveying the battle. She also noticed that the sky was darkening and a stiff breeze blew over the wide fields.

"_A storm? What could that portend?"_

She thought back to the last time a storm had prefaced a battle, one she had not participated in but that she knew well- the storm had snapped Lord Sun Jian's banner in half and shortly after, the great patriarch had fallen to treachery. Da had been devastated by her father-in-law's death and she had a hard time not associating storms with ill omen.

But Ce was the lord of the Southlands, and she could not imagine such an invincible warrior falling to anyone… even the demon lord Ou Xing had not been a match for Sun Ce.

Why, then, did she have this uneasy feeling?

"My lady, movement to the west," one of her Cavaliers said, pointing out over a distance. "There are several enemy regiments advancing through the small gap between our position and Lady Sun Shang Xiang's. They must number several thousand."

Da turned her horse around and looked out where the warrior was indicating. Indeed, several of Yuan Shu's regiments, mostly infantry, were marching quickly south, threading their way through the Southlands battle groups.

Da frowned. It didn't make much sense for Yuan Shu's men to do this, especially without cavalry support, since both flanks were well-anchored by veteran troops. Shang Xiang's Burning Hearts regiment held her corps' right flank while the Black Cavaliers waited in reserve for a counterstroke. These Yuan troops, foot-bound as they were, would be annihilated if they attacked Shang Xiang's flank.

"What lies in that vicinity, captain?" Da asked. The Valiant Cavaliers captain considered.

"Nothing but a small fishing village called Zhiliang, my lady," he said. "If they decide to hole up there, then I wish them well of it."

Da thought about he was saying. A stiff, cold wind blew over them as she considered the name. Zhiliang…

Xiao!

"Captains, order your men quickly! We are heading west now!" she said as she wheeled her horse about to face them.

The two regiment commanders looked at one another in confusion for a moment and then back at her. "But my lady," said one. "Our orders are to counterattack the enemy once Generals Lu Meng and Huang Gai have-"

"I know what our orders are, gentlemen," Da said, her voice hard. "And I am telling you now that we have other matters to see to."

"I must protest, my lady," the Widlfire Riders captain continued. "If things go ill in the east, we must-"

The short blade in Da's hand was instantly at his throat. The man's eyes went wide, as did those of everyone around him. Da glared at the man, her eyes flashing.

"Not that my orders require justification, captain, but if you must know, Lady Xiao Qiao is in Zhiliang, along with her squad and young Lieutenant Lu Xun. They are all that stand against the thousands of Yuan troops currently bearing down on Zhiliang."

The captain's eyes widened further at the revelation.

"Now…" Da said levelly. "Assuming I do not kill you for questioning my orders, do you want to be the one to tell Lord Sun Ce that we chose not to save his sworn brother's wife when we had the chance?"

She let the sword leave the man's throat and he bowed hastily. "Forgive me, Lady Qiao!" he almost whimpered. "Had I known that any of our men, not to mention your honourable sister, were in Zhiliang, I surely would not have-"

"Enough," Da said with icy finality. "I will overlook this transgression, captain, but I warn you, for your own sake, that you had better outpace me in my desperation to reach Zhiliang…"

Without another word, she spun her horse about and dashed down the hill and toward Zhiliang. The commander of the Valiant Cavaliers bellowed to his men and they sprinted off after their lady commander. The captains of the Thunderhorse and Wildfire Riders regiments hastily called for their troops to charge toward Zhiliang and not slow down, if they wanted to keep their heads…

***

Sun Quan rode with Zhou Tai, heading west. Behind them on horseback came the Wolf Guard and Steel Dawn. Most of Quan's corps was composed of foot regiments, bolstered by elite cavalry company companies, because the younger Sun brother had decided to heed wise words- he knew that a competent commander could both attack and defend, but that his own strength lay in defense. This concept took some getting used to, since his heart raged within him during battle and having to control his urge to take the fight to the enemy was difficult.

Even now, he knew that at least three of Yuan Shu's corps were marching to meet them. The Yuan forces clearly had every intention of taking the offense and driving the invaders back to Jiang Dong and that suited Sun Quan just fine. He had been reading his manuals diligently, as well as consulting with Zhou Yu to discuss stratagem.

_Victory can be anticipated, but it cannot be forced._

The Southlanders marched quickly now, and the ground he had chosen to defend was just ahead. It was a series of foothills, on which his infantry would make a stand and from behind which his cavalry would counterattack. His corps, twenty-thousand infantry strong with some three-thousand cavalry, could hold easily against an enemy twice that size, as long as Quan was prepared.

"Apparently the enemy only barely outnumbers us," Zhou Tai said in his gravelly bass voice. "It hardly seems a challenge. These soft northerners will know fear today."

Quan nodded. His normal excitement about battle had been replaced by a cool anticipation and almost prescient sense of accomplishment. He was already seeing his deployment and how he would react to anything the enemy could do. They would break on the ring of steel he presented and they would fall in droves before his archers, situated atop the hills. His cavalry would harass their flanks or wait to punch a hole through the enemy ranks. There was nothing the Yuans could do to win. They would try to force a victory and Quan would not give it to them.

Quan drew his sword and waved his men forward. The drumlins they were to defend lay less than a _li _away and he intended to be prepared. The cavalry fanned out to protect the flanks while the infantry rushed on to assume their defensive positions. Quan nodded as he watched the troops stream past, strangely unconcerned. It was not that he didn't desire victory or the loss of his men, but victory was a simple fact, seemingly. This mindset intrigued him. What dynamic between himself and this treasonous foe existed that he was already privy to? Whatever it was, he would keep it a secret until he was ready to make it plain to them.

He rode up to the peak of the tallest of the hills and gazed out toward the west. The enemy was still several _li_ away, so he had plenty of time to prepare. The spearmen arranged themselves in tight rings at the base of the hills, several ranks deep, supported by swordsmen. Crowning the hills or arrayed on their slopes were the archer companies, carrying both normal missiles and flaming arrows. Cavalry companies fanned out several _li_ to the left and right flank, to sweep in once the enemy was engaged or to destroy any foes who tried to get to the rear.

Quan waited with Zhou Tai and their two units inside the formation, to act as a mobile reserve. Sitting atop his horse at the crown of the great hill, Quan made sure orders were issued and that every company had support. His keen green eyes could make out the enemy battalions now- he was pleased to see that they were heavy in cavalry. They would fall like leaves beneath his rain of arrows and destroy themselves upon the bristling wall of spears he presented. He could also see archers, mostly crossbowmen. Crossbows were more powerful than normal bows but traded range and speed of fire for that advantage. Quan's archers already commanded the high ground, meaning that the crossbowmen would play little or no part in this engagement if Quan chose.

Quan dismissed Zhou Tai, who rode off to survey the right flank. He then turned his attention back to the approaching enemy. The cavalry rode in front of the infantry, commanded by a young scion of the vaunted Yuan family, apparently named Yuan Shing. His yellow banners fluttered in the breeze, proudly declaring his name and heritage.

"_Very well, Lord Shing,"_ Quan thought grimly. _"Let our two ancient families decide who will dictate the future of the Middle Kingdom. You, however, I shall not allow to live to see it…"_

Quan drew his bow from its holster on his saddle. The dark wood was comforting in his hand. He nocked a long, black-feathered arrow and watched quietly. He stayed his heart and chanted to himself of patience. Victory and strength were in himself, weakness and defeat in the enemy.

_Chu… Shen… Tai…Sha…Kai… Jen… Tung… Hua…Tao…_

He drew back the bow, feeling the strain of the weapon through his forearm as he flexed it. Pulling back with not only his shoulders muscles but his back, the draw was smooth, flawless. The string, stretched to almost snapping, hummed with tension next to his cheek.

Quan released the arrow. The enemy was still far away, its forward elements now only barely within theoretical bow range. The black dart sailed high into the air and plummeted down, driving straight through the throat of Yuan Shing. The young noble swayed drunkenly for a moment before falling backward off his mount, to be dragged unceremoniously forward as one of his feet became caught in the stirrups.

Yuan Shing's army seemed to almost come to a sudden stop as they gazed in shock at what had happened. As they stared in confusion, a horn blared from the ranks of the defenders, clearly a challenge to battle. Yuan Shing's horse neighed and began trotting forward, dragging the lifeless commander toward the Southlanders. His personal guard dashed off after the beast, desperate to retrieve his body before it could be taken. Not surprisingly, upon hearing the noise of the horses behind it, Yuan Shing's mount broke into a gallop, its rider flopping along beside it.

Quan watched as the clouds darkened overhead and a cold wind blew out of the west. He put down his bow and raised his sword. As the enemy entered practical arrow range, his archer companies began releasing volleys that sailed into the cavalry and felled them by the dozens. He could see that this was going to be a slaughter and he almost wished they would turn tail and run, but that just meant that they would need to be fought again later, possibly on their terms under the command of a more efficient tactician…

No mercy. Not until they surrendered, anyway.

The Yuan infantry regiments charged, desperate to keep up with the cavalry. If they were aware of Quan's cavalry distantly riding around their flanks, they certainly could do nothing about it. They tried to keep order to their ranks, but this was next to impossible, given the speed they were running at. Almost a mass now, they bore down on the Southlanders, their arrogant imperial yellow set to collide with the proud vermillion and gold of Jiang Dong.

Thunder rumbled overhead. Quan looked up. Something was strange- not amiss, per se, but out of the ordinary. All he could do was pray that whatever force was at work here, it favoured the Sun family. He resolved to keep his mind focused on the task at hand.

The tattered remnants of Yuan Shing's cavalry slammed into the defenders and perished, impaling themselves on the bristling hedge of spears. The line held and the slaughter would continue. Those horsemen not slain during the initial clash milled about in confusion and panic, knowing not to charge headlong into spears, but also prey to the arrows from atop the hills. One of the captains tried to rally the cavalry and pull them back out of range. Quan shot him dead, prolonging the enemy's confusion.

The infantry was finally catching up, but they were less than eager to assault a foe defending prepared positions on high ground. The crossbows tried to exchange fire with the archers, but found themselves overmatched and being cut down. The Yuan infantry began to panic as horns sounded from behind them, indicating that the Southlands cavalry had swung around behind them and were closing in.

Another captain rallied the troops and tried to organize a makeshift defense against the oncoming cavalry charge, but by choosing to hold still, rather than engage Quan's infantry, he had left himself and his men sitting targets for the merciless archers. Quan killed the man for his stupidity. Wasn't it obvious what the only sensible tactical answer to this plight was?

_They are beaten… order the charge now and they will be reduced to nothing. Victory and glory will be ours. _

_They are beaten. They are men about to lose their lives and their families will know nothing but agony. And they will hate the South._

Quan gestured to his herald and the man blew a long note taken up by the other signalmen. The call indicated that they were to take prisoners. The infantry began shouting loudly and calling for the surrender of the Yuan troops. The cavalry drew in, their lances leveled as they awaited the decision of the enemy.

A Yuan captain began berating his men angrily, ordering them to defend themselves to the last man. Quan shot him through the heart. The man collapsed to the ground and silence reigned over the battlefield, the fate of thousands hanging by a thread…

"I am Sun Quan!" he called loudly, riding forward through the ranks of his men. "Lay down your arms and no harm will come to you. Surrender and you will live to see your families again."

Entire companies began throwing down their bows, shields and weapons. Any who tried to resist were shouted down or beaten harshly by those who advocated surrender. Less than three thousand Yuan troops had died, most of them cavalry. Quan had lost less than twenty men. The prisoners had their hands bound and were escorted away to the north, bereft of all arms and armour. A single regiment of tough infantry made sure they were heading away from the conflict.

Quan reorganized his men. He knew that time was of the essence, but he also knew that this spectacular victory had frayed the nerves of his men, who had hoped to vent their anxiety in the fury of combat. He needed to rest them, albeit briefly, to make sure they would be ready for the next engagement. And if things were going as anticipated, he was either going to be leading a counterattack against the enemy pinning Huang Gai against the river or he would be helping to sweep the enemy before them on a broad front. Either way, defending again was unlikely.

He knew he had made the right decision in sparing these men, but it flew in the face of the traditional notion of glory, where the number of enemies one slew indicated the prestige attached to your name. Effortless victories seemed almost a mockery of the archaic notion of chivalry. All else in life seemed to require struggle and travail prior to triumph or accomplishment, yet Sun Tzu said that the greatest victories were the ones where you did not fight.

Quan sighed and shook his head. He would never understand the Tao.

***

Yuan Shu sat arrogantly atop his great steed, barking orders to his myriad generals and commanders. Surrounded by a sea of imperial yellow, protected by the elite battalions of his forces, he knew himself to be unassailable. He had brought over two-hundred thousand troops to deal with the upstart Sun family.

How dare they? He was their liege and the holder of the imperial seal! How dare that ungrateful wretch Sun Ce raise his hand against the Son of Heaven? He would pay dearly for this treachery. Yuan Shu would grind him into the earth. The name of the Sun family would disappear forever, forgotten to all. They may as well have never existed.

His ambitions would be fulfilled. The Heavens had given him the imperial seal, clearly indicating that he was to rule the Middle Kingdom. Once he had dealt with the Sun family and the loathsome Prime Minister Cao Cao, he would turn his attention to pacifying his new kingdom in short order. Kong Rong, Liu Biao, Gongsun-zan, even his own brother Shao would kneel before him. He would relocate the nobles as he saw fit, severing traditional loyalties between liege and the local populace and quell any future thoughts of rebellion.

Yes, the Middle Kingdom would finally know its true ruler. The old emperor in Chang-An would be disposed of. He represented the old and corrupt ways, whereas Yuan Shu's star was beginning to ascend. This was the beginning of a glorious age and his name would be known to all.

***

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu leaned on one another, panting for breath as battle raged around them. Yet another assault had been repulsed, but the waves of enemies seemed endless. Even Ce's boundless energy seemed almost taxed.

The battleground was littered with corpses and the earth was slippery with blood. The field of yellow tunics was punctuated with the occasional crimson and gold battle gown, and although their losses were as yet far fewer, the defending Southlanders knew they could not keep this up forever.

And still Ce did not seem concerned, outside of his fatigue.

"It would be really nice," Zhou Yu wheezed. "If Cao Cao would lend a little aid, wouldn't you say?"

Ce nodded. "I'm pretty sure he wouldn't be too busted up if our military strength were reduced somewhat, y'know?"

"Clever man," Zhou Yu muttered. "But whatever you have planned, I hope it's good."

"Hey, gimme a little credit," Ce said, trying to sound indignant. "Have I ever lost before?"

The Southland troops were hurrying back to their prepared positions as another wave of enemies came on. Ce and Zhou Yu had commanded iron discipline in their men, knowing that if they lost their nerve and attacked in the face of this overwhelming foe, all was lost. Therefore, all commanders knew that the enemy was not to be pursued once they were repulsed; instead the defenders were to redress their positions and make sure they were ready for another attack.

The Yuan forces were relentless- even as one wave was turned back, another came on, barely giving the Southerners time to get ready. It was a tactic known as the 'Rolling Wheel' and it was an effective method for larger forces to use against smaller ones since it ground down the foe while helping to minimize the damage to one's own troops.

Horns sounded and banners unfurled- the thunder of hooves could be heard and thousands of cavalry, led by Yuan Shu's son, Yao, resplendent in burnished and gilded armour with motifs of dragons entwining around the cuirass. In his hand he held a long spear.

"We need to be careful, Ce," Zhou Yu said. "Yuan Yao is a formidable fighter, comparable to Wen Chou, is my understanding. And his cavalry rivals the White Riders."

Sun Ce nodded as he turned and loped back to his lines, followed by Zhou Yu. His men were holding and their morale was fine, but their stamina would not hold out forever. If they could endure until that single moment…

The front companies of spearmen were retired and replaced by fresh troops, who carried even longer spears, more than a third the length of the first weapons. The first three ranks of every company could effectively use their weapons now. The first rank knelt, their spears thrust forward on an upward angle; the second rank held theirs at hip-height and straight on while the third rank rested their weapons on their shoulders. The resulting wall would be breached by nothing short of a miracle and only at great cost.

Zhou Yu drew his sword and held it aloft. The massed ranks of archers bent back their bows and awaited his signal. The strategist knew that if they managed to slay Yuan Yao, they might have a chance to undermine the resolve of the enemy.

Sun Ce stood beside Zhou Yu, his arms crossed as he looked out of the field. There was no doubt in his mind, the only question was how close would the contest be. The sooner they finished this, the better it would be for everyone. Except Yuan Shu, of course.

Zhou Yu's sword dropped and the air was filled with thousands of arrows. The missiles landed in the thick of Yuan Yao's corps, but still the cavalry came on. Ce could sense the anxiety in his men as the foe closed. Even behind a wall of bristling spears, it took courage to stand against a cavalry charge.

Zhou Yu whirled his sword over his head once and the mass ranks of archers parted to reveal another surprise, even as they resumed firing- several ballistae now aimed and hurled their lethal bolts at the enemy, each missile longer than a Qiao girl. The projectiles ripped through the cavalry ranks, each one killing several horsemen, but still they came on, their commander untouched, seemingly blessed in the manner of his ancient family.

"Get ready!" Ce called loudly. "Hold your ground! Fight here, because if you retreat, the river will surely take you!"

Every man steeled himself, knowing the truth of their lord's words. There was no safety to be found in flight, for the great river barred their path. If Yuan Shu's forces broke them, a swift death was all they could hope for. Better to die in pitched battle and have one's name remembered and sung, rather than scorned for fleeing and leaving one's comrades.

The cavalry clashed with the defensive line and all hell broke loose.

***

Elryk loped through the thick trees, followed closely by his brother Aengava and his two personal guards, Glandyth and Theudis. Behind them came the _Comitatus_ and then the rest of the war band. Through the dense forest, the Goths ran as if the earth behind were trying to swallow them.

"Move! Move, you dogs!" he bellowed at his men while he ran. "Move your asses or I will kick the shit out of every godrotting one of you! By Thunraz, you lot had better keep pace! If we are somehow late and our lord is destroyed, do you think there is any safety for us? Move, you bloated sacks! You want the praise of the One-Eyed Poet but you can't bring yourselves to a little sprint?"

His exhortations compelled them to move even faster, through terrain most would consider all but impassable. More than the truth of his words, these warriors were eager for battle and glory. Here they were, in the farthest east, the home of Sowilo, god of the Sun, and his consort Auzuwandilaz, the Morning Star, having overcome great travail to reach these lands, and now they would face a mighty foe.

As they ran, Aengava was chanting, to himself, seemingly, but loud enough to be heard. Everyone knew he was communing with the god of night, for his eyes seemed glazed and his movements through the forest almost guided.

_"How is it, ye ravens — whence are ye come now_

_with beaks all gory, at break of morning?_

_Carrion-reek ye carry, and your claws are bloody._

_Were ye near, at night-time, where ye knew of corpses?"_

Elryk and his men were used to running, and even by the standard of his peoples, the tribes of the Wolf were renowned for their hardiness. Elryk had once led his men on a week-long run to join the other Goth tribes in destroying the legion of a particularly despised Roman praetor who had been guilty of massacring innocent women and children, or selling them off into slavery. Nearly one hundred leagues they had run to join in this war of revenge. Elryk and his men, nearly three thousand of them, turned the tide of battle and gained the tribes a precious victory over the limitless might of Rome.

Here and now, he would lead his men to victory again, and their capacity to endure and to cover staggering distances would be their secret advantage. Their speed would carry them behind the enemy and their savagery, born in the mighty and ancient forests of the gods, would give them victory.

"Move! Move!" he shouted.

***

Ce spun and smashed the butt of his tonfa into his foe and knocked the man flying. He continued through the movement and swept low, bringing another man to the ground. Nearby, Zhou Yu was fighting alongside the Night Tigers, helping to hold the line. Now that the melee had become general, the spearmen were being pulled back and companies of nimble swordsmen brought forward to fight the enemy hand to hand.

Yuan Yao's cavalry had been stopped, but only barely. The line had held, although the outcome was in doubt, in spite of the lethal wall of pikes that opposed them. Scores had died on both sides in the initial clash, but the spearmen held, the reach of the weapons slightly longer than that of the cavaliers. A furious pushing match developed and many more perished in the crush.

Sensing that they needed his help, Sun Ce let out a great war-cry and leapt over the heads of his men to land in the enemy's midst. His thunderous impact sent foes hurtling back and he was instantly attacking, a whirling engine of destruction amongst an endless foe.

Ce fought his way toward Yuan Yao, determined to take him down, but the press of bodies was too great. No single for could match his strength or skill, but even he could not easily overcome the throng that surrounded him. Horses milled or thrashed about in the confusion and Ce had to make sure he was not trampled on.

He knew he could count on Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci to bolster the defenses and hold the line while he wreaked havoc as only he could.

This _had _to be the Yuan's final effort, their final thrust. If it was not, the forces of the Southlands would be hard-pressed to maintain their cohesion. They had already fought off five assaults prior to this one, each more determined than the last.

"_Elryk, whatever it is you've got planned, make it good and make it fast. I can't fight these guys all by myself, and that's all there's gonna be before long…"_

***

Yuan Shu was watching quietly as his regiments and battalions marched off. He had word that his forces were keeping constant pressure on the outnumbered enemy and they expect that their endurance would not last much longer. He had been infuriated by Sun Ce's outrageous demand for surrender and he had decided to destroy the whelp himself. He had divided his mighty army into two forces, one hundred thousand men each- the first was pinning the Southland generals in place while the other hundred thousand marched directly toward Sun Ce.

Yuan Shu coloured indignantly as he thought of Sun Ce. After every thing he had done for the impudent brat, too! He swore that by day's end, his boot would be planted squarely on Sun Ce's face. No punishment was too good for the wretched traitor.

The day was growing unusually dark and the wind was cold. Yuan Shu frowned as he felt the wind blowing out of the west. Unusual. It mattered not, since he would destroy Sun Ce in any weather, but he mostly preferred to fight in the sun, since it glinted off the gold of his armour and banners so magnificently.

The troops were growing quiet as a harsh thumping noise carried across the plain. Everyone was looking around, trying to ascertain the source of the sound. The blare of strange, foreign-sounding horns now accompanied the echoing thump, a chilling rhythm none could identify.

Yuan Shu's head snapped around as a trooper cried out in alarm. He was pointing up at the sky in terror. Others followed his gaze and also began to shout in panic. Yuan Shu looked up and his eyes went wide. The clouds themselves seemed to have formed into the face a mighty and terrible being, whose face was one of wrath and death. Through some trick of the sky, stars seemed to gleam brightly where the being's eyes would be.

"Get a hold of yourselves!" he shouted angrily, disgusted at his men's superstition. "It is a trick of the clouds, you fools! We have come to destroy the enemy, not scream like frightened chi-"

The words died in his throat as the strange noises was now accompanied by the strange and alien chants of men, some of which sounded like the baying and howling of wolves. As he watched in disbelief, hundreds of huge men, with pale skin, unreal yellow hair and eyes as blue as the merciless sea began pouring out of the impassable forests to the west of their position; their weapons gleamed balefully, every one of them sporting a terrible, long sword or a wicked axe, along with a large round shield, bound in iron.

They were bashing the butts of their swords or axes into the back of their stout shields, accounting for the dreadful, rhythmic thumping. They shouted and chanted in loud, guttural voices. In the fore strode a huge man, his icy-blue eyes wild with battle lust. In his train came three more men, one a brawny warrior who was waving a wooden staff around almost incoherently as he chanted, another a slender but dangerous man with raven hair and two long knives. The third was an absolute giant whose face was contorted in a wild rage, so eager was he to engage the enemy.

Yuan Shu's entire army was rooted to the spot, petrified by what they were witnessing, like it was some unwelcome nightmare. What were these beings? Pale-skinned demons come to destroy them?

The usurper's voice almost caught in his throat, but he managed to choke out an order.

"S-shoot them! Kill them!"

Archers recovered their wits and nocked arrows, waiting for the order to fire. Several moments of uncomfortable silence passed before Yuan Shu recovered from his stupor to yell at them.

"Fire you fools! Fire!"

The dark hail of arrows sailed overhead and descended toward the intruders, but Elryk was ready. Already organized into their battle-groups, the Goths knelt and raised their shields overhead, forming a curved wall. The arrows embedded themselves impotently in the stout wood or glanced off the iron, harming none of the pale-skinned warriors. Deadly silence passed before Elryk gave the order to charge the enemy.

With a terrifying cry, the Germans surged forward, breaking into a run and heading straight for Yuan Shu. Aengava was chanting loudly as they ran and his body was pulsing with an unknown power.

The malevolent deity overhead shouted angrily and the sky opened. Down from the heavens poured the hosts of the gods- terrible wolf-shapes, running amidst greedy battle harpies and glorious women riding winged horses and burnishing bright spears.

Yuan Shu's entire host stood still, trembling in fear at the sight. The savage demon-warriors came ever closer, unchecked until it was almost too late; finally, one of Yuan Shu's generals steeled himself and called for his men to defend the emperor. Company after company hastily arranged to interpose themselves between the enemy and their lord, but they were clearly not eager to do so.

Dozens of Elryk's warriors put their weapons in their shield hands and swept out small axes that they hurled at the defenders, splitting shield, helmet and skull. The defenders' nerves were holding by a thread…

Elryk crashed into the defenders' line, roaring like a terrible god and carrying right through them with his sheer momentum. His men rampaged over the Yuan troops, swinging and bashing mercilessly at anyone who stood against them. Glandyth and his terrible axe laid low several men in single sweeps. Towering over even the tallest Chinese by a full head and shoulders, he was an unstoppable, murderous force, matched only by the Wolf Lord, Elryk.

Theudis, no less lethal, darted in and amongst his chosen foes, spinning and whirling in an almost balletic manner, his long knives plunging unerringly into weak spots in armour or exposed throats. The _Comitatus_ followed in his wake, pushing through the waiting foe, driving relentlessly toward Yuan Shu while the other companies south to wreak havoc amongst whatever victims happened to be at hand.

The ethereal wolves and battle-maidens whirled about the scene, snapping or thrusting at the terrified defenders. Above, the face of the god glared and contorted in rage as his hell-born children drenched themselves in savagery.

Elryk whirled about in a bloody battle-frenzy, the feared _awen_ of the berserkers that even the Romans dreaded. So terrible was this murderous state that a berserker could survive and even keep fighting while suffering wounds that would kill one not blessed with the gift. The Wolf tribes had an abundance of such warriors and Elryk had been renowned for the fact that his entire guard was composed of these terrifying warriors.

Aengava wailed and chanted, even as he struck with sword and staff, singing to the shield-maidens who rode now in their midst, smiting their enemies and witnessing the deeds of heroes. His eyes blazed with the power of the god of night and his heart pounded as he renewed his vow to Fricco, queen of these dread warrior-maidens. He swore once to his brother that Fricco herself had blessed them with her presence on the battlefield, a great and shining, glorious shield maiden whose eyes shone like stars and whose sword was death for any it touched.

Overhead, the god of night bellowed, demanding his sacrifice. His support, even of the strong, was not freely given. If Aengava wanted this mighty deity's succor, then the mountain of skulls would need to be high indeed. Aengava could feel it- the dull, purplish stone that sat on the leather tie around his brother's neck was pulsing and throbbing like a hideous, inhuman heart. He wondered if Elryk knew what secret it really held…

***

Yuan Shu paled in horror as he witnessed the obliteration of his army. These demon-warriors, no more than five hundred, were tearing through his toughest regiments like a keen sword through flimsy paper. They fought with inhuman savagery, but they seemed to keep coming on, their momentum never slowed. They were literally overrunning his host.

He wheeled his horse about and fled in terror, accompanied by his elite cavalry guard. Abandoning his army to its fate, his only thought was flight and his own survival. He could not face such a terrible and hideous foe.

This couldn't be happening! It couldn't! He was the emperor, the Son of Heaven! What force could stand against such divine providence? What could possible oppose manifest destiny?

The god of night bellowed his answer.

***

The ground shook as thunder rumbled over the battlefield. There was a momentary pause as both sides looked around to see what the source of the disturbance was. Lightning tore across the sky, illuminating the darkness.

Sun Ce was locked in combat with Yuan Yao and the two mighty warriors strained against one another, Ce's tonfas crossed with Yuan Yao's halberd. They threw one another back and prepared for another clash when the earth shook so hard that they were both almost thrown from their feet. Over head, the clouds had formed the impossibly vast visage of a furious god, whose blazing gaze threatened to slay any who dared to meet it.

Sun Ce did not pause but lunged in and struck, his tonfa splintering Yuan Yao's cuirass and crushing his ribcage. As the commander fell, Ce finally sensed the vital shift in the battle's momentum. Victory lay with the Southlanders, if they moved now.

"Go!" he bellowed, his call being taken up by the corps commanders. The defenders surged forward, driving into the confused Yuan troops, slaying them in their hundreds. What followed was a panicked rout, as the enemy turned and fled, not knowing where safety lay but needing to get away from the agony of battle and from beneath the maddening glare of the terrible being overhead.

Ce watched as his troops chased the enemy down, standing atop a small hill. He looked up at the terrible being overhead and his jaw tightened as they wrestled wills.

_No, you cannot have me…_

Ce turned his attention back to the field and nodded grimly. The hour was theirs.

_Good job, Elryk. This win was a lot easier thanks to you. But that sort of luck will not last forever, and your god of night will not be sated for long. Yuan Shu won't feed his hunger. The struggle for the Middle Kingdom is about to become a spiritual one, and the Heavens will not welcome your god lightly, no matter how terrifying he is…_

***

Da Qiao and her cavalry bore down on Zhiliang with all possible speed, desperate to stop a massacre. No matter how clever Lu Xun was and how crazy Xiao was, their hundred-some troops were no match for several thousand.

Da could see the enemy advancing on Zhiliang and a paltry drizzle of arrows sailing out of the town to land in the midst of the Yuan troops. Though each arrow found a mark and a man fell, it did nothing to reduce the odds.

She prayed she would reach the town in time. She would never forgive herself if anything happened to her little sister.

She knew that Lu Xun would not exit Zhiliang, instead making the enemy come into the fishing village, breaking up their formations once in the narrow streets. It was a sound tactic, but the enemy was too numerous. Sooner or later, the defenders would tire. They could hope to sell their lives as dearly as possible, but victory was not to be theirs.

Unless Da got their in time; she spurred her horse harder, working it into a lather. What she would have given to be riding the legendary Red Hare right now…

The Yuan troops had noticed the approaching cavalry and had turned to meet the threat. Da sent the Thunderhorse captain left, to flank around the enemy. The Yuan forces bent themselves hastily into an arc, desperate to not be outflanked. Da drove straight at them, heedless of the wall of spears that awaited her…

The flash of lightning across the sky was sudden and almost blinding. The earth shook and groaned as if protesting the violence being done to it. The coherent defense was dislodged by the tumult and Da crashed headlong into the Yuan troops, leading a wedge that drove deep into the enemy host. She heard nothing and felt no remorse or pity- she sought only to obliterate the foe and rescue Xiao.

He horse could press in no further and she leapt down and began whirling and spinning about with her fans, felling men with every graceful stroke.

Distantly and almost dreamlike, she heard the ululating cries of Wu warriors and she saw Lu Xun and Xiao charging out of Zhiliang with their tiny force and driving into the enemy's flank. Da was exultant that her sister was still alive and she renewed her attacks with more ferocity than she thought herself capable of.

The Thunderhorse and Wildfire Riders regiments had enclosed the Yuan forces and charged in, smashing into the foe from all sides, herding them together and pressing with great slaughter. In spite of their superior numbers, the Yuan troops were clearly doomed.

Da ducked, pirouetted and spun through the foe, slaying them with ridiculous ease. They were nothing more than obstacles as she danced her way toward her sister. In front of her stood the captain of the Yuan troops, grim and defiant, glaring at her, his sword in hand; he shouted and charged toward her. Da stood her ground and met the attack head-on. He was swift and cunning with his blade and his shield defended him well, but Da was faster still and more agile, like a crane that evaded the attacks of a fearsome cat or wolf. Her fans swatted away his attacks, using his momentum to leave the man wide open.

The sword spun out of his hand and he gazed at her in shock before her fan swept aside his shield and exposed his chest. His neck snapped backward as Da kicked him in the throat with the toe of her shoe. He was dead before he hit the ground.

Two more whirling sweeps with her fan and she had reached her sister. Xiao flew into her sister's arms, almost sobbing in relief. She gave Da a big kiss and held her tight.

"Thank you, Da…" she said quietly in the middle of the maelstrom. "I was so sure I was dead. No more Zhou Yu, no more of my babies, no more of us…"

Da held Xiao close, her heart thumping in relief. Tears glistened on her cheeks and she stroked Xiao's honey-coloured hair lovingly.

"I can't leave you alone for a second, can I?" she whispered back. "Don't worry, Xiao, I'll always come for you, just like you saved me from the halberdier all that time ago in the Yellow Turban campaign. We Qiao girls need to stick together. We always have."

Xiao nodded as she closed her wet eyes and held her sister. She and Da had always been close, since they were little. Through courtesan training, they were each other's biggest support. They shared their quarters and defied the instructors together. If one girl was punished, the other made sure that sure that she was punished as well. They would lie together at night in their bed, holding one another and sobbing as they waited for the smarting from their punishment to go away. By morning, they were the proud and wondrous Qiao sisters again, beauties without equal.

"My lady," Lu Xun said as he hustled up to Da and bowed. "Your arrival was most fortuitous! The enemy is broken. What shall we do?"

Da disengaged from Xiao and looked around. The enemy was indeed thoroughly routed, the remnants of their force put to flight and being run down by the cavalry she brought. She assessed her own troops and nodded to Lu Xun.

"You, Xiao and I will now ride to the east to relieve Generals Huang Gai and Lu Meng. Ready your troops, for it will be a hard run for the infantry."

The rally call was sounded and the cavalry returned. Though the cavalry casualties were few, Da was distressed to see that nine members of the Valiant Cavaliers had been slain in the charge. She knew that charging spears was often fatal to cavalry and that her men accepted this risk for the chance to fight on horseback, but still pained her.

She turned now to see that Xiao was kneeling next to one of her girls, the one known as Chyou. The girl was struggling to breathe and trembling. Her left side was a bloody mess due to a deep spear wound. Da watched silently as Xiao took the girl's hand in hers and kissed the fingers gently. She looked up at her older sister and she shook her head. Xiao's other girls formed a ring around the commander and their fallen sister and watched impassively.

Da summoned Lu Xun. "I am changing my mind, lieutenant. You and your forces will remain here in Zhiliang and await the arrival of Ren Neng, who I will be sending to you with all speed. If he saves Chyou, then you will march west to Lady Shang Xiang. If he cannot and she dies, you will prepare this plain we stand upon as her resting place."

Lu Xun nodded and bowed, knowing exactly what Da meant. He sped off to make sure the area was secured.

"As for the rest of us," Da announced, turning to face her men. "The time for mourning is not upon us. First we must defeat the enemy in the east. We ride now back to the crossings to assist our comrades!"

Da mounted her horse and looked down at Xiao. The younger sister nodded and went back to caring for Chyou. Without another word, Da led her forces east at a gallop.

Xiao was speaking quietly to Chyou when the devilish, icy wind blew again. She looked up at the sky and trembled in fear. The tall, distant clouds seemed to form a face that glared over the landscape, an image of fury and terror.

Whatever the horrible being wanted, Xiao prayed it wasn't Chyou.

***

Huang Gai and Lu Meng were fighting along with their troops as the assaults kept coming. Another wave had been sent reeling back and Lu Meng leaned now on his White Tiger halberd for support. He glanced over at Huang Gai, who stood tall, like a great stone statue, looking north. His huge club tapped against his shoulder impatiently, as if he were eager for another round.

"How do you do it, old man?" Lu Meng asked. "You have fought as hard as I have today, you are at least twenty-five years my senior and yet you have not even broken a sweat. What the hell are you made of?"

Huang Gai simply kept staring out to the north as he answered. "When one's life is devoted to servitude and the triumph of an ideal, then the bones are as strong as the mountain, and the muscles and sinews are as tough as ship's cables. My heart burns as if I were a man of twenty, my young friend. Age cannot sap my will to fight and triumph for all I believe in."

Lu Meng sighed. "You men of an earlier age are made of tougher stuff than we are, I give you that."

"No," Huang Gai said, shaking his head. His white hair, which ran in a stiff crest along the middle of his head, was ruffled by the stiff breeze out of the west. "We are always told of how mighty the heroes of yore are, how the men of the modern age can never measure up… but look now, Lu Meng, at the young heroes of today, such as our Lord Sun Ce, or Marshall Zhou Yu, to say nothing of Guan Yu or Zhang Fei or Lu Bu. These men exceed in strength and might of arms any of their predecessors. Our Lady Shang Xiang, though maybe not be able to match my physical strength, proved herself the mightier warrior in our duel."

Lu Meng nodded as he considered the older general's words.

"No, my friend," Huang Gai said. "I am just a man, blessed with a stout body and a stout heart. I may be a mountain, but these young warriors are the stars. Stand on my peak and they are still out of reach. One can respect a mountain, but one reveres the stars."

Horns sounded again from the north. Lu Meng laughed.

"Here they come again, old man," he said. "What shall we do?"

Huang Gai looked at the heavens and the darkened sky. "We hold. Lady Qiao will be here soon and I believe something else comes as well, though I know it not."

Lu Meng began organizing the lines again. He prayed this was the final assault.

***

Da and her men were riding hard and they saw now the assault breaking on the defenders' wall. She grimaced as she thought of the slaughter the poor men on both sides had to endure. Horns sounded along the battle lines and drums rolled. Da saw a weak spot in the Yuan's formation and directed her cavalry toward it. The entire force pivoted and drove at the target. Da had seen several battalions of archers moving forward to fire into the Southland ranks and she slammed into these units and began routing them quickly. She was now behind several of the attacking Yuan brigades and she ignored the fleeing archers and hemmed in the infantry.

As she was attacking from the rear, horns sounded to the east, heralding the arrival of reinforcements. Distantly she could see the banners of the Jiang Dong corps, accompanied by green and gold banners belonging to another force.

Liu Bei had come.

Virtually surrounded, Yuan Shu's army disintegrated almost instantly. Thousands began to flee, forsaking their comrades in their desperation to avoid certain death. Da Qiao ordered her men to begin capturing those who would surrender but to not engage in slaughter. Those who resisted would be slain, but let those who fled slink home in shame.

Da Qiao, Sun Quan, Huang Gai, Lu Meng and Liu Bei now met in the field and greeted one another in relief. The battle had been a long one, and close. Liu Bei respectfully requested that his troops, which were fresh, be allowed to chase down the foe and make sure they were no threat. He bowed to them all, most respectfully to Da and Quan and then mounted his white steed and rode off.

"Well, at least my sister wasn't around for that timely arrival." Quan observed. Lu Meng and Huang Gai both burst out with laughter.

"My lady, as Huang Gai and I predicted, your timing was perfect," Lu Meng said cheerfully. You identified the precise place to hit the enemy and helped turn the tide. You are a good leader of men and a shrewd tactician."

"That may be, general, but I have need of Ren Neng," Da said, her voice serious. "One of Xiao's girls is fatally wounded. I would see him sent to her with all haste."

Lu Meng nodded to one of his heralds, who sped off.

Quan looked up at the sky. "What was that? You all saw it too, I assume?"

Huang Gai was grim. "Whatever it was, it lay in the west, over Lord Sun Ce. It was passing strange, I must say. I did not like it."

Da was silent as Huang Gai, Lu Meng and Quan planned their next move. Her thoughts drifted to her husband and the terrible visage that dominated the sky. Even now, although the face was gone, the sky was still grey and the wind was cold. She never wished to experience something like that again.

"_Ce… please be alright…"_

***

Sun Ce rode now, along with Zhou Yu and Shang Xiang, whose forces had met up with his once the enemy had been routed and driven north. Ahead lay the area reported to be Yuan Shu's encampment. The ground was heaped with bodies, maybe thousands of them, all wearing the regal yellow of the Yuan family.

The approached the ruins of the main camp and they heard raucous cheering and chanting; within the camp stood Elryk and his wild warriors, celebrating their triumph. Elryk roared loudly as he saw Sun Ce and leapt down from the wreckage he was standing on. As he strode forward to meet his liege, his men where bashing their swords on their shields, chanting in their sonorous, alien tones.

Elryk saluted Ce after the manner of his people while Ce clasped his hand in his fist. Ce looked around the battlefield and shook his head.

"Well, at least I don't have to worry about you taking everything as a trophy, there's too damn much of it, Elryk."

The huge Germanic chieftain laughed. "As you say, my lord! The enemy, this pretender to the throne, knew not what hit him! We emerged from the woods and drove deep into his army and he fled like a frightened child!"

His men all roared with laughter in response, cheering wildly. Several of them sported minor wounds, but all in all, they seemed to be perfectly intact.

"No casualties, Elryk?" Ce asked.

"None, lord, save Glandyth's pride," Elryk replied jovially. "He had bet Theudis a barrel of beer that he would score more kills in this engagement and Theudis beat him by one."

"I would have won, but the little yellow bastards kept running away!" Glandyth shouted.

Shang Xiang cleared her throat. "Excuse me...little yellow bastards, my lord?" she asked Elryk pointedly.

Elryk flushed for a moment. "Oh, uh… by 'little yellow bastards', Glandyth meant the colour of their tunics… these Yuan troops wear yellow, after all… uh… your people, by comparison, would be 'little scarlet and gold bastards'…"

Ce burst out laughing, as did Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci. Ce clapped Elryk on the shoulder, shaking his head.

"Elryk, you are the worst liar I have ever met! Now let's loot this camp so I can give out some rewards, okay?"

The men walked off, all of them delighted with their victory. Shang Xiang stayed where she was but stomped her foot indignantly.

"Hey! I'm not mollified yet, you know!" she shouted.

***

The south of the lands had been secured. A great central camp had been set up in the middle of the plain and Sun Ce now held court. The command regiments of each officer were present, along with any individuals summoned by the lord of the Southlands.

Sun Ce rewarded the commanders for their parts in this great battle against what would have seemed hopeless odds. To Sun Quan was given the right to raise another corps and Ce designated him 'The Life-Giving General', in honour of his nearly bloodless victory in the east.

Shang Xiang had triumphed swiftly in her theatre, blunting the enemy assault and counterattacking so swiftly that they routed. Ce therefore gave her command of the southern reaches of the Wu realm, instructing her to safeguard the borders and pacify the troublesome Shanyue tribes that dwelled there.

Huang Gai graciously refused a promotion and the title of Prefect of Baifu, instead requesting only that he be given the responsibility of guarding the Lady Kai-Ying when he was not in the field. Ce made him the official guardian of the Sun daughter.

Lu Meng, already Prefect of Changsha, also insisted he needed no title, but happily accepted an enfoeffment that was large enough to house his family on. Sun Ce asked exactly how many family members Lu Meng was looking after and the general almost blushed when he admitted to an extended family of three-hundred and fifty-three. Ce granted them their own village on prosperous land, as long as he agreed no one would inbreed.

Lu Xun, who had fought so valiantly and with such insight at Zhiliang against daunting odds, was made a battalion commander under Lu Meng and given permission to study at the exclusive Confucian academy that was being built in Changsha. The young man bowed almost worshipfully, knowing what a boon he was being given.

Zhou Yu knelt before Ce now and the lord of the Southlands smiled at the man who was like a brother to him.

"Zhou Yu, between us there are no boundaries or barriers. What can I possibly give the man who is going to be the wisdom upon which our realm is built?"

"Just make our vision come true, my lord, and allow me to play my part. No greater gift could ever be given." Zhou Yu said humbly.

"Alright," Ce said, nodded. "You've got my word on that, but you're also not getting off that easily. You have turned down invites to join the Jian'an Seven and I need sages like that. Therefore, you are hereby in charge of the Confucian academies within our realm. A sage or administrator with one hundredth of your intelligence or integrity will be a prized possession for any region. Make it happen, pal."

Zhou Yu bowed low and returned to his place by Ce's side. Da Qiao now walked to the dais and knelt before her husband. She looked calm, but her heart was pounding.

"Da, you're becomin' the commander you are convinced you cannot be. All the rest of us see it and believe in it. More than that, we trust in it. It's time for you to try your hand at grand strategy. You are now a regimental commander, as requested by Generals Lu Meng, Huang Gai and my sister, not to mention popular demand amongst the troops."

Da could not look up, her eyes wide as she stared deferentially at the ground. "As you say, my lord."

"This regiment of yours will carry its own banners and have it own colours. It will also have the exclusive right to use the royal insignia, like any unit belonging to a member of the Sun family."

"I am honoured, my lord." Da said just loud enough to be heard.

Ce waited patiently for several seconds before speaking. "Well? Don't you have anything else to say? C'mon, Da, out with it."

"Are you sure, my lord?" she asked.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Ce said. "Stand up so I can hear ya."

Da rose and looked at him levelly. "You just _had_ to go and make me a regimental commander, didn't you?" she said hotly. "Now I'm never going to have time to get pregnant and have another child to keep your daughter company and provide your crazed family with another heir!"

There was stunned silence across the square. Khun finished translating for the Germans who suddenly burst into roaring laughter. Eventually the other commanders and their troops joined in on the mirth while Da Qiao spun on her heel and marched back toward her companies, who bowed, even while laughing.

Ce just shook his head to clear it of whatever had just happened. "Where's your wife?" Ce asked Zhou Yu.

"Still back in Zhiliang," the strategist said in his mellow voice. "Tending to Chyou."

"I'll deal with her later, then." Ce concluded. He now looked at Elryk. "That leaves you, big guy. Get over here."

The massive chieftain approached, accompanied, as was tradition, by Glandyth and Theudis. Elryk drove the point of his blade into the ground and rested his hand on the pommel while the three of them knelt before Sun Ce.

"You promised me impressive feats and you certainly delivered, Elryk." Ce began. By the count of my heralds and retainers, you and your men slew nearly ten thousand of Yuan Shu's troops. For a battalion of four hundred, that's damned impressive."

"It was nothing, my lord," Elryk said in his booming voice. "And we will render many more such services in your name."

"I don't doubt it." Ce agreed readily. "Now per my promise to you in honouring your traditions, you're men can take such loot as they each can claim, including weapons and armour. All regimental banners you captured you may keep, although I will take Yuan Shu's personal banner, which you promised to me."

Elryk nodded and waved to his men. Two warriors brought over a splendid golden banner, which proudly proclaimed Yuan Shu to be _Hanzi_, the emperor of the Han. Elryk presented it to Sun Ce.

"My lord, we also found many treasures in Yuan Shu's camp," Elryk said. "Not only gold and silver but other things we have not seen but only ever heard of- jewels, pearls, incense, jade and silks… what would you have us do with them?"

Ce considered. "Technically they're yours, Elryk. It's your plunder to do with as you please."

"If I may, then, my lord, I beg your indulgence." Elryk said humbly.

Ce gestured his permission.

Elryk stood and gave orders to his men in his loud, guttural language. Several members of the _Comitatus_ rushed about before returning with several large, iron-bound chests or objects wrapped in long swathes of silk.

"With your blessing, half of these treasures we will keep, to give to our families," he said. "The other half I would dispose of thusly…"

He walked up to Shang Xiang and was followed by two warriors carrying the silk-wrapped objects. He bowed awkwardly in the fashion of the east.

"Great lady, please accept these weapons as a gift from the tribes of the Wolf. You are indeed a great warrior and I am proud to fight by your side…"

The men uncovered Elryk's offering, displaying dozens of magnificent gilded spears, the steel of which glinted brightly in the sun. Shang Xiang's eyes went wide.

"Though we are commanders together, I and my men are ever at the service of the sister of our lord." Elryk finished, bowing again. Shang Xiang was silent for several moments before returning the bow.

"I am honoured, Lord of the Wolf. I will always consider you a friend and a member of our family."

Lu Meng, Huang Gai and Lu Xun watched with fascination.

"Rather vulgar," Lu Meng said quietly. "Such conspicuous gift-giving and flowery speeches, it seems almost obsequious."

"If I may, general, I humbly beg to differ." Lu Xun remarked. "Lord Zhou Yu has told me of the fearsome loyalty these people have for one another, and in their lands, where fortune is sparse, to be given even simple gifts means that the giver holds you in such high esteem that they would diminish their own wealth to show that respect. Lord Elryk is displaying his loyalty to our realm and our cause."

"I see the truth in it," Huang Gai grunted. "And indeed they are being generous, for this entire victory rests on Elryk's shoulders. It was he who routed Yuan Shu and collapsed his army. He is not giving our gifts willy-nilly to the other commanders in an effort to ingratiate himself, because he owes us nothing as yet, but he is strengthening his bond with his lord and his house. We would do well to learn his ways so that we can make use of them."

Elryk now strode up to Da Qiao, who tried to look confident. The fact that Elryk looked down at her while he was standing and she was astride a horse did not make it easier. Thankfully, Elryk now knelt before her and bowed his head.

"Lady of the Southlands, you are indeed remarkable if you are the consort of our mighty lord and I will never forget your kindness to us or my family in those first days of our arrival. Please, hear my request of you…"

The warriors accompanying Elryk brought forward three chests. The first one he opened was full of gold coins, thousands of them.

"Please use this in whatever manner you see fit to ensure that our children and those of your realm will one day live in harmony. My people are unlearned, so if this will help to see that they are educated, please accept it with my gratitude."

Da's throat was dry but she nodded. Why did people keep asking her to do things?

Elryk indicated that another chest be opened. Da gasped as she saw it was full of jewels, such as rubies, emeralds, sapphires, pearls, amethyst and jade.

"These, my lady, are just a gift for you, a token of our gratitude. As I marched off to war, my worthy wife Gailavira reminded me to thank you generously in her name. I home this offering suffices."

Elryk gestured to the last trunk. "Within that chest lays many hides and skin, seemingly from animals of the north, where this Yuan Shu comes from. I have three more chests just like it being prepared, one for each of the Sun family members, but I wanted you to have yours first."

Da Qiao nodded, finally finding her voice. "Lord Elryk, you are a very generous man. My husband was right to welcome you into his service. As I once said to your wife, let there be friendship between our houses. I commit myself to it."

Elryk bowed again and walked back to his battalion. Ce was about to speak when the Germans began roaring and cheering again loudly, apparently jubilant to be alive. Ce waited patiently for the crazy white devils to finish and stood up.

"Alright, folks, we've got a war to finish up. Yuan Shu's power may be broken but he ain't finished by any means. That and we may still have to contend with Yuan Shao if his younger brother appeals to him for help. Get yourselves ready! I expect to move out in four days!"

The commanders dispersed and their regiments with them. Ce conferred now with Zhou Yu while Da waited patiently nearby.

"Overseeing the development of Confucian academies in the Southlands is a tall order, Ce." Zhou Yu remarked. "Are you sure this is what you want of me?"

Ce smiled. "Pal, when I go to war, _you_ go to war. But we've got lots of good generals now who can hold the borders for us, so you'll have time to get this done. We've got the present covered, I'm gonna need you to be thinkin' about the future too. The Confucian academies in Changsha and Jiang Dong are a good start, but I want the principal one in Baifu and then a central one in each prefecture and small ones subsidiary to it. You up to it?"

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "Remember who you're talking to."

The strategist bowed and walked off. Da now came up and took her husband's hands in hers. She smiled up warmly at him.

"Whaddya gonna do with all that loot?" Ce asked, grinning.

Da thought about her response for a moment. "Lord Elryk wants his children to be educated, but I don't think they should be educated in the standard Confucian way, my love. I intend to use the money to hire more Uyghurs or other such people to travel into the west, accumulate all the knowledge they can carry and bring it back to us. I admit I too am eager to learn more about the cultures beyond our lands."

Ce nodded. "Good idea. There was one more thing I wanted to talk to you about. I was gonna leave it until after we had finished here with Yuan Shu, but given the way people keep askin' you to do things, I'd better get it in while I can."

"And what, oh my dear husband, would that be?" Da asked, suddenly sounding unimpressed.

"Well," Ce said, "I'm glad we're introducin' Confucian learning to the Southlands, but it just isn't proper culture if there are no courtesans. Would you and Xiao be willin' be over see the schools I am plannin' to build?"

Da eyes lit up in delight. She grabbed Ce by the face and kissed him, hard. Ce's eyes were wide in shock at this unexpected response. He nearly choked on Da's tongue, she was kissing him so deeply. She broke the kiss and began looking around for something while Ce tried to catch his breath. She spied a makeshift tent and dragged her husband by the hand into it, removing her top as she did so.

Nobody heard her giggling or the moans that followed shortly after.

***

The sun was shining and the weather was warm as evening set over the sleepy town of Zhiliang. The residents had mostly returned and found that little had changed since their flight. True, there were some unsightly stains, but the Southlands forces had pillaged nothing and in fact had left a chest containing thousands of silver pieces as compensation for displacing the innocent residents.

The only difference to the area was the rather odd mound that now sat outside the town. It was nearly thirty spans tall and surrounded by several smaller mounds, from each of which a single spear jutted. One of the elders of the village, who had served in some campaigns in his younger days, explained to his people what it meant.

"It is quite obvious, really," he said sagely. "A great warrior is buried there, in the central mound. This warrior is not of royal birth, since it is not a tumulus, but still one that is to be revered for their prowess. The smaller mounds contain the arms and armour of those enemies conquered by this mighty warrior. Furthermore, the area is now sacred to this warrior, since the ground has been blessed and planted with strange and foreign herbs. Therefore, we must never disturb the mound, but we will also respect and revere the fallen, praying to them to watch over us and protect us."

The people saw the wisdom in his words and for many generations they would pray to this great warrior and do them homage, as they would the spirit of the great river that fed them. One day they even changed the name of the town in honour of the warrior.

Life was always good for the people in the pleasant little town of Chyou.

***

**The Young Conqueror SD Wumake Theatre 5**

**Author's Note:** My apologies to the anime Blue Seed and my fellow Cursed Fanboys for this opening…

(Cue the cutesy rainbow bridging toward the reader. Over it come marching kawaii li'l SD versions of the Sun family members, along with the rest of the Wu cast)

**All: **"Wumake! Wumake! Wumake! Wumake!"

Sun Ce and Zhou leaned on one another, panting as the battle raged around them. Yet another assault had been repulsed, but the stamina of their men would not keep up forever. It didn't help that being chibi reduced one's endurance for anything not silly by a full third.

"This is not good, Ce." Zhou Yu remarked. "Yuan Shu's forces keep coming and they're not super deformed like we are. Whatever you have planned, it had better be really special."

"Hey, I got it covered, pal," Ce said easily. "Y'know we've got Elryk on our team. An entire battalion of Ostrogoths is just what we need to turn the tide here. They should be ready any time now."

Horns blared and Yuan Shu's forces came on yet again. As the Southlanders scrambled to get back into their defensive positions, Ce looked down at his watch.

"And it should be right about… three… two… one… now!"

Exactly on cue, a rhythmic and disturbing thumping noise because to emanate from the woods to their left; the Yuan troops skidded to a stop to see what all the ruckus was. Soon after, a wailing noise followed the thumping.

Zhou Yu cocked and ear. "Er, Ce… is that… Panic At The Disco that I am hearing?"

Sun Ce frowned. "What the hell?"

Seconds later, hundreds of pale teenagers wearing black came streaming out of the woods, yelling and hollering, swinging the chains attached to their pants or whirling Hot Topic bags over their heads. The Yuan troops looked on in astonishment.

"Ce… those aren't Ostrogoths." Zhou Yu pointed out. "I mean, they're goths, yes, but not the good kind of Goths, you know, with the battle axes and thunderous voices."

"What the hell happened?" Ce muttered as the goth kids collided with the Yuan troops and began assaulting them with their recycled canvas handbags. He pulled a receipt out of his pocket and scanned it, reading about his order.

"Heyyyy," he protested. "It sez here they sent us these yahoos because our cheque for Ostrogoths bounced. Why the crap did our payment bounce?"

"Ce, I told you that we blew all our budget money on the last Wumake with Invader Zim!" Zhou Yu said tightly. "That stupid chibifying ray gun alone was a special effects extravaganza. Now we're stuck in this war with the Yuans and we've got skinny, trenchcoat-wearing kids as a secret weapon."

Ce was watching dumbly as one of the kids began crying while beating feebly on the cuirass of one of the Yuan warriors.

"Oh, swell, they're not even all goths, some of them are just emo!" Zhou Yu hissed. "Perhaps we could try a little Fallout Boy to lighten the mood?"

"Oh, shut up, smartass," Ce grumbled. "We've gotta figure out what to do now."

They both looked over at the woods and saw five figures standing there, watching the show. It wasn't long before Ce recognized them and walked over. One of the observers, a large man with long black hair and a perpetual scowl was holding a boom box over his head and playing the music that was driving the Goths into such an anemic frenzy. The other four men were watching and laughing as they drank beer.

"Hey, aren't you guys Dethklok?" Ce asked.

"Uh, yeah… no autographs." Nathan Explosion said in his deep, gravelly bass.

"Why are you guys here?" Zhou Yu inquired as he walked up.

"Dude, why wouldn't we be?" Pickles said in his thick Wisconsin accent. He took another pull on his beer bottle, which happened to be New Glarus Spotted Cow. "We're the ultimate metal band, we get our rocks off watchin' emo kids kill themselves doin' crap like dis."

"Yes, these kids, they makes me laugh, hah ha!" Toki Wartooth added, watching the massacre.

"Carefuls, Toki," Skwisgar said to his Norwegian sidekick. "They sells our DVDs in Hot Topics, I understands. We mights gets mobbed by crazy little goofball dildo fans if we are heres too long."

"Who cares?" Toki sniffed. "We're nots the ones payings for this appearances, we's gets paid and I make the laughs at little goofball dildos killings themselves."

"Well, jusht ash long ash we get to kick them while they down," William Murderface said, regarding the emo kids with disdain. "It'sh hard to keep my attention for very long, you know."

"Yeah, we know, dude, just shut up and watch." Pickles said impatiently.

"Why were goth and emo kids hiding in a forest, anyway?" Zhou Yu wondered.

"Probably having a midnight candlelight reading of Harry Potter or Twilight," Ce grumbled.

They all watched as a really hot goth girl (well, she would have been hot if it hadn't been for the bolts all through her face) in a pink plaid schoolgirl skirt and a tight bustier top went racing by spraying a Yuan trooper in the face with glittery hair spritz. The man shrieked in shock and then wailed in pain when she kicked him between the legs with her chunky knee-high boots.

Ce watched, almost rapt. "I think I know where I'm clothes shoppin' for Da from now on."

"And I think we're ten seconds away from a commentary by an angry grey squirrel." Zhou Yu said dryly. "I'm going home. This is our dumbest Wumake yet."

Ce watched a few moments longer and then trailed after Zhou Yu.

"Good thing they didn't try to summon their god, huh? Betcha it would'a looked like Laurell K Hamilton…" he quipped.

"Don't talk to me, Ce." Zhou Yu groused.

***

**Author's Notes: ** Well, this one turned out longer than even I expected. Not that I am displeased, but I find that I am enjoying the esoteric aspects of this fic, and I am afraid you might all have to just suffer through them. It can't all just be mindless action, any knucklehead could narrate that, it's called being a sports commentator. Face it, there's only so many ways to say 'Sun Ce spun low and swept the feet out from beneath his foe and followed up quickly by slamming his tonfas down onto the man's ribcage and shattering it.' before language gives way to a certain ennui and laconic déjà vu.

That being said, I like to vary the stew a little once in a while- the battle sequences are the meat and potato chunks, the overall plot is the soupy broth and the girls getting naked are the spice. Now how's that for puerile analogy?

For the record, my references to Germanic gods are accurate. 'Thunraz', of course, would go on to become the Thor of Norse mythology and Fricco is the ancient Germanic name for Freyja (no, not Frigga/Frikka, wife of Odin) commonly held to be the mistress of the Valkyries, of whom there is more and more evidence being unearthed on the continent, meaning they predate the Norse tribes in Scandinavia.

For the record, the author listens to a lot of metal while scribing these fics, especially where Elryk is concerned. I find that listening to 'The Lost Vikings' by Dethklok, Rob Zombie or that scary Finnish death metal sets the mood well. No, not Nightwish, kiddies, that's symphonic metal. I mean things like Deathchain or Impaled Nazarene. Oddly enough, Rascal Flatts is not on my playlist.

I am quite looking forward to the chapters between wars, simply because there is time to develop characters and plot. For instance, how will Da and Xiao deal with being commanders _and_ overseeing the development of schools for courtesans in the Southlands? How will Shang Xiang handle being a theatre commander in the south, opposing the Shanyue tribes? More than that, how is she going to deal with Liu Bei always mackin' on her?

All these questions, and more, will be answered in due time, my friends. Keep reading and I will give you what you want, just the way you want it.

Except yaoi. Forget it. Get outta my fic.

- Management


	46. Chapter 46

**The Young Conqueror**

Disclaimer: I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 44- Unfinished Business**

"Sun Ce, please, reason with me about this," Zhou Yu pleaded. "We must not withdraw and leave these lands to the other lords!"

"An' I don't agree with you, not this time, anyway." Ce said, standing on the other side of the large table from his strategist, while gathered around them were the other corps commanders. Everyone was silent while these two men debated their points. Mostly they were just stunned to see the two of them not in agreement about the issue. Normally they almost seemed to read each other's minds.

"I must insist, Ce," Zhou Yu said, his voice unusually tight. "We have fought harder, once again, than any other lord who joined the campaign against Yuan Shu and we have bled more, as always. Cao Cao was barely opposed in the north and Liu Bei, while his reinforcements were welcome, arrived only in time to help chase the routing enemy off. Who is entitled to these broad lands if not us?"

"It's not about entitlement, Zhou Yu," Ce replied simply. "Something has to give here. The Southlands are strong, but only because we have not overstretched ourselves. If we occupy even the southern reaches of Yuan Shu's lands, we are opening ourselves to attack from at least two other powerful lords, namely Cao Cao and Yuan Shao."

"But if we leave these lands, then they shall surely take them and these plentiful resources shall be theirs." Zhou Yu countered. "True, we are strong, and slowly growing stronger, but Cao Cao and Yuan Shao's power base will always grow more quickly than ours because they operate ruthlessly on what is essentially a wartime economy. They will plunder these lands to gain immediate capital and further fund their campaigns. We cannot allow them to grow so large that we will not be able to match them."

"All of you, get outta here." Ce said tersely to his commanders. They all bowed and filed out, glad to be away from whatever was happening. Da walked out alongside Sun Shang Xiang, who looked at her sister-in-law, perplexed.

"What's going on there?" Shang Xiang asked. "I would've thought for sure that Ce would be the one spoiling to keep fighting and Zhou Yu would've been the one counseling temperance."

Da shook her head. "I do not know. I too was somewhat confused, but I am sure they both have their reasons."

Ce and Zhou Yu were left alone in the huge tent and they were silent until they made sure everyone was gone. Finally Zhou Yu spoke.

"Ce, this is madness," he said quietly. "We cannot afford to keep giving up these swathes of territory we take. Some other lord will sweep them up and we will certainly be at a disadvantage. Why do we insist on fighting and dying if we have no intention of claiming what we fight for?"

"Because I won't have any of the other lords saying that we are too scared to fight." Ce replied.

"Ce, this isn't about your ego or what the other lords think of you!" Zhou Yu said almost angrily. "If we're not going to claim our spoils, then maybe we should just skulk behind our mighty river, but mark my words, one day, a force we cannot stop will cross it like it is a little stream and because you will not expand our power, we will fall to them. History will remember you and I as the greatest fools of the entire Han."

They stared at one another quietly, their wills wrestling. Finally Zhou Yu sighed and bowed his head, clasping his fist within his hand deferentially.

"I am sorry, Ce. I let my passion get the better of me and forgot my place. You rule us, I am your advisor."

"And there ain't a better one anywhere, pal," Ce said almost cheerfully. "I am glad you got angry, because I wanted you to use all your reasoning to see if you could change my mind about what we are doin' next."

Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes. "What do you have in mind, Ce?" he asked suspiciously.

Ce eyes darkened. "Da doesn't know it, but sometimes at night she cries in her sleep. She keeps murmuring my father's name. She misses him horribly and it tears me up."

Zhou Yu's eyes widened. "Ce, are we preparing to finally avenge ourselves against Liu Biao and Huang Zu?"

Ce grinned. "Yep."

Zhou Yu was silent for a moment. "To be honest, the lands around here, while potentially bountiful, have been mismanaged for decades, if not centuries, and the investment in money and resources it would require to bring them up to an acceptable level of production efficiency will be prohibitive. Jing, on the other hand…"

"While led by am indecisive man, has been ably managed and is immediately profitable." Ce said, finishing Zhou Yu's train of thought. "So here's the deal, pal… we're gonna help finish off Yuan Shu by contributing a couple of brigades. His power is broken, so Cao Cao and Liu Bei can finish the job. The rest of our army is headin' back across the river and we're gonna get our revenge on Liu Biao and take Jing for our own."

Zhou Yu nodded again. "Ce, you are a genius."

"Well, don't let it get out or people are gonna start havin' expectations, alright?" Ce said, waving off the compliment. "Let's get them back in here."

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The commanders were all standing around under the shade of some trees, debating the issue of whether to withdraw or not. The discussion produced some very odd allies in terms of who took what position.

"It makes no sense," Lu Meng reasoned. "We are the ones who defeated Yuan Shu, why should we not keep the land for ourselves? Why let someone else have it?"

"I am probably the least learned general here," Huang Gai said gruffly, "but I believe that I agree with our lord- we cannot effectively hold these lands against the lords of the north and central plains. This territory will become a meat grinder where we exhaust ourselves trying to keep our gains and weakening ourselves elsewhere."

"I agree with Lu Meng." Sun Quan added, breaking his characteristic silence. "We must not be timid if we are to one day pacify the whole land, and we can only do so one territory at a time. If we abandon this place now, we will simply have to fight for it later, against a lord who has exploited its resources to make his armies even more powerful."

"We should keep this land," Shang Xiang agreed. "I for one intend to give Ce an earful if he thinks of quitting. It isn't like him. Maybe all this ruling and worrying about the people is making him soft."

"Did you really just say that about your brother?" Da Qiao asked. "When have you ever known him to be soft about something this important?"

Shang Xiang didn't back down. "Da, I know he is your husband, but this is ridiculous. Lu Meng and Quan are correct in their reasoning. If we give these lands up, what will the other lords think of us? How safe can we be if they think we are too weak to hold on to our possessions?"

"That isn't what I meant," Da said in mild irritation. "I meant there must be more to this than meets the eye. There must be something we don't know."

"With all due respect, my lady, I would think Zhou Yu would be aware of it, then." Lu Meng pointed out. "And clearly they were at odds about the issue."

All heads turned to Elryk and waited for him to weigh in on this matter. Khun was doing his best to translate for the massive Germanic chieftain and it was several seconds before Elryk was caught up. He drew a deep breath and spoke his mind.

"I want to continue the fight," he said in his booming voice while Khun translated for the Chinese. "But I wish to do so because it is what my people and I do. War is our culture. Yes, you all descend from a tradition that reveres the warrior, but it is not like you live for war. Men in my lands are warriors by necessity. We till our own crops, forge our own weapons and build our own houses. You people of the Han have artisans, farmers and architects, as the Romans do- to be a soldier is a profession of choice. None of you were forced to become the great warriors you are. We of the White Wolf fight because we must and because the gods decree that we are their wrath."

The Han warriors were silent. There was no arguing Elryk's last point, for they all vividly remembered the terrible arrival of the god of night on the battlefield mere days before.

"But while I live to fight, I also believe in obedience to one's lord," Elryk added. "If one of my men questions me, I may knock him out for his insolence or I could just as easily lop his head from his shoulders. Our lord Sun Ce is remarkably tolerant of our individual wills. Do not ask me if it is strategically sound for us to keep these lands, for such things have no bearing on my mind. If Sun Ce says we stay and fight, then I will stay and fight. If he says we are to cross the river and go home, then I will yell a few last insults at Yuan Shu's retreating behind and dutifully march home. I respectfully request that you leave me out of this. I came to kill whatever Lord Sun Ce pointed me at."

This was a lot of expression from the giant warrior and the Han generals were still discussing his opinions when Taishi Ci lumbered over and beckoned them all to return to the tent. With some relief, they all filed back in, grateful that some kind of resolution had been reached. The question was what had been decided?

Zhou Yu nodded to the generals and began speaking while Ce waited. "I need three volunteers to stay and help finish off Yuan Shu. The rest of us are going home."

There was a stunned silence. Finally Shang Xiang spoke. "But how are we-"

"I need three volunteers." Zhou Yu said flatly. "Da Qiao and Elryk are excluded. They shall be returning with Sun Ce."

More silence but eventually Huang Gai raised his hand, as did Quan and Lu Meng.

"Exellent," Zhou Yu said in satisfaction. "Each of you shall command a brigade from your own corps. Your brigades shall assist Liu Bei and Cao Cao in destroying what is left of the traitor and then you are to march home. These lands are to be left to their fate."

"But why?" Shang Xiang said in exasperation. "Why the hell did we fight at all?"

"It was never about land, sis," Ce interjected, sparing Zhou Yu the displeasure of arguing with yet another member of the royal family. "It wasn't about land when we fought the Yellow Turbans and it wasn't about land when we fought Dong Zhuo or Lu Bu. We came to deal with yet another traitor, simple as that. We have done our part and now it's time to get home and move on to our next project."

"More pretty bridges?" Shang Xiang said icily.

"No." Ce replied. "While everyone thinks we're still tied up here, we are gonna get our revenge on Liu Biao and Huang Zu. I can't take Jing if we're stuck defending this place."

Da Qiao almost trembled in relief and both Quan and Shang Xiang were elated. The Sun family's revenge was finally upon them! Everyone except Elryk understood immediately why they were going home, and even he had some inkling from stories Lap and Khun had told him.

"Now," Ce said in a firm voice. "Any further objections?"

Of course, there we none. Perhaps the only regret in the room was Elryk's since apparently he was not remaining to fight. He understood the need to return, since Sun Ce had no intention of squandering his precious tactical advantage. If Yuan Shu babbled hysterically to other lords about white devils with blue eyes destroying his mighty army, they would assume he was either crazy or lying and disregard his rants- but only if the mythical giants were nowhere to be seen; until the next time.

And apparently the next time was in a place called Jing.

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Sun Quan, Huang Gai and Lu Meng stood with Liu Bei on the crest of a ridge, looking out toward the north. Each of the Southlands lords had brought just over three thousand men, composed of their best light cavalry regiments. The scarlet and gold soldiers rode by, alongside those of Liu Bei, arrayed in green and led by the massive Zhang Fei.

Liu Bei's eyes were distant as he looked out over the marching armies. He was slightly taller than average, with a high forehead and aquiline features- his eyes were always seemingly off somewhere. He would have been an attractive man if it were not for the almost boyish dreamy expression on his face.

"Such strange weather we had the other day during the battle," he said quietly. It seemed like there was to be a terrible storm, and then it was gone. I do not know what to make of it."

None of the Wu generals said anything in reply, not wishing Liu Bei to inquire further. Quan, who was slightly taller than Liu Bei and had a broader, flatter build, pointed out toward the northeast.

"Yuan Shu's capital lays there, my lord, maybe three-hundred li away. How shall we deal with him now?"

Liu Bei's eyes hardened. "I find his arrogance unforgivable. The very gall he has shown, declaring himself emperor, it will not be tolerated. If he is lucky, then he will die by my hand. But if he is captured, then I shall turn him over to the imperial court for justice."

He turned to look at them now. "The three of you command nearly ten thousand troops. Given your preponderance of light, fast cavalry, I would ask that you sweep on around from the west, harrying Yuan Shu and impeding his movement while my troops attack him from behind. With any luck, Cao Cao will have broken through the northern defenses and will arrive to assist us."

Quan nodded. "My thoughts as well, although I do not share your faith that the Prime Minister will arrive in a timely manner to aid us; be that as it may, your request is sound and I shall comply. We will sweep around and keep him and his men pinned. Do everything you can to keep up, for as you said, we number only ten thousand and Yuan Shu must still have close to seventy thousand in the field, even if they are in disarray."

"The wolf is most dangerous when it is wounded and at bay." Huang Gai grunted. "If he turns and lashes out in blind rage, it could go poorly for us. We must be careful."

Lu Meng laughed. "I must admit, old man, I do not worry about you. If Yuan Shu's entire army ran afoul of you, I am sure they would simply break upon you like waves on a mountainside. If those damnable fuse bombs have not killed you yet, nothing will."

"Lady Shang Xiang chose not to be a part of the expedition?" Liu Bei queried. "That seems unlike her, for I know that she lives for glory on the battlefield."

"My sister has other matters assigned to her," Quan said. "She is now a corps commander and my brother will be assigning her our southernmost theatre, where she will be matched against the savage Shanyue tribes that harry our borders."

Liu Bei nodded sagely. "I have heard of the Shanyue- they are related to the Nanman tribes, so I am told. For years, the Jian An scholars have tried to compose treatises on them and develop strategies for dealing with them. It will be a challenge."

"She's looking forward to it, I think." Quan replied. "The Jian An scholars are better left to composing pretty poetry and interpreting the Analects instead of pondering such things they know nothing of."

Liu Bei cleared his throat. "Of course you meant that respectfully, Lord Sun. You know that our peer Kong Rong is a member of the Jian An Seven."

"No offense was intended, Lord Liu," Quan said simply. "But having read their works, I am most drawn to their poetry and as a descendant of the martial sage I find their treatises on war and tactics somewhat prosaic."

Liu Bei could not argue this point. While the Jian An Seven were brilliant poets, artists and Confucian scholars, they had never produced a tome concerning strategy or warcraft that one would consider stellar. Kong Rong was indeed one of the scholars- the others were Chen Lin, Wang Can, Xu Gan, Ruan Yu, Ying Chang and Liu Zhen. Except for Kong Rong, they all had blood or connubial ties to the Cao family and were vocal advocates of the nihilistic works of Lao-tzu and his representation of honest government. Their works of literature often mocked (subtly) the imperial court and its jaded lifestyle while refraining from florid hyperbole or sterile polemics.

"Shang Xiang will become the Han's leading authority on dealing with the savage tribes of the south," Quan asserted. "Just as the lords to the north could certainly claim more knowledge than the Sun family about how to fight and deal with the Xiongnu."

Liu Bei nodded. "I look forward to hearing about how she fares. You will be so kind as to correspond with me, yes?"

Quan clasped his fist in his hand and nodded his head. "Of course, my lord. Now, if you will excuse us, we might ride off to begin our sweeping maneuver. Time is precious."

Liu Bei watched as the three southerners mounted their horses and rode north. He sighed and looked into the distance.

"One day, a land of peace, under my auspices," he whispered to himself. "And, gods willing, the divine Shang Xiang will belong to me…"

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Ce rode south now, accompanied by Da Qiao, Shang Xiang, Zhou Yu, Xiao Qiao, Taishi Ci and Elryk. Their troops had crossed the river and were returning to their customary stations. Zhou Tai had returned to Wuchang, awaiting Quan's arrival. The air was amongst the generals was one of excitement.

"So you intend, my lord, to avenge yourself on Huang Zu," Da said, almost sighing in satisfaction. "Indeed this has been a long time in coming and I shall be glad to see it."

"You an' me both." Ce said readily. He knew that uniting the realm would wait until after he had restored the honour of his father, slain so treacherously by Huang Zu. Sun Jian's death, while valiant, had not been a worthy one, taken like a tiger in a trap and doomed to perish. The mighty warrior had slain hundreds of men in his final battle, but the outcome had never been in doubt.

"It's about bloody time, too." Shang Xiang added. "I was there when father died too, you know."

"I know, sis," Ce said, recognizing his sister's displeasure. "You will be comin' with me, I promise. After that, you're headin' south to deal with the Shanyue. I cannot assign it to Quan, who is too far away, and I want to trust that theatre to a family member. Lu Meng and Ling Cao are already busy and Zhou Yu needs to be in Baifu with me."

"Who is commanding the southern garrisons now?" Shang Xiang asked, restringing her great bow as she rode.

"A general named Zhu Ran." Zhou Yu answered. "He is a capable man and frankly his task was not an envious one. He was given some seven thousand troops to work with once we had conquered the Wu territory, mostly remnants of various battalions and regiments that were mauled in the previous wars. If he has managed to hold his ground, I will be impressed."

Shang Xiang pondered the assignment and looked over at Fu Chin Ran, who rode nearby. "So, what do you think?" she asked her subordinate and lover.

"We have dealt with the Nanman before, the Shanyue will be little or no different, I imagine," the amazon said simply. "We will take our corps south and develop our strategy from there."

"Spoken like a true field commander." Ce said cheerfully. "There's no one I'd rather have in charge, sis. I know you'll pacify the south in no time."

"Now let us hope that the final stroke against Yuan Shu is a swift one," Zhou Yu intoned. "I would see your brother and our generals return safely, for the enemy's army is still a potent one if it can rally."

"Quan'll be fine," Ce replied easily. "He's not eager to be fightin' for anyone else, he just wants to make sure the job gets done. Between him, Huang Gai an' Lu Meng, Yuan Shu will have his hands full. Especially with Cao Cao and Liu Bei finally involved, this shouldn't take long."

"My concern is Yuan Shao," Zhou Yu said. "He and his younger brother may not be on the best of terms, but they are still family. If Yuan Shu appeals to his brother for help, there could be difficulties."

"I'm hearin' that Yuan Shao is busy with Gongsun-zan, so hopefully that blowhard will keep him busy," Ce added. "By that time, Cao Cao will be ready to take on the Yuans."

Da shook her head. "That will be a terrible war," she said quietly. "Two powerful and ruthless warlords determined to reign supreme… untold numbers will die, Ce."

"Yep," her husband agreed, but grimly. "And there's nothin' we can do about it. Cao Cao's Prime Minister and Yuan Shao's the largest warlord of the central and northern plains. All we can do is keep our borders tight and take care of the issue in Jing.

"What is our plan there, my lord?" Taishi Ci asked. "An unexpected and lightning-fast campaign?"

"Yeah, with all the stuff goin' on, I'm pretty sure Liu Biao is not watchin' our borders too much. He's gonna think we're still fightin' in the north. That's why we're movin' so quickly."

"And we will finally fulfill our pledge to the people of those lands," Da said quietly. "They will welcome the return of the Sun family."

"Everything happens in good time, Da." Ce replied as he gazed toward the south. "But sometimes you have to force the issue. Speakin' of, we need to get back a lot faster than this. All cavalry units are to return will all possible speed, the infantry will catch up when it can!"

He snapped his reins and his horse broke into a gallop. The generals followed him, leaving Elryk, the only one not riding, in charge of the infantry. Others might have been concerned that the massive German commander would lag behind, but he held no fears of this. He remembered the ground Elryk and his Teutons had covered over impossible terrain in a ridiculously short span of time during the battle against Yuan Shu.

One thing was certain- his infantry battalions would come to understand the true meaning of sprinting.

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Quan rode steadily, flanked by his light cavaliers. He was spearheading the flanking maneuver that was to keep Yuan Shu heading north, while Huang Gai rode behind and Lu Meng in the rear. Quan was riding just close enough to the retreating army to be noticed and thereby discouraging any attempts to head west, while Lu Meng's cavalry was swinging in behind and nipping at the enemy's heels, panicking the rear guard and never letting them rest.

At one point, three entire brigades of Yuan Shu's infantry had lost their nerve and charged at Huan Gai's horsemen. The three Wu commanders dashed in like wolves, surrounding the enemy brigades and annihilating them mercilessly. Quan was not pleased with the loss of life, but it could not be helped- the foe was to be swept north and not given time to recover. Following the massacre, no other Yuan units dared to break rank, but continued their flight.

Quan's bow was one of the most powerful in the Southlands, second perhaps to only Shang Xiang's, and she was the better shot. Be that as it may, Quan was still an expert marksman and he intended to let them enemy know it. His cavaliers, armed with light spears, shields and armour, protected him while he dashed within range of an enemy company and fired his bow. Even though he was barely within the maximum theoretical range of a bow, his aim was true and the enemy commander died with an arrow in his neck. By the time his men had organized a response, Quan had pulled back to his original position, well out of their reach. These harassing tactics were turning Yuan Shu's retreat into a barely controlled rout.

With so few men, his role was to be a supporting one in this phase of the campaign, something he was not used to. In all the wars since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, the men of Jiang Dong and Wu had always played a pivotal part in the center of the action. It was they who had assaulted Zhang Jiao's last stronghold and triumphed, it was they who had beaten Hua Xiong at Tiger Trap Pass and forced Lu Bu to retreat from Hu Lao Gate.

Even when they had fought Lu Bu, the Southlanders were the ones who finally breached Xia Pi and brought the dreaded warrior to his knees. He concluded, then, that while he had to be patient and cautious, he would not overlook an opportunity to allow his men to win glory, once their objectives had been achieved.

Audacious, daring strikes and valiant defenses- these were the trademarks of the warriors of the south. Though small in numbers, the soldiers of the Sun family were without equal. Their allies would rejoice and their enemies would quail in fear.

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They had returned to Baifu and Zhou Yu had begun preparations for the campaign against Jing. Most of the regiments that had fought against Yuan Shu would be rested and not participate, except for a few core units, such as the Night Tigers and the Swordwind. Taishi Ci was drilling the men and Sun Ce sat in his throne room and thought darkly of war and revenge.

Normally he was cheerful when considering how he would test himself against a foe, but this was different- he had already bested Liu Biao's forces and what was really at issue was his reckoning with Huang Zu over the death of Sun Jian. Ce was not picturing himself on the battlefield and what he meant to do; his thoughts lay on what he would do with Huang Zu if and when he caught him.

What would he do? What if Huang Zu fled? What if Ce couldn't catch him? What if he retreated beyond Jing? How would Ce follow the treacherous general and bring peace to his father's soul? There was only so much he would be allowed to get away with before the imperial court and others took notice and bade him to stop. Even this was a considerable risk, since Jing was fertile and prosperous and few would want to see it in his hands, not to mention that Liu Biao was favoured by the imperial court, ruling a stable territory surrounded by the chaos and turmoil of brutal, merciless war.

Whatever he did, it would have to be lightning-fast and be completed before anyone could think to protest and stop him. The emperor, already surrounded by treachery and discord amongst his vassals, would want peace, and at any cost. He would order Sun Ce to stop his campaign as soon as he found out, and Ce was not ready to challenge the Son of Heaven and the other lords. Not yet.

What if he was ordered to give up Jing, even after he had conquered it? What would he do then? To submit would be humiliating and make him look like a grasping, ambitious warlord, whereas to disobey such a command would surely make him a traitor in the eyes of all the Han.

His father's spirit cried out for vengeance. A magnificent warrior such as Sun Jian, to be slain by the treachery of a man too cowardly to fight his own battles, but willingly sacrificed hundreds of his own men in order to bring down the Tiger of Jiang Dong- it was intolerable. Sun Ce would not rest until Huang Zu was repaid in full.

His mood was dark as he stalked out of the throne room and went to his family shrine. There he stripped himself to his loincloth and knelt in front of the effigy of the Sun family spirit. Before it burned a flame that was never allowed to die; the fire licked and flickered, orange, crimson and gold tongues of penetrating wisdom and valour, always speaking of fearlessness and duty.

Ce breathed deep as he closed his eyes and knotted his hands in the nine forms, inhaling the incense and feeling his body cleanse itself. The shrine was always kept very warm and the sheen of sweat that formed on his bronze skin glistened in the rich light.

"_In all things be decisive. Consider the impact of your actions on others. Virtue and filial piety are nothing but abstract concepts to the lesser man, but to he of worth they are the light on the path to wisdom and good."_

"_There are only two creatures of any value in this world- those in need and those with the power to help them."_

He thought of what Elryk had told him about religion back in the utmost west and how it played a factor in their lives- the Germans worshipped their gods, the Romans their own pantheon and others had still more gods. It seemed strange to Ce, since virtually everyone in the Han worshipped the same deities and had for years uncounted. There may have been minor local variations, in case a village worshiped a local spirit, but everyone knelt and gave obeisance to Xi Wang Mu, Zhao Jun or Nu Wa. Even the minority of people who had embraced the Great Wheel and followed the path of the Buddha (such as the Sun family) still prayed to the gods of China and the Imperial Ancestors.

He reflected on the frightful appearance of the god of night on the battlefield, summoned seemingly by Elryk's brother, Aengava. Ce did not know if the raging deity he had witnessed was just another personification of a god he worshiped or another being altogether, but either way, it had unnerved him like nothing else ever had. Even the power of Ou Xing, the mighty daemon prince he had fought paled in comparison to the god of night.

How could all these deities be separate? There was only one world and every culture had its own belief about creation and how they came into being. Clearly the vast majority of these cultures would be wrong, but one had to speculate that maybe nobody had it right. After all, had Sun Ce ever _seen_ Xi Wang Mu or Lei Kung?

He had certainly seen the god of night.

Sun Ce also reflected on something Elryk had told him about a new and rather strange religion that had gained popularity in the Roman empire- apparently a small but dedicated faith was spreading, against all odds, preaching of only one creator-deity and his son becoming mortal in order to save humanity from itself. Elryk's take on the subject was vague, of course, so Ce had asked Lap and Khun if they had heard anything of this religion. They answered that they had occasionally met traders who had embraced this faith and they seemed passionate and spoke of peace.

Ce thought back to the 'Way of Peace' preached by Zhang Jiao and he wished these 'Christians' better luck with their interpretation of this universal but seemingly unattainable concept. He would be intrigued to see what people such as Zhou Yu or Da Qiao thought of it.

He felt the heartbeat of the earth and the breath of the wind. Far away, the song of the ocean reached him, deep and resonant. He was one with the world and its power was his.

"_Huang Zu, I am coming for you. This time, there will be no escape."_

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Yuan Shu rode now, in a blind panic through the night. He wailed in frustration as he called out, somehow separated from his bodyguard and now left alone. Though these were his own lands, he knew nothing of the terrain and it seemed now to turn against him.

His heart pounded as he recalled the terrifying images that had confronted him during the battle against that traitor Sun Ce- the giant, yellow-haired devils that poured out of the woods and massacred his men, and the unreal visage that appeared overhead, that of a malevolent and alien deity that shouted for his destruction. He remembered the spirit wolves that overran his army, running in the wake of women-warriors in shining armour that slew mercilessly, their eyes like baleful stars.

He could barely see in the dark and suddenly his breath left him as he was knocked from his horse by a low branch. His horse shrieked and rode off into the night. Yuan Shu called for it but it simply did not obey. He rolled onto his side, holding himself and shuddering in fear. His splendid uniform was tattered and dirty, he had lost his beautiful, peaked helmet and his ankle throbbed horribly.

Shakily, he pulled himself to his feet and hobbled through the forest, not at all sure where he was headed. Panting and trying to master himself, he moved as fast as he could, knowing that the enemy could not be that far behind. Even as he fought fear, outrage pounded in his heart- how dare these puny lords turn their hands against the Emperor under Heaven? How could they not know their place?

Not far ahead he finally spied a torch and glints of yellow uniforms.

He had found one of his own patrols!

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Lei Bo and Chen Lan were standing around a fire they had built, discussing their next move. They had both had enough of this fool Yuan Shu and his preposterous claim to be emperor. The Yuans as a whole were insufferable and arrogant beyond belief. They could not bear to serve the family anymore.

"We could join with the Prime Minister," Chen Lan suggested. "It is my understanding that he often employs people who show talent, even if they were at one time his enemy."

Lei Bo considered the proposal. "Yes, but talent is relative, my friend. He is every bit is likely to just have us beheaded. He can be quite merciless."

"What about joining with Liu Bei?"

Lei Bo made a wry face. "And be forced to attend virtually daily sermons on the virtues of virtue and a virtuous life of virtue? Thank you, but no, that would be every bit as troublesome as continuing to serve Yuan Shu."

"Do we head, then, for the south and ask for clemency from Sun Ce?" Chen Lan asked. "His forces control the southern reaches of this land already and I am told he does not execute people out of hand."

"Lu Fan, Qiao Rui and Zhang Xan respect him greatly," Lei Bo mused. "They advised our lord to not cross him or treat him poorly and Yuan Shu, in his arrogance, did so anyway."

The generals and advisors he was referring to were part of Yuan Shu's inner circle and they had expressed great admiration for the lord of Wu.

"Perhaps we should consult with them," Chen Lan said. "Maybe they will-"

They both drew their swords as someone staggered out of the bushes, looking harried and frightened. The person came towards them, their eyes wide and skin pale with fright.

"You two…" Yuan Shu said breathlessly. "Protect me, now…"

Lei Bo and Chen Lan stared in bewilderment.

"Yuan Shu?" Lei Bo said incredulously.

"Yes, I am your lord, you fools!" he said harshly. "Now get me to safety this instant, I command you as emperor!"

The two men looked at one another and then back at Yuan Shu. It took only half a moment before Lei Bo decided his course of action.

The commanders seized the pretender to the throne and held him fast. Yuan Shu gasped in fright and protest but with Chen Lan holding a blade to his throat, there was little he could do. Lei Bo siezed his rich (if somewhat dingy) clothing and stripped it from him. His splendid tunic was removed and his gilded armour taken from him as well.

Lei Bo grinned wolfishly as he eyed the prizes. Yuan Shu trembled in outrage, wearing now little more than his undergarments.

"Chen Lan, do you wish for the armour or the clothing?" Lei Bo asked. "Both sets of items seem worthy; I say we divide them along those lines. They will fetch a fine price, once they are cleaned up."

"You cannot do this!" Yuan Shu hissed. "I am your emperor! You serve me!"

"You are a deluded fool," Chen Lan spat, tugging on Yuan Shu's hair and growling in his ear. "Finding or coming into possession of the imperial seal does not make you an emperor, any more than wearing a turtle shell on your head makes you a turtle, and that adornment would certainly suit you better."

Yuan Shu whimpered in pain as the treacherous ruffian pulled on his hair. "You're hurting me!"

"What of it, dung?" Lei Bo said harshly, slapping him across the face. "For generations your family has hurt countless thousands with its arrogance. Soon, the filthy Yuans will be no more. Your power will be brought to naught and so will your brother's."

They tied his hands behind his back.

"Please, do not kill me!" Yuan Shu said piteously, pale with terror.

"Oh, we will not kill you," Lei Bo said contemptuously. "But turning you out, unprotected and left to your own devices in hostile country, that I am fully prepared to do."

They laughed as they gathered up their spoils and mounted their horses. Yuan Shu stayed still, unwilling to attracted any further attention to themselves. He waited until they had ridden off a good distance before he worked on untying his hands and then fled east, toward Shou Chun.

At least he prayed he was heading east…

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Sun Quan, Huang Gai and Lu Meng were considering a report they had just received, indicating that Yuan Shao was sending troops to assist his brother, led by an adopted son, Tang. If the estimates were correct, he was leading just over twelve thousand troops.

"That is less than he could have sent, I think." Huang Gai mused. "A pittance, almost, given the might of Yuan Shao's army."

"A half-hearted response to his brother's plea for help," Lu Meng added. "Knowing Yuan Shu, he probably didn't ask, but commanded that a relief force be sent, seeing as how he is supposedly emperor. Their numbers are not much greater than our own."

"Yes," Quan agreed. "But I am loathe to be caught between this new force and those awaiting us in Shou Chun. What is the disposition of this Yuan Tang's army?"

"Mostly cavalry," Lu Meng replied. "If we were to commit ourselves to the attack on Shou Chun, this new army could sweep in behind us, and we are ill-equipped to fight a defensive battle."

Quan thought hard. "We will meet Yuan Tang's force and destroy it first. Then we shall move on to Shou Chun. I will head directly west to meet them head-on and keep their attention. You will both flank wide to the north and south and attack from behind. We must hit them hard and fast, routing them if possible, since a drawn-out battle is not to our advantage. How far away are they?"

"Not more than three days, my lord." Lu Meng said.

"Very well," Quan decided, nodding. "Watch them carefully and just their movements and speed. In exactly two days, at this hour, I shall block their path. That is when you are to be in position and strike. Then we head on to Shou Chun to finish off Yuan Shu."

The generals nodded dutifully.

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"Messenger from Yuan Shu, my lord." Taishi Ci said, leading a man in imperial yellow into the throne room. Ce sat quietly, waiting for the man to begin his envoy."

The envoy knelt and bowed his head humbly. "Your worthy bodyguard was not entirely correct, great lord of the Southlands. Indeed I am from Shou Chun, but I come not in Lord Yuan Shu's name, I come at the behest of the generals Qiao Rui and Zhang Xan. They both wish to send their congratulations on a campaign well-fought, for surely the outcome never seemed in doubt."

"Is that right?" Ce said mildly, wondering what this was all about.

"Yes, sire," the man said. "They wished for me to express their heartfelt admiration for you. They deem you valiant, wise and worthy, in spite of your tender years."

"You're not settin' me up for a demand to surrender, are you?" Ce asked. "Because you can probably guess what my answer is."

The messenger smiled and nodded. "Aye, Lord Sun Ce. You would, quite rightly, march all the way back to Shou Chun to make your displeasure with such pretentious arrogance known."

Ce narrowed his eyes. "So you're sayin' you got sent all this way to express your commanders' admiration for me?"

"Yes, my lord," he said truthfully. "I cannot think of a better envoy. Many within Lord Yuan Shu's camp admire you, as they did your father."

"Don't you mean "Emperor Yuan Shu?" Ce queried.

The envoy bowed low. "We fight for our lord because it is our duty, sire, even if we cannot bring ourselves to agree with all of his assessments of himself."

Ce shrugged. "Well, Qiao Rui and Zhang Xan are welcome to come and serve me here if Shou Chun is not to their taste. I'm more than willin' to employ honourable warriors and commanders."

"They are currently facing Cao Cao, and their armies will soon fall," the man said somberly. "In this they dispatch their final duty, and this was to be mine. However, amongst our generals there was not universal agreement of the duty we owe the Yuans. Some of our learned commanders follow the teachings of Mencius."

Ce nodded. Mencius, the most renowned interpreter and scholar of Confucius' teachings, had said that a ruler who treats his people poorly and manages incompetently loses the mandate of the heavens and people should rebel or eschew allegiance to the man.

The envoy continued. "Once war had been declared, the generals who were so versed agreed amongst themselves that those who felt compelled to stay and fight would understand the equally admirable principals of those who defect, as long as they cleaved to a noble lord."

The throne room doors opened again and in came a slender and intelligent-looking man. He approached and knelt next to the envoy, kow-towing.

"Great lord, I am Lu Fan, previously a general under Lord Yuan Shu. As the good envoy has said, there are those of us who could not abide by the follies of the ruler and though it pained us, we broke from our duty. Some have gone north to serve Cao Cao, but I felt compelled to ride for Baifu. I deem there to be no more worthy man in all the Middle Kingdom than yourself."

"So you disagree with the men who chose to serve the Prime Minister?" Ce asked.

"I think he is a great man, Lord Sun Ce," Lu Fan said. "He is intelligent and fair, but ruthless and full of ambition. If you do not fit into his design, you are cast aside or destroyed. He lacks nobility, and who aside from the ancient houses of Liu, Kong, Yuan and Sun can claim such a thing?"

"And what is it you seek of Lord Sun Ce, Lu Fan?" Sun Shang Xiang asked pointedly, standing near her brother. "Would you wage war in his name?"

"If need be," Lu Fan said honestly. "But I have campaigned for many years now and I have had my fill of war. I would sooner work in the employ of a wise ruler, using my gifts of persuasion and reasoning to bring about his noble ends."

"Alright, then." Ce said easily. "I accept your service, Lu Fan."

"That easily, my lord?" Taishi Ci asked. "This man who was once your enemy strolls in after you have defeated him and asks to serve you and-"

Sun Ce looked at the commander of the Night Tigers, his eyebrow raised.

"Oh, right. Never mind." Taishi Ci said somewhat sheepishly and resumed his quiet looming.

Ce returned his attention to Lu Fan. "I have two men already that I would consider capable emissaries, Zhou Yu and Lu Xun, but they are also trusted commanders and I need them. You will be tested and given your office regalia as soon as possible. I trust you understand you'll be confined to Baifu for a while, yes?"

"Of course, my lord. Thank you." Lu Fan said humbly, bowing again.

"Do you have family we need to send for somehow?"

"No, my lord. Part of my reason for leaving Lord Yuan Shu's service was that he-"

"Never mind, I am sure I can guess." Ce said. "Your former master is lost, even if he won't accept it yet. Don't hold a grudge, I think you oughta pity him."

"As you say, my lord." Lu Fan agreed. "I live to serve Wu, as I have long held you in admiration. You have my thanks for your patronage."

"Well, unlike Cao Cao, I think everyone has a place and purpose," Ce said cheerfully. "And a ruler's job is to let people live their lives in peace and find prosperity."

"Where would you direct me, lord?" Lu Fan asked.

"Got a question for you first," Ce answered. "And answer honestly."

Lu Fan bowed.

"I have returned because I intend to take Jing." Ce said. "What do you have to say to that?"

Lu Fan looked up at Sun Ce and considered. Normally he would have not dared to raise his head without permission, but he sensed that Sun Ce was different and he wanted this remarkable young lord to see the heartfelt honesty in his eyes.

"I think I am saddened, my lord, that you cannot employ my services as an emissary in time for this venture. You go now to avenge the death of Lord Sun Jian, your peerless father and Liu Biao is still a favourite of the imperial court. You will need men gifted with honeyed speech if you are to keep the lands you take, and I am too new to be trusted in such a capacity."

"Oh, he's good, Ce." Shang Xiang remarked.

"And if I did trust you?" Ce asked.

"Then I would I question your judgment, lord." Lu Fan said. "There will no doubt be future occasions where I can render service in the manner I seek, but this is not one of them. I shall exercise all due patience to attain this privilege."

Ce stood. "My sister's right, you are good, Lu Fan," Ce said, standing. "Welcome to Baifu."

Lu Fan bowed again, grateful. "Thank you, great lord. You are a man of peerless honour. I had made my final decision when I heard the outrageous tales from Yuan Shu's corps about the insidious and mystical methods you used to destroy his mighty army. All manner of rumour spread about terrible, pale-skinned devils wielding horrifying weapons that no foe could stand against, and that they-"

At that moment, Elryk entered the throne room, accompanied, as always, by Glandyth and Theudis. The titan Germanic chieftain strode up to the dais and saluted, after the manner of his people. Lu Fan's eyes were wide as gongs. He stood and stared up and Elryk in wonder. The blond general did his best to ignore the scrutiny for as long as he could. Ce put up a staying hand to him as it reached for the sword on his belt.

Lu Fan looked at Ce in bewilderment. "The devils _do_ exist…" he breathed.

"Let me guess," Elryk growled. "He called me a devil or something, right?"

Ce laughed and even though he couldn't understand what Elryk was saying, he was pretty sure he knew what was being asked.

"No, Lu Fan," he said cheerfully. "They are a tribe of men from the Uttermost West, beyond the Barrier Mountains."

Lu Fan shook his head. "That is not possible. There is no such civilization beyond the mountains."

"Lesson number one in your re-education, Fan," Ce chided, holding up a finger. "The Middle Kingdom has neighbours, empires as old as ours and we can't ignore 'em any more."

"But first thing's first!" Ce called to the room. "The Middle Kingdom needs a house to lead it and restore nobility and order so the common people can live freely. And that's gonna be the Sun family!"

Everyone cheered, including Elryk, even if he had no idea what was being said.

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Quan sat atop his tall horse and looked around the battlefield. The ugly gash across his upper arm was beginning to ache, now that the blood had stopped flowing freely. He ignored the wound and called out to his men, raising his Wolf Blade overhead and calling in victory. His brigade responded in kind.

The field was littered with the corpses of men and horses, the vast majority of them belonging to Yuan Tang. The Yuan cavalry, confronted by Quan's brigade, had charged headlong at him, failing to notice that Lu Meng was closing in from behind, as was Huang Gai.

Quan had pulled back, keeping the enemy's attention until they realized they were flanked, then he turned about and hit them, hard. In the confusion, Yuan Tang's slightly superior numbers counted for nothing and he was shot dead by Quan mere seconds into the wild melee. Nearly three quarters of the enemy force perished soon after and the rest fled or surrendered. Quan's forces counted less than a thousand dead or wounded.

Lu Meng rode up and he grimaced when he saw the blood spot spreading slowly across Quan's tunic. He leapt from his horse and examined the wound.

"It is wide, but not deep," he concluded. "It bleeds profusely and then staunches easily enough. I would have preferred Ren Neng be here, but we will do what we can in the meantime."

"It is nothing," Quan said absently, hardly noticing the wound. "As you say, it looks worse than it is. My arm will no doubt ache for a time, but it is not my sword arm, so I can still fight."

"What now, my lord?" Lu Meng asked as he stopped fussing over the wound. "We have nearly two thousand prisoners suddenly."

"Release them." Quan replied. "They are no concern of ours. Our goal remains Shou Chun and we must hurry back to assist. We have been sidetracked by a full two days and if they turn around and fight, Liu Bei may be the worse for it."

"Is it safe to just let them go?" Lu Meng wondered.

"They have been defeated, badly, and their morale will be low. Tell them to head back to Yuan Shao and report what they have seen here. The Sun family will always rise about the Yuan."

Lu Meng nodded and rode off. Quan rallied his troops and spoke to the commanders.

"Lu Meng and Huang Gai will catch up as soon as they can. We must make it back to the road to Shou Chun as soon as we can. Our allies will have need of us."

He rode now east, his wound bound and forgotten. Behind him rode his cavaliers and ahead lay the enemy. Nothing would deter him.

"_Father, watch over us, your children. Lend strength to my ambition…"_

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Shou Chun was abuzz with frantic activity, while frantic reports flooded in from every direction. Several generals had been routed in the north by Cao Cao and slain or executed. Troops still streamed through the gates from the south, followed closely by Liu Bei's forces. Supposedly the entire southern army had been routed by the Sun family's troops after the Southerners had conjured demons to fight for them. All manner of wild speculation ran through the streets, but one big question remained…

Where was Lord Yuan Shu?

The sun was rising when horns sounded in the east and a host came marching toward the city, lead by none other than Yuan Shu, riding arrogantly atop a horse. Behind him marched nearly a hundred-thousand men, tough-looking and have an ill-meaning look about them.

The commander of the city, a man named Chen Ji, rushed out to greet his master and bowed low.

"Master! Thank the gods you are safe!"

"No thanks to you," Yuan Shu said haughtily as he looked down from his mount. "It was only thanks to Yu Fuolo and his men that I have been saved at all."

Chen Ji glanced at the man who followed close behind Yuan Shu. He was a rugged, ill-favoured man who grinned wolfishly. His clothes were rough, as were those of his men, but they all bore the scars of untold battles and a life of welcomed hardship.

The Black Mountain Bandits.

"These men succored me when _your_ compatriots robbed me and left me for dead in the forest," Yuan Shu said accusingly. "Yu Fuolo found me and made sure I was unharmed. He then agreed to fight for me, in return for rank and steady pay for his men."

Chen Ji bowed hastily. "My lord, these men are the Black Mountain Bandits! They are known for their treachery and they-"

"Silence!" Yuan Shu said harshly. "These men saved me when my own could not! What service have you rendered that compares? Speak not to me of such idiocy! I am the emperor and these brave warriors follow my will! You should protest less and act in my name more if you wish to keep any favour I still show you."

Chen Ji bowed again.

"Now then," Yuan Shu declared. "I have returned and I shall see to the defense of my city. Yu Fuolo and his troops are to be fitted with proper gear, for they shall oppose Cao Cao in the north. Chen Ji, you are your garrison shall attempt to redeem yourselves by repulsing any attack that fool Liu Bei makes here in the south."

Chen Ji nodded while Yu Fuolo smirked evilly, knowing that he had his way at this point in time. Soon he would know real power.

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Chen Ji stood in the tall tower and looked south. A cloud was being raised by the approach of the enemy army. Liu Bei was coming to Shou Chun, to deal with Yuan Shu. If the scouts were right, his army numbered some forty to fifty thousand- hardly enough to begin a siege by themselves, but with Cao Cao's army bearing down from the north…

Chen Ji glowered as he thought of Yu Fuolo and his self-serving ambition. Chance had brought Yuan Shu to the Black Mountain Bandits, not the will of the heavens. If one of Chen Ji's loyal patrols had found Yuan Shu, he would not be trying to redeem himself at this point in time but instead be valiantly mustering the defense of Shou Chun in his lord's name.

But Yuan Shu's folly had brought them to this. He had foolishly declared himself emperor and he seemed to believe this was true, even if none of his subordinates or subjects did. Only tradition and Confucian fidelity had kept anyone by his side up to this point. Chen Ji had wrestled with this quandary, as had so many other advisors and generals serving Yuan Shu. He promised himself he would not resent those who had felt the need to turn their back on their duties, because he knew that their decision was not born of cowardice, but principle.

It irked him somewhat that principle could divide men, even when they all sought truth and harmony. Chen Ji was familiar enough with the writings of Mencius to realize that there were sound arguments to be made in favour of defecting or even overthrowing one's lord, but all men were human deserved the chance to learn from their mistakes, even Yuan Shu.

He thought about a letter he had received, from Baifu of all places. It had been given into his care while Yuan Shu was in the field. Normally he would never have opened it, but something told him it was something he really needed to do.

The letter had been written, apparently, by Sun Kai-Ying, daughter of the Lord of the Southlands. It was simplistic in its approach, obviously the work of a child, but heartfelt and filled with an understanding of the Tao and the will of nature and the Heavens, as only the heart of an innocent could express. It pleaded with the man who called himself emperor to treat people kindly and to serve the will of the gods faithfully. It was a plea for life, tolerance and benevolence.

If Yuan Shu had seen it, he probably would have executed the messenger who bothered to waste his valuable time with such tripe.

The letter sat now in his pocket and Chen Ji reflected on it's simple truth- if everyone embraced such a message and eschewed arrogance and ambition, perhaps the Middle Kingdom would peace and countless lives would not pave the path they were now heading down.

He would discharge his duty, and he knew that he could stop Liu Bei. He was even reasonably certain that Yu Fuolo and Yuan Shu could defeat Cao Cao, for Shou Chun was indeed a strong place.

But what then?

Yuan Shu would surely regroup and march again and the land would be bathed in blood as he headed toward Yong'an. Without lords such as Liu Bei and Cao Cao to oppose him, who would stop him?

What of the Sun family?

They controlled now the south of these lands that belonged to Yuan Shu. If they moved against him, there might be hope to at least keep him in check.

Chen Ji had received word that Sun Quan commanded a small force that was accompanying Liu Bei to Shou Chun, but had pulled off to deal with Yuan Tang in the west. Normally Chen Ji would have welcomed the reinforcements, but…

He gripped his head in his hands, frustrated by what all this meant. He wanted to discharge his duty but he yearned not for victory. He felt somehow that if he succeeded, his failure in being a man of virtue would be all the greater. He needed to find a way to balance things, to let the heavens decide what was to be.

He sent now for his son, a young man of noble bearing whom he trusted implicitly. The boy bowed humbly, wearing his new sword on his hip.

"Son," he said somewhat sadly. "A terrible day of reckoning is upon us and many undeserving of death shall die."

"As you say, father," the young man replied. He knew his father was troubled by all this. "What would you have me do?"

"Sun Quan rides in from the west," Chen Ji said quietly. "He commands three thousand men, his sub-commanders not having caught up with him yet. If I asked you to show them the postern gate, would you understand why?"

The young warrior thought hard but finally nodded. "It gives Liu Bei a fighting chance," he said. "If Lord Yuan Shu is meant to rule, then he will defeat an enemy even within his own city. The Heavens will judge his worthiness."

"You are a clever boy," Chen Ji said proudly. "Is this something you can do?"

"Most certainly, father," the son said, bowing. "I am most eager to see if our lord indeed does have the mandate of Heaven."

He was turning to leave when Chen Ji put a hand on his shoulder.

"My son," he said sadly. "Know this, for you are old enough to bear a man's responsibilities now… this is my final battle. Even if we triumph, I have no intention to live long enough to see a day where Yuan Shu rules the Middle Kingdom."

The young man stared at him, not knowing that to say.

"You are absolved, my son, of all ties to Yuan Shu once you have discharged this assignment in Heaven's name. You are to be the piece that initiates the call for balance. Once you have done this, take your mother and sister and head south for Baifu. Serve Lord Sun Ce as best you can, for he is worthy of our devotion."

"Father," the boy pleaded. "Come with us, then."

"I cannot, my son," he replied. "I see my time has come, though it pains me to be separated from you all, if only for this lifetime. I choose many lives over my own and I shall show all the true meaning of fidelity, by serving my lord and then sacrificing myself, to be free of him."

His son's eyes glistened. "Father…"

Chen Ji pulled his son to him and held him tight, not wanting to let go.

In the distance, Liu Bei's horns sounded.

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From atop a tall tower, Yuan Shu watched haughtily, once again splendidly arrayed in gold and imperial yellow. His sturdy sword sat on his hip and he gazed upon the battle that whirled about on the plains outside the city. Cao Cao's forces were being held up nicely by Yu Fuluo's men while his Shou Chun garrisons assembled ballistae and catapults on the strong walls.

Out of reach of missiles and even rocks from siege engines, Yuan Shu seemed almost casual or indifferent as he observed the battle's progression. Messengers brought him reports while poets sat nearby, recording all they saw and scribing ballads about their lord's heroic victory.

Perhaps it had not all gone as he initially planned, but here he would crush his foes and then the way to Yong'an would be open to him. His superiority proven, none would stand against him, even his own brother. He fingered the imperial seal as it sat in the pocket of his robe, comforted by its ancient weight. He could feel the generations of history that it represented, culminating in his ascension to the throne, sung by the Heavens and welcomed by the Celestial Hosts as their representative on earth.

He smiled easily, confident that before the year was out, the throne would be his, as it should be.

To the south, Liu Bei was attempting to assault the walls, but they were too strong. Even with the feared Zhang Fei at his side, the so-called 'Scion of the Han' could do nothing to break the city. He had considered not receiving reports about the battle in the south, since it was so inconsequential, and perhaps leaving the reports until later for some light reading. The real battle, after all, was being fought on the plain north of Shou Chun.

The sky was growing dark and a cold wind blew. Something about the phenomenon discomfited him and he decided to descend to the throne room of his donjon, where at least he could be comfortable. He turned about and made his way down the stairs.

He didn't notice the gigantic siege engines being assembled just across the river to the north, beyond the perimeter of the battle.

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Sun Quan stared down at the young man who was kneeling before him. He certainly seemed in earnest, but it was a stroke of fortune almost too good to be believed.

"Please heed my father's words, great lord," he pleaded. "This was his final wish of me as he dispatches his duty in the name of the Heavens."

"Not in the name of your lord, Yuan Shu?" Quan asked.

"The fates have dictated who his lord is to be, sire, and my father cannot change that without breaking an oath he swore of faithful service. He told me that he will die this die, for only then will he be free of this obligation. If Yuan Shu is meant to rule, then your foray into the city will not change that."

Quan looked at his commanders, looking for their opinion. Du Gan, the senior officer present, bowed and spoke.

"We should take this chance, my lord," he said. Trap or no, a postern gate is a blessing; any peril should be dared in order to break into the city."

"I concur, my lord," another man added. "We are not at all equipped for a siege, and these walls are as stout as any we have faced. Liu Bei commands five times as many men as we do and he is making no headway."

"The postern gate is lightly guarded from the inside, lord," the young man said. "I believe this is your best chance…"

Quan considered for a few more seconds and then turned to a scout. "Head back to Huang Gai and Lu Meng. Tell them to follow us in. We cannot wait for them, we have to move, quickly."

The scout nodded and dashed off.

Quan bade the young man to rise and observed him.

"You do not look like the sort who would defect easily or for a bribe. If you do wish to serve the Sun family, what is it you want in return?"

"To honour my father's wishes by serving a virtuous lord, a strong one who cares for the people and does not aggrandize himself at their expense but still has nobility. Only the Sun family can make such a claim in this day and age, lord."

"Not the imperial house?" Quan asked.

"Nay, lord, for they are the cause of all the chaos," the man said somewhat forlornly. "The Son of Heaven has forgotten the people, sitting behind walls of pearl and jade, surrounded by silken and gold luxury while pondering poetry and the virtues of white and green tea. There is no place for the common man in his secluded world."

Quan knew the truth of it.

"Very well," he said, taking a single black arrow out of his saddle quiver and handing it to the young man. "You shall accompany us south when this is over. Gather up your mother and sister and wait for men at our guard post three _li_ to the west. Show them this arrow and they will know you have come from me. Now go. You have five minutes before my men and I assault the postern gate…"

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Yuan Shu was sitting in his throne room, frowning as he read the reports that were coming in. The siege in the south had not changed, naturally, but the battle in the north was proving a hard-fought contest. Some minutes earlier, the northern walls of the city had been shaken by rocks from the colossal catapults that Cao Cao had constructed and moved up. As they forced the Black Mountain Bandits back, the siege engines moved closer, firing their massive projectiles not only against the walls and gate but into the city. The huge rocks were now landing in the northern quarter and causing havoc; true, Yuan Shu was in no danger, but the effect it was having on his mindless servants was quite tiresome.

"Dispatch the Jade Hawks to provide fire support from the walls," he ordered. The Jade Hawks were masterful counter-siege engineers, who skillful use of defensive machines would help break the enemy lines and move the fight back toward the north, forcing Cao Cao's catapults back out of range.

He was deciding between green and white tea when the doors burst open and a messenger came dashing into the room, his face pale with panic. He stumbled to his knees and bowed hastily.

"Your majesty!" he said, trying to catch his breath. "The enemy is inside the walls!"

"What?" Yuan Shu declared, rising. "How is this possible?"

"We do not know!" the messenger said, trying to control himself. "We have just received word!"

Yuan Shu bit his lip. "But Cao Cao is nowhere near the walls and Liu Bei is stymied by the strength of our defenses! How could anyone possibly-"

"The Sun!" shouted another messenger as he ran into the throne room. "The Sun family is within the city! The Sun family has come!"

Yuan Shu seemed paralyzed. Even as people all about him babbled and began rushing around, he was still as a statue, lost in the horrific memories he associated with the name- demons, pale and terrible, ripping apart and feeding on his men… bright-eyed women warriors, charging through his ranks, felling all with their wraith-like spears…

The terrifying face in the clouds, the visage of a god of the most wrathful hell.

Not again. It could not be.

His guards tried to lead him out of the throne room and he walked along almost woodenly. The southern walls were compromised and Liu Bei's troops were almost within the city.

The judgment of Heaven was about to be brought down.

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Quan and his men hacked their way into the streets, heading for the structure that housed the mechanism which controlled the gates. High above, other cavaliers were clashing with the guards on the wall, safeguarding the approach for Liu Bei and his troops.

Quan drove his blade through the chest of a spearman and kicked him away. He tore open the door into the building and shouted, brandishing his sword at the men inside and they fled. His troops began working the mechanism and the huge gates groaned open.

Seconds later, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei thundered into the city, followed by their men.

The men of Wu watched as the battle in the streets spread. His heart was still hot within him, but Quan mastered himself and waved for his men to assemble and prepare to move out. They were no longer needed here and once again, the Southlands had done more than its part.

Jing awaited.

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Zhang Fei swung his Viper Spear in a wide arc and men hurtled backward from the force of the strike, dead before they hit the ground. The massive general was virtually a one-man vanguard as Liu Bei's forces drove deep into the city, searching ever for Yuan Shu. He wielded the huge weapon with ridiculous ease, in spite of its eighteen spans and its girth. Twice as tall as his brother, Guan Yu, he could wield it with devastating and unparalleled effect, rivaled only the Green Dragon.

Zhang Fei bellowed and charged headlong into a company of swordsmen, knocking several over with his charge before he began laying about with great sweeps of his weapon, clearing the way for his comrades. His body, little more than a mountain of muscle, controlled the huge spear expertly and no one survived its lethal touch.

Liu Bei was close by, felling his foes with his dua swords. He lacked Zhang Fei's skill and power, but his élan meant few could stand against him. He fought with the righteous fury of a man who sought to restore order to a world gone mad and he would not rest until he found Yuan Shu and held him accountable. The normally dreamy look in his eyes was replaced a keen flash that pierced his foes' hearts.

They fought their way toward the donjon, even as the chaos within the city grew. Troops pulled back from the northern walls to repulse the invaders, but Liu Bei's momentum could not be stayed. The Scion of the Han drove straight toward the donjon.

Liu Bei had reached the great square that stood before the donjon and charged straight into the heavy troops that awaited him. Their tight-knit formations were shattered by Zhang Fei, who was like a raging bull in their midst, unstoppable and terrifying in his wrath.

The gilded doors of the donjon opened and Yuan Shu came out, accompanied by his elite guard, the newly-formed _Huben_, the Tiger Corps, named after the warriors who guarded the emperor. He gazed out over the frenzied melee in the square and spied Liu Bei.

"Yuan Shu!" shouted Liu Bei angrily, pointing his sword at the usurper. "Your self-proclaimed title of emperor mocks the glory of the Han! Relinquish the imperial seal and submit to the justice of Heaven!"

Yuan Shu's eyes scanned the city- no sign of the crimson and gold of the Sun family. Obviously the stupid guards had been mistaken. He coloured furiously at Liu Bei's demand.

"Fool!" he shouted back, drawing his sword. "Bow before your emperor or die!"

Both sides rushed forward, eager to prove their righteousness at the point of a sword.

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Outside the fortress of Shou Chun, Yu Fuolo was kneeling on one knee, panting as he tried to hold himself up, using his sword as a prop. His armour was dented, his battle tunic shredded. All around him, his men were being forced back, pounded in a near rout by Cao Cao's merciless crossbow battalions and the relentless press of halberdier regiments.

He had not yet gained his balance when a company of horsemen rode up. They stopped in front of him and he even without looking up he knew who it was.

Cao Cao stared down at the brigand coldly, waiting to see what he would do.

Yu Fuolo let his sword drop from his grip, pressed his knuckles to the ground and kow-towed humbly. He knew whom he would faithfully serve.

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Quan rode south now, eager to return to Wuchang and from there to meet up with Ce's forces that were heading to Jing. Their father's spirit would finally know rest.

"My lord, should we not have stayed?" Huang Gai asked. "Even though we gained the walls, the fight was not really over."

"I disagree, old friend," Quan said easily, watching the road ahead. "Liu Bei's forces should suffice, and Cao Cao's forces cannot be far behind. Our men have won the battle by gaining access to the city. We go now, before any more of our men get uselessly killed. Aside from that, something deep and foreboding tells me we do not want to be there when the Cao Cao gets in the city."

They rode steadily south, passing remnants of Yuan Shu's army, shattered by their engagement with the Southlands. Some soldiers, injured or just exhausted, ignored the little army, while others kow-towed respectfully. They were making no attempt to secure the lands so recently abandoned by the Wu forces, preferring to leave the area and their memories behind.

They stopped briefly at Zhiliang, where the villagers welcomed Quan and fed the commanders. Quan heard rumours of a member of the Yuan family staying in a small inn and went to investigate. He was led to a simple room wherein a man lay on the bed, tended by a girl. When Quan entered she stood and bowed before backing away from the bed but watching carefully.

Quan stood over the man and gazed down at him. He was definitely a Yuan, sharing many of the family features. The stricken man's eyes fluttered open and tried to focus on him.

"Who are you?" Quan asked simply.

The man closed his eyes and wet his mouth, attempting to speak.

"Yao…"

"Yuan Yao?" Quan asked, surprised. "I thought my brother had slain you."

"Like as much," the man said weakly. "For surely I have been on death's door all this time."

"Ce said he crushed your ribcage."

"He did," Yao replied. "Have you come to finish what he so cruelly started?"

"Is that what you wish?" Quan asked the man.

"If this is what my life is to be, then yes." Yuan Yao said wearily. "And if you will not show such mercy, then leave me so that my sister may end my suffering for me."

Quan looked at the maid who had moved aside and his eyes opened in wonder. She was beautiful. Her eyes looked away demurely, although he could sense she had been watching him.

He looked at Yuan Yao again. "If I promise you that I have a healer who can make you whole again, will you give me your sister's hand and serve me faithfully?"

In spite of the pain his was in, Yuan Yao's eyes widened. He would have scowled if he could.

"What foolishness is this?" he demanded. "The Yuans serve no one! You may have beaten us in the field, but you have not broken us. We shall surely beat you next time and the world will know our-"

"I have just returned from Shou Chun," Quan said simply. "It has fallen to Liu Bei and Cao Cao. Your father's armies are crushed and he is doubtless slain by now, since the imperial seal has beguiled him and he will not relinquish it."

Yuan Yao could see the sincerity in Quan's eyes, leaving no room for doubt. Unlike so many in his family, he prided himself on his straightforward honesty. He was a warrior. He did not lie and therefore was not easily deceived.

"But my father had the seal," he said, looking at the ceiling. "He was chosen by Heaven."

"No he wasn't, and he didn't have the seal." Quan replied. "He had come into possession of a clever forgery that he mistook for the real item and with it he foolishly declared himself emperor."

Yao closed his eyes, knowing better than the question the veracity of the statement. He knew it to be true.

"Then it is over," he said quietly. "My family is ended. I will not serve my uncle and my father is no more. The House of Yuan is forever shamed."

"Humbled, maybe, but not shamed, necessarily." Quan suggested. "The shame would be in clinging to the absurd dream of your arrogant father becoming emperor, when there is clearly an emperor in Chang'an. And you are correct- if you die, then the Yuan family indeed ends. To what purpose? When all the others die, will you, the last living member of your family, kill yourself out of loyalty to some lofty and undeserved ambition?"

Yuan Yao said nothing.

"Your family is as old as mine," Quan said quietly. "And indeed it is an ancient and noble name. It would be a shame for it to perish, forever forgotten or mocked because of your father, Come then, live and serve me. I ever have need of a strong warrior."

But still Yao stared at the ceiling.

The door opened and in came Chen Ji's son. He saw Yao and rushed over to him. He knelt and held his hand, his eyes wide with concern.

"Lord Yao…"

Yao blinked and looked at the young man. "Bian?"

"Aye, lord. I am glad to see you are alive."

"Barely, and not happy about it," Yao murmured. "And now this Sun is asking me to abase myself and serve him like a commoner."

Chen Bian held his friend's hand closely. "Yao, your father is gone. Your house is ended. Only you and your sister remain now. Please consider her future as well as your own. To serve the Sun family is a noble cause."

Yao's eyes flashed, in spite of his weakness. "The Yuan family-"

"Resides in you alone now," Bian said gently. "And you and I both know that you have no mandate of Heaven. Remember how we spoke of correcting the mistakes of your family when you ascended the throne?"

Yuan Yao stared at his friend. "Yes."

"That time is lost to us, I am afraid. We must find other ways to serve the Heavens. We both swore to never serve your uncle and the imperial house is no better. That leaves other petty lords, Cao Cao or the Sun family. I know which one I have cleaved to. It was my father's dying request."

Yao's eyes widened. "Chen Ji? He… he is…"

Bian nodded sadly.

Yao squeezed his eyes shut and rested his head, staring once again at the ceiling.

"Gan," he said quietly. "Come to me…"

His sister came over and knelt on his other side, taking his hands in hers. She kissed them reverently.

"Do you… agree with what young Bian is suggesting?"

She didn't answer for several moments but finally nodded slowly. "Yes, brother. As you would seek to serve our family, so do I. And I believe that I can do this by keeping our line alive, married to Sun Quan. I also believe Bian's assessment of their virtue. Our family's time is perhaps past, but I would not see our name extinguished. Please heed Bian's words and Lord Sun's offer."

Finally, Yuan Yao nodded. "You have my allegiance, Lord Quan."

Chen Bian nodded. In his pocket, he knew the letter his father had given him, written by some little girl, was to be the salvation of the Yuan family.

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Liu Bei stood amidst the carnage, looking around almost dazedly. He could barely remember what had happened. He had often talked with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei about what it was like for them in the heat of battle. Zhang Fei spoke of burning fury whereas Guan Yu said everything moved slowly, as if waiting until he had decided what to do.

He found Yuan Shu's body lying among those of his guard, his royal yellow robes soaked in gore. He stared sightlessly at the sky, his eyes wide with disbelief. His sword hand was loosely holding the broken hilt of his sword. The other clutched the imperial seal possessively.

Liu Bei knelt and pried the tiny jade thing out of Yuan Shu's hand and looked at it.

"What a tragedy, that the symbol of imperial power and providence should prove the death of countless thousands…" he whispered.

"Eh, what's the imperial house ever done for us recently, except cause problems?" Zhang Fei rumbled as he strode up, his Viper Spear slung over his shoulder.

Liu Bei was about to reprimand his unsubtle brother when two figures rushed over.

"Liu Bei!" called one, dressed in the blue tunic of Cao Cao's forces. "What do you intend to do with the imperial seal?"

"He intends to keep it for his own and do as Yuan Shu attempted, to usurp the throne!" declared the other in outrage. "You traitor!"

"Don't be a fool!" Liu Bei said angrily as he rose. "I intend to restore it to the emperor, as it-"

The two officers drew their swords. "Traitor!" they shouted.

Before anyone could do anything, Zhang Fei had lunged in and had impaled them both on his spear. Their attendants shouted in fright and dashed off, heading north through the city.

"Well, it looks like you've been outmaneuvered by Cao Cao, brother," the huge warrior said wearily. "Cao Cao's gonna say you've taken the imperial seal for yourself. Looks like that was his plan all along."

"Indeed," Liu Bei agreed. "I have been made a fool of. We should go, Zhang Fei."

"What're we gonna go?" Liu Bei's sworn brother asked. "We gonna make a run for Chang'an to return that stupid trinket?"

Liu Bei shook his head. "No, Cao Cao will have every road between here and the capital guarded, expecting exactly that. Come, we will head to Jing, for the protection of Liu Biao."

Zhang Fei lumbered off after his lord.

"That Cao Cao's a serious pain in my ass…" he grumbled. "I just knew he was gonna be."

"I wonder where Lord Quan got off to," Liu Bei wondered. "He just disappeared. I was hoping he would see me fighting Yuan Shu so he could report back to Lady Shang Xiang about how I triumphed and-"

"Oh, will you just shut up about her already?" Zhang Fei groused.

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**Author's Notes: **Sorry about the wait, folks. This was meant to be a filler chapter and I had a terrible time parsing it out. But so much started happening that it sorta morphed and mushroomed. And now it is nearly fifteen thousand words.

Per the request of some of my readership, I am introducing more plot and story with characters from other kingdoms. Naturally the story will remain about Ce, but these other characters are fun enough that I am trying to keep them from being peripheral.

The war against Jing is next, and I know exactly how that is going, so I will pound it out easily and quickly. No writer's block delays! Woo.


	47. Chapter 47

**The Young Conqueror**

Disclaimer: I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 45- The Battle of Xia Kou**

The army rode forward through the night, as quickly as it could without making a terrible din. Making use of the roads that had been built throughout the Wu territory, Sun Ce's army was covering the distance to the border of the unclaimed lands at impressive speed. The infantry had been loaded into wagons to help them keep up with the cavalry, since surprise was the element that would help them claim victory.

The principal obstacle to conquering Jing, at least from the Southlands, was the mountains that formed a barricade into the fertile plains and vales beyond. The passes were narrow and guarded and the fortress-city of Fankou blocked entry through the one gap in the mountains. Sun Ce had sent an army commanded by Ling Cao to attack from the southwest, where his scouts reported that the mountain passes were less heavily guarded. Meanwhile, Sun Ce marched on Fankou, determined to seize it before the enemy knew what was happening.

They had taken Fankou once before, some years earlier when his father, Sun Jian, had been commanded by his liege Yuan Shu to seize Jing in his name. Though the campaign had ultimately been called off by Ce due to Sun Jian's death, Fankou had fallen quickly due to clever planning and the use of new and ingenious siege tactics. Ce knew that he did not have time for a siege, since he was fighting this war without imperial sanction, and therefore he had to overrun the fortress and get into Jing before the emperor took notice.

The army of Jing was not overly large, but it was well-trained and well-equipped, estimated to maybe be seventy or eighty thousand strong, in total. More than that, it was led by General Huang Zu, who had a reputation for ruthless cunning. It was Huang Zu who had slain the mighty Sun Jian with treachery and it was against this man that Sun Ce's desire for vengeance was aimed.

Ling Cao commanded twenty five thousand men, marching from Wu Ling and was now camped at Lake Dong Ting. From there he would strike into Jing and drive into the plains, hopefully to the enemy's rear. The goal was to take the of port city of Xia Kou, preventing Jing's governor, Lord Liu Biao from fleeing to his territory across the Yangtze River. Sun Ce, meanwhile, would take Fankou and press into Jing from the east.

He rode now at the head of the Night Tigers, his personal guard and some of the deadliest warriors in the Middle Kingdom and commanded by Taishi Ci, who was widely considered the best fighter in the Southlands, after himself. The huge warrior rode behind Sun Ce, with the Night Tigers fanned out behind him. In pitched battle, it would fall to them to deliver the decisive blow.

Da Qiao rode alongside Ce, her regiment riding along next to the Night Tigers. Though technically still a member of Huang Gai's corps, as Ce's consort she retained the privilege of escorting him, something she chose to do at this moment. He noticed that she seemed unusually dour and was not talking much.

"You sure you really wanna come on this expedition, Da?" he asked. "I'm pretty sure we have it covered."

"I appreciate your concern, my lord, but it is unnecessary," she said a firm voice. "I too lost my father when Sun Jian was slain and I would see myself avenged. There is no room for Huang Zu in my world."

Ce nodded, pondering her words. Along with their daughter and his brother Kuang, Da Qiao was the gentlest soul he knew and she was not exaggerating when she said that Sun Jian's death had been an agony as deep as he could have felt. She and Xiao had both revered the patriarch like their own father and he had treated them as cherished daughters. For Da to not only want Huang Zu dead but to actively seek to take part in it meant she was serious indeed.

"As surely as Ou Xing had to be destroyed, so too must the treacherous Huang Zu, husband," Da murmured. "I will not suffer his continued existence after the pain he caused us and I will not have people say I stayed behind and wept while others fought to redress my loss. Huang Zu had best pray that someone else finds him, for if I do, his death will be neither swift nor merciful. Let him die as he lived."

"You will be avenged, Da, I promise." Ce said firmly. "I know how much my father meant to you."

"That aside, my lord, how will the battle progress?" she asked. "Though we have taken Fankou before, this is not a battle we can afford to have drawn out. How will we take it?"

"We've got a couple of tactics underway already," Ce said. "Lu Xun has infiltrated Fankou with his Warhawks regiment, posing as trading caravans. Some of the companies came through the eastern gate we now march upon while others moved in from the southwest or even from across the Yangtze. They have been trading rare and valuable goods for weapons, which they then will secrete around the city to use when the moment is right."

"Will the foe not believe it somewhat suspicious that so many caravans have entered the city at once?" Da reasoned.

"They've been there for almost two weeks now, coming in steadily." Ce replied. "Aside from that, Fankou sees lots of trade, as does all of Jing, caravans coming and going in great numbers is nothing new to Liu Biao."

Da nodded. "The young commander will perform well in this role, I believe. He reminds me of Zhou Yu in some ways."

Indeed, Lu Xun was from a branch of one of the Four Clans of Wu, the Lu clan, which was historically associated with excelling in the military arts. The other three great clans were the Zhang, associated with culture, the Zhu, known for their emphasis on loyalty, and the Gu, advocates of a life of generosity. These four clans had come north with the Sun family when it was enfoeffed in Jiang Dong, leaving behind the Southlands, which were then held in thrall by petty nobles or bandit-warlords. Once the Sun family returned, so did the four clans, and they intended to remake the Wu territory in their image.

Though not directly related to Lu Meng, Lu Xun no doubt had some distant familial ties and both showed great promise in the field of warfare and strategy. But even between the two of them one could see vast differences in their approach to warfare- Lu Meng was a field commander, an expert with battlefield tactics who was not afraid to get his hands dirty in a fight. And while young Lu Xun was proving an able warrior, he preferred to win his wars without fighting or by using ingenious plans to confound the foe. He had yet to be tested in a straight-up fight.

Ce understood the comparison Da was making, for certainly Zhou Yu was a master tactician who could concoct elaborate schemes and tactics that boggled the minds of lesser commanders- his mastery of the art of war was unparalleled. For all that, though, he was also a formidable warrior, capable of carrying the day and winning a battle with his family's ancient blade. Zhou Yu's intellect was matched by his fighting spirit.

Lu Xun was going to be a great commander one day, perhaps succeeding Zhou Yu as Grand Commander of the forces of the Southlands. He was daring and unafraid, even if he lacked experience. He knew that audacity could win wars, sometimes even before they had begun.

Zhou Yu's strategy for taking Fankou relied on great speed, arriving at the city before the defenders could effectively react. To that end, he had agents and traders spread out through the wild lands between Wu and Jing, making sure the people knew that the Sun family had returned and they would soon take these lands under their protection. Supplies and weapons for various corps had been carefully hidden along their routes so that they would not be weighed down until the last moment. Safety on the road to Jing was not the issue, the fighting would happen once they had reached Fankou.

Ce's armies flew no banners and everyone's tunics and armour were covered in dun raiment in order to obscure the host's approach until the last possible moment. They did not march in unison, to help reduce the noise they would make. It was unconventional warfare, to be certain, but this was what was called for and Zhou Yu intended to act on every possible advantage he could create and any opportunities that presented themselves.

Fankou was flanked by the mountains that guarded Jing and Ce and Zhou Yu both knew that enemy troops would be ensconced within them, waiting to counterattack. Zhou Yu's spies had returned word over the past few years that Huang Zu had learned from the first assault on the city and all manner of deadly and insidious traps had been set within. They would need to be neutralized in order to secure the city in a timely manner. No matter what measures Huang Zu had put in place, Ce would avenge his father.

Da could see the fires of little villages as they rode through the darkness and remembered what she had heard from accounts in the first campaign against Jing. The people of these unclaimed lands lived simple lives, deprived of what she would consider rather basic necessities. The fields were not efficient or well-maintained and clean water from proper wells was a rarity. There was no Confucian academy anywhere in the region and small shrines constituted the majority of their spiritual worship. They could have been prosperous and they _would _be, once Ce had taken Jing and brought these people into his fold.

"Do you consider it wise, my lord, to have you and both of your siblings here on this campaign?" she asked. "While I do not fear for you, of course, Huang Zu will no doubt be eager to do any of you as much personal harm as he can possibly manage."

"I know, Da." Ce said easily. "But Quan and Shang Xiang belong here as much as I or you do. Besides, if anything did somehow happen to all three of us, Kuang is still back in Wuchang and would take over."

"Hardly a comforting thought, husband," she replied. "I adore Kuang, he is intelligent and able, but he will not fight. If the Southlands were invaded, he would throw it all away."

"Guess I'd better win then, right?" Ce mused. "Don't sweat it, Da, this'll be over in good order. Zhou Yu and I have accounted for everything that is possible, up to and including swift imperial intervention."

"That is comforting," Da said. "And what of my sister? I know Xiao wanted to come along, but I have yet to see her. What is her part to be?"

Ce grinned. "Now _that _is gonna be interesting. She volunteered for her mission, her and her girls. No one else was crazy enough to."

"Oh, gods, she didn't," Da whispered, going pale. "She is insane."

"No argument there," agreed. "But she was insistent and Zhou Yu was looking for a volunteer. Who better?"

"I am _not_ happy about this, Ce." Da said firmly. "She is my sister, no matter what kind of lunatic she might be, she is tied to your house. Surely there must be other unbalanced people Zhou Yu could have chosen from."

"Xiao wouldn't hear of it," Ce replied simply. "She explained to Zhou Yu that unless he wanted to be pegging his hand until the wars were over, he was going to let her be the one to use the _Feilong_."

"I am having so many words with that girl when I see her..." Da muttered darkly.

"Well, stay focused for now, Fankou is just ahead." Ce said, pointing into the darkness. "Our scouts say we have approached without warning, so we have to be ready to strike. Get your regiment prepared."

Da nodded and rode off. Whatever her forebodings might have been, she was as eager as anyone else to avenge herself on Huang Zu. Her loss could not be recompensed with anything short of his life and Sun Jian's spirit would know no peace until they had slain the man responsible.

She would not fail her father.

***

Lu Xun was wearing the heavy robes of a caravan trader and had (reluctantly) covered up the tattoos around his left eye that signified his race and rank amongst his people. He was sitting back against a wall, avoiding notice as the city slept. The time was almost on them and he was as ready as could be expected. All that remained was for everyone else to play their part and he held no doubt Lord Sun Ce and Zhou Yu would be holding everyone to a tight schedule.

His promotion to regimental commander had been fortuitous and he had organized his new command in the manner he had always envisioned- divided into companies that could all fill a general battlefield role, but also each had a specialty. Each company of the Warhawks could claim to excel in a particular aspect of warfare, from which the other companies would take their cue.

Ten companies, the Firehawks, Thunderhawks, Nighthawks, Bloodhawks, Silverhawks, Blackhawks, Deathhawks, Spirithawks, Redhawks and Seahawks composed his regiment and he was proud of how quickly the troops had adapted to his unusual requests and unorthodox tactics. Each company had a single squad of troops that could be considered veteran, but the rest were relatively young or green, which is what he wanted, since they would not have the same preconceptions and reservations as experienced troops.

While the other nine companies assumed their positions inside Fankou, the Nighthawks had subtly made their way out of the city and up into the foothills and mountains to the north. They were troops who specialized in combat in the dark, sneaking up on the enemy and destroying them before they knew of the danger. He wanted to be with them, but he knew his place was here in the city. The Nighthawks already knew what their signal would be to begin their assault on the Jing troops deployed in the mountains. They were to scatter the defenders and disarm the traps that awaited any who assaulted Fankou.

To the south, Fu Chin Ran's amazon battalion had worked its way into the mountains and would be performing the same task as his Nighthawks. Led by Fu Chin Ran herself, a woman he admired and considered one of the five best warriors in the Southlands, he resolved that he would perform up to her expectations.

Spread throughout the city and close to various strategic points, his companies awaited his signal to began wreaking havoc and softening up the defences of Fankou for when Sun Ce assaulted the walls. He was under orders to seize Huang Zu and Liu Biao if practical, but given the disparity in numbers, Ce held no particular expectations. Lu Xun's principal objective was to make sure that the defences were compromised.

Through the darkness he could see the members of the Thunderhawks assembling in alleys and dark corners, joining him near the great gate. He intended to take control of the gate mechanism swiftly and open the barricade to the Southland troops beyond. He felt the long knife he carried beneath his robes. While he would have preferred to his sword handy, he could not risk being seen with such a weapon as long as he was posing as a harmless trader.

He imagined where his other companies were at this moment- the Firehawks were near the main armoury, ready to set the facilities and the nearby barracks ablaze with their incendiary devices. The Deathhawks had divided up into squads and were going to neutralize various guard posts and checkpoints around the city.

He gazed subtly at the small fountain in the square that functioned as a basic water clock, knowing that mere moments remained before he was to strike. He knew that Lord Zhou Yu was leading a cavalry regiment toward the city and that at this moment they should be breaking out of their slow walk and into a steady canter. In thirty seconds they would begin to gallop at full speed and one minute later they would reach the gate. Lu Xun had to have the gate opened by then or their momentum would be lost.

Marching.

As Lu Xun watched, a company of troops came into the square, lead by their commander. Though they were at attention, their manner seemed casual, meaning this was a routine rather than a response. He scanned the faces of the troopers and saw the irritation in their expressions. Apparently they had been assigned to something against their will. The presence of these extra forces could make taking the gate house difficult; he had to find a way to distract and neutralize them as a fighting force.

He made subtle gestures to the Thunderhawk sergeant in the alley opposite him and the man nodded, knowing it was now his job to take the gate house. Lu Xun rose, grabbing a sack and scurrying over to the new company that had arrived.

The company commander was addressing his men when Lu Xun came up, announcing that he had exotic and wondrous goods to barter. The man scowled at him in irritation before telling him to get lost. Lu Xun persisted, claiming to have such items as the powdered tooth of the demon Ou Xing and a peach that increased one's sexual potency. He undid the straps on his sack and began displaying his treasures. Most of it was junk, obviously, but he did carry a few items that raised some eyebrows.

The commander growled and shoved Lu Xun away, threatening to kill him if he did not leave immediately, but Lu Xun persisted, talking loudly to the enlisted men. He held up a wine cup made of ivory, cunningly chased with god, jewels and pearls. Even the commander paused as he beheld the treasure.

"This," Lu Xun began, his voice carrying great meaning. "was the wine cup of Jun Ling, King of the Mo Di tribes nearly seventy generations ago..."

Jun Ling, the Thunderhawks commander, frowned heard his name being used, wondering what the hell Lu Xun was babbling about. He ignored the reference any further and crept toward the gatehouse.

"Jun Ling was gifted this wine cup by none other than Xi Wang Mu herself, promising him eternal life if it were the only vessel he ever drank out of from then on..."

The guard outside the gate house was watching Lu Xun, frowning as he attempted to hear what the man was saying. He was not expecting the hand that clamped around his mouth, nor the icy touch of the blade that buried itself in his throat...

"If that cup makes you immortal, then where is this Jun Ling and why do you have his cup?" challenged the company commander, his patience wearing thin.

Lu Xun nodded and began rummaging in his sack. He knew that this was his last chance. "Because, my friends, he ran afoul of something that not even an immortal can necessarily resist and even the gods may fall prey to..."

He held his hand aloft suddenly and within it burned a terrible, burning fire that coiled and snaked into the sky.

"Flames of Ma Yuan take you!" he shouted as he dashed the Greek fire to the ground amidst the shocked troops. The flames burst and spread instantly, covering everything and everyone. Men shouted in panic and pain as the substance seared their flesh. Lu Xun's own disguise ignited, but he was prepared- he whipped his clothes off and tossed them onto the commander, who reeled back, crying out in agony as the flames engulfed him. Lu Xun drew his long knife and struck down a man who tried to escape and reach the square alarm gong before shouting to his men.

"Now, Thunderhawks!" he cried. "Now is your time!"

The gate house was already under assault; half of the company was sprinting up the stairs that accessed the walls above the gate, to engage the guards up top. Lu Xun did not worry about the men of the relief company, they had more than enough troubles already and dashed back to help at the gate house.

He rammed the knife into the abdomen of a trooper, barely slowing as he ran by the man. He knew that the best way to deal with this situation was to overrun the enemy, give them no time to think and to make sure they could not mount a coordinated defence. In spite of the enemy's superior numbers, Lu Xun's troops had the advantage of surprise and momentum, meaning that they could compromise their foe's positions and neutralize effective resistance to the coming assault against the gate.

The appearance of the extra company had done little or nothing to affect their timetable in a negative sense, but Lu Xun still pressed his men, hard, knowing that every second counted. He had no intention of making Lord Zhou Yu wait. He burst into the gate house and helped to engage the troops within. In spite of the swiftness of the attack, with no warning, the defenders fought fiercely to defend their station. Lu Xun's arrival tilted the scales quickly, however, as his blindingly fast knifework unerringly found weak spots in armour. Even if he did not slay a man he would wound them badly enough to leave them hampered and move on to another target while one of his Thunderhawks finished off the first man.

Lu Xun was very good at close quarters, both because of his small stature and his speed. Others had greater strength and more finesse, maybe, but Lu Xun was confident in his ability to take on almost anyone in a confined space, excepting Sun Ce, Shang Xiang or Fu Chin Ran, all three of whom were unmatched in all forms of combat. He dodged and spun, always pressing his attacks, wounding his foes to sap their strength and will to fight before crippling or slaying them.

Very quickly the gate house was overhwelmed and Thunderhawk troopers were already labouring to work the mechanism and open the gates even while the battle raged around them inside the confines of the building. Lu Xun dashed out of the building and up to the walls overhead, to assist with disposing of the guards. He had struck down only two men before the all clear was called. His men were performing with a proficiency that delighted him.

He stood still, bowed his head and listened. Behind him, inside the city, he could hear the beginnings of cacophony as his other companies began wreaking havoc at their assigned locales. In the great plain before them, he could hear the thunder of hooves, meaning Lord Zhou Yu's cavalry regiment was approaching.

Distantly, flames rolled and licked up into the sky from the hills north of the city and he smiled- the _Feilong_ were attacking and seemingly doing quite well.

Fankou would be theirs.

***

Xiao Qiao tried not to giggle in excitement as she felt the kiss of the wind on her face. She looked down over the landscape far below as it passed beneath her. The contraption around her felt solid and her exhilaration certainly overcame any fear she felt.

The _Feilong_, the Flying Dragons, were the newest weapon in the arsenal of the Southlands, and the product of diligent research on the part of her husband and other scholars close to the Sun family. In ancient scrolls and carvings, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce had found indications and depictions of marvellous flying machines. It seemed impossible, but Zhou Yu was determined to see if men could fly. He had been given scrolls of legends from the uttermost west and read of a man named 'Ikarus' who had built wings for himself and flown, only to be punished for his hubris by the gods.

Zhou Yu had no intention of making the same mistake and made sure his apparatus was dedicated and blessed by priests devoted to the Dragon God, who would favour the endeavour. Constructed of solid and strong but hollow wooden tubes, the frame was then fitted with silk and other layered substances that caught the wind beneath them and gave the device lift.

The pilot, harnessed into the triangular device securely, controlled the pitch and direction via a series of elaborate wires that folded or stretched the 'wings' to effect navigation. It seemed complicated, but Xiao Qiao, against all odds, had proven very adept at the process. Sun Ce just laughed and said that only a crazy girl could possibly prove a match for such a crazy contraption. Her brother-in-law's assessment of her mental state aside, Xiao was proud to be the captain of the Flying Dragons squadron.

She looked back left and right as she glided through the night, making sure the other Dragons were still there. She made the point of a triangle that spread out nearly a full _li_. Her keen eyes could make out the dark, elegant shapes of the others against the near-black veil of night. Her girls had naturally volunteered to control the other machines and took to it nearly as well as she did.

She pictured the weapon she now controlled- the wooden frame was painted bright colours that scintillated, like the scales of a dragon and streamers of brilliant greens, reds and oranges fluttered behind the outstretched 'wings'. The long tail not only provided embellishment but according to Zhou Yu also helped to keep the craft steady. Just above her own head was shaped the wide maw of a terrible dragon, the eyes glinting in the moonlight, made of iridescent rubies from the jungles of the deep south. Into the wooden frame were carved prayers of safety and calls for victory and ruin upon the enemy of the fearsome machines.

She remembered when she had first seen it some months ago and had been both awed and eager to try it. The first prototype, the one she now flew, was the largest of them and perhaps the most unwieldy, but also the most stable in flight. It measured nearly fifty spans, including the tail and was nearly as wide from wingtip to wingtip. Zhou Yu had allowed the engineers to gussy it up to look like a dragon as much as possible, as long as it wasn't weighted down by their embellishments.

Over Da's frantic protests, Xiao had insisted that she be the person allowed to test its capabilities. She had figured out how it worked almost intuitively and then they dragged it up to the top of a tall cliff, strapped her in and pushed her off. After a terrifying plummet, the wings angled and she soared almost straight up into the clouds. She whooped with joy as she navigated the dragon easily, exhilarated by her freedom.

"I'm flying!" she called out in delight. "Sis! Zhou Yu-darling! Ce! I'm flying!!!"

Indeed she was. The first test had been a smashing success. Further tests followed, although several people wondered what the value of the exercise was. Zhou Yu had initially just seen it as a challenge of intellect, to surpass the wisdom of their ancestors and to prove the genius of the Southlands. But then during the fourth test flight, Xiao had swooped low and rained a barrage of rotten fruit on the spectators, just for giggles.

"Got you!" she called out as she sped overhead. "You're all dead, ha!"

Sun Ce was watching casually, arms folded and untouched by Xiao's assault. All around him, people were still staring skyward, covered in various spatters of squishy fruit remains. Zhou Yu turned to stare at Ce, one half of his face covered in ruby-red pulp and seeds.

"You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'?" Ce asked, smiling evilly.

"Oh, you want her dead, too?" Zhou Yu queried.

Ce laughed loudly. "No, but it would be nice to go to war with dragons on our side, wouldn't it?"

Zhou Yu looked quietly out at Xiao, now maybe a _li_ away, as she pulled a loop in the air and came gliding back for another pass.

Since that time, the frames had been reinforced, the membranous wings strengthened and treated to resist flame and the Flying Dragons became a potent and devastating part of the Wu arsenal. This assault on Jing was to be their baptism of fire.

She remembered going over the modifications made for warfare with Zhou Yu, so that she could relate it to her girls (they only ever really seemed to comprehend instructions if they were conveyed by her). She was impressed and enthusiastic but eventually she sighed somewhat forlornly.

"What's the matter, Xiao?" Zhou Yu asked, caressing her cheek.

She looked at the dragon and then at him. "Why does everything I do have to be weird?" she asked. "Do I have any chance whatsoever of being a normal commander?"

"Depends on your perspective, really," Zhou Yu replied, smiling. "Has it occurred to you that there are only two other people in the entire Southlands I would trust with these contraptions, that being Sun Ce and myself?"

Xiao looked puzzled. "Really? Why?"

"Who else could possibly know what to do with them?" he said simply. "Xiao, many people can become capable commanders, and you could as well, but that would be a waste. You are the only person I would trust to understand the advantage this gives us and only you could use it so effectively. You are daring and unconcerned by danger, just like a great dragon."

Her eyes went wide. "Me? Like a dragon?"

"Only you can make this work, Xiao," Zhou Yu said quietly but firmly. "The _Feilong_ have limited uses, based on the weather and ability to launch them, but there is no one better suited to command such a magnificent force than you. One day you might be able to command a whole regiment of them."

She looked at the elaborate ring that now seemed ready to brace her head, shaped like the forearms and claws of the dragon she rode in.

"Okay, I get the ring to brace my head, but why is it shaped like his claws?" she asked, not sure she liked the imagery.

"Don't you know?" Zhou Yu asked, smiling. "That's where the dragon holds the Pearl of Wisdom."

She loved the imagery of his claws.

She flew now over the dense forests atop the hills and low mountains that guarded the northern flank of Fankou. They had been launched from cliffs maybe thirty _li_ to the east, in the vast unclaimed territories between Jing and the Southlands. Her job was a simple one- they were to disrupt the hidden camps and bases in the area, making sure they could not effectively counter-attack once Fankou was taken. Lu Xun's spies within the city had sent as detailed a report as they could back to Ce and Zhou Yu, laying out the positions of the camps and their estimated strengths.

She didn't need to completely destroy the troops, just rout them, and what better way to do that then show up riding a dragon?

She looked left and right and saw that the other dragons were pulling away from her, heading towards their designated targets. Two dragons remained with her, since she was taking on the main camp in the region. She pulled on a wire with her right hand and adjusted her approach slightly. Maybe two _li_ ahead she could now see campfires burning on the ground, designating their target. An and Bo remained in position just aft of her...

She pulled on a wire that triggered a spark and the dragon seemed to burst into flames. The treated wings and wood, protected from the hellish scourge, held steady and carried her in. She blew on the mouthpiece of a strange horn and the dragon shrieked as it approached the foe. The dragons Bo and An rode bellowed in response.

Men on the ground looked up in shock and then terror, unable to believe their eyes- three hideous and unworldly beasts were descending upon them, wreathed in flames, eyes blazing like infernal jewels and their mouths wide, vomiting forth fire.

Xiao swooped over the camp, as low as she dared, and pulled on another wire. The clay pots released by the dragon sparked in the air and burst into terrible balls of fire as they hit the ground and rolled across the camp. Shrieks of fear and panic echoed through the night, men screaming of being attacked by dragons.

Xiao angled high and began to pull around, having still one more wire laden with the Greek fire bombs, which, she had to admit, she was all too happy to dispose of. Given that she wanted to finish the enemy off, the turnabout seemed to take forever, but there were simply limitations to the Flying Dragon concept that she had to deal with.

Her next approach was much higher, since the fires in the camp had spread and even some of the trees were now aflame. She didn't want to come in low and risk the fire pots going off due to exposure to the heat below. This second pass was mostly just insurance, since it was perfectly obvious that the camp was in total chaos. She blared the strange horn again, once more echoed by Bo and An.

She tripped the other wire and listened for the telltale _whoosh_ of the payload's ignition and further screams of terror from below. She had done everything she could, and she was reasonably certain that thirty Greek fire bombs would be enough to render the camp useless for the foreseeable future. She pulled her dragon high and sailed east, heading for the wide plain where she and her girls were supposed to meet once they completed their objectives. An entire regiment of troops had worked frantically to cover an area in a thick layer of hay, soft enough for Xiao and her girls to land in (the landing complications had yet to be resolved).

She looked back and saw the flames from the camp rolling up into the night and she let out a triumphant yell of accomplishment.

"_It is so cool being me sometimes..."_

***

Fu Chin Ran and her battalion had crept swiftly and quietly into the foothills south of Fankou, leaving their mounts behind and only wearing light armour. In the pitched battle they expected to fight amongst the forests and hills, heavy armour would be more of a hindrance that anything.

The sentries they met were quickly and quietly slain, never allowed to raise the alarm. Fu Chin Ran knew they would be technically outnumbered, but she was determined to isolate and destroy the enemy forces piecemeal, never letting their numbers become an advantage. She had selected the order of the targets carefully, intending to cause as much confusion for the foe as possible, minimizing their effectiveness.

She knelt now in the dark, peering into the night and spying a campfire, around which sat a patrol of ten men. She had four women with her and she motioned to them to surround the little post and on her signal they would attack. She waited exactly forty-five seconds, knowing her girls would be in position, drew her bow and buried an arrow in the throat of the patrol leader. Arrows sped out of the night from other directions, killing another four instantly. Though in shock, the men were on their feet, looking around frantically to see what was happening. Fu Chin Ran leapt out of the shadows and dashed into the firelight, drawing their attention. As the five remaining men turned to face her, her four warriors were on them light wolves, slaying them swiftly and before an alarm could be raised.

She stood in the firelight and looked at her warriors, their swords dripping with blood. Her voice was low, but they could see the intensity flashing in her eyes.

"This would be our last small target," she said levelly. "From herein, the camps will be much larger. Our advantage will still be our speed, but since we must give battle, ambush will play little more than an opening to the drama. Pray for victory and the glory of the Sun family. Earn once again the Lady's favour and never be content to rest on your achievements. From our deeds on the battlefield, all the Middle Kingdom shall come to fear us and your name shall echo in halls of renown."

She stood now and waited silently as she felt the rest of her battalion closing in around her. She carried her deadly straight sword in one hand and a wicked knife in the other. She was ready. If the intelligence reports were right, nearly five thousand troops guarded these hills and mountains south of Jing.

"_Ten to one odds..."_ she mused to herself. _Shang Xiang and I have faced for worse. This battle is already over."_

The women-warriors waited silently for their captain's word. Each one of them loved her dearly and would make her proud. Their dedication to her and fanaticism was matched only by their devotion to Sun Shang Xiang, Lady Da Qiao and Lord Sun Ce. After Shang Xiang's ascendancy to command of a corps, Fu Chin Ran had made them all renew their vows of sisterhood and they also swore a secret death oath to serve Sun Ce in all things. They also swore that this oath would never be learned of by Shang Xiang, not because Fu Chin Ran thought it compromised their loyalty to the Sun sister, but because Shang Xiang had an implicit death oath with her siblings already. Essentially the oath was meant to hone to an even more keen edge the loyalty they would display.

To hell with the Night Tigers and to hell with the White Wolves- the amazons would shine brightest in the dedication. Fu Chin Ran would have it no other way.

She drew her sword and held it overhead. The women were arrayed in four ranks, with about fifty paces between each line. She pointed forward and they began to walk slowly, each other them silently offering up their prayers to their ancestors and any spirits that protected them.

Fu Chin Ran led them, solitary and indomitable. She was not thinking of the immediate battle to come, but the one beyond that, when the enemy counter-attacked, and what she planned to do about it. This camp they were about to assault supposedly held nearly a thousand men, paltry odds for her and the women-warriors since the foe would be unprepared. The camps surrounding it were smaller, but they would begin arriving quickly once the battle began. She intended to destroy this main force so that the others could be dealt with as they came.

She broke into a slow jog, listening to the sounds of her warriors doing the same. Light-footed and swift, they made little noise, given their numbers. She had trained them to run arhythmically, so that the sound of a thousand feet in unison would not echo across the land.

Then campfires came into view and Fu Chin Ran broke into a run, leaning forward to lower her profile. He weapons were held out behind her, her deadly eyes fixed on the numerous shapes that stood around the fires.

Horns were heard from the north, indicating the city was in distress. The men were distracted by the sudden clarions and not at all ready when Fu Chin Ran burst into the camp, a look of nightfall on her face. She had slain three men before any knew she was among them. The amazons streamed into the camp behind her, killing any foe within reach. A captain shouted and the men, though shocked, began to fight back. Bitter battle was given by the light of the campfires, but the outcome was never in doubt- Fu's girls had overrun the position and their momentum was unstoppable. The savage melee lasted mere minutes and the women held their blades high and called out as their section of the camp was secured.

Fu Chin Ran was last, locked in a fierce duel with the camp's commander. Though his position was lost and the battle hopeless, he fought on. Her veteran bodyguard squad ringed the combatants and watched impassively while the rest of the battalion began to take up defensive positions around the camp. They arrayed themselves in tight-knit units, with the strongest warriors at the perimeter at the quickest just behind, ready to counter-attack and armed with light bows.

Fu ducked a savage sword thrust by her foe, spun low and swept the commander's leg out from beneath him. He landed heavily on his back and before he would recover she had knocked his sword out of his grip. She stared down at him coldly, the point of her sword at his throat. He was breathing hard but his eyes were flinty and defiant.

"Finish it!" he hissed. "I will not suffer the disgrace of reporting to General Huang Zu about my failure."

Fu nodded and pushed her blade into his throat. The man shuddered and went still. She turned to speak to her troops, her voice conveying urgency.

"They will be coming, so gather your strength and catch your breath. I know your hearts are hot within your breasts, but we must not exhaust ourselves by chasing down our other targets. We will make them come to us and we will defeat them soundly. Glory to the Sun family!"

They waited silently, their eyes glinting in the darkness. Not far off, they could hear the foe coming, raising shouts for aid. Battle would soon commence and they would show their worth.

***

Zhou Yu stormed through the gates of Fankou, followed by his Swordwind regiment, his eyes flashing with righteous wrath. He laid about with his sword, cutting down the panicked defenders who got in his way. He whirled his ancient blade overhead and various companies of his regiment split off and began racing through the city to reinforce Lu Xun's trooops. Even though they had the advantage of surprise, he held no doubt that there would be trouble, given the disparity in numbers.

Zhou Yu led his command company deep into the heart of the city, aiming at storming the royal palace and, if at all possible, capturing Liu Biao. Having the lord in custody would go a long way in terms of getting their demands and concessions met. Ce and Zhou Yu had many discussions of what their realistic expectations should be of this campaign in terms of what it could accomplish- worst case scenario was that they were forced to relinquish Liu Biao and all the territories they had taken, perhaps even pay a hefty fine for acting without imperial sanction.

The one thing they agreed to accomplish was the total defeat of Jing and the death of Huang Zu. If nothing else, at least the spirit of the Tiger of Jiang Dong could rest easy then.

Ahead he could see the royal palace, down a broad boulevard and guarded by too many troops for Lu Xun to have effectively dealt with earlier. They were hurrying to arrange themselves in a tight knit defensive ring around the palace, but Zhou Yu was too quick- he landed among them and burst the formation wide open. The battle very quickly became a rout and Zhou Yu took several squads and raced for the steps of the palace.

They forced the doors, which did not seem to be barred and sped inside, but Zhou Yu already knew that Liu Biao was not there.

"Secure the palace!" he called out, his mind racing. "Find any subterranean exits beneath it!"

His men searched the building thoroughly, but as Zhou Yu had expected, it was abandoned, except for some servants. Huang Zu was thorough in his planning. Lu Xun's spies had reported that Liu Biao was indeed in the city just prior to the assault, but Huang Zu apparently had plans for this kind of event. The instant trouble started, Liu Biao has been whisked away, like a wind in the grass.

Zhou Yu gritted his teeth, his brow knit in frustration. What if they could not capture Liu Biao?

His objective changed. If the tunnels he expected to find beneath Fankou stretched west beyond his walls, then the lord of Jing was gone and there was nothing he could do about it. They would simply have to do without him. As thousands of Southlands soldiers poured into the city, the defenders were driven toward the western walls. Zhou Yu decided to secure the western gate as soon as possible, allowing egress into the plains beyond the city. If they had any chance of capturing Liu Biao, they would have to do it quickly.

"My lord, we have found the tunnels!" one of his commanders said, rushing up and bowing. "We could send me down and perhaps they-"

"No," Zhou Yu said firmly. "Those tunnels will be a deathtrap now. As soon as Liu Biao exits them they will be flooded by Huang Zu."

"Are you sure, lord?" the man asked.

"I would do it." Zhou Yu said simply. "Secure all available records within the palace and have them gathered for later examination. Have the Swordwind make sure the center of the city is locked down. I am heading to the western gates for the next phase."

It had almost been over too quickly. Fankou had been compromised so fast that he was dangerously ahead of schedule, and that's when fatal mistakes could be made. He rode his horse through the streets, which were lit by fires. Furious battles had broken out throughout the city, but the defenders were off-guard and disorganized, so the outcome was never in doubt. The armouries were ablaze and the city's wells secured, it was just a matter of time. Zhou Yu hoped the remaining defenders would have the good sense to surrender.

He thought of Sun Ce and what he was currently doing. He was usually inspired by Ce's unwavering confidence, but every once in a while it could be unnerving.

He really hoped this worked out.

***

Huang Zu sat in his camp, glowering about the situation he found himself in- fighting a rearguard action while his lord, Liu Biao, escaped across the river to his lands in the north. The Wu onslaught had been sudden and devastating, their approach virtually undetected. They had overrun Fankou almost before Liu Biao even knew he was under attack.

Huang Zu's face coloured in irritation. Liu Biao was one of the supposed Eight Geniuses of Jiang Xia, but he was a soft intellectual with no stomach for the realities of the Han. He was an able administrator and governor, as evidenced by the fact that Jing was stable and prosperous in a middle of an empire torn apart by war, but for all that he was an indecisive man and knew nothing of how to keep his prize that ambitious warlords so coveted.

Fortunately he had Huang Zu.

Liu Biao was frightened into inactivity by Sun Ce's ferocious reputation and Huang Zu had respectfully suggested that the lord head across the Yangtze while he, his faithful general and vassal, handled the crisis. Huang Zu had no intention of babysitting Liu Biao while he faced the vengeance of the man known as 'The Young Conqueror'.

Huang Zu's forces initially retreated in the face of the lightning attack on Fankou but only because he was preparing to lure the Wu forces in and then blunt their assault before launching a furious counter-attack. Coming out of Fankou, the Southlander armies were in a bottleneck. Initially he had planned to stop their progress cold with elite troops and then descend on their exposed flanks and destroy them, but his ambush troops in the hills north and south of Fankou were being systematically obliterated.

Zhou Yu.

He scowled at the thought of the minds of weak men, for reports were coming in from the northern reaches that the camps had been attacked by dragons. Whatever trickery this was, Huang Zu was not about to become unnerved by it. If one contingency plan was not going to work, he had several others.

He was aware of Sun Ce's reputation as an invincible warrior, the man who fought and defeated Lu Bu and who had slain the Yellow Turbans leader Zhang Jiao in spite of his sorceries. It was known across the empire that he had conquered the Southlands in less than a fortnight. Huang Zu would exploit the traditions of this proud warrior-culture; he would be the anvil upon which they smashed and destroyed themselves. He had fought and defeated Sun Jian, he would now wipe out the whole clan.

The Sun were not the only ones to employ exceptional warriors.

***

Zhou Yu watched from atop a tall hill as his troops marched through the narrow vales and into the fertile heartland of Jing. They had overrun Fankou easily, catching the garrison completely off-guard. It was an important foothold into Jing and a strong place to defend from, should they be driven back and counter-attacked.

Not that he would allow for that, of course. If they held only Fankou and the imperial court intervened, they would surely be ordered to give the city up and return home. They had to take enough of Jing that the emperor would be compelled to let them keep their gains. Zhou Yu had actually hoped to take Liu Biao prisoner, since magnanimously releasing him would make him look like an unfit and weak ruler. The emperor, who seemed to believe in peace at any cost, could very well let Sun Ce keep Jing under those circumstances, especially since he had warred on Liu Biao in the name of Sun Jian, who was favoured for many years by the imperial court.

Zhou Yu reflected on the nature of their foe and principal target, Huang Zu. He was cunning and ruthless, willing to sacrifice his men to achieve his ends. He considered the reports that we coming in from the troops that had attacked the Jing bases to the north and south of Fankou- they had found insidious traps in the hills and mountains, like boulders, logs and balls of tar, waiting to be ignited and rolled down on the unsuspecting foe as they marched through the vales toward the plains. These threats were neutralized, but Zhou Yu harboured no doubts that Huang Zu's febrile mind held still more treachery.

Through the passes from Fankou and into the province, the Wu troops were forced to march in columns, leaving their long flanks exposed, but Zhou Yu's light troops deployed in the mountains had foiled these potential ambushes. The _Feilong_ dragons had apparently performed very well, destroying all targets, while Fu Chin Ran gave battle in the south, completely dominating her foes.

Fankou had been taken so quickly that Zhou Yu was tempted to overrun the retreating Jing troops, to capture or destroy them, but something about their withdrawal didn't sit right with him- in spite of its haste, it was orderly, almost rehearsed. Clearly they were expecting some diversion to succour them, so Zhou Yu advanced slowly, at least for now.

The fertile plains of Jing were not far ahead as dawn came in the east. He kept expecting the foe to turn and face him, to resolutely block their path into Jing, but they kept retreating, toward the port of Xia Kou along the Yangtze.

Could they really be in full flight, trying to escape across the river in safety, perhaps to counter-attack one day? Zhou Yu doubted Huang Zu's plan could possibly be that simple.

"_What's he at?" _the strategist wondered. _"His troops are almost acting like bait."_

It was time to show Huang Zu true mastery of the tactic.

***

"So far so good, brother," Quan said as he rode with Ce and Shang Xiang through the hills and woods north of Fankou. Zhou Yu's assault on the citadel had taken almost no time and the road to Jing was open. "But that's part of the problem now, isn't it?"

"We can't be too difficult where Huang Zu is involved," Shang Xiang replied. "He is treacherous and vicious. Not only will he seek to defeat Wu, but in doing so he will want to humiliate us."

"That's the conclusion that Zhou Yu and I came to as well," Ce added. "His hatred for the Sun family will drive him to shame us. Even though he slew father, his victory was incomplete, because he was beaten back just before the end. He wasn't there when Sun Jian died, so he didn't win on his terms, something he has to do."

"How do we exploit that?" Quan asked.

"Already bein' taken care of, bro..." Ce said cheerfully.

***

Ling Cao parried the spear thrust and cut his foe down. His men cheered loudly as the enemy line broke. The port of Xia Kou was not far ahead. The general waved his sword overhead and led a charge toward the objective. His horse reared and thundered forward.

"Now, boys!" he shouted. "Now's your time! Don't stop until we have Liu Biao in chains! We shall avenge our Lord Sun Jian!"

Ling Cao had attacked Jing from the southwest in an exceptionally well-timed manoeuvre through the narrow mountains passes that protected it. His son Tong had commanded several battalions of light infantry and infiltrated the enemy positions, neutralizing the defences right before his father attacked. They streamed into Jing just as Zhou Yu's troops were overrunning Fankou.

The hope had been that Liu Biao would stand and fight, but Huang Zu had wisely evacuated his lord across the Yangtze. If Sun Ce wanted to pursue Liu Biao across the river, he would have to fight a pitched battle against troops in prepared positions.

And this was why they wanted to take Liu Biao now, to prevent this from happening. The lord of Jing was in Xia Kou, waiting to cross. Ling Cao's objective was to overrun Xia Kou and thwart Liu Biao's escape. News had come to him that Fankou had been taken quickly but the enemy's retreat had been too orderly for Zhou Yu's liking and his advance into Jing was a cautious one.

Ling Cao's foes, however, were in full rout. Clearly his attack had not been anticipated and his forces still had the greatest chance of reaching Fankou. His heart burned with desire to avenge Sun Jian, cut down so treacherously by Huang Zu. He would not rest until the patriarch's spirit was given peace.

Ling Cao followed the Tao and the principles of Confucius but was intrigued by the new teachings of the Buddha, as followed by the Sun family. Common belief in the Middle Kingdom held that all beings belonged to the Heavens and somehow part of a celestial hierarchy. For generations the Sun family had been associated with the tiger, most ferocious and fearless of all creatures and tradition dictated that Sun Jian would become a member of the Tiger Corps, the guardians of the gods themselves.

The dictates of this new, foreign religion did not contradict the Laws of Heaven but gave a new and intriguing perspective on the subject. All beings and all things, Heaven included, were subject to a greater law that ordered all things. Like the Tao and the basic principles of _feng shui_, if one were in harmony with the laws of the universe, then suffering and desire were no more. The Way was no longer dictated by potentially capricious celestial beings but something greater still, something intrinsic and intangible, so obvious and yet elusive.

He had once asked Sun Ce how one embraced the enlightenment of the Buddha and the young lord had smiled cheerfully and shrugged, the simple gesture containing a poignancy that denied articulation.

Could it really have been that simple and difficult all at once?

Nearby a horn sounded and Ling Cao came back to the present. The tiger that watched over them roared and he leapt back into battle. Victory was calling.

***

"General!" the herald said as he rushed up and bowed hastily. "Our scouts in the east bring news of something strange!"

"What do you mean by strange?" Huang Zu asked as he sat in his chair, situated in the center of the camp he had set up to direct his defence from.

"A small enemy party has been spotted to the east about thirty _li_ from here."

Huang Zu scowled. "What of it? Have the local commander flogged for letting them slip through and then destroy this scouting party you speak of."

"That much seems obvious, sire," the herald replied. "But what gave the commander pause was the nature of the enemy party."

"Explain."

"If the reports are correct, lord, then the enemy force is three people, and those three are the Sun siblings."

Huang Zu's eyes widened. "What?"

"The reports indicate that Sun Ce, his brother Quan and his sister Shang Xiang are alone, thirty _li_ to the east of us."

The general's eyes narrowed. "That cannot be."

"It seems impossible, sir, but-"

Huang Zu lunged forward and gripped the messenger by the hair, pressing a knife to his throat.

"You lie!" he hissed while his retainers watched in astonishment. "You are an agent of the Sun clan and that brat Zhou Yu, sent to confuse us!"

"No, I do not!" the man quailed, trembling in fear. "I have served you faithfully now for years, general, and as unreasonable as the report sounds, I believe the scout that spied them, he is one of our best outriders!"

Huang Zu snarled and threw the man face-first to the ground, sitting back in his chair and considering this unreal information. Could it possibly be true? Was it a trap?

"Are you absolutely certain they are alone?" he asked.

The messenger bowed, still shaken. "Y-yes, general! The area is totally secure, well behind the area compromised by the attack of the dragons. They are being watched closely. Several veteran scouts have confirmed that it is Sun Ce, since they have witnessed him in battle at least twice now."

What could be going on? Huang Zu knew for a fact that the area in question was secure, regardless of how those Sun brats managed to infiltrate it. Why had the Lord of the Southlands come to this place? Could he possibly have known that Huang Zu was so close, protected by three brigades of veteran troops, some of the best Jing had to offer?

Could he possibly be _that_ arrogant?

Huang Zu thought of Sun Jian and how his fiery nature and overwhelming warrior's pride had led him into a simple trap that spelled his doom. Sun Ce was known to be brash and eager for battle, more so than even his father, and supremely confident in his skill as a warrior.

But what folly could lead a man to bring himself, his brother and his sister to such a remote and dangerous locale? Huang Zu knew that they burned with desire for vengeance for the death of their father, but this... this was hubris or folly beyond anything he could have imagined.

He would make the Young Conqueror pay dearly for it.

***

Da Qiao led her regiment through Fankou, the city having been pacified rapidly by the ten thousand men Zhou Yu left behind under the command of Lu Xun, who would garrison the city. The Wu warriors were actively helping the citizens put out any residual fires and there seemed to be no resistance to speak of. Even businesses seemed to be opening as Lu Xun had determined that the city should continue to operate as normally as possible in spite of the occupation, and none of the citizens seemed to mind that much.

She rode by Lu Xun and he bowed deferentially as she passed. She had been intrigued by him as a commander, since he seemed thorough and meticulous in his planning. In this he did indeed remind her of Zhou Yu, but Zhou Yu seemed to do such things instinctively and without effort, whereas the young Lu Xun was energetic in implementing his ideas and policies.

He had divided up his personal regiment, the Warhawks, into ten companies, all versed in general battlefield tactics and combat, but each also specializing in some aspect of warfare, meaning that Lu Xun's forces could fill in virtually any niche he desired- the Thunderhawks were assault specialists; the Blackhawks and Deathhawks excelled in defensive warfare; the Nighthawks specialized in night time operations; the Firehawks were outriders and skirmishers who used fire arrows and incendiaries to disrupt the enemies; the Bloodhawks, Spirithawks and Redhawks specialized in guerrilla warfare while the Seahawks were masters of marine warfare. The last company, the Silverhawks, consisted of comely warriors who were skilled both with the sword and their tongues, warriors meant to pacify a populace, and it was these men who interacted now with the people of Fankou, assuring them that all was well and the Sun family meant them no harm.

Da Qiao considered the ordering of her own men along such lines but dismissed it as impractical, since she knew comparatively about such matters as yet, in spite of her rank. More than that, she commanded companies and battalions that were established and had their own histories. Lu Xun's companies were made of volunteers from other corps who were attracted to his eclectic style of command and energy.

Tradition or innovation... which really was more essential? She honestly had no idea. What irked her was how men such as Zhou Yu and her husband embraced both so easily. Even rudimentary considerations of these subjects strained her mind, but she did not doubt that others would say the same thing concerning her training in the matters of the elusive and inscrutable Willow World of the courtesans, something she and Xiao just took for granted.

She thought about the banner that fluttered overhead now, proclaiming her regiment to be a royal one. Technically she was still a part of Huang Gai's corps, which was back in Wu, helping to guard the northern borders, but she had been insistent on playing her part in avenging Sun Jian's death. Her regiment had yet to see action in this campaign, since she would be involved in the second wave of the action, but she was relieved to see that all seemed to be going according to plan.

The people of Fankou that she passed by bowed low as they spied her royal banner; the city was coming to life, although the main boulevard was kept mostly free of traffic so as to accommodate the Wu troops that were passing through the city to enter Jing. Da Qiao's regiment was the first of the relief troops to pass through and would be the first to see action in this next phase.

As she passed out at the western gates, she heard the distant call of horns from the south, heralding the troops of Fu Chin Ran. Da was relieved to hear the call of the amazons, not because she had been afraid for them, but because the valiant commander's presence always was a comfort to her, as was Shang Xiang's.

She wondered now where Shang Xiang was. For that matter, where were Ce and Quan? She had expected to see them in Fankou, but there was no sign of them. Where the Sun siblings sequestered somewhere safe at Zhou Yu's behest, waiting to see the outcome of the first phase of their war?

Her thoughts strayed to Xiao- apparently the _Feilong _had performed brilliantly in their first operation and had returned safely, a few of them suffering minor damage but nothing of consequence. Her sister and her squad were now headed on horseback toward Fankou, to participate in the battle for Jing. Da was relieved that Xiao was not hurt.

The sun rose behind her over the captured city as she and her men rode west. Long columns of infantry marched along the main road out of Fankou while cavalry regiments galloped along the flanks, readying to assault the foe. Da now rode alongside other horsemen, all of whom bowed and deferentially gave way to her and her cavaliers. Everyone knew that the honour of first blood in this phase was to go to her, along with the Night Tigers and the Swordwind.

She felt unusually calm as she rode west, knowing the enemy waited. It was a change she had noticed in herself recently- the closer she came to battle, the less fear and anxiety she felt. The day prior her hands had been trembling so badly she was amazed it had not been noticed, but now, perhaps hours or minutes away from pitched battle, she was experiencing a sense of calm she could not explain but also welcomed. Her men were counting on her to not only lead by example but to be decisive in her actions and not torn apart by indecision.

She pictured her assault on the enemy line, breaking through it and routing them. There was no thought given to contingency plans, those were the domain of Zhou Yu as Grand Commander. Da Qiao's job was to hit the enemy, hard, and break them. There was no room for merely making a spirited attempt. There was success or nothing.

She smiled. Maybe it really was that easy. She didn't have to understand it, only accept it.

Huang Zu was a dead man.

***

"I know now why you have brought us here, brother," Quan said quietly as he, Shang Xiang and Ce stood quietly in the dense forest. "Can we possibly succeed?"

"Not like we have much of a choice, is it?" Ce said simply. "I ain't dyin' and explainin' to the old man about gettin' killed in the forests of Jing."

"No argument there," Shang Xiang agreed. "Huang Zu cannot ignore this bait. Even if he suspects a trap, we are simply too perfect a prize to pass up. If he somehow manages to slay us, then it will be worth any price, any number of troops he can throw at us."

Quan nodded. "I see the truth of it. He must know these lands are secure and we have no reinforcements. But when he comes, he will come with everything he can muster. That could be thousands of men."

"So what?" Ce reasoned. "Shang Xiang defeated Zhang Liao and a thousand of his men. You've taken on countless enemies and won."

"And Ce's kicked the ass off of entire armies all by his lonesome, not to mention Lu Bu and a demon prince," Shang Xiang added. "Just promise me you'll leave some enemies for the two of us, okay, brother?"

Ce snorted. "You're the fastest of the three of us on foot, sis. When they rout, you're gonna be the one who gets the tiger's share of the meat."

"I refuse to let Fu's body count pass mine again," she said grimly. "Even now she's in the south, savaging who knows how many enemy battalions. I've got my work cut out for me."

The conversation died out, leaving each of them to their own personal contemplations. Little needed to be said, they all knew why they were there. They were the one factor that Huang Zu could not afford to overlook. If they had dangled any other bait, he might have ignored it, but not this. No matter what the cost, he would only have one chance ever to destroy all three Sun children at the same time, and they were making it perfectly obvious to him.

Sun Ce was plainly stating that no matter what Huang Zu threw at him, it would not be enough, that he was that strong, that invincible. Here, in the forests of Jing, not far from where Sun Jian had fallen, history would not repeat itself but be avenged.

The birds in the trees had stopped singing and all was quite.

The enemy was coming.

Here, deep in the woods, no terrible fires would be set, no boulders or flaming logs would be rolled toward them and the denseness of the trees would hamper arrow barrages. It would simply be a question of force of arms.

Ce's tonfas were in his hands and he smiled, rotating his shoulders as he prepared. Shang Xiang stood quietly, her hands on her hips, ready to pull her bow from her hip at the first sign of the enemy and fell them before she pulled her chakrams from her back for the melee. Quan waited in stony silence, his hand on the hilt of his Wolf Blade and his eyes flashing with defiance. This would be a test like no other he had ever faced, and he would not fail.

The air was heavy with a tense expectancy, the silence almost deafening. Shang Xiang smiled and her voice was soft, almost tender.

"He's here," she breathed. "Can you feel him? He's watching over us."

Quan and Ce both nodded. They knew exactly what their sister was talking about.

Four Suns side by side. There was no chance of defeat now.

***

Xia Kou was now in sight. Ling Cao exhorted his men to press forward, performing daring feats to inspire the troops under his command. Though he kept it to himself, he was distressed to see Liu Biao's royal banner disappear into the city. They had been _so_ close to catching him!

Ling Tong fought alongside his father now, his light infantry battalions having swept in from the hills to support the main drive. He moved like a shooting star on the battlefield, fighting with a speed that Ling Cao suspected even Lord Sun Ce might have a hard time matching.

Tong's preferred weapon was more or less a simple flail, derived from a peasant's threshing tool, but he wielded it with lethal efficiency. His speed was such that when confronted by a foe he usually struck first, the hard, iron-bound wood of the flail striking some vital point or weak spot in the armour and compromising the stunned enemy, who he then quickly dispatched.

The young man darted in lightning, ducking the thrust of a spear, spinning up behind his foe and having already wrapped the strong chain that bound the two halves of his flail together around the spearman's throat. Tong lunged low, pulling his foe backward and throwing him to the ground, snapping his neck. He surged up, striking another foe across the face and sending him reeling away. He dodged a sword thrust and tangled the blade in his weapon's chain, yanking it violently out of the man's hand. The hard heel of his boot rammed into the swordsman's stomach, even as he drove the newly liberated sword's point into another man's chest and striking a third with his flail.

Ling Cao paused to watch in fascination as his son assaulted the enemy. Tong fought with a serpentine grace and speed, his simple weapon flipped around his body, almost too fast for the eye to follow. The flail initially seemed like an ineffective choice for a battlefield tool, but Tong was a master of it and his strikes could come at a foe from either side or just about any angle, making it an unnerving weapon to fight against. Tong's flail was sturdy enough to put a serious dent in a helmet and he was accurate enough to cripple a joint like an elbow or knee, meaning that a foe was essentially dead in a pitched battle such as this.

Tong was merciless in his attack and called for his men to follow him. The boy wore only the lightest of armour, preferring to not be weighed down and instead relying on his agility to keep him safe from harm. Ling Cao had even seen his son deflect arrows with his flail, a feat that almost defied description. If he had not seen Sun Ce pluck at arrow out of the air as it sped by on various occasions, he never would have considered such a thing possible.

He returned his attention to the battlefield and rode forward, followed by his cavalry bodyguard, nearly five hundred strong. The enemy was stymied by the speed of their attack and Ling Cao had not allowed them any time to regroup since he had thundered out of the foothills of the southwest. Huang Zu had doubtless given his troops orders about defending the port, but Ling Cao pressed them so hard that a coordinated defence was not possible. The Wu troops had to reach Liu Biao before the ships took him across the river.

Father and son savaged their enemy, determined to avenge Lord Sun Jian. Closer and closer they came to Xia Kou, the outskirts of the city now less than five _li_ away. Ling Cao could see ships approaching the harbour, swift vessels meant to spirit Liu Biao to safety across the Yangtze. He would not allow it. Liu Biao would be in chains and brought to Sun Ce as a prisoner of war.

He stood tall in his saddle and held his sword aloft. "For the glory of the Sun fam-"

The war cry died in his throat and Ling Cao's eyes widened in shock. Almost paralysed, he forced himself to look down and saw the long arrow shaft that had pierced his cuirass and lodged itself in his heart. He heard nothing, all sound having fallen away.

He had been wounded before and lost the ability to hear, but it was always replaced by the thunderous beat of his heart in his chest.

He felt no such beat now.

He looked up and his eyes met Tong's. His son was staring at him in disbelief, even as the battle whirled about them. The world ran red for Ling Cao and he sensed rather than felt his sword dropping from the hand he could no longer control. He struggled to remain standing but dropped to his knees. Through the red haze he could see Tong running toward him, but his movements were painfully slow. He could not hear what his son said, but knew he was calling to his father. The panic in Tong's eyes was obvious and Cao wondered if the wound was even worse than it looked.

He felt confused, disoriented. Was he dying? Was this what death felt like? He didn't know what he should have expected, but this was not it. It was becoming increasingly had to focus and there was a warm blackness creeping in at the edge of his vision. Something told him to fight it, something he could not explain, since his body seemed to want to simply relax and sleep.

He barely felt Tong holding him, trying to keep him propped upright and he saw the desperation in his son's eyes and body language. He couldn't die, not here, not now. Tong needed him. The Sun family needed him. The Southlands needed him.

What was that jingling noise?

The mist of pain and blood cleared away and he viewed the battlefield with unusual alacrity. His eyes were drawn to a place not far away and he espied a man of unique appearance- he was muscular of build and his entire upper body was covered in elaborate tattoos. His hair was spiked and his expression was cocky. He held a bow in his hands which he now tossed aside casually and swept out a _dadao_ from his belt. He sprang forward and the round bells that he wore on his hips jingled.

Confusion was spreading through Ling Cao's forces as the men realized their commander had been struck down. The confusion became panic when they realized who they were facing, and although he could hear nothing but the jingling of those damned bells, he could see what his men were calling to one another...

Gan Ning. The infamous pirate Gan Ning was their foe.

Ling Cao turned his head to look at his son, but Tong's eyes were fixed on Gan Ning. He reached over and gripped his son's shoulder and Tong's head snapped back to look at his father. Cao could feel his back arching as he fought to remain upright, but it was all slipping away. His eyes were dimming again, no longer red but grey, slowly becoming a stifling black.

_Killed by lowly pirates..._

He reflected on all he had accomplished in his lifetime and what he had not managed to achieve. He was a celebrated general of the Sun family, known as its most loyal vassal and most stalwart general. His son was a remarkable warrior who would one day be a commander beyond the measure of his father.

There were so many things he wanted to say to Tong. They all seemed so obvious now. There had been so much time and now there was almost none.

He began speaking everything that was on his mind, hoping Tong could hear him. The warmth enveloped him, comforting him, letting him know it was okay to relax. This was one time when surrender was not a dishonour but rather the measure of a man's fortitude in facing the unknown.

He bowed humbly before Sun Jian as the patriarch stood over him, smiling. He knew now that his next duty was just beginning...

***

Ling Tong looked down at his father, his face pale with horror. The tip of the arrow that had skewered Ling Cao was actually poking out the back of his cuirass. Tong was calling desperately to his father, trying to keep him conscious, but the general's eyes were wide and glassy, sightless. His mouth moved constantly, as if he was trying to say something, but no sound came forth. He was beyond speech.

And then Ling Cao smiled at something and went completely still.

"FATHERRRRRRRRR!!!" Ling tong cried out in agony.

He laid Ling Cao down and rose, backing away from the corpse in disbelief. This couldn't be. He bumped into one of his father's cavaliers and shuddered as he stared at the man, unable to comprehend what was happening. He slowly realized he was surrounded by his father's guard, who were forming a protective shield around him. He squeezed his eyes shut and gritted his teeth as he forced himself back to the reality of the battlefield.

As he focused his eyes settled on Gan Ning, who was driving a wedge deep into his father's troops, followed by his pirate scum. His swordplay was masterful, almost playfully cutting down even seasoned warriors with his _dadao_. He was laughing and insulting those he slew.

Ling Tong was still paralysed until Gan Ning saw him, standing like a statue. The pirate smirked arrogantly and strode toward Ling Cao's body. Still staring at Tong, he stood over the general and rested a boot casually on his chest, daring Ling Tong to do something about it.

The sight of his father's desecration was more than Tong could bear. He cried out in rage and leapt forward, determined to slay Gan Ning, the man who had deprived him of his father. Ling Cao's guards shouted and followed their new commander, intent on avenging their fallen lord.

Gan Ning seemed unconcerned.

"Today's your lucky day," he sneered in his gravelly voice. "You get to fight the great Gan Ning."

Once he finished off this punk, it wouldn't be too long until he met up with Sun Ce. Then the real fight would begin.

***

Zhou Yu and Da Qiao rode side by side now, leading their cavalry regiments through the routing enemy line. When he had learned how quickly Ling Cao had broken through in the southwest he had pressed his attack, knowing he would need to support his general and protect him from Huang Zu's treachery.

The Swordwind and Valiant Cavaliers formed the deadly point of a spearhead that drove deep into the enemy ranks. Zhou Yu's scouts reported that the Jing line, once they had turned to make a stand, was of uniform strength from one end to the other, so he had decided to hit them in the center and divide them in two. Though the enemy commander had been anticipating such a tactic, the Valiant Cavaliers were on them before the Jing soldiers were actually ready. They punched a hole in the defensive line and began running amok amongst the auxiliary troops. Even as the enemy turned to counterattack Da Qiao, the Swordwind crashed into them and burst the center wide open, followed by Zhou Yu's corps and beginning a rout.

Though outnumbered, the Wu troops overran the enemy line and within minutes the entire Jing defensive posture had collapsed. Thousand threw down their arms and surrendered. Those who did not were slain.

A regiment of swordsmen chased the Valiant Cavaliers, determined to impede their onslaught. Da waved her men on, impressing on them the need to destroy the enemy's supplies. She then pulled her horse about and charged straight back at the swordsmen. Their numbers meant nothing. All that mattered was her will to win.

Her horse leapt high and carried her over their heads. They watched in astonishment as she vaulted from her horse's back in mid-leap and sailed down toward them, her fans spread like the wings of a crane. She landed in the midst of her foe, a sweep of her fans felling several before they could react. She began spinning and striking, poetry in motion. As Shang Xiang had taught her, she listened to the singing of her muscles. True, the strain and flexes were different from dancing, but the principals were the same. She had come to understand what her fans were capable of and what effect they would have on various foes- these swordsmen were heavily armoured and carried shields, so she would not contest the stoutness of the iron that protected them, but strike between the plates or mail, finding weak spots, joints or exposed skin. The consistent flow of dance gave way to surges of power in the muscles, with all the strength concentrated at the final moments of the movement, where they were useful. There was no sense wasting the energy through the motion, when contact did not occur with the target until the very end.

Initially she had encountered difficulty with the concept, since she had trouble with reconciling the notion that she should sense the flow of energy and the strike, rather than feel it. Shang Xiang had explained that if she felt it, then she was going to get stopped short by a perceived physical barrier and a contest of strength would develop, something she was unlikely to win. Therefore Da was learning to fight on instinct, ignoring the enemy and focusing on listening to her own body. The enemy was not there and whatever obstacle they presented was not one of iron but paper or hemp, to be cut down and dismissed.

Once thing Da had learned to do with her unique weapon and fighting style was drive people mad with the fans. She and Xiao used their wide spread of the weapons not only to conceal their own movements but impede their foe's vision. It was hard to see anything if someone was shoving a fan in your face constantly. She had irritated Shang Xiang so badly with this tactic during a sparring match once that the princess had literally just kicked right through the fans and knocked Da nearly twenty spans backwards. Though she had been beaten yet again, Da was pleased with the result. If she could fluster a Sun with the ploy then it would prove extremely useful against lesser foes, such as the men she now faced.

She pictured where their faces were or the joints and weak spots in their armour. Her movements were so quick and fluid that they would hardly keep track of her. Even though she was in their midst, they would hardly swing or thrust as they would have preferred, lest they injure one another. Da, on the other hand, surrounded as she was by enemies, could strike and fight with abandon, doing as she pleased. The ornate scenes of one of her fans right in their face was the last thing many of them saw before they died.

"_Ignore the pain; ignore the cry of your muscles. Do not rest, do not pull back! To let up is to die, for you are but one woman and you willingly attacked a regiment of swordsmen. Fight until aid arrives, fight until one of them strikes you down fair and square, but do not let up and do not think about the pain."_

She shouted out in pain, not a physical discomfort, but more of a distress brought on by her whirling dance of death being brought to a halt abruptly by some force that she could not contest. She staggered and gasped, wincing and forcing herself to open her eyes. Standing next to her was Zhou Yu, his ancient blade held up in front of himself, staying her fans and keeping them away from his tender flesh. She stared at him in bewilderment and he smiled.

"I believe the fight has moved to a different location, my lady," he said simply. "Perhaps you'd care to join the rest of us?"

Da took a deep breath and looked around. Her eyes widened in astonishment as she saw the carnage all about her, the bodies of the swordsmen who had been her foes. Her heart pounded as she considered the implications of what she was seeing- a standard Han sword regiment was more than nine hundred men, sometimes over a thousand.

Could she possibly have slain that many?

"Before you begin calculating your head count, take a closer look at the victims." Zhou Yu suggested in his mellow tenor.

She looked again and finally sighed in despair. The vast majority of the bodies sported deep wounds, like those of a spear or sword thrust. Plainly the Valiant Cavaliers or Zhou Yu's Swordwind had come to her aid and she had just failed to notice.

"To be fair, you gave an excellent account of yourself, Da." Zhou Yu soothed. "Before we reached you, you seemed to have things well in hand and I daresay you can easily lay claim to over fifty of the foe. They never knew what hit them."

She sighed and dropped to her knees, closing her eyes and breathing deeply.

"Zhou Yu, be a darling and tell my men I will be there shortly, please?" she asked wearily.

The strategist nodded. "I think it will please them no end to hear that, since you panicked them rather badly when you pulled off and attacked an enemy regiment by yourself."

She looked up at him. "They were worried?"

Zhou Yu nodded solemnly. "It is something of a running joke in the administrative branch of Huang Gai's corps that your regiment will be submitting for more requests for stress leave that all the rest combined."

"Charming," she said dryly. "Speaking of stressing people, where have you sequestered my mighty husband to, Zhou Yu?"

Zhou Yu looked somewhat hesitant. "To be honest, Da, he is probably fighting by now."

She frowned. "I don't recall seeing him leading the Night Tigers. I distinctly remember Taishi Ci riding at the fore."

"That's... not what I mean, Da..." he said uneasily.

***

"Kill them! KILL THEM!!!" Huang Zu roared angrily at his men as they streamed by him, rushing to engage the foe. He had Sun Ce completely surrounded and there was no chance of escape. He was not going to let the arrogant brat get away. He would die, just as his father had.

The problem was that Sun Ce and his siblings were making this task extraordinarily difficult for Huang Zu's soldiers. They seemed unfazed by the number of foes and all three fought with a dreadful eagerness that defied description. Sometimes they covered one another, never allowing an enemy to get behind, while at other times they rushed in and attacked savagely, independent of one another's support. When the enemy's numbers got to be too great they simply retreated to the center where the other two would protect their flanks.

Huang Zu's men fell like wheat before a scythe and he gritted his teeth in frustration. He was throwing three full brigades at the Sun and they were showing no sign of distress at the predicament. Rather than growing weary they in fact seemed to grow stronger and more energetic and the battle went on.

He watched them and how they moved, hoping to notice some weakness he could exploit- Sun Ce's raw power was incredible. He thought nothing of bashing through an enemy's defences and leaving them wide open for death. He did not parry without counterattacking in the same motion. Every single action he took was a death knell for whoever the target was.

Sun Quan's fighting style with his great sword was direct and aggressive. Like his brother, he would use his strength to knock an opponent's weapon or shield away, exposing him to a deadly thrust or slash. Even his parries were meant not only to deflect blows but to misdirect them, leaving the foe open.

Shang Xiang, the sister, was the most balletic by necessity, her chakrams whirling about her body in deadly arcs. These lethal slashes were punctuated with kicks from her long legs that unerringly found weak spots in armour or an exposed throat. Huang Zu watched as she slashed widely and spun to one knee, facing the opposite direction. Before the men she had been fighting could react, she had lunged forward toward foes on the opposite side of the human ring, leaping into the air and executing a graceful double snap-kick that killed a man instantly. Ribbons of blood trailed almost poetically from the arcs described by her blades as she attacked her foes.

The men she had abandoned made to close in behind her but found themselves now face to face with Sun Quan, glaring balefully as he covered his sister. The closest soldier died as Quan slid his Wolf Blade into his torso, his eyes flashing mercilessly. Quan kicked him off the sword and drove the others back in fear before retreating to the center again.

Neither of the younger siblings made any move to cover or help Ce and he didn't really seem to need their assistance. He aided them readily and easily but often as not was fighting off by himself, surrounded by a throng of foes. His battle spirit blazed brightly, shining around him like a fiery aura. His weapons trailed flames as he struck, whirling and spinning about. Tonfas, feet, elbows and knees, he killed any who dared to stand before him.

Ce killed a spearman and casually tossed one of his tonfas in the air. He grabbed the dead man's weapon and hurled it full force, right at Huang Zu. The general ducked behind a tree in panic, going pale as the spear pierced the thick trunk and the point emerged right next to his head. Ce caught the weapon he had thrown into the air and began fighting again.

"This all you got, Huang Zu?" he called out cheerfully.

Huang Zu snarled with rage and exhorted his men forward. He had over three thousand men at his command here and they could not seem to take down three people that had surrounded. How had Sun Ce seen him? How had he known where the throw that damned spear?

"Press your attack, you fools!" the general shouted. "Their weapons are no good to them if they are pinned between your sheer numbers!"

The theory was a good one, if grisly, but the Sun brats would simply not cooperate. Huang Zu's men began to stumble over the bodies that were piling up around their targets and if they pressed closer then the Sun siblings pushed back, killing more and more as those behind surged in.

Shang Xiang weaved and threaded through her foes, never allowing them to use their numbers to push her back. Her chakrams were covered in gore and blood streaked her face. Quan killed men as they pressed in, his eyes defying them to come closer. He thrust into one man's chest and killed the man behind him. The strike was so quick that those nearby had no chance to even try to counter it or strike at his arm.

Sun Ce pressed his way into the men, putting them on the defensive. No matter how many soldiers pushed against him, he seemed stronger. He was in so close that their weapons often became a hindrance to them. Desperate to stop him, men tried to leap on him and drag him down, but the warlord of the Southlands would not be subdued. No matter how many men piled on, he drove inexorably into the foe, slaying all within reach. At one point he had actually disappeared beneath the mound of foes and Huang Zu was certain he had Sun Ce, but then the mighty warrior burst forth from his assailants, sending men flying in all directions.

Huang Zu went pale as Sun Ce glowered at him, his body wreathed in a corona of fire and his eyes blazed like those of a celestial tiger.

"Time's up, Huang Zu," Ce said, he voice carrying through the din of battle. "My father's revenge is upon you..."

"Ce!" Shang Xiang called out.

Ce turned his head and saw Quan and Shang Xiang were being hemmed in by the press of bodies, their endurance on the face of the endless onslaught finally flagging. Back to back, they were fighting furiously, parrying and covering one another, striking back as best they could.

Ce landed next to them, driving his tonfas into the earth as he came down. The ground thundered and a fissure opened, sending Huang Zu's men scrambling back in a panic. Ce attacked them savagely, felling his foes like a scythe through wheat. He killed one man, grabbed and threw him bodily into his comrades. Quan and Shang Xiang, succoured by their brother, fought now with renewed vigour.

It was too much. Huang Zu's men broke and began to flee. Streaming away in all directions, they were desperate to escape the vengeance of the Sun family. Huang Zu watched in disbelief as three of the most elite brigades in the entire army of Jing disintegrated in chaos. The captain of his guard pulled Huang Zu back and led him east, forcing him to run. If he wanted to protest, he didn't seem to have the capacity to do so at the moment.

Ce turned to look at his brother and sister.

"You two alright?" he asked. They both nodded.

"Good," he said. "Rest up, I'm goin' after that bastard Huang Zu. He ain't escapin' us again."

"And get left behind? Oh, hell no..." Shang Xiang said, glowering. She stood straight and sprinted east, after their sworn enemy. She leapt onto the back of one fleeing soldier and used his head almost like a springboard, vaulting into the trees and running lightly along the branches.

"She'll catch Huang Zu in no time that way, brother." Quan observed as they watched their sister disappear into the canopy of the forest.

"Up for a run, Quan?" Ce asked, smiling and shaking his head. "Huang Zu's gonna die today."

Quan nodded grimly and set off at a run, determined to not let his sister have all the glory. Ce looked around at the scene he now found himself alone in- bodies beyond count lay strewn on the forest floor, heaped in piles. The wails of the wounded and dying did not reach him. He walked over to the tree Huang Zu had been standing near and took hold of the spear shaft, still embedded in the stout trunk.

Their prey had been _so _close. If only Ce had fought a little harder or been a little better. But there were limits to even his strength and skill, apparently, and the two thousand men standing between them, while they could not stop him completely, had proven an effective barrier.

"_You won't escape me again, Huang Zu. My father's honour demands it. Run while you can and find yourself a strong place, because you'll need everything you've got..."_

***

Ling Tong snarled in rage as he struck at Gan Ning, his blows almost faster than the eye could follow, but somehow the pirate managed to avoid the onslaught with practiced ease. He seemed to be enjoying himself and not the least bit concerned about coming to any sort of physical harm.

Ling Tong's flail moved with blinding speed, an advantage he commonly relied on. However, his cagey foe seemed to be able to read his moves and predict them, allowing him to remain unscathed. He back up almost casually as Ling Tong pressed his attack, at one point thrusting backward to kill an enemy he sensed behind him without ever taking his eyes off his foe.

"Heh, not bad, boy," Gan Ning sneered. "But now it's my turn..."

The pirate lunged forward suddenly, his broad-bladed _dadao_ catching Ling Tong's flail and stopping it cold. A cold shock raced through the young warrior at the sudden blunting of his momentum and his heart pounded in his throat. His foe's eyes flashed and Ling Tong barely avoided the counter-strike, which instead clove through the man behind him. He scrambled back, trying to ascertain what to do with an opponent who was not cowed by his speed.

Gan Ning gave him no chance to rest, however, and thrust the sword directly as Ling Tong's heart. He twisted sideways to avoid the strike and lashed out with his flail. The pirate blocked the strike with one of the heavy metal bracers he wore on his wrists, swatting it aside. Ling Tong followed the weapon's arc and rolled away rather than resisting and attempting to pull it back, putting some much-needed distance between himself and his foe. He had to find some weakness he could exploit.

Several of Ling Cao's guards rushed past him to engage Gan Ning and though it pained him to do so, Ling Tong stood back and watched, observing his foe, knowing that these brave men were being sent to their doom. Gan Ning was a powerful fighter, his body motions fluid and confident. He saved the energy of his strikes until the final moment before contact, allowing all his strength to be channelled into it, rather than wasting it in the lead-up. In many ways he reminded Ling Tong of Sun Ce, although he was not quite as large.

The pirate refused to let his opponents gang up on him, targeting, isolating and killing them, making sure that if one got behind him, he would move forward into another foe. When they closed in behind, he had made sure that the man he was currently facing was either dead or backing up, breaking the deadly ring.

Rarely did he use two hands when he struck, even though the _dadao_ was considered a two-handed sword. His forearms and wrists were amazingly muscular, capable of controlling the heavy weapon with great ease. Ling Tong watched in fascination as he Gan Ning held the weapon low and often behind, not only concealing his intent but also discouraging attacks from the rear.

His speed with the sword was nothing short of amazing, rivalling Master Zhou Yu's. He could thrust or slash, since the _dadao_ was designed for big movements, but he also could spin it about in tight circles, with simple rotations of his wrists.

The jingling of the bells that Gan Ning wore on his hips was almost all Ling Tong could hear.

One of Ling Cao's commanders spun the young warrior about and spoke to him urgently.

"Young lord, stay back!" he said, the tone almost pleading. "We will deal with this scum! You must rally our troops and direct us now that your father is gone!"

Ling Tong felt numb as he nodded, like he wasn't really there. He heeded the commander's frantic request and moved back amongst the press of his troops, breathing deep as he tries to focus himself on the task at hand. By the time he had turned around, Gan Ning and his troops were a surprising distance away, engaged in a fierce battle with the Southlander troops over the body of Ling Cao.

Ling Tong bit his lip as he forced the issue of his father's corpse from his mind. He had to find a weak point in the enemy line and press forward. More than anything he wanted to kill Gan Ning and avenge his father, but that would be accomplished when Ling Tong collapsed the enemy's formation.

His head was almost swimming with indecision, knowing that he was perfectly capable of assessing the situation and that what _should_ have been perfectly obvious was eluding him.

Gan Ning was still too strong. If Ling Tong could keep him busy, stall him, then just maybe he could lead a drive elsewhere on the field and turn the tide. He would meet hard with soft, fire with water and aggression with resolution. He pictured the battlefield and mind raced to think of the solution to the predicament. Until now, momentum had lay with the Wu forces, ever since they had streamed out of the hills and vales into Jing. This battle was their first serious challenge and there was no reason to assume it would be the last.

Gan Ning hated being surrounded, Ling Tong concluded. He may have been a skilful fighter, even masterful, but something about the way his aggression peaked when he was ringed by foes struck the young commander as a weakness. If Ling Tong could somehow make Gan Ning feel the pressure, somehow use the threat of encirclement against him, he might trick the pirate into retreating or at least taking up a defensive posture.

He raced around to the left flank, but not before ordering more companies and battalions into the fray where Gan Ning was located, determined to keep the tattooed warrior busy while he turned the tide of battle elsewhere. Only the fastest warriors could keep up with him as he sprinted toward the river, where lay Gan Ning's small fleet of ships. Fast vessels, with the main masts painted black, they represented haven for the pirates. Even if Gan Ning was not fazed by their capture, his men most certainly would be.

His men were relying on him to lead the way to Xia Kou. Gan Ning be damned, Lord Sun Ce's orders were to capture Liu Biao. If he captured the port, Gan Ning would be trapped. One task at a time...

***

Fu Chin Ran and her amazons were now joined by Sun Shang Xiang's corps, marching quickly through the southwest and clearing out overrun pockets of resistance along the way. The Wu attack had been so sudden and the movement through Jing so rapid that entire enemy battalions potentially remained behind Sun Ce's lines. Zhou Yu, however, had anticipated this and while the main lines ground steadily north and west toward Xiao Kou, Fu Chin Ran was ordered to make sure the rear was secured. It may not have been as glorious as fighting in the front lines, but she and her women-warriors had certainly earned their reputation over the years as indomitable fighters, and one rearguard action was not going to sully this fame.

She drove the point of her straight sword into one foe before spinning and smashing her armoured elbow into the face of another, felling him. Like the other amazons, she wore comparatively light armour, to compliment their fleet and hard-hitting style of combat, but Fu Chin Ran's entire body was a weapon and she made sure that every possible striking surface was properly protected- iron greaves covered her instep, shins and knees, while strong bracers protected her elbows, forearms and the back of her hands. Even the thick metal band she wore across her forehead was meant to protect her skull when she invariably head-butted an unsuspecting foe.

Resistance to her assault had collapsed quickly, once the enemy realized that they were hopelessly overrun. It was a tactic Fu Chin Ran had made sure her girls were masters of- using their speed and agility, they would literally bull their way through or around the enemy, those warriors in front moving relentlessly while those who came behind would deal with the confused enemy. Few things could unnerve a foe like knowing that the enemy was ignoring you to get at what lay behind their position, all the while having to defend against a second wave.

Fu Chin Ran found this especially effective with heavily armoured foes, knowing that their possible reactions were limited. If she overran or skirted their formation, few resources were needed to keep track of them and inform her of their predictable responses. Typically they would try to close in behind the amazons, assuming the women-warriors were engaged with some foe behind. The ground these heavy troops would have to cover was often great and all the iron they wore became a liability to their endurance. Her girls would not engage them until she ensured that they were properly exhausted, and then they would be on them like tigers.

Add to this the sage and venerable tactic of killing the senior officer to sow panic and indecision amongst the troops and most of these battles were over before they had begun. Most armies celebrated the vanity of command by making sure that commanding officers and subordinates were easily identifiable, with increasingly elaborate decoration on their uniforms as rank increased. Aside from her unusually strong build, Fu Chin Ran was not easily distinguished from her troops, in case a clever enemy devised the same tactic. Meanwhile, her best shots were killing the other side's officers as rapidly as possible, breaking down the chain of command.

Shang Xiang had not told Fu Chin Ran exactly what is was that she would be doing while her subordinate took nominal command of the corps, but she had a pretty good idea what was intended. Sun Jian had been led into a trap and slain, a trap that exploited his warrior's pride. It was therefore fitting that such a trap would be set for Huang Zu. Not so much a play on his pride as using his hatred at the Sun clan against him, setting out bait that he could not possibly refuse.

In spite of the staggering odds she and Shang Xiang had faced during the battle of Xia Pi against Zhang Liao, she found herself worrying desperately about her commander and lover. The risk was a terrible one, for if anything went wrong, if the three Sun children were _not_ a match for whatever Huang Zu threw at them, then the Southlands were lost forever and the Middle Kingdom was doomed to interminable war.

She prayed desperately, even as she slew, for the delivery of them all.

***

"Their lines are holding," Da Qiao murmured as she stood alongside Zhou Yu and gazed westward toward the savage battle that spread out in a flashing, glittering line of chaos running north to south. "What would you have my men and I do, Zhou Yu?"

The strategist's keen grey eyes glittered as he pondered their options. Beyond the mere physical conflict, he was observing the contest as a duel of collective wills. The defenders were desperate to hold the Southlands at bay long enough for Lord Liu Biao to cross the river to safety, while the Wu troops burned with an unquenchable desire to avenge their mighty patriarch, Sun Jian.

The battle swayed back and forth as more and more troops reinforced both sides. The casualties would become intolerable at this rate, men locked in a gruelling contest for mere spans of ground. He had to find a weak point in the enemy formation, to collapse it so that they could race on to Xia Kou.

"Rest your troops for now, my lady," he said finally, he mellow tenor impassive. "I will have need of them soon enough, and throwing more men into the meat grinder is obviously not the answer, at least for us. Huang Zu may be willing to throw his men away to meet his ends, but I am not."

Da nodded her head and returned her attention to the unfolding conflict. She knew what Zhou Yu was looking for, but she had little idea of how to assist him in finding it. It was a level of command she simply did not understand yet.

"What of Ce?" she asked finally, her worry for her husband obvious. She had finally persuaded Zhou Yu to tell her exactly what the two of them had planned, and although she believed Ce to be the greatest warrior alive, it was hard not to panic at the mere thought of the risk entailed.

Zhou Yu kept staring out at the battle. "I am sure he is fine, Da. He will keep Quan and Shang Xiang safe."

"And for that I am thankful," she said, nodding. "I wonder if he will manage to catch and slay Huang Zu or if the general will flee and Ce will have to chase him down."

Zhou Yu remained silent but after several seconds a smile played over his lips. He nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Thank you, Da, for thinking of that," he intoned. "I know now what will break their line."

"Oh? How so?"

"You husband is a tiger, my lady." Zhou Yu explained, his eyes never leaving the battlefield. "He will break Huang Zu's army and hunt the general down, making him run like a doe. Huang Zu will once again be forced to retreat, victory snatched from him."

"And Xia Kou is too far away still," Da concluded. "He will try to link up with the troops we now face, but with Ce hot on his tail, it will be obvious he has been routed. The initiative will lay with us again."

Zhou Yu summoned a herald and gave very specific instructions to be relayed to all companies as quickly as possible. He then resumed his calm survey of the drama of human glory and misery that unfolded before him. Da Qiao marvelled at how unflappable the strategist was, how his cool demeanour contrasted his ferocity in combat. How one could reconcile such forces within themselves eluded her.

The waiting was more than she could bear and Da was about to beg to be sent into combat when she spied something to the north- from the vales and mighty forests, troops began to emerge, Jing soldiers, streaming out onto the broad plan and running west. Even at this distance, Da could feel the panic they were in, as if they were fleeing from some terrible predator.

Zhou Yu calmly pulled a horn from his belt and blew a long, loud and clear note on it. The heralds to the south took up the call, eventually reaching the battle line. The battalions took up the call in a rippling sequence that now travelled north.

Human curiosity took over and the defending Jing troops looked to see what the clarion calls indicated- word spread quickly about the hasty retreat of Huang Zu's elite brigades out of the woods to the north, obviously in total disarray. What terrible foe could have driven the mighty general from his position? Had the rumours of dragons been true?

Conflicting orders spread across the line, some indicating that General Huang Zu was ordering them to hold, while others claimed they were to retreat, to tighten up the lines. As Huang Zu's banners came into view, the only thing anyone understood was that something was seriously wrong.

It was at that moment that Zhou Yu's Swordwind troops drove into the center, a deadly wedge of glittering steel. Accompanied by Da Qiao's cavalry companies, they punched a ragged hole in the Jing line and spread out behind, wreaking havoc. The Wu troops shouted in triumph and pressed the advantage. Once again, the defenders routed, desperate to join their general in flight toward the supposed safety of Xia Kou.

***

"No! Stand your ground, you fools! STAND YOUR GROUND, DAMN YOU!" Huang Zu screamed, his face almost purple with rage. Even as he rode west he found himself hampered by troops that sought to escape the wrath of the Southlanders. He knew that the cursed Sun brats could not be far behind and they would not be content with picking off mere soldiers who lagged behind.

More than once he had looked behind himself, horrified by the distinct notion that they were being pursued from the very trees. A cavalier riding in front of him had been struck down by an arrow that could only have been fired from the absurd angle of behind and up. Worse still, he was certain that the arrows had _barely_ missed its intended target...

Fury blazed in his heart as he remembered the rout of his veteran brigades, bested by three individuals who simply refused to die. What manner of devilry did they practice? They certainly fought like demons, or at the very least savage tigers. It defied all logic, all tactical wisdom and all his notions of right and wrong.

How could he be losing? This was not possible! This was a disaster, defeated by that ponytailed brat! He had to reach Xia Kou and reorganize the lines, allowing himself to escape. Even with all the confusion he still had more than enough troops to snatch victory from defeat, if only he could get them organized.

He tried to identify his senior brigade commanders and only found one. Were the other two simply out of sight or had they fallen to those Sun brats? Given what he had seen of the battle, he was prepared to assume the worst. He needed a command structure if he was to rally the troops and erect a plausible defence. As he rode her remembered how Sun Ce would recklessly drive deep into a company, forcing aside or knocking down troops until he had reached their commander and killed him before turning to deal with the panicked soldiers. Though his face seemed almost jovial, his method of destroying Huang Zu's chain of command was ruthless and lethal. Men hardly knew who to turn to and he certainly couldn't scream loud enough to effectively direct nearly two thousand scared survivors.

He had to find a way to make his troops stand and fight. He could not allow a panicked retreat to Xia Kou, which would hinder the operation to get Liu Biao across the river to safety.

His command squad was still with him. He called loudly to them and he then turned and stood his ground, glaring back at the hills and forest. Reluctantly his bodyguards halted their flight and assembled around him, obeying his order to hold. While many troops kept rushing by, other squads halted and turned about, following the example of Huang Zu.

"Stand, men of Jing!" he called loudly, mastering his temper and pointing east with his sword. "Do you think that safety can be found in flight? The enemy that hunts you now will find you and slay you if you dare to show your back to them. Stand, I say! Stand and fight, for your general, for your families and for your lord, Liu Biao!"

Oblivious of the rout happening just to their south, Huang Zu's men, those who could master their fear, waited silently, trying to arrange themselves in some kind of defensive formation. Few archers remained, but they hastily formed squads that could rain death down on their foes as they emerged from the woods. Their hearts pounded in their chest as they waited, watching...

Sun Ce did not seem to be coming.

"Hold..." Huang Zu said tightly, knowing his men's courage hung by a thread.

There was the hiss of an arrow and then a company commander fell, a black-shafted missile lodged in his throat. The men around him cried out in panic as he staged and collapsed to the ground, his eyes wide in shock.

"The trees!" one man yelled, pointing. "She's in the boughs of the trees!"

The makeshift archer companies fired frantically and Shang Xiang ducked behind the wide trunk that protected her, listening to the whine of arrows as they sped by or the sporadic thunks as they embedded themselves in the tree. Predictably few were on target. She nocked another arrow and twisted around the trunk to shoot down another target she had picked earlier. She didn't even bother to wait and see if she had hit, knowing the man was dead.

The archer companies routed as their commander died, an arrow in his eye. Huang Zu would have shouted for order, but his attention and that of his men was fixed on a new threat- Sun Quan emerged from the trees, glaring balefully down the hill at the Jing soldiers and pointed his great Wolf Blade at them.

"Huang Zu!" he called out in a voice of iron. "The Sun family comes for revenge! You murdered the great Lord Sun Jian, our father, condemning his spirit to a restless wandering of the earth until the scales are balanced! You denied him an honourable warrior's death, taking him in a trap like an animal! We, his children, will now address this injustice!"

"Fool!" Huang Zu spat, not wanting Quan's words to influence the resolve of his men. "Sun Jian fell because he could not master his pride, led into a trap that even a green soldier would know to avoid! What future does your family have with impetuous men like that leading the way?"

"The emperor did not doubt my father's resolve," Quan retorted as he began to walk down the hill, sword in hand and his eyes flashing with desire for revenge. "Any servant of the emperor who dies in so ignoble a manner should be avenged. Your treachery will not save you now, Huang Zu!"

His men waited silently, seeing Shang Xiang leap down from her tree and begin striding toward them as well, her chakrams in hand. Even though she was a woman, they found her somehow even more intimidating that her brother. Her green-grey eyes blazed with a righteous fury that made the hearts of men quail in fear.

"It is Huang Zu we want!" she called out. "Move aside if you do not wish to be slain!"

"Stand your ground!" Huang Zu hissed, feeling his men's fear. "They are but three feisty brats!"

"What good did that do us before?" called out one squad commander nearby. "Our numbers were greater then and we had them surrounded!"

"Get out of our way..." Quan warned as he approached.

"Hold!" Huang Zu called, the desperation in his voice showing.

"There are only two of them!" another commander called out, trying to support the general. "Where is the vaunted Sun Ce?"

"Pretty much the last place you'd expect him to be..." came a voice from behind the Jing formation.

Men cried out in panic as they whirled around, but Ce was already on them, his very first attack bursting apart a company of spearmen. Quan and Shang Xiang stopped their measured stride down the hill and sprinted into the melee, attacking with a fury that matched their brother's.

"They have us surrounded!" one man howled in terror.

"There are three of them, fools!" Huang Zu roared. "How can you be surrounded? Attack and do not let them reach one another! That is their weakness!"

But men were scrambling away to escape their attackers, rather than facing them. If they maybe understood the logic in Huang Zu's words, that indeed there were only three foes and that sheer numbers could overwhelm them, nobody cared to be amongst the piles of dead it would take to accomplish this.

"Run while you can, Huang Zu!" Ce roared, his eyes flashing with deadly intent. "Run like hell, because I'm gonna be pokin' you in the ass with a knife the whole way back to Xia Kou!"

Huang Zu fought back his panic as he tried to rally his men, but it was to no avail. Clearly no one was interested in dying by fighting the Sun family and the situation to the south was degenerating rapidly. The Wu forces had punched an increasingly widening hole in the center and the troops were now well aware that Huang Zu's brigades were shattered.

"General, we must go!" one of his bodyguards said, trying to pull Huang Zu away from harm. "The ships are in Xia Kou and Lord Liu Biao is boarding! If we are to join him then we must leave this place!"

"No!" Huang Zu roared, struggling against his men. "Not again! I will not be thwarted again!"

He thrashed wildly as they dragged him away, his face almost purple with rage. His mind flashed back to that fateful night when he had defeated Sun Jian, but that vital moment where he was sure he had won, where he made sure that Sun Jian died while Huang Zu stood over him and saw the light go out in his eyes had been denied him.

Now, against all odds, his army was being routed by Sun Jian's children, and no matter what Huang Zu did, he could not stem the tide of Heaven's judgement. His beloved Jing, of whom he was the stalwart and invincible guardian, was about to be taken from him.

No. He would retreat. He would go across the Yangtze and defend the northern reaches of their realm. The Wu forces would be broken against the heavily protected landings and then he would lead a savage counterthrust back into the heartland of Jing and save the people given into his care.

Against his heart's fury, he turned and he fled. He pulled one of his cavaliers down from his horse and mounted the steed, spurring it west. Xia Kou was not far and he would regroup and reorganize his forces once he had made sure that he and Liu Biao were safe. Behind him he could hear the wails of his men as they were left behind to be slaughtered, but it did not matter. All that mattered was the eventual recovery of Jing, and the lives of men were infinitely disposable if that was the final goal.

"_Die. Die for your lands and for your leader. This is your purpose and your privilege, just as mine is to live and to triumph over Sun Ce. This will yet work out in my favour..."_

***

Ling Tong leaned on the halberd he had taken from a fallen enemy, panting wearily as his men streamed past him. Someone reported that the last of Gan Ning's forces had been pushed back and that Ling Cao's body had been recovered. His eyes stung as he thought of his father, who had died in his arms, slain by Gan Ning with an arrow. The end, while not ignoble, was far from the warrior's death his father had deserved.

He had led a small group of swift soldiers around the flank of the Jing soldiers and turned it. His arms as wrists ached and his flail was battered and splintered in places from countless impacts against stout metal armour. He had spun around the commander of the company that opposed them and snapped his neck. He swept up the foe's halberd and used it to clear a wide arc for his men to exploit, getting behind the enemy.

More and more of his soldiers pressed through this gap but to his dismay, he found that they were savagely counterattacked by Gan Ning himself. Ling Tong heard the bells before he saw the man. Clearly the pirate had no intention of losing and Ling Tong watched as the fearless warrior sprinted toward him, slashing as he ran and hewing down those who stood between them. He seemed unstoppable.

Memories of his father swirled through Ling Tong's mind and he had leapt forward to meet Gan Ning, weapon to weapon. Like a whirling clash of wind and fire, they duelled savagely, Ling Tong's thirst for revenge matched by the pirate's sheer love of battle.

Stepping, side-stepping, thrusting and parrying, they danced through the deadly melee, never giving one another time to think or catch their breath. Ling Tong strained for all he was worth, his heart ready to burst in his chest and his lungs burning. He thrust desperately with the halberd but Gan Ning dodged lightly to one side and Ling Tong stumbled over a body and fell. He turned over quickly but then paused, with the deadly point of his foe's _dadao_ in his face. Gan Ning smirked down at Ling Tong.

"Not bad, kid," the pirate said in his gravelly voice. "You did a lot better'n I would'a expected. I'll make sure my men sing some song about you around the fire..."

Was it all going to end here?

Gan Ning held his thrust, though, as a strange, rhythmic thumping sound reached him.

He looked now south and what he saw caused his eyes to widen in shock.

He beheld a strange sight- tall warriors, with hair the colour of the sun and eyes the colour of the merciless northern seas were approaching the battle, bashing spear, sword and axe on their stout wooden shields and chanting in some strange and terrible language. Heavily built and muscular, even the shortest of them was probably a head taller than the average warrior of the Han.

Before them strode three warriors; the huge man in the middle was clearly the leader and his sword gleamed balefully in the morning light. The man on the left was raven-haired and moved with a serpentine grace as he wielded his long knives. The one on the right was the largest man Gan Ning had ever seen, and he had once crossed blades with Lu Bu. Behind them came hundreds of the yellow-haired giants.

The pirate watched as these huge, terrifying warriors charged headlong into the Jing line, heedless of danger and fighting with an inhuman savagery and berserk fury unknown to the cultured Chinese mind. Even the most stalwart troops were swept away, unable to counter this threat.

Ling Tong was forgotten as Gan Ning smiled and took up a defensive stance, obviously eager to test his mettle against this unknown foe. But then a clarion sounded and he looked to see that his army was in retreat, falling back to Xia Kou to regroup and save itself. He scowled and then looked down at Tong.

"Retreat ain't so bad... see ya!" he said before sprinting off to join his troops.

Ling Tong rose unsteadily, feeling very disconnected from his surroundings since he had been a death's door only moments ago. He saw the Jing army retreating and he waved his men on, calling for them not to stop until Xia Kou was taken.

He game himself a moment to breath. This battle was won, but the war was most certainly not over...

***

Jing had been almost completely overrun and what developed now was a mad race for the port of Xia Kou. Thousands upon thousands of Jing soldiers had surrendered, hoping for Sun Ce's magnanimity and while this was preferable to executing them, it meant that Wu troops had to be used to guard the prisoners, meaning that progressively fewer troops would be available for the assault on Xia Kou.

The Sun siblings rode now with Zhou Yu and Da Qiao, heading west as fast as they could. News had reached them that Liu Biao was already boarding the hastily-mustered ships and would soon be heading across the river to Jing's northern territories.

No one said anything as they thundered past the routing Jing troops, accompanied by the Night Tigers, the Wolf Guard, the Swordwind and the Valiant Cavaliers. Their only goal was Xia Kou.

Sun Ce's eyes flashed as he thought back to the herald's report of Ling Cao's death in the south. The general had been the bulwark of Jiang Dong's and then Wu's forces, easily it's most versatile and balanced general, aside from Zhou Yu, respected and loved by all. Apparently his son Ling Tong had eventually turned the tide of battle, routing the Jing forces and continuing the press toward Xia Kou.

He spurred his horse faster, knowing that time was short and imperial intervention not far off.

***

Huang Zu pressed through the throng of soldiers, waiting to board the ships. The streets of Xia Kou were packed with troops, all of whom were yelling and shouting in confusion, panic and disorder. Huang Zu ignored the chaos, realizing that it would probably work to his advantage if the Wu forces had to cut their way through this churning wall of flesh to reach the ships.

Already his mind was working feverishly on the defence of the landings in the north, positions he knew to be strong. He had been fortifying them for years, ever since Sun Jian's first incursion into Jing at the behest of his overlord Yuan Shu. Huang Zu's contingency plan had always called for this possibility. He prided himself on his thoroughness and ability to deal with unexpected situations.

His bodyguard helped him push through the press and he headed for the stout vessel that awaited him, a ship that carried his banner. Outside the city he could hear battle being given, but the foe would be too late. Liu Biao would escape and the war for Jing would continue. The imperial court would be petitioned and the damned Sun family would be ordered to give back all they had wrongfully taken. Great would be their dishonour.

The gangplank up onto the ship dropped and Huang Zu stomped up the wooden platform, watching as Liu Biao's ship sailed off toward the north, now beyond reach of the foe. Within minutes, he too would be safely traversing the Yangtze, ready to conduct the next-

The general staggered as something struck him. His eyes went wide and he gazed at his shoulder, through which protruded the head of a black-shafted arrow. Blood dripped from the dart and the droplets sounded like thunder in his ears as they fell to the gangplank.

Slowly he turned about and he shuddered as yet another arrow embedded itself in him, this time his leg, just above his knee. He could see men scattering in panic, even his own bodyguards, as the winds of fate brought doom upon them. Though wide and glazed eyes he could see Sun Quan lowering his bow, having just released the arrow that was lodged in Huang Zu's leg. The sister, Shang Xiang, also had her bow out, her eyes coldly assessing her work.

His body felt like it was made of stone as he turned and tried to continue up the walkway to the ship that awaited him. His leg would not support him, though, and he fell to his hands and knees. He began a slow crawl, not willing to surrender to this foe.

He heard himself cry out as another arrow hissed in and buried itself chest through the sternum, pinning him to the gangplank that was meant to be his escape. Red pain washed over him, the roars of the confused melee around him all nonsense.

Slow, firm footsteps behind him now.

He was turned onto his back and someone was looking down into his face. Was it his bodyguards? Had they come to rescues him? They were calling for him. But no, they were not calling him general...

"Huang Zu? Huang Zu!"

His eyes came back into focus and he found himself staring up into the face of Sun Ce, who was holding him against the gangplank. Rage flashed through him and he tried to struggle, glaring hatefully at his mortal enemy, the man who had cost him everything.

"You've lost, Huang Zu," Ce said, shaking the general to make sure he stayed alert. "You have been defeated by the Sun family! Sun Jian's death is avenged a thousand-fold. More than that, Jing is mine! _ You were not good enough, do you hear me?_"

Huang Zu thrashed and gurgled, wanting to curse Sun Ce and revile him, but the blood in his throat prevented him from speaking. He could feel the blood trickling down his jaw and into his ears. It was sticky and it itched maddeningly, even over the suffocating swelling in his throat.

"Just as you took from the people of Jiang Dong, I now take from you, Huang Zu," Ce said in a voice like iron. "Your honour is now mine, the lands you were charged to defend are mine. Your family is in my custody and I promise you, your young children will learn of the glory and valour of Sun Jian and the vile treachery that brought him down. They will yearn for more than your name can ever give them."

He leaned down now so that his face was right above Huang Zu's.

"And I will adopt them and teach them to become what the Huang clan might be in a world bereft of you."

Huang Zu's manic eyes flared wide and he struggled vainly, but he could feel his body stiffening. He could no longer breathe and everything seemed to be closing in around him. The harder he fought, the more distant everything became. It was all slipping away, fleeing from him or abandoning him.

Those bright, terrible and merciless eyes were the last thing he saw in this world. And he hated it.

***

Sun Ce stood and turned to look at his companions, who waited nearby. The battle had become a rout inside the walls and the Jing soldiers were surrendering in entire battalions. None of it mattered, though; the spirit of Sun Jian had been avenged.

Quan walked forward now and knelt before his brother and the body of their foe. Ce took the sword from Huang Zu's belt and gave it to Quan, who nodded reverently and backed away. Shang Xiang approached Ce next and he gave her the ornate and heavy gold ring from his finger. To Zhou Yu he gave the general's brilliant purple cloak, bordered with yellow geometric patterns.

Finally, Da Qiao walked up and she looked down at the body of Huang Zu for a long time. She did not kneel. She did not need to.

"It's done, Da," Ce said gently, knowing the agony his wife had been through over the death of the man she considered a father. "Huang Zu is no more. It will not bring my father back, but at least now he is at peace."

Da said nothing, feeling a mix of relief and a cold-heartedness she could not readily explain.

"Is there anything you want here?" Ce asked, gesturing down to the fallen foe. "This is your victory too."

She finally shook her head. "No, my lord," she said quietly. "You have given me everything I need with Huang Zu's death. I wish for no part of him to remind me of his despicable acts. I wish I had the power to make sure he had never existed."

She turned and walked away, knowing she had finally reclaimed a part of herself that had been missing for many years, but also leaving something behind and not able to describe what it was or how she felt about it.

"So now what, brother?" Quan asked as Ce ordered for the body to be taken away. "What is our next move?"

"Well, that seems fairly obvious," Ce replied, looking out over the waters to the retreating ships. "We wait for Liu Biao to sue for peace and offer terms. We should get 'em by this afternoon. Jing was too big a realm for that guy anyway."

***

"And whereas Lord Liu Biao acknowledges not only the injustices done to the Sun family through the death of Sun Jian, he also applauds the peerless merits of the current lord, Sun Ce, styled Bofu, who has ever proven a capable leader of men and sage ruler of people. It is with greatest respect that Lord Liu Biao humbly offers suzerainty of the southern reaches of Jing to Sun Ce, to be governed as he sees fit, from the wild lands east of Fankou and from the southern hills to the shores of the Yangtze. Given in trust and relinquished to Sun Ce's auspices with the best of hopes and intentions, let there ever by friendship between these two ancient and noble houses. Long life and prosperity to you and your family."

The herald finished reading the scroll he had been sent with and awaited Sun Ce's answer silently. Ce sat on a chair, set up aboard a ship that had been captured and now used as his command post. Accompanied by his senior commanders and a single squad of Night Tigers, he let the air grow thick with anticipation. On the shore, thousands of Jing and Wu troops waited, their ranks mingled, all thoughts of war banished. There was only a keen sense of expectation.

Ling Tong stood next to Zhou Yu, his mind torn between waiting on Ce's decision and reliving his father's death. His heart pounded in fury since Gan Ning and his pirate scum had somehow escaped. He prayed before all the gods that he would one day be given a reckoning.

Elryk stood towering over the assembly, keenly aware that when eyes were not on Sun Ce they were clearly fixed on him. The scrutiny that normally just irritated him now made him uncomfortable. In this great battle, he and his men were now exposed for all to see. There would be no way for Sun Ce to keep them a secret now. The other lords would hear of the giant, yellow-haired demon warriors quickly and he harboured no doubt that destroying the people of the White Wolf would be the simplest and most sensible answer for most of them. So be it. Let them come.

Quan and Shang Xiang stood near their brother, since he had promised them he would make no decision on the herald's offer without their counsel. Da Qiao stood next to her husband, her hand gently resting on his shoulder. She didn't need to speak for her wishes to be known. Zhou Yu also stood nearby, his insights and advice ready for his sworn brother and liege.

Lu Xun had remained in Fankou, busily sending heralds across Jing, making sure that all the people knew who was now the lord of these fertile and prosperous lands.

Ce remained silent, contemplating what was his next best move. Clearly Liu Biao was willing to do whatever it took to gain peace. The northern reaches of Jing, those across the Yangtze, were less than half the size of what Ce had taken from him. For such an influential lord to make so generous a ransom of his hereditary holdings, he was clearly scared of what Ce might do if he continued to fight.

"_Huang Zu is dead and Jing is ours,"_ he thought to himself. _"Zhou Yu and I have now captured the one weak spot in the defences of the Southlands, the territory of Jing. If I try to take the north of the province, not only will I have to fight again, but we will certainly incur the wrath of the imperial court. Huang Zu fortified the northern shores and landings, meaning that the assault would be a difficult one._

_But that's also true in reverse. We can fortify Xia Kou and the other ports and with our fleets, no one will be able to take Jing from us."_

He knew he didn't need to ask anyone around him what the right answer was.

"Thank Liu Biao for him generous offer and commend his wisdom for me," Ce said finally. "I accept his precious gift and will happily renew the bonds of friendship between our houses. He will always find a strong ally in the south."

He felt Da Qiao's hand gently squeeze his shoulder, but the cheers of tens of thousands of soldiers on the shore could barely reach him.

It was over.

***

Baifu was busy and noisy, as always, and Da Qiao stepped back from the window of the pavilion to return to her husband, who was sitting on a splendid gilded couch of dark wood, liberally strewn with pillows. She sat next to him and massaged his muscular shoulders through the light shirt he wore, feeling the tension bleed from them as her courtesan's touch worked its magic.

"What news from Jing, my lord?" she asked, leaning in to whisper in his ear. "I must admit that I have been up to my ears in duties for the courtesan schools and I do not even know who is administrating the territory for you."

Ce smiled and tilted his neck forward, giving her access to it. "Well, for now Lu Xun is in charge, mostly as the director of military affairs for the province, while we choose the administrators who will look after it. I've kept the existing bureaucrats in place, as they were part of the reason the province was stable to begin with. If it ain't broke, don't fix it, right?"

"Wise enough words," Da agreed. "My sister said you are erecting a statue of Ling Cao in Xiao Kou, yes?"

"Yep," Ce said lazily, enjoying her fingers on his neck. "It just seems appropriate, y'know? An' his son, Tong, is takin' over command of his father's territories, by unanimous commendation from ol' Cao's troops an' commanders. Gotta keep the troops happy and he seems to know what he's doin'."

"My heart is heavy for the loss of Ling Cao," Da said sadly. "He was a great general and a fine man."

"I'm gonna miss him too, Da," Ce said. "But war is a deadly business and Ling Cao knew the risks. He once confided in my father that he did not wish to die an old man in bed, but on the battlefield, surrounded by warriors."

"That seems strange to me," Da mused. "For when I die, I wish for nothing other than to be surrounded the ones I love, safe in my home, knowing that quiet peace awaits me."

They were silent for some minutes, each lost in their own thoughts about the terrible war of revenge they had wrought and what such acts cost.

"Promise me something, Ce," Da said finally. "And please do not make light of it."

He reached back and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "Anything, Da. You know that."

"Promise me that even when we are old and grey, you will let me die first..." she murmured.

Ce kept his hand on hers, not responding.

"Promise me, Ce," she said, her voice little more than a whisper. "Because I never want to live a single day in this world without you. I thought I'd lost you once and it was more than I could bear. So please, promise me that when the day of fate arrives, you'll release me first, so I may pave the way for you."

Ce never would have guessed that promising to not die could be so difficult. But something in his wife's voice made him understand that this, like all other things, was something he could never deny her. And while the thought of life without her appealed to him not one whit, he also knew that he was infinitely more patient than she was in these things.

"You have my word, Da."

They were silent for several minutes while she massaged his neck and shoulders. Sun Kai-Ying eventually came into the chamber and she sat beside her father and watched her mother work for some time before the questions began.

"Father, did Uncle Shang Xiang really head south already?"

"Yep."

"To deal with these people called the Shanyue?"

"You got it, kid."

"Are they savages, father? What makes them so?"

"They live in the forests and they raid for a livin', for one thing." Ce said.

His daughter frowned. "Lord Elryk's people were the same way, does this mean my uncle will have to deal with them too?"

"Ce, stop laughing, you're making me this difficult." Da said as she tried to continue massaging his neck.

***

The sun was setting as he stepped off the small boat that had brought him ashore. He tossed the pilot a few coins and watched as the man punted back off to the vessel that waited in the river. The scarlet, ochre and purple sunset played off the water brilliantly, speaking of a serenity he rarely felt.

Many wars had come and gone in his day, many battles had been fought. And through it all he had remained objective and unbiased. The side that paid him the most money was his concern. His job was to make sure that team won, simple and straightforward.

So why did this time feel so damned different? What had he stumbled upon that suddenly made him question the way he had always done things?

He'd fought for money and he'd fought for the promise of a good battle. They were both worthy causes to him; at least, they always had been up until now.

He held his sack of personal belongings over his shoulder and gazed to the south, wondering what it was that had drawn him to this bizarre conclusion?

Was he going soft? Was he looking to settle down and find a home?

"Ahhhh, shit..." he muttered to himself as he began making his way over the soft sand of the beach and toward the emerald plains before him. Whatever answers he sought, he was pretty damned sure they would be found in the city of Baifu.

And more than anything, Gan Ning was ready for some answers.

***

**Author's Notes: **My apologies about the delay, folks, I know I said there wouldn't be another months-long interruption, but I was undergoing some vocation recalibration (i.e. I was downsized from my job and had to find another one) and this took up a great deal of my time and sucked most of my creative juices dry for the period in question. I am also undergoing some rather rigorous martial arts and qigong training at this time and I like it so much that it shall be worked into the fic, with rather pleasing results, at least for me.

Concerning this chapter of the fic, many of you will notice that it came across as somewhat repetitive, concerning such things as quotations and even descriptions, like the character and composition of Lu Xun's Warhawks regiment. This is not an error on my part, I assure you, but me simply experimenting with ancient prose writing styles. Chinese epic, like its Greek counterpart, relied heavily on certain literary formats relating to lineage and history or even the organization of military entities. I give you, for instance, repeated citing of the composition of the Black Mountain Bandits in the Three Kingdoms tradition, while Homer spoke constantly of the warrior-brotherhood of the Myrmidons, the soldiers of Achilles. Despite the roughly twelve-hundred year gap and enormous geographic span between the two sagas, they lend themselves to comparison.

I do not beg for your forgiveness in experimenting with this style, I merely beg your indulgence. I did it for my own edification, nothing more. If you feel compelled to leave a comment on the issue, keep this in mind before taking finger to key. Policing the output of fanfiction's cultural apparatus for wrongthink is task best left to hypercritical people more at home watching Dragonball reruns or scanning for Ouran Host Club yaoi than my illustrious readers. Simply put, I expect better of anyone who can keep up with this fic.

Mere days until DW6: Empires comes out... still trying to decide if I am excited about this or not. Yeah, Meng Huo is back, but he's lambasting people with a pillar he seemingly picked up off the ground. I just don't know...


	48. Chapter 48

**The Young Conqueror**

Disclaimer: I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

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"Alright, folks, let's get this place fixed up!" Sun Ce called loudly as he strode through his throne room, clapping his hands and causing people to scurry. "I know there's still a fortnight to go, but we can't be too ready for this!"

Servants, commanders and soldiers bustled about, completing their assigned tasks or finding new ones. All of Baifu was abuzz with activity and an air of excitement. Certainly this was the most momentous event any of them had ever taken part in and no one living in the city could claim to have been accorded such an honour.

While enthusiasm was proving sufficient motivation, Ce also understood that other motivations might be in order and he offered an entire string of cash to every man, woman and child who would participate for two weeks in the preparations. Thousands lined up, including those living in the territories around Baifu.

Not only were projects being completed, but those that were already in existence were being given a polish. The city walls, made of strong, white stone, were being cleaned and scrubbed free of taint. The task might have seen menial, but everyone understood their lord's desire for the city to look its very best.

Along the boulevards and streets, trees were being tended and pruned. People were sweeping the roads until even the dust had been dusted. The bells and chimes of the temples were brushed to a high polish and tuned, their rings heard intermittently throughout the city. In the market, vendors made sure their stands were freshly painted and the awnings mended.

The shrines in and around the city were all given extra care, the spirits and deities venerated with lavish gifts. Everyone prayed for the Heavens to watch over the land and they were encouraged by the auspicious signs they had received- the sky was blue, the wind out of the west was warm and the trees were in full blossom. Creation seemed to favour this endeavour they now undertook.

Ce strode through the parade square in front of the palace and people bowed low as the warlord of the Southlands walked by. Zhou Yu was standing with several engineers, looking at plans and discussing the placement of something. He nodded to Ce and continued about his business.

The man known as the Young Conqueror espied his wife and walked up behind her as she leaned over a makeshift table, examining some plans. He patted her on the rear and she squeaked and jumped in surprise. She whirled around to glare at him as her squad of guards chuckled.

"I am _never_ going to earn the respect of my men if you keep doing things like that, my lord," she pointed out. She then looked over at her Valiant Cavalier guards. "And you lot might have told me this stone-headed monkey was approaching. What sort of guards are you?"

Without waiting for an answer, she turned to look back at her husband, leaning into one hip and resting her hand on it and raising an eyebrow. "This had better be a worthwhile interruption, husband-mine, or you'll be pegging your hand for a month. I have a lot to do, you know."

Ce smiled. "I know, Da. I just wanted to check on your plans and see if you needed anything."

Da sighed and relented. She gestured to the painted silk charts on her table. "The courtesan school itself will be just outside Baifu, to the south, of course, but the compound you want built for new girls who await training is proving somewhat tricky to accommodate."

"Oh? Why's that?" he asked.

"Well, Baifu is very open, my lord." Da explained. "Most cities are separated by walls and such, often large ones. The ones within Baifu are little more than ornamental, rarely more than fifteen spans high, designating different areas, such as the market, the administrative and scholastic quarter and the noble or common quarters. All of this is centered around the palace and royal pavilions. It just won't do to have the accommodations we are setting up for these girls to be thrown into the city haphazardly wherever we can find room."

Ce observed the plans for several moments. "So it's fine for the compound to be outside Baifu once the girls are officially accepted, but until then you think they should have their own quarters inside the city?"

Da nodded. "That is what would be proper, my lord."

Ce thought for a few seconds and then turned and called out to Zhou Yu loudly. The strategist looked up and Ce gestured to Da and then began making a series of strange hand signs, one of which looked rather perverted, at least to her.

Whatever Ce had said, Zhou Yu pondered it and then responded in kind, with a series of abstract gestures, preferring to not yell over the din of the busy square. Ce watched, nodded in satisfaction, clasped his fist in his hand and nodded. He then turned back to Da and grinned.

"Alright, Da, it's all settled. "We're movin' the forges we had planned outside the city an' your girls' quarters will be southwest of Silver Crane pavilion. Sound good?"

Da Qiao's eyes widened. "Am I to understand you two figured all that out from a series of stupid gestures? Do I even want to know what the signs are for my sister and I?"

"Yeah, don't ask." Ce replied cheerfully. "Anyways, that whole area is now yours to do with as you please. I'll send masons over to begin building a moon gate and wall. What colour do you want the stone to be?"

"I... er... grey." Da stuttered.

"Grey it is." Ce said, nodding and then striding off. He loved fixing people's issues, although he wasn't about to tell Da that he and Zhou Yu had always considered the possibilities of situating the courtesan's quarters there anyway. He didn't want anyone believing he actually put effort into the thought process.

Through the mighty eastern gates he went and out onto the plain. Not far from the gate, maybe half a _li_, work crews were busily setting up a huge pavilion; the structure was three stories tall, with a strong, reinforced wooden frame, to be covered in swathes of silk.

One of the crews was struggling to lift a large and unwieldy part of the wooden frame into place. Ce took off his shirt and joined in to help. Several of the men gawked in astonishment for a moment as they recognized their lord.

"C'mon, guys!" he called out loudly as he positioned himself in the center of the endeavour, where the weight was heaviest. "Everybody on three! Three!"

He began pushing up with all his might, his huge muscles straining against the wooden beams. The men recovered from the shock and joined in, determined to make their lord proud. The apparatus began to swing upright and the crews on the third floor grappled on and pulled it into position. They fitted the grooves and slats into the floorboards and used large mallets to hammer stout wooden pegs through the structure.

Ce nodded with satisfaction, his chest glistening with the exertion he had put forth. He gazed in quiet wonder and the design of the pavilion Zhou Yu had devised. The whole structure, as large as Ce's own palace, could be assembled in three days and taken down in one. The floors were connected by stairs at the four corners and also included an ingenious device that worked on a series of pulleys and counterweights. It allowed a platform to be lifted or elevated through holes in the two upper floors, transporting the platform and anyone on it to chambers above. Zhou Yu was still testing its security but was certain that the platform would easily bear ten horses as it went up.

"And what about the floors above?" Ce had asked. "Can they support horses?"

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "You forget who you're talking to. Do I ever overlook details? Each floor has three layers of cross-latticed planks for strength, supported by a dozen large pillars that look strictly ornamental. Two spans beneath each of the upper floors is another layer of planks, allowing for airflow between and cooling off the structure, just in case our guests have issues with this southern heat."

"You've thought of everything, pal," Ce said. "And since the whole thing breaks down into sections we can build it again, or a smaller pavilion if we need to."

He walked around behind the pavilion, where a sturdy waterwheel had been set up, connected to the river by a quick-flowing trench. The wheel would be connected to a series of chains that worked several pumps, circulating cool air through the structure.

"Let's get that wheel workin'!" Ce called loudly. "The emperor ain't gonna fan himself, guys!"

***

**The Young Conqueror Chapter 46- State of the Nation**

The fortnight had gone by rapidly and although Sun Ce and Zhou Yu both knew that everything was ready, they kept everyone busy by checking every preparation at least three times a day. The last thing they wanted was people having nothing to do and getting nervous.

Warriors from all over the Wu territory had arrived to celebrate Emperor Xian's visit. Ling Tong came with a battalion of his soldiers from Dong Ting. Huang Gai brought the Stone Demons and Lu Meng was accompanied by his Long Fangs infantry regiment. Lu Xun respectfully sent his regrets, stating that he wished to see the situation in Jing stabilize before travelling.

Quan arrived with the Wolf Guard, accompanied by Zhou Tai and his Steel Dawn regiment. Shang Xiang's corps was represented by her amazon battalion, led by herself and Fu Chin Ran. Zhou Yu commanded the Swordwind and Sun Ce retained his Night Tigers. Da commanded a company of her Valiant Cavaliers and Iron Fists while Xiao's squad of girls stood with Lu Meng's Long Fangs.

All other forces had been sent out of the area, a sign of deference to the imperial ancestor and his position as representative of the gods on earth.

Sun Ce had one other issue concerning the disposition of his army and he had discussed it with the commander in question at length maybe two weeks earlier.

"Elryk, if you don't want to be seen, I'm pretty sure everyone would understand." Ce said to the huge Germanic warrior with simple honesty, allowing time for Khun, Elryk's Uyghur scribe, to translate.

Elryk thought silently for some time before drawing a deep breath. "Your concern is appreciated, my lord," he said finally. "But we cannot be hidden forever. The war against Yuan Shu spread the rumour of us and the campaign in Jing confirmed that indeed we of the _Bailangren_ do exist. If we were not to be seen, would it not be construed that you are continuing to try and hide us, something your emperor might take exception to?"

"I don't care about the emperor, Elryk," Ce replied. "You and your people are my concern and you are in a unique position."

"We are warriors," the German said proudly in heavily accented Chinese. Obviously he had been asking Lap and Khun to teach him phrases. "We fear no one, Lord Sun, you know this."

"I do indeed." Ce mused. "But I still would have welcomed you into my territory and our people even if there had not been a single warrior amongst you. The other lords of China are not as open as I am. Hell, I don't even really know how Quan or my sister would've acted towards you if they hadn't met you under the circumstances we found ourselves in."

"Then I am glad we met as we did, for my people were exhausted when we finally reached the Middle Kingdom and to have given battle would have been the end of us. But no, lord, your concern is appreciated and I think it best that we reveal ourselves now. Besides, if we do so, is there not the outside chance that perhaps it will open the other people of the Han to new possibilities, as it did you?"

Ce chuckled. "It's a very outside chance, but I admire your optimism, pal. Alright, bring your _comitatus_ to Baifu and we will shock the Han together."

Elryk nodded. "It shall be as you say, lord. Now, if you will excuse me..."

The chieftain had returned to Erlitou, to make ready for the imperial presence. Sun Ce was not worried about Elryk directly, since he was quite certain that the German could handle himself in battle against even the toughest warriors of the Han. The sheer size of the barbarians would make them the most physically imposing people and military unit in the empire. His bodyguards, Glandyth and Theudis, were incredibly dangerous on the battlefield. Glandyth was the largest man Sun Ce had ever seen, larger than even Lu Bu or Guan Yu. He was strong as a mountain and his berserker furies were something terrible to behold. The raven-haired Theudis was tall and had a graceful, sinewy build but his reflexes were like those of a striking serpent. He was perhaps as fast as Ling Tong. With his dual long knives he was lethal on the battlefield.

Also leading the _Bailangren_, the People of the White Wolf, was Elryk's brother Aengava, the priest or shaman for the Germans. Though a doughty warrior in his own right, what struck Ce most about him was the deep and often hazy mystique of his eyes. The _Bailangren_ worshipped a deity that Elryk called the god of night and Sun Ce had to admit that his one and only encounter with the god had unnerved him. In the campaign against Yuan Shu, Aengava had called forth the god of night to aid the Germans as they attacked the enemy main camp, where Yuan Shu himself was waiting.

Elryk and his battalion drove deep into the camp from terrain considered impassable to a standard army. As if the shock of seeing the tall, yellow-haired warriors was not enough, at the behest of Aengava the sky had opened forth and a host of terrible spirit wolves and warrior-maidens with shining eyes and bright spears swept across the battlefield. Towering over all the maelstrom had been the visage of the god of night, glaring and roaring balefully.

The army of Yuan Shu had been routed and even Sun Ce's own forces had been shocked by what they witnessed. Sun Ce had fought the demon prince Ou Xing and clearly the power of even that horrific being paled in comparison the god of night. It made Ce wonder how the Romans had ever managed to stand against Elryk and his people.

And now they were here, living within the realm of Wu, and Ce knew they had been sent to him as part of a larger purpose, though what it was he could not yet fathom.

He was remembering his conversation with Elryk when he heard a commotion coming from the palace. Curious, he headed over to see what all the fuss was about. What he saw gave him pause, so he stayed back to watch and see what would happen.

Standing in the doors to the throne room was a muscular man with spikey hair and his exposed upper body covered in tattoos. He will grinning wolfishly at the guards who were barring his entrance, their halberds pointed at him. Behind them, several guards were restraining Ling Tong, who was almost purple with fury and obviously wanting very badly to get at the intruder.

"_Must be that Gan Ning guy..."_ Ce thought to himself.

"C'mon, you guys don't think you can seriously keep me from entering this place if I want to, do ya?" sneered the pirate-lord. "Besides, I ain't broken any laws... yet."

"How, then, did you manage to enter the city without us knowing?" challenged the commander of the watch squad.

"That doesn't matter," Gan Ning said, shrugging. "What matters is that I have business to discuss with your boss."

"Lord Sun Ce does not consort with murderous pirate scum!" Ling Tong raged as he struggled to leap on the guest. "Pray I get to you first, Gan Ning, before he does! Seize him!"

Ordered by a general, the guards made to apprehend Gan Ning. Ce could already tell that the pirate felt no particular need to draw his sword. One of the palace guards laid a hand on him on he grabbed the man's wrist, twisted it backwards and punched him in the face. A confused brawl developed quickly as the guards tried to subdue Gan Ning without wounding one another.

Gan Ning threw a soldier down the steps and thrust a sidekick into the stomach of another man, knocking him backwards. The man had been heavily armoured, so the intruder obviously knew how to fight unarmed against metal. He did not stay stationary, never allowing his foes to use their combined momentum against him but staying close enough that the use of their weapons was hampered.

The pirate spun past one guard and slammed the back of his fist across another man's cheek, sending him reeling to the floor. He ducked under another man's strike and swept his feet out from beneath him before ramming a man behind him in the ribs with his elbow. He grabbed the doubled-over foe and threw him bodily into a squad of men who were rushing up. Two guards were still restraining Ling Tong, determined to not let him near the obviously dangerous intruder.

Zhou Yu now joined Ce as he leaned against a pillar and just observed. His keen grey eyes took in the way the pirate moved and fought, clearly enjoying himself.

"He reminds me of you," the strategist said quietly. "He fights for the sheer enjoyment of it."

Ce nodded. "Bet he's real fun at a party, too. Think you could beat him?"

Zhou Yu watched the brawl a while longer before rendering judgement. "He is physically stronger than I am and probably as fast. But I only fight to kill, whereas he considers it a form of pleasant exercise."

"Pity Taishi Ci's away, he loves a challenge," Ce mentioned. "Same's true for Shang Xiang, I'd pay good money to see that match-up."

"Knowing your sister, you no doubt will." Zhou Yu replied. They watched as more squads of guards rushed in, determined to subdue Gan Ning. In spite of the increasing odds, the pirate showed no fear. He grabbed a man by the wrist as he dodged a punch and slammed his foe into the massive door face-first, knocking him unconscious. He was already taking down another enemy by the time the first had fallen to the ground.

Ce and Zhou Yu were now joined by Da and Xiao, who looked on in astonishment. Finally, Da looked at her husband, clearly irritated.

"And you intend to let your faithful guards gets their sorry asses handed to them for how long, husband-mine?" she asked. Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow at her unusually crude language. Hearing Da resort to vulgarity was about as rare as his own wife Xiao saying she wasn't hungry- almost never.

Ce shrugged as he watched. "Maybe it'll inspire them to train harder. This guy's a lot to handle."

More and more people gathered nearby to watch the brawl as soldiers rushed by. Ce now noticed that Elryk approached, accompanied by Glandyth and Theudis. The chieftain observed for as long as he deemed necessary before looking at Glandyth and tilting his head toward the fray. The titan warrior nodded and strode over to the confused melee.

Ce sighed, almost disappointed. "Well, this is over..." he muttered as he strode off toward the imperial pavilion, no longer concerned with the proceedings. Zhou Yu nodded and walked away as well. Da and Xiao watched on, rooted to the spot.

The massive German pushed his way as gently as possible through the crowd of soldiers mobbed around Gan Ning, who was still fighting away. As the Teuton made his presence known, the Southlanders backed away, determined to not be caught in what happened next.

Sensing a new threat behind, Gan Ning whirled around and punched. His blow stopped dead as it impacted Glandyth's stomach. The pirate looked up, his face frozen with shock. Glandyth glowered down at the little tattooed man and then thumped him on the head with his fist. Gan Ning's eyes rolled up into his head and he slumped to the floor, alive but definitely unconscious.

Glandyth leaned down and threw the supine pirate over his shoulder. He glared at all the soldiers who stood around, looking up at him in apprehension.

"What are you idiots looking at?" he roared in a thunderous voice. "Get back to your duties!"

Although he had been yelling in German, it was fairly obvious what he meant and the assembly scattered, picking up their injured comrades and making their way to the healers. Glandyth removed Gan Ning's weapons and handed them to Ling Tong, who received them quietly, barely able to contain his fury. They were now joined by Elryk and Theudis and the chieftain indicated to Glandyth to take Gan Ning to his tent.

Ling Tong asked Khun where the Germans were taking the pirate and Khun told him. Ling Tong's eyes widened and he dragged the Uyghur along with him, needing a translator. He got in front of Elryk and bowed hastily.

"Lord of the White Wolves, what do you intend to do with the criminal?" he asked.

Elryk indicated his tents, set in a field not far away. Unlike many of the gathered forces, he had elected to remain outside the city, since the sheer press of numbers inside Baifu distressed his men.

"He will be put under guard by the _comitatus_ inside my tent to await Lord Sun Ce's verdict, of course."

"But he needs to be executed," Ling Tong insisted. "He is an enemy of the Southlands."

"Perhaps," the German agreed. "I remember how he slew your father, who was a warrior I honoured. But by that logic, we should never have taken in Taishi Ci, Yuan Yao, any of Yuan Shu's former servants or that courtesan, Diao Chan. They all fought against us."

"They were honourable foes," Ling Tong said tightly, barely restraining his temper. "This man is nothing but a filthy pirate mercenary, devoid of honour. Perhaps in your lands that means nothing, but here in the Middle Kingdom, such people are put to death."

"I see," Elryk said. "And I sympathise, perhaps. But my man defeated this foe, meaning he is _my_ victory and _my _prize to dispose of as I see fit, per my agreement with our lord. Therefore I choose to keep him in custody until Lord Sun Ce decides to pass judgement on him. If he concludes that the pirate must die, then I will happily let you slay him, if that is your desire, for I have no wish to kill a helpless man."

Ling Tong held his tongue but seethed at the chiding, knowing that Elryk was perfectly right. Gan Ning's judgement would have to wait. He bowed stiffly and strode off to find a shrine and pray for his father.

***

Gan Ning groaned and tried to open his eyes. The world was spinning and it felt like there was a ten-chariot pileup on his head. He sat up slowly, unable to determine where he was. Wherever it was, it smelled funny and he was lying on a low mattress stuffed with straw. He tried to focus and through his blurry vision he finally noticed two tall warriors standing over them, both having yellow hair.

He tried to surge up, sensing he was in danger but stopped when he realized there were two spears pressed into his throat. He sat still and glared up at the barbarians. He knew he was unarmed and at their mercy. Outside the tent the sun was high in the sky and the air was warm. He remembered now what had happened- he had come south to speak with Sun Ce, warlord of the Southlands and had caused a fight at the doors of his palace. Gan Ning had been cheerfully disposing of those who barred his way when a gigantic barbarian had hit him on the head, hard. That was the last thing he remembered.

The two men kept a close eye on him until someone outside the tent called to them in a strange, guttural and unlovely tongue. They stepped back and indicated that he was to stand and go outside. He rose slowly and walked out, squinting in the bright light; before him towered the barbarian chieftain and his two bodyguards, the giant who had knocked him out and a raven-haired man whose eyes glittered like grey ice. Standing with the chieftain was a small, bald Uyghur scribe, obviously a translator.

The barbarian chieftain strode forward and presented Gan Ning with his gear, including his sword and his belt, with all the bells still present. The pirate looked at his captor levelly for a moment before taking the items back and beginning to equip himself.

"Pretty confident, aren't ya? You're lettin' me have my weapon back." Gan Ning observed.

The massive yellow-haired man nodded after the Uyghur translated. "It is as you say. I have nothing to fear, for I and my people have overcome hardships that preclude fear of a single, armed mercenary like yourself. More than that, though, you are no longer my concern, for my lord, Sun Ce, is here to deal with you. I suggest you behave."

The German nodded curtly and walked away, followed by his bodyguards. As they moved aside, Gan Ning noticed another man approaching him and he sensed that this was indeed the man he had come to see. He walked alone and unarmed.

Something told Gan Ning that he was even less concerned than the barbarian had been, and with even more justification. He concluded that now would not be the right time to test himself, and the closer Sun Ce got, he began to wonder if there ever would be a better time.

Ce stood in front of him, smiling and standing casually. He was slightly taller than Gan Ning and even more muscular, but the pirate could see in the way he moved that the young warlord was not at all slowed by his strength. His body was completely relaxed, the posture of a person who understood combat and that strength and energy were wasted in tension. One simply reacted when the time was right. Sun Ce seemed to understand this on a level even Gan Ning did get and it bugged the hell out of the pirate.

"So you're Gan Ning," Ce said cheerfully. "Sorry about the welcome, we don't normally treat our visitors like that. How's your head?"

Against his will, Gan Ning found himself considering his condition and the aching thump returned. He almost unconsciously rubbed at his skull, feeling the goose egg that was swelling on top and thinking he must look idiotic. What was interesting was that he detected genuine concern in Sun Ce's voice.

"Eh, I'll live," he grumped. "I've had worse."

"I don't doubt it," Ce said, nodding. "Well, now that you're in one piece and conscious, what can I do for ya? My guards told me you were sayin' you wanted to speak with me."

"The place looks busy." Gan Ning muttered, looking toward the activity around Baifu.

"Yeah, the emperor's gonna be here in a few days to make my life miserable," Ce replied, shrugging. "But I've always got time for a guest. What's on your mind?"

"The emperor, huh?" Gan Ning mused, thinking this all made sense now and that he came at either a really good or a really bad time. "Well, I saw you guys in action in Jing and I figured that if you were hirin' I might think about signin' up, y'know?"

Ce nodded. "I'm always lookin' for good officers. I imagine a lot of people are gonna object if I take you on, because of your former profession as a pirate and a mercenary."

Gan Ning's eyes narrowed. "You sayin' my days as a pirate and mercenary are done if I sign up with you?"

"Best believe it," Ce replied, his voice casual but leaving no doubt to the veracity of the statement. "I want officers, not mercs. If you're lookin' for a short contract an' someone to scrap for, I'll give you money and escort you north- Cao Cao and Yuan Shao're gonna be at war shortly and Cao Cao's gonna need all the help her can get..."

Gan Ning didn't say anything but looked at Ce levelly.

"Gan Ning, look back at that city," Ce said, gesturing to Baifu. "People are happy and prosperous. That's the way things oughta be. I can sense it in you, you're not a coward or a bully and you actually care for the little guy."

Gan Ning's eyes narrowed slightly. Sun Ce was _good_.

"They deserve the chance to be happy. They need people like you an' I to fight for their right to have that shot. You stick with me and this insane crew of mine and you'll be part of somethin' great."

"You're gonna fight to unite the entire land under your banner," Gan Ning concluded, understanding a deep truth without being told. "An' not even the emperor is gonna stand in your way. So what happens when you will all these wars an' unite the land?"

"Peace, of course," Ce said, sitting down on the grass and looking toward the white walls of his capital. "And that's gonna drive you every bit as crazy as it'll drive me. If you get itchy feet then, I'll release you, provided you swear to never attack my realm. But I think that just because I pacify the Middle Kingdom, that doesn't mean there won't be enemies to fight."

"More of those yellow-haired bastards, eh?" Gan Ning mused.

"Or other people from beyond our realm," Ce added. "It's a big world, pal, an' we're just a small part of it. Maybe the Xiongnu in the north, or the Nanman tribes in the south, maybe from somewhere completely different; but there's always gonna be someone who wants to destroy what we've got. I'll keep you busy."

Gan Ning sighed and sat down not far from Ce and looked around. "This place gonnty wine or somethin'?" he asked.

Ce grinned and called over a barbarian warrior, who strode up quickly and saluted after his custom.

"Alaric, beel." Ce said to the man, who nodded and trotted off. He returned quickly with two strange vessels full of some frothing brown liquid. Ce took one and offered the other cup to Gan Ning, who made a wry face as he studied the contents.

"What the _fuck_ is this shit?" he groused.

"Just try it," Ce said cheerfully. "You'll understand why Elryk and his guys are so tough if you can reach the bottom of the cup..."

Gan Ning knew a challenge when he heard one and he nodded. He and Ce paused for just a moment before they tipped the flagons up and began drinking as quickly as they could, determined to beat one another. Ce drank resolutely but Gan Ning sputtered and coughed after two gulps, lurching forward onto his hands and knees, spewing the contents from his mouth and dropping the drinking vessel. Any barbarians nearby roared with laughter and Ce strained to not laugh, lest he choke on the libation.

Ce panted heavily as he finished, pleased that he could now down an entire flagon of beer without going cross-eyed or belching loudly for the next fifteen minutes. He laughed and clapped the defeated pirate on the shoulder while Gan Ning coughed and spluttered, trying to catch his breath.

Almost crimson with embarrassment, Gan Ning eventually sat back and took a deep breath, his eyes still spiralling in his head.

"Aright, y'got me that time," he conceded. "An' I'm gonna have to learn to drink that shit, 'cuz I won't stand for bein' second to no one, not even you."

Ce laughed. "You've got your work cut out for ya, pal, because I ain't good at all. I can knock back a single cup an' I'm better at it than anyone from the Han. But even the _Bailangren_ kids can drink beel better than I can. Glandyth, the guy that knocked you out? I've seen him drink an entire keg bigger'n you or me and _still_ be standing upright."

"Well, ain't that some shit," Gan Ning grumbled. "Well, still gotta try, there's a principal involved."

"So does that mean you're gonna join us?" Ce queried.

"Yeah, I guess," Gan Ning said. "You kicked the crap outta my mercenary army and reduced it to nothin' in Jing. Might as well move on to somethin' else, right?"

"Good, I can use another expert in naval warfare," Ce said cheerfully. "You an' Zhou Tai oughta work well together."

"Zhou Tai?" Gan Ning exclaimed, raising an eyebrow in surprise. "That sunuvabitch works for you?"

"Yep, he's the right hand man for my brother Quan," Ce confirmed. "Tough guy."

"One of the toughest," Gan Ning agreed. "I feel a lot better knowin' ol' Stoneface is on board, we've worked together a few times an' fought against one another a few times. But I've got a question about one of your other commanders."

"Go on." Ce said.

"The kid. Y'know, the one with the bad temper an' the wide-bottomed pants? What about him? He hates my guts because I knocked off his dad."

"Well, don't be too cavalier about that, we all miss Ling Cao," Ce said, his tone darkening slightly. "But I know war is war and you did what you had to do. If I can overlook it, Ling Tong will learn to as well. He'll probably hate you for a good long time and try to make your life hell, but he won't try to kill you."

"Well, that I can live with," Gan Ning said finally. "He may be a punk kid, but he's gonna be good. I'd never tell him this but he nearly had me a few times in our fight. He's real fast."

"One of the fastest, only matched by my sister an' Elryk's bodyguard Theudis." Ce agreed.

"What about you?" Gan Ning asked, wanting to hear Sun Ce's assessment of his own abilities.

"That's just different," Ce answered simply, looking up at the sky. "I know the Tao."

Gan Ning would never claim to know what the hell Ce was talking about, but something about the way the warlord said that made him realize there was simply no comparison to be made. Ce knew something the rest of them didn't and that's just the way it was. Normally that would've irked Gan Ning, but he was pretty sure he didn't want the responsibility that came along with whatever Sun Ce had discovered.

"One last thing," the pirate said, sighing and looking off in the distance. "Remember what you said about knowin' somehow that I care about the little guy an' not just myself?"

"You tryin' to tell me I was wrong?"

"Nah," Gan Ning said. "You got it right. But I wanna keep that our little secret, okay? I've got a reputation to maintain, y'know?"

Ce laughed and called for more beel.

***

It had been some time since any of them had visited the site, but to be fair, it had been a busy year- the war with Yuan Shu, followed by the conquest of Jing and now the arrival of the emperor meant everyone had their hands full. But once the preparations were complete, the Sun siblings, Zhou Yu and the Qiao sisters headed to Wuchang and the solitary tumulus outside the city. Using a secret entrance, they made their way inside the mound and followed the complex route toward the center, avoiding many false corridors and lures into traps.

Within the central chamber, Ce lit the waiting braziers and illuminated the room for the them all- it was filled with chests of bullion and coin, bolts of silk and other treasures. Weapons of all description were spaced around the room, along with stone sentinels and tigers, to keep the occupant safe in the next life.

Resting on an elevated slab in the center of the chamber, covered from head to toe in jade, was the great patriarch, Sun Jian. In his folded hands lay his sword, the Fierce Tiger. In Han tradition, he had been entombed within this mighty mound, his body encased in a suit of pure jade. Thousands upon thousands of pieces made up the elaborate outfit, leaving only holes for his eyes, nostrils and mouth beneath the ornate mask.

Sun Jian's mask was embellished with subtle carvings of tigers and other ferocious animals that blended together to form the distinctive features of his noble face. It was a work of art beyond all value and would display in the hereafter the reverence he had been shown in the mortal world.

Quan, Shang Xiang, Kuang, Zhou Yu, Da and Xiao all waited patiently while Ce approached the patriarch and bowed his head, praying silently for several minutes. Finally, Ce raised his head and put his hands on Sun Jian. Delicately he raised the mask from the mighty warrior's face and everyone waited with baited breath...

Ce turned back to them and smiled. "It's alright, guys, come an' look."

They approached and were delighted to see that Sun Jian's fair body had not fallen into decay. It was remarkably well-preserved, even after all this time, and if his skin looked a little pale and drawn tight, everyone would agree he looked remarkably good for a man who had been dead lo these several years.

Da and Xiao wept as they looked down on him, raining gentle tears down on his face. They had loved him as a father and missed him as much as any of his children did. Quan, Kuang and Shang Xiang had brought supplies and they laid out the blankets on the conspicuously large empty space near the feet of the slab. They unpacked the food they had brought while Zhou Yu used a small brazier to heat wine.

The little party spent the next several hours laughing and reminiscing about growing up with Sun Jian and some of the strange and funny things they had witnessed. Da laughed through tears as she recalled trying to ambush Sun Jian in a hallway and how he had soundly defeated her. Shang Xiang told everyone about the very first time she had been caught in the company of a girl, doing things that an heiress was apparently supposed to only do with a boy. Xiao regaled everyone with her triumph over Sun Jian during the negotiations for her dowry, but even after all these years, no one had the heart to remind her that her demands had tallied up to just over half of Da Qiao's ransom.

Zhou Yu played on a flute and Xiao strummed her _konghou _harp while Da sang several songs for Sun Jian, facing him and moving gracefully about, her motions telling as much of a story as her words did.

_Have I a body or have I none?  
Am I who I am or am I not?  
Pondering these questions,  
I sit leaning against the cliff as the years go by,  
Till the green grass grows between my feet  
And the red dust settles on my head,  
And the men of the world, thinking me dead,  
Come with offerings of wine and fruit to lay by my corpse._

_The place where I spend my days  
Is farther away than I can tell.  
Without a word the wild vines stir,  
No fog, yet the bamboos are always dark.  
Who do the valleys sob for?  
Why do the mists huddle together?  
At noon, sitting in my hut  
I realize for the first time that the sun has risen._

_Among a thousand clouds and ten thousand streams,  
Here lives an idle man,  
In the daytime wandering over green mountains  
At night coming home to sleep by the cliff.  
Swiftly the springs and autumns pass,  
But my mind is at peace, free from dust or delusion  
How pleasant to know I need nothing to lean on  
To be still as the waters of the autumn river!_

These songs and others she sang about the patriarch and his ascent into what lay beyond the finite and tangible, but her final one was a lament, a simple and heartfelt one about what she knew to be missing from her life.

_Separation by death must finally be choked down,  
but separation in life is a long anguish,_

The vales of my heart are a morose land;  
no word from you there in exile.

You have been in my dreams, old friend,  
as if knowing how much I miss you.

Caught in a net,  
how is it you still have wings?

I fear you are no longer mortal;  
the distance to here is enormous.

When your spirit came, the maples were green;  
when it went, the passes were black.

The setting moon spills light on the rafters;  
for a moment I think it's your face.

The waters are deep, the waves wide;  
don't let the river gods take you. 

Da Qiao finally sat, her face passive with contemplation. She would sing no more. Zhou Yu and Xiao continued to play while Shang Xiang took her chakrams in hand and performed an elaborate martial dance, her movements controlled and perfect, a testament to all the training her father had given her- in a land where men were supreme and wielded the rod and women sat by the loom, he had seen the blazing spirit in his daughter and made her one of the greatest warriors in the empire. And what daughter could even claim to have been given more than that?

Quan read aloud poems he had written about Sun Jian, stirring elegies about his bravery in battle, his magnanimity, his wisdom and his joy at simply being a father. For a man who spoke so rarely Quan had considerable skill with verse, second only perhaps to Zhou Yu, who had elected to show his reverence for the patriarch with his flute and its distant, timeless tunes.

Kuang stood over the body and recited several prayers, exalting Sun Jian and begging for the gods and spirits to guide him through the afterlife and succour him always. He also prayed to Sun Jian himself, imploring him to watch over his children in these trying times of strife that had so cruelly taken him away.

Last came Ce, Sun Jian's mighty heir, first among equals in a family whose love and ferocious loyalty knew no rival in the land. Ce stood beside the patriarch's head and lay his hand on his father's shoulder. What he said to those gathered he knew would never be spoken of beyond this chamber.

"The chaos of the land claimed our father," he said, addressing each person there, even if Sun Jian had not been their literal father, for he had been a father to them all, without question. "This is not to be forgiven. It does not end with avenging ourselves on Huang Zu or Liu Biao. They may have been the instrument, but they were not the cause. The cause of our father's death was the corrupt and selfish Han, a bloated and festering body that consumes for its own desire and even feeds on a disease like the Yellow Turbans. The injustice of the Han led to his death, because the way that took him should never have been fought. The man that so capriciously sent our father to war was a privileged and arrogant member of the nobles that care nothing for the sufferings of millions."

Ce's voice grew hard now, and it was filled with a poignancy that filled even Zhou Yu with dread.

"The Han slew Sun Jian, its most loyal servant, and it laughed as it did so. And for that, I will see the Han die."

***

Sun Ce sat quietly with Da, Xiao and Zhou Yu. They were sitting in the middle of a field, surrounded by grass and flowers. The girls were reading scrolls of poetry while the boys were staring intently at a large silver vessel of strange design. It look like a rather sizeable urn of highly polished silver, around the sides of which were spaced along eight silver dragons with sapphire eyes, snaking down the body, their mouths open. Sitting at the feet of urn, below the mouths of the dragons sat eight silver toads, looking up at the dragons with their mouths opened expectantly.

Da and Xiao were sitting on the blanket they had brought, pondering the meanings of the poems, written in Latin and brought from the farthest west by trade caravans. Xiao seemed to be babbling happily about what she was reading but Da's mind was back inside the central chamber of Sun Jian's tumulus, remembering what they had seen and discussed there.

It had been good to see her father again, dead though he might have been, and his preservation was nothing short of miraculous. If she hadn't known better she might have assumed he was asleep and merely ill. She remembered her prayer to him as they left, slipping a single, perfect pearl into his hand, a token of her affection and perhaps a bribe for some frivolous water spirit or goddess who might show him a good time.

She remembered her husband's words as he spoke to them all, about the need for the Han to die and for the Sun family to reign supreme- not because they cared for their own glory or divinity, but because every single one of them felt the agony of the land and the suffering of a people robbed of the right to live as they chose, to know happiness and fulfillment.

"_There are only two creatures of any value in the world, Da,"_ Ce had said to her once. _"Those in need and those with the means to help them."_

How ironic that in order to liberate the people of the land, countless numbers would die, maybe not by her hand or Sun Ce's, but through the incessant warring between the nobles of the realm and she finally understood why Ce was not more aggressive about campaigning and capturing lands to add to his realm- there were terrible battles still to be fought and he was not willing to be a part of such bloodshed if it could be avoided. When the dust of the wars settled, the victor would have to deal with Sun Ce.

There was a sad wisdom to it that she could not deny, even if she wished for otherwise.

And then, for no discernible reason, a small metal ball dropped out of the mouth of one of the dragons and plunked into the waiting mouth of the toad below. It had been so sudden and unexpected amid the solitude of the field that both she and Xiao had started slightly. The younger sister frowned and scrambled over on her hands and knees to the strange urn and stared at it intently, trying to figure out why it had done what it did.

"They're coming." Zhou Yu said quietly.

"What?" Xiao demanded, looking at her husband, slightly irked. "Okay, even for you that was a disassociated statement. Who's coming?"

"The emperor and his entourage." Zhou Yu replied.

"Oh, really," Xiao said, her eyebrow raised sceptically. "A metal dragon pukes a metal ball in a metal toad's mouth and this means the emperor's on his way? What does this stupid thing do when Da and I are coming home?"

Zhou Yu, with all the patience of a good husband, rose and approached the device. He gingerly removed the top and gestured inside. Xiao peeked in, joined by Da, whose curiosity finally got the better of her.

"Oh, I understand," Da said, peering at the inner workings of the contraption. "The pendulum inside is inverted and the dragons are pointing in the eight cardinal directions. When the feet of the urn felt the tremor of the approaching army, it tilted in the direction the emperor was coming from and knocked a ball through the dragon's mouth and into the toad's."

"Correct, my lady." Zhou Yu said, smiling.

"Oh, of course, silly me," Xiao exclaimed, thumping her palm against her forehead. "What?"

"You know how a pendulum works, Xiao," Da said, explaining for her sister and pointing into the device. "It's a really sensitive pendulum that sensed thousands of approaching feet and because it is so precariously balanced it fell in the direction the rumbling was coming from. The ball is just to confirm it."

"Don't we use scouts for this sort of thing?" Xiao pointed out. "Wouldn't it be a lot less creepy if we- wait a minute... _thousands_ of feet?"

"It might be tens of thousands," Ce added, nodding. "We don't know, the scouts ain't back yet."

"How far away are they?" Xiao asked incredulously.

"Hard to say," Zhou Yu replied. "It might be as many as three hundred _li_."

"You mean to tell me that this stupid thing picks up people marching from five days away?" Xiao demanded, obviously still not willing to be convinced.

"That's one possible use, Xiao," Ce said. "Normally you'd use it to spot earthquakes an' what direction their comin' from, but Zhou Yu an' I wanted to see if it was sensitive enough to detect the approach of an army."

"Well, congratulations, you now know the emperor's five days away with a lot more men than we have," Xiao groused, displeased with science in general. This was even stupider than that armillary sphere Zhou Yu had created to help predict the movement of the heavens. "Now what?"

"We go back to the palace and freak out the scouts by informing them that we knew before they did." Ce said with a big grin.

"Well, at least that sounds like fun..." Xiao grumbled, gathering up her scrolls.

***

The stood patiently, looking to the north while the host approached. Across the wide plain marched a huge army, ordered in vast battalions and the entire plain echoed with the sound of the marching. There were tens of thousands of soldiers approaching, all arrayed in brilliant imperial yellow, with countless banners overhead. And before this mighty army came a huge palanquin, carried by dozens of men and on which sat the Son of Heaven, Emperor Xian, accompanied by his wives and concubines.

Marching to the right of this host came another, smaller army, wearing blue and carrying banners that signified the Prime minister's office. In front of this host rode Cao Cao, accompanied by his closest advisors and generals, Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun, Xiahou Yuan and his bodyguard, Xu Zhu, an enormous man whose belly was wider than he was tall. He carried a huge mallet on his shoulder.

What made Ce's eyes widen slightly though, was the presence of another man in the Prime Minister's entourage. Towering over them all and astride a mighty red steed, rode Guan Yu, Liu Bei's sworn brother. Why was this honourable and incorruptible man riding with Cao Cao?

"Now there's something I didn't expect to see." Zhou Yu whispered to Ce as he stood beside him, waiting for the emperor's arrival.

"Yeah, somethin's up," Ce replied. "An' it can't be good."

The Wu host was waiting in the field west of Baifu, not far from the pavilion they had constructed for the emperor's accommodation. Sun Ce stood in front, accompanied by Zhou Yu, while his generals and closest advisors stood behind, in front of their guard squads. Da and Xiao were kneeling just off to the right of their husbands, like dutiful wives. Given how traditional the emperor was, they all agreed it would be best if the girls displayed their demure qualities.

The one exception to this rule, of course, was Shang Xiang, who refused to take part in any such nonsense and she was too renowned as a warrior to pull off such a charade in any event. She stood proudly with Fu Chin Ran in front of her guards.

Taishi Ci commanded the Night Tigers, resplendent in black and silver. To one side of Ce's guards was Zhou Yu's Swordwind and on the other stood Elryk, backed by the _comitatus_. Huang Gai, Lu Meng and Ling Tong were fanned out on either side, along with other commanders.

When the emperor's palanquin was within calling distance, heralds sounded horns. Sun Ce got to his knees and bowed low, his forehead touching the ground. He was followed by the rest of their entourage in the gesture and they waited silently.

Finally, the mighty host came to a stop and all was silent. After close to a minute, the emperor's palanquin floated forward, accompanied by Cao Cao and his entourage; everyone waited for a sign from the Son of Heaven.

The emperor was now in front of Sun Ce and observed the host arrayed to welcome him thoughtfully, his eyes peering from behind the beads of the flat-topped cap he wore. His concubines fanned him while he mused. Plainly his imperial majesty was in no hurry.

"Lord Sun Ce, styled Bofu," he said in a rather high-pitched and cultured voice. "We have decided to favour you with our presence because we have heard of the good things you have done in these southern lands, once almost lost to the Han and now returning to the fold of civilization."

"We are honoured, you imperial majesty, to receive you and we humbly beg your forgiveness for our unworthy welcome of you." Sun Ce said, still not looking up from the ground. "If we had five lifetimes to prepare, it would still not be enough to effect a welcome befitting your stature."

"It is said that the people of the Southlands are not only humble but courteous and indeed this agrees with my estimation," the emperor mused. "But arise, loyal servant, and let us see your face."

While everyone else remained bowed, Sun Ce slowly rose. His head remained bowed until he was standing upright and then he slowly raised his face to gaze upon the emperor, very likely the most powerful man on earth.

He was young, probably Ce's age or slightly younger. His features were refined and almost effeminate and it was perfectly obvious he had never done a day's hard work in his entire life. His skin was pale, as if it had never felt the sun. His cheeks bore a hint of blush and his lips were red with a rouge of bright aspect. His dark eyes could almost not be seen from behind the delicate veil of tiny beads.

Sun Ce held his gaze steadily and he knew the emperor was looking on him in wonder, although it was felt rather than seen. Surrounded as he was by jaded bureaucrats and haughty nobles of the First Ranks, Ce doubted that the emperor rarely saw many of the lords who actually ruled the lands in his name, those who administered the fiefs and domains that he claimed suzerainty over.

"You are aware, of course, Sun Ce, of the honour the emperor bestows upon you, letting you see him thus, and in such close quarters." Cao Cao intoned in his deep, stern voice.

Ce bowed his head and clasped his hand in his fist. "I am aware of the privilege and deeply honoured. I am not aware that any member of my family since Sun Tzu himself has been in the divine presence."

"It is so," the emperor chimed. "But it has been brought to our attention that you have done great things in our name and accomplished splendid feats of arms to dispatch our enemies, yes?"

"My contributions to the defeat of your foes, your majesty, have been grossly exaggerated, I am certain," Ce said. "There are so many more worthy of your recognition."

"Your modesty is admirable, Lord Sun, but we are fully aware of your deeds in our name," Emperor Xian replied. "You personally slew the sorcerer Zhang Jiao during the Yellow Turban uprising and by the reckoning of my generals accounted for the death of over a thousand rebels personally."

Sun Ce bowed his head, not willing to let the emperor see the dark cloud in his eyes at the mention of that fateful rebellion, a rebellion of angry, hungry peasants who were tired of being ignored and mistreated and who had errantly cleaved to the sweet-sounding and high words of a madman. Ce did not want the emperor to see that he held Xian and his progenitors responsible for the agonies of the Han.

"When our treacherous servant Dong Zhuo turned against the will of Heaven and sought his own aggrandizement, you fought readily alongside your father, also our devoted vassal, and carried the day in several battles. We also know about your war to bring the Southlands back into the fold, accomplishing this deed with few troops, a feat worthy of Xiang Yu himself."

Ce's head stayed bowed, listening patiently to the emperor's litany of his deeds.

"You also helped to bring the rogue warrior known as Lu Bu to justice, followed by the swift punishment of the disloyal and pretentious lord Yuan Shu. In all these events you have shared a great part and your name has been heard in our ears many times over."

"I am not worthy of such attentions, your majesty." Ce intoned.

"We beg to differ, Lord of the South, and this is why we have come to see you." Xian said, indicating subtly that he was done with Ce's humility. "We would now meet your people so that we can see who it is that serves a faithful vassal such as yourself."

Ce nodded and made a gesture he and Zhou Yu had agreed upon. Zhou Yu then called for the rest of the assembly to rise. Everyone gazed now upon the Son of Heaven, beneath the canopy of his vast palanquin, he who claimed the mantle of supremacy on earth in the name of the gods themselves.

At the emperor's behest, Sun Quan strode forward. He bowed low and let the emperor assess him.

"_That throne should be occupied by my brother..."_

At Xian's bidding he stood and the emperor marvelled at Quan's appearance. Except for certain features, he looked almost nothing like his older brother. He wore a beard that ran along his jawline and his intense eyes were a remarkable green colour. Ce's were greyish-blue and Shang Xiang's almost a golden-amber, like those of a hawk. Quan's build was muscular, but broad and flat, whereas Sun Ce's was proportionate and powerful. Ce was always smiling and cheerful but Quan's expression was brooding.

The emperor greeted Quan warmly, as he was the second highest-ranking noble in the Southlands and his dedication to scholastics and Confucian virtue were well-known even in far-away Chang'an. The emperor asked about things in Jiang Dong, where Quan ruled in Ce's name and he answered with his usual guarded honesty.

His gaze came now upon Sun Shang Xiang, who strode forward confidently and bowed humbly. He looked upon her with an almost morbid sense of amusement.

"I have heard that the women of the south are fiery in nature and often seek to go to war with the men," Xian stated, nodding as he observed Shang Xiang. "Would you then claim to be a warrior, daughter of the Southlands?"

"My father's blood and spirit run in my veins, your majesty, I know of no other way to be." Shang Xiang replied in a tone that was both proud and deferential. "Sun Jian himself, your loyal servant, the man who slew the dread warrior Hua Xiong, taught me to wield my blades."

"Is that so," Xian mused. "You think yourself a match for the warriors arrayed before you? Do you believe them to be your equal?"

"One could only hope, your majesty," she said, her eyes glinting with amusement. "For if a mere girl proves their equal, what would this say about their ability to protect you? At that point I would surely insist that my battalion of women and I come to Xuchang to take over as your guards."

Though no one said anything, a ripple of dark mood passed over the emperor's host, especially in the ranks of the Prime Minister. The only one who seemed not affected was Guan Yu.

"That is a serious claim, Lady Sun," the emperor said sombrely. "Most bold. Would you have us believe that you can back these claims up with action?"

"She is indeed a most formidable warrior, your majesty." Cao Cao answered, bowing his head as he interjected. "She and her captain held a bridge against a thousand trained warriors, slaying over half of them and also defeating Zhang Liao, their commander."

The emperor looked at Cao Cao. "Zhang Liao? The warrior taken prisoner at Xia Pi and that you have since taken as your own, Prime Minister? He is a most capable fighter, and you say that this woman bested him?"

Cao Cao nodded.

Xian regarded her again. "Interesting..."

Shang Xiang bowed and returned to her place, the emperor obviously having finished his scrutiny of her. At Sun Ce's bidding, each of the generals approached the palanquin, bowing humbly before the emperor and allowing their lord to introduce them. The emperor seemed to know something about each of them or their deeds, a fact he recited to them diligently. First came Huang Gai, long the bulwark of Jiang Dong and stalwart vassal of the Sun family. His decades of service were known to all with any military background. He was compared by many to Ma Yuan, a great warrior of long ago who had served the early Han and amazed all with his strength and fortitude.

The dour Lu Meng came next and he bowed humbly before the Son of Heaven. Emperor Xian remarked about Lu Meng's well-known pursuit of military strategy and devotion to the martial sage in his dedication to becoming a better commander. Lu Meng replied that he was a mere pupil and no master of the subject.

"We have also heart that you have a splendid voice and are a superlative singer, general." Xian remarked.

Lu Meng's eyes flared open and he could not help but look over at Sun Ce, who shrugged. None of Lu Meng's peers laughed, but it took all of their willpower to not do so. Lu Meng having a pretty voice was news to all of them.

"Perhaps the general would care to demonstrate this ability for us at some point?" the emperor suggested, the question actually more of a delicate command than anything. Emperor Xian loved to hear singing.

Lu Meng blushed, thinking hastily. "My abilities in this area are greatly exaggerated, your majesty. I would consider myself a master of strategy and tactics, comparatively speaking."

"Ah, once again, the Southern humility, I will never grow tired of it." Xian said, amused by Lu Meng's discomfiture. "Indeed, general, we will have to find a time for you to perform. We shall advise you of when our schedule allows."

"Y-yes, your majesty." Lu Meng stuttered before rising and resuming his place in front of the Long Fangs.

Ling Tong was now beckoned forward and the emperor observed him casually, clearly wondering about his age.

"So young, Lord Sun," he remarked. "Your general is little more than a cub, and yet you trust him readily with an entire corps and theatre?"

"His father was one of my ablest commanders, your majesty, and Ling Cao raised his son to be a warrior and strategist." Ce replied confidently. "He commanded my southern forces in Jing after his father was slain. He took over right in the middle of the battle. I need no further proof of his ability."

"And what weapon does this young warrior fight with?" Xian asked.

"A competent warrior is never without a weapon, your majesty," Ling Tong intoned, his head still bowed. "He can find and use anything at hand, winning not because of the weapon but because of his resolve and cunning."

"So true," the emperor agreed. "But what would a young and bold general such as yourself use as a preferred weapon?"

Ling Tong understood now why he was being asked this strange question. Clearly the emperor knew that he fought with flails, a simple tool that any other person would normally consider little more than a peasant's agricultural instrument. His father had always warned him that they would cause trouble one day.

"As your majesty no doubt already knows, I most readily make use of a simple flail on the battlefield. I am very fast and I find it best accommodates my fighting style, in spite of how unorthodox it might seem. And yes, I will most happily demonstrate my technique if my emperor so bids."

His gaze now came to rest upon Elryk and all was silent. Emperor Xian stared for a long time, as if trying to decide if Elryk and his impossibly large and yellow-haired warriors were real.

When he could stand it no longer, Elryk unstrapped his belt and handed it to Theudis. Unarmed, he strode forward, unbidden, and everyone waited to see what would happen. The tension from the guards around the emperor was palpable, but none moved to stay him.

Elryk stood tall before the Son of Heaven, his ice-blue eyes piercing through in the daylight. He then slowly dropped to one knee, crossed his hand over his heart and bowed his head.

Emperor Xian regarded the obeisance for some time before finally speaking. "You would greet us thus, foreigner, in a manner we are unaccustomed to?"

Khun and Lap hustled forward and bowed before the emperor before translating for Elryk. The huge man kept his head bowed and spoke in his rumbling bass, his unintelligible words echoing across the hosts.

Khun bowed. "Lord Elryk of the _Bailangren_ wishes for the Son of Heaven to know that he intends no disrespect in honouring you in his own manner for he did not wish to seem obsequious by observing our customs, which he as yet understands very little of."

Elryk now rose, towering over all except Guan Yu. He looked directly at the emperor and he spoke again, Khun doing his best to translate, although he was flustered, aware that if the emperor grew displeased, they could die at any moment.

"Great Emperor of the Land where the Sun Rises, my customs of respect for authority, though different from your own, are no less worthy of your august consideration; though I came from a land thousands of _li_ beyond your realm, I would still have you see my people and I as we are- proud and bold, relentless and deep in our convictions. It is the right of every warrior to look into the eyes of the lord he would serve and lay down his life for. If we avert our eyes from yours, how then would you see our honesty?"

Xian considered the supposition for some time before nodding and allowing Elryk to return to his place in front of the _comitatus_. He sighed heavily and waved the ornamental fan he held.

"But these summer days in the south are unsuitably hot," he remarked. "We would retire for a while, to wait until the heat of the day is finally gone."

Sun Ce bowed. "Your majesty, as you can see, we have prepared a pavilion for you, and although it is certainly unworthy, we hope you can find repose and a respite from the heat until you deem the weather to your liking."

The emperor nodded and allowed himself to be carried away to the pavilion, his engineers and surveyors dashing on ahead to make sure that the structure was safe and free of treachery or danger. Ce watched the emperor leave, pleased that the first round of this ordeal was done with. He felt Cao Cao ride up beside him, accompanied by Xiahou Dun and Xu Zhu. The northern warlord gazed down at him from his horse.

"I trust the structure is safe and suitable to the emperor's needs," the Prime Minister said in a low voice.

Ce nodded. "Nothin' but the best for the Son of Heaven."

"Your host is most unusual, Lord Sun," Cao Cao continued. "You are man who recognizes talent but your choices in whom you allow to cleave to you may be construed as unwise."

"My father was unwise for joining the coalition against Dong Zhuo. My father was unwise to agree to attack Jing in Yuan Shu's name. But this did not keep him from making what he deemed to be the right choice. The Sun family believes in right choices, Lord Cao Cao, not safe ones. No one accomplished anything great by playing it safe."

Cao Cao considered and nodded. He then shook the reins of his horse and headed off after the emperor, while his host began to arrange its encampment north of the city. Ce turned back to his own people and smiled.

"Couldn't you have gotten rid of Cao Cao a little faster, Ce?" Xiao groused as she walked up to him. "That guy gives me the creeps, the way he's always looks at my sister and I."

"Well, at least we know how Shang Xiang feels when Liu Bei is around." Da remarked.

"Oh, really?" Shang Xiang retorted. "You mean you want to pin Cao Cao down and punch him in the face until he cries like a little girl?"

"What now, brother?" Quan asked. "The emperor is officially our problem for the next couple of days at least."

"Yep," Ce said, trying to decide what to do until he was inevitably summoned. "You all might as well make yourselves scare, especially you, sis. The last thing I need is you tauntin' one of the emperor's guards into a fight."

"Spoilsport." Shang Xiang grumbled as she turned and strode off, accompanied by Fu Chin Ran. The other commanders dispersed as well until Ce was left with Da, Xiao, Zhou Yu and Elryk, who stood nearby, conferring with Theudis and Glandyth.

"Elryk, lemme ask you somethin'," Ce said, beckoning the massive Teuton warrior over. The chieftain approached, accompanied by Lap, ready to translate.

"So why did you remove your weapons and do that strange bow?" Ce asked. "You always drive the point of your sword into the ground and bow your head when you're salutin' me."

"That man does not have my loyalty, Lord Sun." The German rumbled. "I will not raise it in his name unless it is requested by you. He is no overlord of mine and I deem him not worthy of my blade. I would just as soon kneel before Septimus Severus, emperor of Rome."

"Well, you faked it really good then," Ce said, grinning. "You even had me convinced."

"We people of the White Wolf, while we pride ourselves in our truthfulness, are not above some level of dissembly or obfuscation from time to time." Elryk admitted.

Ce laughed. "You'd better make yourself scare for the next couple of days, pal. You an' your men are already set up south of Baifu, so just wait there unless I call for ya."

Elryk saluted and strode off. Zhou Yu watched him leave.

"I do not fear the emperor's intent, but I indeed fear that Cao Cao would happily see Elryk and the people destroyed," he said quietly. "Not because he cannot bear the thought of their existence, but because he sees what a terrible and powerful threat they are. Even your Night Tigers or the Yulin Royal Guard would be hard-pressed to stop Elryk if he decided to decided to take issue with them."

"Elryk swore to fight for me and protect my life with his own," Ce replied, nodding. "I owe it to him to see that he and his people live. Same goes for anyone else we take in. For the next few days I want you with me if at all possible. You see things I don't sometimes and you approach them from a different perspective. That's gonna come in useful, I think."

"Do you suspect treachery?" Zhou Yu asked.

"Not yet," Ce answered. "But it never hurts to have suspicious mind around in suspicious circumstances. "Do those chain fans really circulate air through the pavilion?"

"They most certainly do," Zhou Yu confirmed. "However, if a fire were to accidentally start somewhere between the floorboards, the one drawback is that the air from the pumping fans would cause a conflagration very quickly. The entire pavilion might be consumed in minutes. I shudder to think of it."

Ce nodded and the left the terrible thought at that.

***

Indeed he had been summoned to the pavilion later that evening and he sat at a long table, laughing and carousing with other nobles and the emperor himself, seated at the head of the table. Zhou Yu stood nearby, watching silently, as did Da Qiao and her sister. Quan and Shang Xiang had also been invited and they sat to Ce's right, partaking in the festivities. Quan in particular seemed to be unusually cheerful, since he had been seated next to Xiahou Yuan, a general of Cao Cao's whom he had formed an unusual friendship with.

Seated on Ce's right was the Guan Yu, who seemed even more stoic than usual. If he had things to say, he was keeping them to himself, at least for now. Cao Cao sat opposite from Sun Ce, flanked by Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren. As usual, the Prime Minister was dour, observing everything around him, which was exactly what Ce was hoping for, since Zhou Yu would then be observing Cao Cao.

Emperor Xian was being unfailingly polite and witty in entertaining his guests, but eventually he could not restrain his curiosity any longer.

"Lord Sun, those magnificent barbarians of yours," he began, smiling charmingly. "Perhaps you could tell me more about them."

Ce bowed his head and began explaining how the Germans had arrived and an account of what had happened to them before they had come to the Middle Kingdom and his borders. Though many seemed sceptical of the account, the emperor seemed fascinated.

"And this empire they speak of, Roma," he remarked. "Tell me of it now, since you are no doubt the most well-versed of us on the subject."

"What Elryk calls Roma your ancestors knew as Da Qin, your majesty." Ce replied.

"Da Qin?" Xian exclaimed. "Indeed I have heard this legend- a mighty empire that spans the uttermost western lands just as we encompass these lands. But surely that was in an age before the world was reshaped, long gone and beyond recollection."

"The Da Qin empire exists and is still mighty, oh Son of Heaven." Ce said. "Their emperor controls an empire that encompasses a titanic inland sea, a body of water larger than any here could fathom, except for those that have seen the great ocean in the east."

"And all this you learned from your barbarians?" Xian queried.

"No, your majesty, although their arrival rekindled my interest." Ce answered. "Between our realms lie the _Anxi _(Parthians) and the _Tianzhu _(Kingdoms of Northwest India), ancient trading partners of ours. It is my understanding that they, like ourselves, employ garrisons throughout the land to keep the peace in the territories they conquer, and it was from this that Elryk and his people fled."

"They willingly fled from civilization?" the emperor asked, confused. "Why would anyone do so?"

Ce shrugged. "For the same reason the Xiongnu or the Shanyue tribes continue to defy us, I imagine. They believe in their rights to self-determination and don't really care what we of the Middle Kingdom think."

The table grew somewhat quiet at Ce's frankness, but the emperor seemed all the more intrigued. "What else can you tell me of our sister nation, Da Qin?" he asked, the Germans seemingly forgotten.

Ce nodded his head respectfully. "I anticipated your majesty's keen interest in a subject too large for most others to grasp in its scope, so I have taken the liberty of having one of my scholars compose a summary I am sure you will find most enlightening. Might I ask him to read it for you, your majesty?"

Xian nodded and made a curt gesture with his hand, indicating his permission. Ce beckoned Lu Fan forward and the scholar-herald bowed low before unrolling a scroll he carried. He began to read aloud in his honeyed tone:

"Their kings are not permanent. They select and appoint the most worthy man. If there are unexpected calamities in the kingdom, such as frequent extraordinary winds or rains, he is unceremoniously rejected and replaced. The one who has been dismissed quietly accepts his demotion, and is not angry. The people of this country are all tall and honest. They resemble the people of the Middle Kingdom and that is why this kingdom is called Da Qin ('Great China').  
This country produces plenty of gold, silver, and rare and precious things; they have luminous jade, 'bright moon pearls,' _Haiji_ (rhinoceroses), coral, yellow amber, opaque glass, whitish chalcedony, red cinnabar, green gemstones, gold-thread embroideries, woven gold-threaded net, delicate polychrome silks painted with gold, and asbestos cloth.  
They also have a fine cloth which some people say is made from the down of 'water sheep', but which is made, in fact, from the cocoons of wild silkworms. They blend all sorts of fragrances, and by boiling the juice, make a compound perfume. They have all the precious and rare things that come from the various foreign kingdoms. They make gold and silver coins. Ten silver coins are worth one gold coin. They trade with Anxi and Tianzhu by sea. The profit margin is ten to one. The king of this country always wanted to send envoys to the Han, but Anxi, wishing to control the trade in multi-coloured Chinese silks, blocked the route to prevent the Romans getting through to China."

The emperor listened diligently. Ce could tell by the looks on the faces of some of Xian's retainers that they were clearly sceptical of the report, believing that no kingdom could approach the Middle Kingdom in culture or splendour. This close-minded resolution would one day be the downfall of the Han if their eyes could not be opened.

"You would have us believe, Lord Sun Ce, that these people of Da Qin rival our own lands when they are led by mere elected officials while we are led by a god?" asked one minister, a rather fat bureaucrat who beady little eyes glinted with an indignant malice.

Ce bowed his head. "I will not swear to the absolute veracity of the statements, lord, but I am inclined to believe them, for no other reason than no one would have any need or inspiration to falsify such a report; beyond that, if we were ever to cross swords with such a people, I would rather have exaggerated reports of their abilities and be over-prepared for them than have their abilities underestimated, leaving us unready for such a possibility."

"Do you believe that a war is possible with Da Qin?" the emperor asked.

"No, your majesty," Ce intoned humbly. "Between our realms lies an almost unfathomable distance that is inhabited by at least two strong empires, those of the Anxi and the people of Ind. Even if the campaign were conducted by sea, assuming we could safely find one another's realms, neither side could possibly send enough men to overcome the other."

"But your barbarians made it to our fair lands," another minister countered, his expression one of distaste at the notion of their very presence. "What say you to that?"

"I say it was the will of the gods that they are now among us," Ce answered firmly. "They wandered for two years before arriving here, losing over two thirds of their numbers in the process. They defied men, nature and the heavens to follow a decree of their gods."

"You have bought foreign gods to the Middle Kingdom," said yet another imperial retainer. "What are we to do now?"

"I did nothing of the sort," replied Ce quietly. "Who among you can say with certainty, except the Son of Heaven himself that they were not brought here by Shang-Ti or Xi Wang Mu? What if they have some purpose here we simply cannot fathom yet?"

Ce knew perfectly well that no one could answer this, including the emperor, for if Xian claimed that he knew nothing of it or that he did not will such a thing, the emperor would look fallible. Predictably, the Son of Heaven remained silent and the minister did not respond.

It was obvious that the emperor's entourage was discomfited by the existence of Elryk's people but had no clear response to this quandary that offended their senses so. The empire of the Romans had been known of since at least the early days of the Han, possibly before and the emperor's library was full of references to them, even if he chose to not read into such extemporanea.

"We are not here to discuss Lord Sun Ce's contribution to such events, I merely asked him about the state of this foreign empire that seems to parallel our own," the emperor said softly. "The speculations of my ministers on such issues are not at this moment required. We came south to see the services rendered to us by this loyal and valiant servant, who has ever fought in our name."

"Command me, emperor." Ce said, bowing his head again. "I am your servant."

"What of the charge that you once possessed the Imperial Seal?" Xian queried. Many officials looked at Ce with keen interest.

"Does the imperial court not believe that Yuan Shu was in possession of the Imperial Seal?" Ce asked. "As I recall, I sent a force to help destroy the traitor for his claims, which forced me to turn against the man who was appointed as my liege-lord by the officials in Chang'an."

Xian gazed at his officials, intrigued to see their response. Cao Cao bowed his head.

"Indeed we have confirmed that Yuan Shu had the seal, your majesty," he said. "It was found on his dead body and then claimed by Liu Bei, the Imperial Uncle, who fled with it before your loyal imperial forces."

"I recall your report, Prime Minister," Xian said coolly. "And where are Liu Bei and the Seal now?"

"We are searching for him, your majesty." Cao Cao replied. "We thought he was fleeing to Liu Biao, but we have lost track of him."

"How is that possible?" the emperor asked.

"Such is the way of war and of fugitives, oh Son of Heaven," the Prime Minister intoned. "The fugitive's own sworn brother, Master Guan Yu, agreed to stand a fight a rearguard action to give Liu Bei time to get away and through his might he stalled my armies long enough to allow him to disappear."

The emperor looked over at Guan Yu, who remained silent, his eyes glinting from beneath his eyebrows. Sun Ce began to finally understand what had happened and why Guan Yu was now found in Cao Cao's host- the indomitable warrior had been overwhelmed by Cao Cao's sheer numbers and allowed himself to be captured. Cao Cao was perfectly willing to let Liu Bei get away for now, if he in return garnered a prize like Guan Yu. Ce obviously wasn't the only one with an eye for talent.

But where was Liu Bei?

Cao Cao had finally made a move against someone he obviously considered a foe to be purged. Whereas he would simply have to fight Yuan Shao for control of the north, Liu Bei could conceivably, with his meagre resources, be undone by simple treachery. Cao Cao didn't care if the Imperial Seal Liu Bei carried was fake or real, but it provided him with the excuse he needed to remove another potentially dangerous adversary on his road to ultimate power.

Xian turned the conversation onto other matters, plainly not interested in the pursuit of Liu Bei since he had heard it all before. He asked Ce more questions about the progress being made in the Southlands toward civilizing it. Ce mentioned that the borders were secure and the land was being assessed and a census underway to determine potential military capability. He declined to mention any innovations that he and Zhou Yu were undertaking, just in case anyone might choose to feel threatened by the advancements being made. Certainly he had no intention of mentioning such things around Cao Cao.

He spoke of the richness of the farmlands but the relatively sparse population; he referenced the many natural resources that the land offered but the lack of hands to exploit them to their full potential. He spoke of the troubles in the far south with the savage Shanyue tribes and how he planned to deal with them, sending his sister to deal with them.

One bureaucrat, obviously still not convinced of Shang Xiang's ability, snorted and stared at Ce.

"Lord Sun Ce, while I applaud your dedication to giving your noble family members their parts to play, do you not think it unwise to entrust an entire and vital theatre to a woman? Mayhap she might have scored some victories in battle, but this is strategy we are concerning ourselves with, and the safety of your realm."

Sun Ce's answer was cheerful, which seemed out of place, given the gravity of the charge being laid against him.

"Hey, pal, if you're wantin' to test them out, then feel free to request a trial of skill. My sister's warriors are some of the toughest I've got and I'd match them up against my own Night Tigers any day. If you're that concerned about their ability to handle a theatre, send some observers south to the Shanyue borders and we'll see what you think then."

The minister flushed and looked at Shang Xiang, who simply stared at him, her eyebrow raised. Even though she was wearing formal attire, she looked every bit a warrior, radiating a confidence and undeniable skill that no man would willingly contest.

The minister said nothing and Emperor Xian once again diverted the topic, annoyed with his ministers for creating these awkward and uncomfortable moments at his party. He smiled graciously at Sun Ce again.

"None of us doubt your resolve or ability, nor those of your people, Lord Sun," he said. "Though your methods may be unorthodox, their effectiveness cannot be doubted. We are indeed pleased with your progress and your dedication and we would have a ceremony tomorrow where we express our pleasure with your service."

Ce bowed his head. "I am not worthy."

Xian smiled. "That disagrees with our imperial assessment, young lord, and we invite you to see things from a different perspective. Will tomorrow afternoon be enough time for you and your people to prepare?"

"Most assuredly, your majesty." Ce replied, bowing his head.

***

Ce and Zhou Yu sat on a hill, looking up at the stars as they wheeled overhead. Each of them contemplated their own perceptions of this endless movement and what sort of affect it had on men- where Zhou Yu saw an endless and mighty black mechanism through which countless points of light whirled, waiting to be analyzed and used for the good of all, Ce merely saw eternity. It was neither a boon nor a baleful warning, just a vast and undeniable proclamation by the universe of the natural order of things and how insignificant all of men's efforts were to understand and control such things.

It was all too big and too complicated. It could not be rationalized and understood, nor predicted. What Han astrologers might see as fortuitous, perhaps Elryk's shamans would see as a sign of misfortune or woe. Who would be right and which particular time? What was the acceptable margin of error?

It wasn't that Ce didn't care, nor was it that Ce didn't understand. He perhaps understood better than anyone else that creation was not interested in analysis and to question it was just to confuse yourself. Harmony was in acceptance and he never ceased to be impressed by just how clear matters became when you stopped worrying about nature and what it was trying to tell you. He just listened.

"Do you suppose the stars look any different where Elryk comes from?" Zhou Yu mused quietly, still staring up at the mighty vault of the heavens.

Ce continued looking up and eventually nodded. "He comes from two years to our west, they've gotta. The perspective on the horizon must've changed somewhat, right?"

Zhou Yu looked over at his friend for a moment, his eyebrow raised at this unusually astute scholastic statement on his friend's part. Ce grinned at him.

"I know, I know," Zhou Yu muttered. "Don't let anyone know you said anything like that, we can't have expectations about you knowing things."

They returned to their quiet contemplation of the stars for some time before Ce spoke finally.

"Whaddya think about Liu Bei?"

Zhou Yu mulled the question over for some time, giving it all due diligence, since the question was a simple one but the answers imprecated so many larger possibilities.

"He's still got Zhang Fei," he said in his mellow voice. "And wherever he goes he has the love of the people, so they might agree to hide him if need be."

"Hard to hide a guy with earlobes that big, y'gotta admit." Ce said, chuckling about one of Liu Bei's more prominent features. "But what if there is a call to muster against him and take him down?"

"What indeed?" asked a deep and sombre voice behind the two of them. At that moment, the Prime Minister strode up, his hands behind his back as he too gazed up at the stars. Ce and Zhou Yu both quickly got their feet and bowed, their hands clasped in their fists. Cao Cao nodded curtly in response.

"I would be interested to hear the opinions of two young and intelligent lords such as yourselves on this matter," he said as he stood between them, dividing them. He stood slightly fore of them and Ce was aware that although Cao Cao was alone, not far away in the shadows was his bodyguard Xu Zhu and a company if his personal troops, the Wildcat Riders.

Neither man had spent much time in Cao Cao's presence before, at least not without other lords being around. His bearing was impressive and inscrutable. His eyes flashed with intelligence and a ruthless but unfathomable ambition. However tempting it might have been to demonize him and say that he sought power for its own sake, one could never say so with any honest certainty.

"Lord Sun Ce, surely you have an opinion of Liu Bei, as he is a peer." Cao Cao pressed, still looking up at the stars, as if they required his attention. "I would hear your impressions of the Imperial Uncle."

Ce shrugged simply. "Nice enough guy, I've always gotten along with him, although he's annoyin' my sister the way he keeps eyein' her. He's not exactly the kinda girl she's into."

"Indeed," Cao Cao said, clearly not impressed with the answer he received, since it told him nothing. "What do you think of his possession of the imperial seal?"

"I don't know what he's doin' with it," Ce replied. "He hasn't declared himself emperor with it, so he's one up on Yuan Shu. Liu Bei doesn't have the resources to declare himself emperor, and he's such a big supporter of the Han I can't really see him doin' anything aside from turnin' it over to the Son of Heaven."

"And if he will not?" Cao Cao asked.

"Then I'd make sure Guan Yu was not on campaign with you." Ce said simply. "I imagine Liu Bei and Zhang Fei can be handled, but put the three of them together and even Lu Bu couldn't deal with it."

"But you handled Lu Bu." Cao Cao pointed out, the meaning behind his statement obvious. "Can the emperor count on your support if the call goes out?"

Sun Ce knew not to pause in his answer and even while conversing with Cao Cao he had been pondering this inevitable question. "I've never given him cause to doubt me before."

"Your invasion of Jing was not kindly looked upon by several in the imperial court." Cao Cao remarked. "Liu Biao is a popular lord in Chang'an."

"I thought the emperor was in Xuchang now." Zhou Yu interjected, referencing the Prime Minister moving the virtually hostage emperor to his own stronghold, allegedly for safekeeping, but it was in fact a centuries-old technique used by lords to keep the emperor contained. An emperor who tried to exercise any real power was effectively removed from his support base and could be manipulated or coerced into following acceptable policy.

During Dong Zhuo's reign of terror, Cao Cao had, in fact, led a daring rescue mission to extricate the emperor from the treacherous minister's clutches. Dong Zhuo had demoted the current emperor's older brother Shao and installed Liu Xia (now known as Emperor Xian) in his place, as he proved much more pliant. While Yuan Shao and Shu were obliterating the eunuchs in Luoyang, Cao Cao brought the emperor to Xuchang and it was this circumstance that was leading to the current looming conflict between the old friends and rivals.

While Sun Ce didn't really care who won the war in the north, since he would have to face either man anyway, there were many considerations to be factored in, depending on who won- Yuan Shao was head of a vast army and controlled resources envied by all the other lords of the empire. To fight him would be a gruelling ordeal.

Cao Cao, on the other hand, was devious and resourceful, never to be trusted or underestimated. Ce had the uneasy feeling that it would be the Prime Minister who would triumph in the wars of the northern plains, and that would prove more troublesome than dealing with Yuan Shao's massive armies.

"The emperor is safe," Cao Cao said simply. "His divine presence must not be trouble by the petty chaos of this land, which is why I agreed that he could visit the Southlands, because you have done a remarkable job of pacifying them, Lord Bofu. I trust the Shanyue will not be a continued concern?"

"My sister'll have 'em behaving in no time." Ce said simply. "We've taken on bigger challenges, we just haven't had the resources until now."

"So soon after the campaign in Jing?" Cao Cao queried.

"That was a carefully planned campaign, Prime Minister," Zhou Yu said. "We conserved our forces and attacked Huang Zu with just enough men to ensure victory."

"Very daring," replied the northerner. "If something had gone wrong, it would have been disastrous for you, both militarily and politically."

"Yeah, I'm sure there are lots of lords who wouldn't have wept if things had turned out differently." Ce said tacitly, not mentioning names. "Too bad for them, hope they take it as a lesson."

"Indeed." Cao Cao said quietly. "The land must see order again, by any means necessary. The emperor looks forward to your continued loyalty, Lord Sun."

He then turned and walked back down the hill.

Ce and Zhou Yu waited until the Prime Minister was gone and then returned their attention to the stars.

"Yuan Shao doesn't stand a chance." Ce said in a voice barely more than a whisper.

"What then?" Zhou Yu asked.

Ce was silent for several moments before answer.

"Cao Cao's gotta go..."

***

The following day was not quite so hot and there was a refreshing sea breeze out of the east. Due to the mild weather, Emperor Xian had elected to hold the festivities outdoors. He sat now beneath a yellow canopy, fanned by two attendant girls. The dais he was sitting on was comfortable and elegant, but not excessive in its splendour. He seemed to be determined to match the relatively simply trappings of his host.

Cao Cao stood off to one side of the canopy, along with the Lords of the First Rank, while on the other waited the Yulin Royal Guard, regarded as some of the most capable fighters in the Han, although Sun Ce could tell by looking that they were now more ceremonial than anything. The true guardians of the emperor were the _Huben_, the Imperial Tiger Corps, and he noticed that these men were subtly dispersed throughout Xian's entourage, alert and ready for any sign of trouble. He harboured no doubt that these men were likely to be the equal of his own Night Tigers. Maybe two or three units in the Southlands could hold their own against these remarkable warriors.

The Southlands commanders were once again present and waited patiently behind Ce. Quan and Shang Xiang knelt on either side of Ce and just slightly behind him. Da and Xiao were seated off to the right of the proceedings, trying to ignore Cao Cao's subtle glances in their direction. They all wore light but suitably formal clothing, resplendent in crimson and gold.

Emperor Xian eventually began the proceedings and Sun Ce led the southerners in bowing low. The Son of Heaven beckoned a herald, who then began reading aloud the emperor's assessment and decree.

"Lord Sun Ce, styled Bofu, you have been assessed by the Son of Heaven and are found to be a most loyal and valuable retainer. Though your lands lie far from the imperial city, you have captured our august ruler's attention with your valour and devotion to filial virtue. Though you have always been a noble and come from an ancient family, it is only fitting that your status be affirmed throughout our empire- His Majesty, Emperor Xian, the Son of Heaven in an unbroken line, declares you a Lord of the First Rank and names you Marquis of the Southlands, with the honorific title of Prince Huan ('Diligent Prince'). You are also entitled the 'Rebellion-Suppressing General' in light of your services against those who would betray the Han."

"I am not worthy." Sun Ce intoned humbly. His title of Marquis made him a noble of enormous influence, exceeded only by the dukes and blood-princes who ruled the imperial lands or the Prime Minister and Three Excellencies, positions Cao Cao was trying to abolish so they could not oppose him.

"As a Lord of the First Rank, you shall receive a monthly stipend from His Majesty's treasury, to be used as you see fit but always in the service of the Han and the divine House of Liu. Your monthly salary, measured in husked and polished rice, will be one hundred and five _hu _(also pronounced _dan_, approximately one standard bushel), equalling three hundred and fifty _hu _of unhusked rice, or seventeen thousand five hundred standard minted _wushu _coins."

"His majesty is most generous." Sun Ce murmured.

"As a sign of his favour, not only does the Son of Heaven bestow upon you this title and stipend, but he has gifts for you, as such a loyal vassal deserves..."

Emperor Xian waved his fan and scores of servants appeared, carrying a seemingly endless number of chests. They were opened and within lay countless bolts of silk, along with grand and ornate robes, embellished with jewels or precious metal threads. Servants also brought hundreds of jugs of wine from various regions and racks of weapons or exotic wares made of ceramic, bronze or lacquer. Preserved dainties were also bestowed upon him, some from as far away as Jyongguan in the farthest reaches of the north, where the Xiongnu rode. Jars of spices from places such as fabled Kashgar were opened and the aroma of these delicacies filled the air.

Strongboxes of gems from the southern jungles were presented. Da and Xiao both gazed in wonder at the glittering prizes within. Precious jade ornaments and statuettes would line the halls of the palace. Two hundred tall and strong horses were given to Sun Ce, courtesy of the Grand Commandery.

"Your majesty, this servant is unworthy of such lavish gifts." Ce said, his heart burning in fury, knowing that several of the First Rank Lords received such gifts regularly while people outside the imperial city starved. Everything the emperor presented him with now would be used to make sure that no one in Wu suffered needlessly.

"Mayhap you will come to see things through our eyes one day, Prince Huan, and then you will understand things as we do." Emperor Xian remarked, perhaps growing a trifle weary of the humility these Southerners wore so proudly. Couldn't they understand what a threat they were? How much could it possibly take to buy their loyalty and stay their ferocity?

"But we are not done, yet, for though you are now enfoeffed as a proper Lord of the First Rank, your future is still in question, for you take only one wife and no concubines..."

Ce's stomach turned instantly to ice.

Fifty women were now brought forward, all of them young and beautiful. The youngest might have been twelve, the oldest not more than seventeen. They were all wearing silk robes, crimson trimmed with scarlet.

"Arise now, Prince Huan, to greet those who will serve as your wives and concubines, in whatever manner you see fit..." Xian said airily.

Sun Ce rose slowly, knowing that he had to play this very carefully- not because of the emperor, but because he could feel his wife glaring daggers into his back. He could very easily inherit a posthumous title any second now, because Da had remarkably accuracy with those hairpins of hers, even at this range.

As he approached, the women all bowed low, their foreheads touching the ground. Everyone watched silently, waiting to see what he would do. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Cao Cao observing him intently, his eyes glinting with something that might have been amusement, if Cao Cao even had a sense of humour.

This _had_ to be the Prime Minister's doing- Cao Cao knew that Ce, against all tradition, had only one wife. Even Sun Jian had kept a second wife and a few concubines and other lords in the Southlands did as well. Only he and Zhou Yu were exceptions to this practice and Ce had no desire to change this at all, his life being at stake beside the point.

The women rose at his command and he assessed them without really seeing them, his mind racing for an answer. The women all stared at him expectantly.

Ce finally looked over at Lu Fan and made a nodding motion toward Baifu. The herald understood and had the women more or less herded off. Ce then walked over to the horses he had been given and began inspecting and praising them thoroughly. None of the nobles blinked when Ce spent more time with the horses than he had with mere women.

He had bought himself some time and he would deal with those poor girls later. He returned and knelt again before Emperor Xian, bowing low.

"Great Son of Heaven, I am humbled by your munificence. This servant blushes at your estimation of his worth. I will ever strive to prove myself."

"It is long overdue, Lord Sun." Xian remarked casually. "Perhaps, if he had lived, your father might have been in your position now, for I hear he was good and generous, although I never met the man."

Ce thought about Sun Jian and what the Han had cost him. No gifts or titles would ever replace such a loving and devoted father. After Sun Ce he had been the greatest warrior in the Southlands- even Taishi Ci might not have been a match for him, especially since Hua Xiong had not proven so.

"_Emperor Xian, you think yourself generous and wise, but you are wilfully ignorant and corrupt, your supposedly divine eyes turned away from the plight of the people who prop you up and upon whom these fat nobles and bureaucrats of yours feed so carelessly. If the Han is a flawless mechanism, then it is fuelled by the flesh of the common people and lubricated with their blood. What is the difference between beings such as yourself and Ou Xing, except that he never made any pretence of it?"_

"Rise now, Prince Huan of the Southlands," Emperor Xian said in as deep and authoritative voice as he could. "We have two final gifts to give you and we would have you receive them from our own hands..."

Ce rose and approached the dais beneath the canopy. He bowed low again, his head touching the silk that covered the surface. He then knelt before the emperor, wondering what Xian was up to. The emperor had two well-muscled servants hurry forward and lay something in his hands, supporting the item from other side as he presented it to Ce.

"Let this be the symbol of the Rebellion-Suppressing General, that he might strike fear into the hearts of the faithless and treacherous everywhere."

Ce reached out and took the halberd from the emperor's hands, backing up so that he was no carrying a weapon in the Son of Heaven's immediate vicinity. Outside the canopy he stared at the exquisite weapon in wonder. The haft was properly balanced and gilded with subtle characters that boasted of victory. The bright steel blade shone in the afternoon sun and carried a keen edge. It was a single-hook variety and he could feel it would be fast, strong and lethal in his hands.

"What say you, Prince Huan?" the emperor asked. "Can such a blade be wielded in our name?"

Ce gave himself room and then pulled aside his formal robes, revealing the burnished breastplate and armour of the ancient warlord Iskander. The breeze caught his vermillion cloak and it strained and flowed around him poetically. Ce spun the halberd through a slow arc, testing it and then began whirling about, almost faster than some of the jaded ministers and nobles could follow. People watched in fascination as he practiced a whirling combat pattern, seemingly at one with the new weapon. None could say for sure, perhaps it was just a trick of the bright afternoon sun, but his body seemed to almost blaze with a ferocious energy and aura they could not describe.

He made a final horizontal slashing motion, stomping on the ground as he did so and causing an audible, booming tremor that made several people start, the emperor included. Xian's eyes widened and he laughed, fanning himself with his ornate little prop.

Ce planted the butt of the weapon on the earth firmly and nodded as he looked at the emperor, his free hand on his hip, his eyes gleaming as brightly as the sun on his cuirass.

"Aye, your majesty, I can work with this."

For many present, including some of his own people, Ce seemed now more like his father than ever before. While cheerful and jovial, before them stood a remarkable and indomitable warlord, as only the Sun family could produce.

Xian nodded and beckoned him forward again. Ce passed off the halberd to one of his attendants before kneeling before the Son of Heaven again.

"While functional, the halberd is more a symbol of your office than anything. It is my understanding that you actually prefer to fight with these..."

The servants now assisted Xian with presenting two tonfas to Ce, every bit as exquisitely made as the halberd had been and remarkably well-balanced. Ce backed up and tested their weight, preferring to not show off again. He was amazed at how they handled. There was something to them and the way they were made...

He passed them off again and bowed low. "I will wield them in your name, your majesty, always."

Xian nodded, pleased with his gifts and how he had managed to cow the brash and unpredictable warlord known as 'The Young Conqueror'. So many had expressed concern, but clearly it was nothing that the will and wisdom of Heaven could not overcome.

"All ceremony aside, I have also a need for entertainment..." the emperor said lightly. Lu Meng's brow began to sweat suddenly.

"To that end, I have some retainers who have called for a trial of skill," Xian concluded. Ce listened intently, not worried about the outcome of any duel he had to fight, but how it might impact what was accomplished here today.

The emperor clapped his hands and two warriors came forth, both of them strapping and arrogant. Ce could tell by the way they moved that they were both _very_ well-trained, but doubted they were members of the Tiger Corps, since such frivolous trials would be considered vainglorious and if they were to lose, it would look bad for the Son of Heaven. He recognized one of the warriors as having been on guard last night during the feast in the pavilion, watching over the fat bureaucrat who had criticized Shang Xiang's ability as a warrior. The second had been whispered to all night by a First Rank Lord who took exception to Sun Ce's assessment of the yellow-haired barbarians.

The two warriors bowed before the emperor and then turned to issue their challenges. The one wearing a green tunic spoke first.

"We have all heard the tale of the remarkable Lady Shang Xiang and how she bested countless foes, but honour demands that she prove it! For if this is simply some fable meant to increase her fame and she then leads Han troops into battle against the savage Shanyue and loses, what manner of humiliation will we of His Imperial Majesty's loyal forces suffer?"

Xian looked at Ce, his eyebrow raised. Ce, in turn, looked at his sister, who rose from her kneeling position and strode forward, until she was facing the man. He was taller than her, but she obviously couldn't have cared less.

"Bring it!" she said, her voice like iron.

Ce just sighed and shook his head, wondering what fate had made _him_ the subtle Sun child. Well, except for Kuang...

The other warrior now pointed at Elryk, his eyes flashing with accusation.

"These yellow-haired barbarians infest our lands, running from their own problems, perhaps bringing them east, for all we know. They would claim a home here, saying that the gods bid them thus. I say let their shaggy chieftain prove this assertion, for if indeed the gods willed it, then a simple trial against a true and noble warrior will prove it once and for all!"

Elryk didn't really need Khun's translation to get the gist of what the little yellow man was droning on about and he too strode up to his challenger, who looked up at him fearlessly.

"I accept." Khun interpreted.

A large space was cleared, allowing room for the combatants. Ce stood near the edge of the ring, arms folded, watching with keen interest. Quan and Zhou Yu stood beside him while the other Southlanders got as close as they could without breaking ranks.

Shang Xiang and Elryk approached the cleared ground and paused. They looked at one another and Elryk gestured for Lady Sun to go first. She smiled and nodded before approaching her foe. The Teutonic warriors began to unnervingly bash their spears and swords on their shields rhythmically, chanting in their alien language and deep, guttural and unlovely but frighteningly effective tones.

Shang Xiang stood there, leaning into one hip, her hand posed on the other one and her eyebrow raised as she assessed him. She found she was actually enjoying the battle chants in the background. The man glared at her, his hand resting on the hilt of his straight _jian_ blade.

"Well, what are you waiting for, woman?" he spat. "Draw your weapon and let us begin!"

"Oh, go ahead and draw your sword," Shang Xiang said, shrugging. "I forgot my blades back in my pavilion so I'll do without."

"You dare mock me?" the man said harshly. "You think me a weak fool?"

"Would you feel safer if I tied one hand behind my back?" she asked.

The man shouted angrily and threw his belt away, following it by stripping off his tunic and exposing his muscular chest.

"Oh, come on," Shang Xiang said, averting her eyes in distaste. "Put your shirt back on!"

The warrior lunged forward and thrust a spear-palm at her. Shang Xiang dodged easily, keeping her distance while she gauged his speed and style. He struck again and she leaned backward, letting the fist pass harmlessly over head.

Quan shook his head. "She is such an attention whore. She loves having everyone focus on her."

"That's my little sister." Ce replied cheerfully.

The man's anger may not have abated but he was beginning to master it and he began to attack her and fight in coherent and calculated patterns. Shang Xiang obliged and began blocking readily, recognizing his style and knowing what possible action could follow whatever move her foe had just made. She was already five strikes ahead of him and probably knew before he did what he would attempt next.

At one point she got her arms locked up with his in a cross-block and their legs tangled. He attempted to kick her instep but she spun away again. He struck in desperation, hopefully before she could recover.

Shang Xiang allowed him to punch her across the jaw. There was an audible crack as Shang Xiang's head snapped to the side and several men in the imperial entourage cheered loudly as the first effective blow was landed.

The warrior looked very pleased and called out triumphantly but the whoop died in his throat when Shang Xiang's head turned slowly back to look at him. Aside from the red bruise across her left cheek, she seemed unfazed. If anything, her eyes glinted even more fiercely.

"As massages go, I'd give that a four out of ten," she said in a cool voice. "My turn now?"

She was on him like a tiger, raining blows down mercilessly across his body and face. He tried desperately to defend himself from the assault, blocking diligently, but she was so fast that he had a hard time protecting everywhere she was hitting him. What he might think was a spear-hand would turn suddenly into a grapple, making sure he couldn't get away. He would pull away in a panic but she had had no intention of letting him go anywhere.

A hard slap across his cheek spun him away and he staggered into a defensive stance, his arms spread wide in a defensive crane posture, awaiting her next attack.

She smirked at him. "Oh, pretty crane form. And here I was thinking of using a tiger form to finish you off. Hey, brother, what would you use to burst open a crane defence?"

"Ascending Dragon." Ce replied simply.

Shang Xiang grinned evilly and cracked her knuckles as she strode forward. "Oh, I can _do_ that."

The man's mind raced desperately as he watched her approach, trying to figure out what assault of the Ascending Dragon style could penetrate a crane defence. He watched as she approached, her steps becoming more springy as she prepared to attack him high, possibly from above.

He was holding himself high in his stance when she spun low, kicking and sweeping his feet out from under him. He landed heavily on his back, the wind knocked out of him. She spun him onto his stomach, squatting over him and gripping his head and pulling back, threatening to twist it right off his neck.

"Is there perhaps something you want to say to me?" she asked quietly.

He thrashed and struggled to breathe, knowing that he would either suffocate or die from a snapped neck if he did not capitulate. He strained and tried to regain his feet.

"Oh, you're no fun." Shang Xiang grumbled before thumping him on the temple with her palm. The man went rigid and then lay still, completely unconscious. She stood up and sighed before bowing to the emperor and then resuming her place near Sun Ce.

The unconscious warrior was removed from the turf and Elryk stepped in, opposed now by his foe. The man was obviously fast and strong, very agile and confident in his ability to take down a larger foe. He stripped off his shirt and limbered up with a series of complex arms patterns.

Elryk tilted his head to one side, his neck letting out an audible crack. He just stared at his foe.

With a blinding speed Elryk had only ever seen in Theudis before, the Han warrior's leg flashed out and his foot slammed into the Goth's midriff. Elryk grunted and grabbed hold of the foot. The man goggled up at him in shock and Elryk put his huge boot down on the foot of his foe's balancing foot. He then pulled straight up with both arms on the man's immobilized leg with both hands and there was a nauseating and confused tearing and popping sound as the man wailed in agony.

Elryk drew his mighty fist back and drove it forward, impacting his foe's head and chest area. The warrior's neck and back snapped in several places while his collarbone and chest caved in. His upper body flopped backward suddenly and obscenely, remaining standing only because Elryk was holding him upright.

Everyone watching winced (except the _comitatus_) and Ce pinched his eyes. On the plus side, he doubted the warrior had felt any of the second blow, it had been over so quickly.

Elryk turned down and walked back toward his troops, dragging the awkwardly-shaped corpse with him by the ankle. Ce hastily jogged up to the massive warrior and stayed him.

"Elryk, could you, you know, do me a favour and just drop the guy instead of dragging him off to eat him or whatever you do?"

Elryk looked slightly offended. "But... I beat him, he is my trophy as we agreed. What am I doing wrong?"

"Nothin', big guy, but the emperor or somebody might not approve. Besides, he ain't too pretty right now. Just work with me here and let this one go, okay? We'll find you another one."

Elryk let out an exasperated sigh, making sure that even the Son of Heaven knew exactly how beshat upon his long-suffering soul was and dropped the ankle unceremoniously before trudging off to join his men. Ce looked at the body for a moment before picking it up somewhat distastefully and carrying it over to where the lord who had commanded this warrior waited. He seemed stuck somewhere between pale fear and inarticulate outrage. Ce laid the body down gently and looked apologetic, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, sorry about that," he said. "Elryk and his guys sorta play for keeps."

"This is an outrage!" the noble sputtered, trying to look angry. "How can you condone such barbarism, Lord Sun? Have you not taught them the rules of martial trials?"

"No, I haven't, because no one's ever been stupid enough to challenge one of them before." Ce retorted firmly. "Well, except for that girl over there," he added, point at Xiao. "But nobody else has been that crazy until you conned your guy into doing it and now he's dead, so that's one less warrior to fight for the Han. I'm pretty sure my 'barbarians' will do a lot better."

He then nodded and returned to kneel in front of the emperor, his hands clasped and his head bowed.

"My sincere apologies, your majesty, I think this incident came as a bit of a shock to all of us."

"Not least the dead man," Xian remarked. "But if your sister's foe had his way, he might be dead now as well, instead of unconscious. Still, it was a remarkable display of skill and ferocity from your warriors, Prince Huan."

"Thank you, your majesty," Ce replied, wishing that the emperor would quit calling him that. "My warriors train hard and they are all dedicated to victory."

Xian nodded. "And now I would retire for a bit, Lord Sun, for I feel the ungodly afternoon heat returning. I can count on you to attend me later, yes?"

"Of course, your majesty." Ce said, bowing low.

After some more formal pleasantries, the emperor returned to the pavilion and Ce turned his attention to his people, first checking on Shang Xiang.

"You okay, sis?" he asked, walking up while Quan was already fussing over her.

She gave him a wry look. "I let him punch me, Prince Huan, it's not like he tagged me legitimately."

"Don't you start with that prince crap," Ce said, holding up a finger. Just make sure Ren Neng looks at it, okay?"

"Oh, Ce, are you concerned about your baby sister?" she asked sweetly.

"No, it's just that you're face is already painful enough to look at without it being marked up any further." Ce replied as he turned and walked off to check on Elryk while Quan restrained Shang Xiang from leaping on the eldest Sun sibling. The chieftain was grimacing while his brother Aengava examined the slowly spreading purple and black bruise on his ribcage.

"Hurts more than ya thought it would, eh? Ce said cheerfully as he walked up.

The Teuton scowled and nodded. "Will you train my people to kick like that, my lord?"

Ce considered the request, wondering if his barbarians weren't already dangerous enough without teaching them adrenal control and movement. Then again, teaching them such discipline might cost them that wonderful ferocity.

"We'll talk about it," he said finally. "Make sure you see Ren Neng, I'll bet a couple of your ribs are broken."

"Wonderful, more of the stinking green herb baths," Elryk groused. "Gailavira won't want to sleep with me for a week."

"At least it won't be because you smell like a yak this time." Theudis commented as he watched.

Ce found Zhou Yu, who was examining the tonfas with interest. He relinquished them to their master, who spun them in his hands, testing their weight again.

"It's weird, they're not too heavy but they feel balanced right through." Ce said.

Zhou Yu watched, observing them. "They wood they're made of is rare, but were hard and bound with a white steel such as they make in the north. As for the balance..."

He borrowed one of the tonfas and held it, tipping it up and down, closing his eyes as if he were listening for something or trying to sense a shift in momentum.

"Ce, I think they're filled with _shuiyin_ (quicksilver)."

Ce thought about the properties of the metal and how it would flow back and forth inside the shell of the tonfa, depending on which way it was turned or angled.

"Not a lot of practical application to that," he commented. "I'm probably the only person who could make use of the principal in a fight."

"You're one up on me," Zhou Yu agreed. "If the balance on my sword shifted constantly, I'd be dead."

"Speaking of..." Ce said warily as he saw his wife marching toward him.

***

It was night time again as Sun Ce sat in the little gazebo with his guest, pouring wine and discussing matters of the realm. It had been quite some time since Ce had been able to speak with him and he was enjoying himself thoroughly.

Guan Yu set the tiny wine cup down and pondered the ornate crackled patterns in the glaze of the cup. Ce drank another cup of the heated wine and poured for the huge warrior again.

"Ol' Cao Cao found me the other night an' asked me what I was gonna do if your brother was declared a renegade."

"And what, my lord, did you tell him?" Guan Yu asked, stroking his long, black beard.

"I told him that the emperor had never had cause for doubting my obedience before." Ce replied.

Guan Yu nodded. "But no such order would ever come from the emperor, since brother Bei is the Imperial Uncle. Therefore the order would be from the Prime Minister's office and you can always claim that such an order is not in the best interests of the emperor. You are a wise man, Lord Sun."

"I think my people and I are about as likely to bend our knee to that guy as you and your brothers are." Ce added. "But what about you? What happened with you and Cao Cao?"

Guan Yu's eyes were distant as he recalled the incident. "The treachery in Shou Chun started it all," he began. "My brother found the Imperial Seal on Yuan Shu's body. Two of Cao Cao's cronies began wildly accusing him of trying to take it for himself. Since everyone's blood was already hot and reason was unlikely to prevail, my brother fled, but he was pursued by Cao Cao's forces."

"Yeah, that guy's gonna be trouble." Ce sighed.

"He needed to escape, but Lady Gan's carriage kept holding him back. I eventually convinced him to flee ahead while I brought up the rear and escorted her. We got surrounded by a massive force on a hilltop and I could not fight my way out and protect her. Therefore I surrendered, to protect her and give my brother the time her needed to escape."

"Bet Cao Cao wasn't complainin' too bitterly about that." Ce chuckled and he poured more wine. "He may've lost Liu Bei, but he's got you now."

"After a fashion, yes," the huge warrior agreed grimly. "And he has treated me most generously, lavishing gifts and rank upon me, even going so far as to give me Lu Bu's steed Red Hare. Alas for Cao Cao, though, I will not be remaining at his side. Once I find my brother, I will go to his side, and nothing under Heaven will keep me from doing so."

"I hope for your sake he's alive, then." Ce said. "Any word of him?"

"None yet," Guan Yu replied. "But we three swore an oath to all die on the same day and I cannot feature any of us failing in that sacred duty. I will comb the land for him astride Red Hare."

"Think Cao Cao'll let you?" Ce asked.

"Cao Cao too is a man of principal, Lord Sun, although the principals of other matter not to him and he will achieve the dictates of his beliefs by whatever means he can. He returns to the north soon to face off against his old friend, Yuan Shao and I will fight by his side until my appointed time to leave it."

Ce nodded as he pondered his friend's words. Because of Guan Yu, Cao Cao could very well win the war in the north, something Ce was not sure he wanted to see happen. Irony normally made him smile, but this joke left a bitter taste in his mouth.

"Well, if you find him and need a place to rest your heels, you an' your brothers are always welcome in the Southlands," he said. "And no, I don't care if you've been declared renegades, I'll still take you in, no matter what Cao Cao says."

"A generous offer, I will relay it to my brother when I am reunited with him." Guan Yu said.

They drank a while in silence, listening to the wind and the cry of distant cranes.

"Your sister really is quite a force to be reckoned with." Guan Yu commented eventually.

"That's one way of viewing her. " Ce admitted. "I think it'd be best if you try to keep your brother away from her, though. He makes her kinda crazy."

"And not in the way he is hoping for, I take it." Guan Yu concluded.

"Not as such, no," Ce confirmed. "Unless, of course, he's into having his ass kicked by a girl."

"It would be nice to hear him talk obsessively about something else for a change." Guan Yu muttered. "Maybe your offer to stay in the Southlands would prove every bit as perilous for us as being on the run."

"Well, I doubt you an' Zhang Fei're in any danger, unless she decides that you're encouraging him."

"Assure her we are not." Guan Yu said somewhat hastily. "Trust me on this."

They drank again a while longer before Guan Yu asked a question that had been bothering him for some time.

"Do you plan to move against the Prime Minister, Lord Sun?" he queried.

Ce looked down at his cup. "Probably gonna have to eventually. Just because he defeats Yuan Shao doesn't mean he'll stop there. He'll try to cross the Yangtze eventually and properly pacify the Southlands on some made-up charge of conspiracy."

"If I am still in Lord Cao Cao's service at that time, take your ease, knowing that I will not life my blade against you, any more than I would my brother."

"_And what happens if Cao Cao's gone an' then it's just down to Liu Bei an' I?"_ Ce wondered.

***

The emperor the following day declared that he had business to attend to in Xuchang, but Ce understood that Cao Cao needed to return and prepare to fight Yuan Shao. The mighty lord of the northern plains had finally crushed Gongsun-zan utterly and was now ready to turn his attention to his upstart rival, the Prime Minister.

Normally one could expect Cao Cao's executive authority to quell any challenges, but in this case it was not to be- Yuan Shao was a lord of enormous influence and power and his conflict with Cao Cao was centered around the abuse of the Prime Minister's office, namely, the forced detention of the emperor in Xuchang. It was not a charge Cao Cao could readily refute, since it was a centuries-old policy, but Yuan Shao's charge that Emperor Xian was best protected by him could not be ignored. It was going to come down to a fight and all the other lords of the realm watched intently.

Quan had parting words with Xiahou Yuan (they had apparently spent much of their free time together, debating ethics and virtue) and Ce was distressed that he did not get to speak to Guan Yu again. He saw the magnificent warrior astride Red Hare, his famed halberd, the Green Dragon, slung over his shoulder.

Ce now watched, accompanied by his lords and commanders, as they emperor's entourage slowly made its way north. He doubted Cao Cao would choose to wait long enough to safely ferry the emperor home and instead return to Xuchang with all possible speed, leaving Xian in the capable hands of the Royal Guard and the _Huben_ Tiger Corps.

The mighty pavilion they had constructed was being taken down rapidly and stored away for future use. A gentle hand came to rest on his shoulder and he turned and smiled. "Oh, hey, Da."

"So, my prince," she cooed sweetly in his ear. "Have you decided how you are going to deal with all your new wives and concubines yet? I have given you the additional day, as you requested. I would hate to become a widow so early in life..."

Ce sighed and nodded. "Yeah, it's worked out. Don't worry, you're my only wife an' I still have no concubines."

"Oh, you're going to let me have them all executed?" she asked in a perky voice.

Ce laughed and swept her up into his powerful arms. She giggled and gave him a kiss on the nose. "So what is your grand solution to this quandary Cao Cao put you in?"

"Well, I'm keepin' 'em all on as staff for now," Ce began, watching Da's countenance darken instantly and feeling her nails graze the tender flesh on the back of his neck. "But, that's only so I can marry 'em off as rewards to deserving officers and civil servants."

"_All_ of them?" she asked pointedly.

"Nah, I'm fobbin' the rest of 'em off on you." Ce replied casually. "The youngest ones especially."

"I have enough maidservants already, your highness." Da said, glowering.

"Not for that, silly," Ce chuckled. "You're gonna use 'em as the core of your new courtesan school, your first students."

Da's eyes went wide. "What? Ce, even the youngest of them is probably too old to be properly trained."

Ce shrugged. "So use 'em as staff an' servants for the girls you do train. These girls're supposed to be concubines anyway, they'll probably jump at the chance to do it."

"What if I have already picked staff out?" Da said hotly.

"You haven't," Ce said. "I've seen your ledgers, you're still lookin' for at least thirty girls to be staff."

"You're looking at my ledgers?" she demanded.

"Why are you givin' everyone except Cao Cao grief about this?" Ce asked.

Da glared at him, her finger under his nose. "Ohhhhhh, don't you try using logic on me at this moment, sir, or I will-"

"Hey, Glandyth, hold this for me, willya?" Ce quipped as the gigantic warrior lumbered by, passing Da Qiao into his arms. Glandyth held her in amazement, not quite sure what was happening, but no letting go either, per Lord Sun's orders. Da thrashed and struggled wildly, but she might has well have tried to move a mountain.

Ce grinned and mussed her hair up before turning and walking off to find his brother and sister.

"_Oh, yeah, she's pregnant, no doubt about it..."_

Quan and Shang Xiang were signing orders for their troops to move out when Ce came up.

"Hey guys, about this stipend thing..."

"Oh, Ce, it's alright," Shang Xiang interrupted, smiling cheerfully. "It's your stipend form the emperor, not ours. We agreed you should keep it."

"That ain't it," Ce said. "We're gonna split it three way, thirty-five _hu_ apiece each month."

"But why, brother?" Quan asked. "Shang Xiang and I are not imperial nobles."

"Our father's House is now and more than that, I have a plan," Ce retorted. "Thirty-five _hu_ a month each is plenty for our own personal needs and expenses."

"Especially Quan," Shang Xiang said, thumbing at the middle sibling. "He doesn't eat or do anything."

This earned her a withering glare from Quan.

"My point is that our expenses our covered by the emperor now. That means nothing that comes in from the people of the Southlands goes toward our upkeep." Ce pointed out. "Let the Imperial House of Liu pay for us, it'll let us divert more funds to projects the people need or our administration."

Quan pondered what his brother was suggesting. "Thirty-five _hu_ of unhusked, polished rice... that's an extra five thousand, eight hundred and thirty three _wushu_ each month; if the emperor gives us that, the money I save could be used to repair the docks in Lodi and reopen the port within a season. Then I won't have to divert funds from the lighthouse project in Er-Hu."

"Quan's head is gonna explode trying to work this out," Shang Xiang said. "That stipend will arrive in cash, husked and unhusked rice in Heaven only knows what measures of each. I'll let my scholars handle it and then buy new weapons for my troops instead of using the public coffers."

"Now you're gettin' it." Ce said, nodding. "We're in this together. I'm perfectly happy usin' the emperor's own funds to eventually bring him an' the Han down."

"So why was Guan Yu with Cao Cao?" Quan asked.

There was a sudden crash and lots of yelling, followed by the spectacle of Gan Ning leaping into view, followed by a raging Ling Tong, who was trying to bisect him with Sun Ce's new halberd. The pirate kept back up, smirking and parrying with his _dadao_ while taunting his foe.

"Long story." Ce replied wearily.

***

The night was quiet and Ce held Da in his arms. She snuggled into him, loving the feel of his strength enveloping her. She kissed at his skin and nuzzled her cheek against his chest.

"You know, don't you?" she murmured.

Ce nodded. "Yeah, you've been a little off-kilter recently, it didn't take too much to figure out."

"The mystics say it is a boy," Da said quietly. "We're going to have a boy."

"We still wanna name him Shao?" Ce asked.

"Is there something wrong with the name?" Da wondered.

"Nah, not really," Ce said dismissively. "There's a certain irony to it, since Cao Cao's headin' north to fight Yuan Shao and against all good sense I'm sorta hopin' that the Yuans win."

"But you don't like Yuan Shao." Da pointed out. "You like him about as much as Xiao and I like Cao Cao or your sister likes Liu Bei."

"I know, it's crazy. But if Yuan Shao wins, he'll be easier to deal with than Cao Cao when it's time to throw down."

"Is Guan Yu not fighting for the Prime Minister?"

"Yeah."

"Yuan Shao doesn't have a prayer, Ce."

"I know..." he said grimly.

They were silent for several moments before Ce came to a conclusion. Da felt his resolve and her heart was sad.

"You've decided to attack Xuchang and liberate the emperor while Cao Cao is fighting Yuan Shao, haven't you?" she murmured.

"I have to," Ce said. "Cao Cao is too dangerous, Da. He's got Liu Bei on the run and without help, Yuan Shao can't beat him. I don't wanna help that arrogant bastard, but it's what's best for the Southlands in the long run."

"Do you and Zhou Yu already have this set up?" she asked.

"There's a contingency plan for it." Ce admitted. "Along with that, I'm sendin' Lu Xun and a few spies north to keep tabs on things and report back to me about what happens."

She was silent for some time before she whispered.

"Who have we become, my love?"

"We're still us, Da. An' I'm not gonna try to blame anything or anyone else, sayin' that we were forced down this path, but I still believe we're right."

She buried her face in his shoulder, knowing that he would feel her tears, even if he could not see them.

"It should be this hard to do the right thing," she mourned. "Why is it never easy to just do and accomplish what is right?"

He held her tight. To that question he had no answer.

***

A whole month had passed and the night was dark. The tiny antechamber was lit only by the moonlight that streamed through a single, slatted window. The two figures said nothing for some time, just sensing one another's presence in the dark.

"You know what it is I ask of you, yes?" the one figure said in an austere voice, deep and resonant.

"Yes," said the other man, his voice one of lofty mystery and reflecting a keen distaste for things menial or superficial. "I understand your request and the reason behind it. The Lord of the Southlands, so recently titled Prince Huan, is like unto Xiang Yu, the warrior who overthrew the Qin. This young warlord is too dangerous to remain alive in your estimation, methinks."

"Like enough," replied the other. "But he is a peerless warrior, rivalled maybe only by one or two others alive these days. Sending assassins to deal with him is no answer, it has been tried before. Therefore I must rely on the one power over which he seems to have no mastery and that is the supernatural forces that you seem to command."

"You seem eager to have this young man undone, yes?" observed the mysterious shadow.

"He will turn on me before long and I cannot risk that right now," said the first man firmly. "My attentions cannot be divided at such a crucial juncture. I need you to go south and slay Sun Ce. And if his lands happen to plunge into chaos, so be it. They can always be pacified again, once my initial foe is dealt with."

"It will be as you say," said the mystic. "I look forward to wreaking havoc while he watches helplessly."

"You are sure you can do this? There can be no chance of failure."

"Trust me, oh great and noble lord, by the time I am done with Sun Ce, death shall be the greatest of mercies..." said the man softly, his eyes now gleaming in the dark with a bewitching and otherworldly light.

***

**Author's Notes: **Sorry about the delay once again folks, work's been kicking my butt. As of tomorrow I am being transferred to tech support and my team lead is a woman who hates my guts. Imagine if Clark Kent showed up to work one day, only to find out that Lex Luthor was suddenly CEO. Yeah, that's what it's sorta like.

Is it obvious I am trying to reach 500,000 words by Chapter 50 yet?

I need a life. Or maybe just a beer.


	49. Chapter 49

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**Chapter 49- Flames Abroad, Shadows Within**

Lu Xun and his men were ensconced safely within the thickets beyond the raging battle and watched intently. He had set up a network of spies and scouts who could bring news to him or relay messages swiftly back to Lord Sun Ce, who even now was attacking Xuchang, Prime Minister Cao Cao's great stronghold.

The battlefield was a bloody whirlwind of chaos as the struggle see-sawed back and forth, a cacophonic tumult of blaring horns, rolling drums, thundering hooves and the wails of the dying. The tortured earth shook as tens of thousands contested wills and steel, their blood mingling on the trampled ground.

Yuan Shao's forces marched forward slowly and inexorably, using the 'Rolling Wheel' formation, a complex offensive maneuver that pulled tired troops back from the fighting and replaced them with fresh troops, so that the pressure never let up on the enemy front. It was an advanced tactic, difficult to implement, but if executed properly, could grind an enemy force into oblivion.

Cao Cao's forces had countered with the Crane formation, a defensive posture that outnumbered would often adopt to weather the enemy's assault until the balance of the battle shifted and a counter-attack was possible. It required tough and disciplined troops who would not break under the constant pressure and would be ready to take the fight to the enemy when the moment presented itself.

Lu Xun watched as the Yuan army hammered on Cao Cao's forces relentlessly. He could see the Yuan commander, Yan Liang, sitting astride his horse and watching with grim satisfaction. He and his brigade of elite cavalry had moved forward, ready to charge and break the enemy's battle line with a devastating strike.

The young Southlands commander reflected on the situation he now found himself in- while in theory Cao Cao would make a much more efficient emperor than the arrogant and privileged Yuan Shao, he was also a far more dangerous and cunning foe for Lord Sun Ce and the people of Wu to face. The battle Cao Cao now fought against his old comrade Yuan Shao raged through the night, centered around Cao's Cao's defense of the castleof Guan Du. If Cao Cao triumphed against these daunting odds, he would still find his rear compromised by Sun Ce's taking of Xuchang. If he was defeated, he and his forces would be scattered like leaves before the wind and Sun Ce would then fight the Yuans.

Yan Liang was within reach of Lu Xun's bow. A single arrow could turn the entire flank of this massive battle. He felt as if a great decision had been offered to him, but he would not be swayed by such self-important temptation- he had a duty to act in the best interests of the people of the Southlands, not to mention his family. Cao Cao was, in his estimation, the greater danger and he had been sent here to observe. True, he doubted Sun Ce or Zhou Yu would object if one of his arrows happened to find its way into the Prime Minister's heart, but Cao Cao was not here, he was engaged elsewhere. The two sides fought for control of this area known as Bai Ma, where Cao Cao had constructed a fort to protect his flank.

The dark sky reflected the fires of battle but Lu Xun and his men remained hidden in the outskirts of an abandoned village watching the engagement, wearing black clothes, their faces dabbed with loam. They observed everything and were to report and make conclusions based on what transpired.

And right now his conclusion was that Cao Cao was doomed. Yuan Shao's forces were not only larger but many of his officers were renowned for their skill, bravery and mastery of tactics, such as the Rolling Wheel. Even if Cao Cao employed similar talent, the numbers were telling. His forces could not fight forever.

But then the thunder of drums rolled across the contest plain and a shout went up from Cao Cao's beleaguered troops. Through the night, like a red star, dashed a magnificent steed; the huge blade the officer carried gleamed balefully in the moonlight.

Guan Yu had come.

Red Hare, greatest of all horses, bore the mighty warrior deep into the Yuan Lines, where Guan Yu's renowned halberd, the Green Dragon, felled anyone who was within reach. Cao Cao's forces took heart and counter-attacked fiercely.

Yan Liang, though, was not moved. He did not fear this upstart wanderer. Yan Liang was held to be the equal in arms of the dreaded Lu Bu, he was not about to flee before Guan Yu. Spear in hand, he awaited his enemy's approach. With the speed of a serpent, he struck once his enemy was within reach…

It availed him not, for the Green Dragon would not be stayed. The stout shaft of the Yuan general's spear was sheared in two. The halberd clove through metal, flesh and bone, as if they were nothing more than paper. Yan Liang stared blankly for a moment before falling from his horse in two pieces, bisected diagonally through his broad torso.

Guan Yu stood in his saddle and held his weapon overhead while bellowing to the heavens.

"I Guan Yu, have slain Yan Liang in combat!"

Cao Cao's troops roared with enthusiasm while those who had served under Yan Liang broke and fled in terror before Guan Yu. The battle quickly became a rout of Yuan Shao's right flank disintegrated.

The Prime Minister's warriors were merciless- they slew all who fled before them, even those who tried to surrender. Cao Cao intended to break the Yuans utterly, to let those who would oppose him know the price of their defiance.

Lu Xun watched quietly, now torn- it was painfully obvious that with a man like Guan Yu by his side, Cao Cao was a terrible threat. With Yuan Shao broken, no one of strength except Sun Ce remained to oppose the Prime Minister. Should Lu Xun not take the initiative to curb Cao Cao's capabilities as well?

He gazed out into the field, mesmerized by the massive warrior, who was exhorting his troops to give chase and finish off the enemy. He knew that only Sun Ce could possibly match Guan Yu if the Prime Minister were to march south. He also knew of Sun Ce's admiration for Guan Yu's strength and virtue.

He could end this threat now. Guan Yu could not escape his doom if Lu Xun shot him, not from this distance. Even a dragon could succumb to a well-placed arrow. He felt the burden of this monumental decision as he picked up his bow. His arms felt as if they were made of lead. He understood that the action he was now taking was for the greater good and the security of his people, but he also felt a great sadness, knowing that such a magnificent warrior and indomitable spirit was about to be lost from the world.

He was nocking an arrow as one of his scouts crept up quickly and knelt next to him, whispering in his ear. Lu Xun listened intently, nodded and then dismissed the man. He considered the information for a moment before putting down his bow and waited while Cao Cao's troops stampeded by. When they were gone, leaving only Guan Yu behind, he stood, attracting the great warrior's attention. The huge man rode over, observing the young officer with interest, stroking his beard thoughtfully.

"I remember you from the Southlands," he said in his deep, resonant voice. "Though I had not learned your name."

Lu Xun clasped his fist in his hand and bowed his head. "My name is Lu Xun, general. I am here at the behest of Lord Sun Ce, observing what transpires here in the north."

Guan Yu nodded. "He is assessing who is the greater threat, Cao Cao or Yuan Shao. I think he has his answer, if he was not already aware of it. He is no doubt attacking Xuchang by now."

Lu Xun said nothing.

"I admire your lord greatly, I consider him the most exceptional of men." Guan Yu continued. "If destiny decrees it, then I might cross blades with him in Xuchang."

"Mayhap, general, but I have news that you might want to hear. It was given to me not two minutes ago by my scouts." Lu Xun offered.

Guan Yu nodded, indicating he should proceed.

"My men have sighted your sworn brothers, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei, to the north. They seem to be part of a reserve contingent that the Yuan forces are holding back to guard Wu Chao, which is the site of their main supply base."

Guan Yu's eyes went wide and he dismounted Red Hare. "My brother lives?"

"Aye, general, that is what my men report, and I have no reason to doubt them. Your brothers, especially the younger one, are hard to miss." Lu Xun replied. His tone was simple and honest. He could see the general was considering the information and clearly accepting its veracity. The only issue now was what to do about it.

The sudden thunder of hooves caused both men to whirl around and gaze into the darkness, their weapons ready. Horsemen wearing the arrogant Yuan yellow leapt into view, led by a large, burly warrior whose sword flashed red in the raging fires of the field. He was followed by a squad of cavaliers.

"Scum!" the leader shouted. "I, Wen Chou, shall avenge the death of my friend Yan Liang!"

The lithe Lu Xun leapt aside and swept the legs out from beneath the closest mount with his sword, sending both horse and rider crashing to the ground. Guan Yu cross-stepped outside of Wen Chou's attack and slashed him across the breastplate. The Yuan warrior rode several more yards before tumbling from his steed, already dead.

"Personal vengeance only leads to violence." Guan Yu said in a somber tone as he rose from the crouch his whirling strike had led him into. "It is not right for my honour to be tainted so."

The two warriors stared at the remaining cavaliers, who wisely chose to retreat back into the darkness.

Guan Yu turned to look at Lu Xun. "I must finish this battle for Cao Cao, but then I hold my obligation to him to be fulfilled. I will not return to Xuchang but instead seek out my brother, for I belong at his side."

He mounted his steed and bowed to Lu Xun. "You have my thanks, Lu Xun. Give my regards to your lord. I hope we meet again soon and share a cup of wine."

Lu Xun returned the bow and watched as the renowned warrior galloped into the night. Though the din of war was not far off, all around him was silent and the field was strewn with countless bodies. Already, villagers were coming out of hiding and beginning to loot the corpses. He paid attention to none of it as his agents joined him.

"We must get word back to Xuchang," he said finally. "Though this campaign and even this battle have not ended, victory will go to the Prime Minister and Lord Sun Ce needs to be ready in case Cao Cao returns…"

***

From the walls of Guan Du castle, Cao Cao gazed out into the night, his arms folded as he impassively studied the chaos that raged before him, shrouded in darkness. The battle had been close, even closer than he had anticipated. Yuan Shao's massive army had marched irresistibly forward, besieging Bai Ma, Yan Jin and this very citadel. The gates had been breached and battle joined within the walls when clarions sounded across Yuan Shao's lines.

In the distance, Cao Cao could now make out the red glow of raging fires in the north and he knew that his foe's great base of Wu Chao was ablaze. Without food and munitions, the morale of Yuan Shao's army would plummet. The audacity of his plan carried a heavy risk, but it had paid off.

Yuan Shao was now withdrawing across the river that had separated them, hoping to regroup and attack again, since even with this setback his forces were still superior in numbers. Their retreat had been orderly and Cao Cao's army had been pushed to its limits, nearly broken. They followed up warily, harrying the enemy but not engaging too strongly. He knew Guan Yu had also turned the enemy's flank and was obliterating entire battalions as he pressed toward the great warlord Yuan Shao.

He was joined now by his cousins, Xiahou Dun and Yuan. Xiahou Dun was as grim as ever, his great sword, Kirin Fang, resting on his shoulder. His one eye glinted with the family's hereditary ferocity. Xiahou Yuan swaggered up and grinned, evidently pleased with the outcome of the battle and ready for more.

"The day is ours, cousin," Xiaohou Dun said in his dour tone, looking out into the darkness as he stood alongside Cao Cao. "Yan Liang and Wen Chou are both dead and it is my understanding that a general named Zhang He wishes to discuss terms for serving under you."

"And your son Pi captured Yuan Shao's family, including his daughter-in-law Zhen Ji," Yuan added. "She's a real looker, I'm pretty sure he wants to take her to wife. Can't say as I blame him."

Cao Cao nodded. "I want you to both recall your troops and return to Xuchang with all possible speed."

Xiahou Yuan looked confused while Dun frowned. "But… this campaign is not over, cousin. You will need our troops to ensure that-"

"Victory here is assured, Xiahou Dun," Cao Cao said, cutting him off. "But there is a great danger back in Xuchang and I trust only the two of you to face it. This is a task I would not entrust even to Xu Huang or Zhang Liao."

"What danger do you refer to, cousin?" Xiahou Dun asked.

Cao Cao's eyes were hard as he replied. "Sun Ce."

"He would not dare!" Dun said, aghast.

"I would." Cao Cao pointed out.

"Could Sun Ce possibly engage in such treachery?" Xiahou Yuan queried, obviously not convinced of the theory. He could not imagine Sun Ce or Quan, whom he considered the very bent of honour, could behave in such a perfidious manner.

"I believe him to be loyal to the emperor, not necessarily to any of the offices under his divine auspices, including my own." Cao Cao stated in his inscrutable tone. "Further, he will no doubt try to liberate the Son of Heaven from Xuchang. He is dangerous, my cousins, even more dangerous than Liu Bei- he is from an ancient family whose heritage rivals that of the Yuans or even the Imperial House of Liu. He is a matchless warrior, charismatic with unshakeable principals and he is disturbingly open-minded."

Xiahou Dun and Yuan were both silent as they absorbed what Cao Cao was implying.

"He must be allowed to reach the emperor," the Prime Minister said with a tone of finality. "The Son of Heaven must not be allowed the freedom Sun Ce would offer him. You must back to Xuchang at once."

"What of the agent you sent to Baifu?" Xiahou Dun asked. "Was he not supposed to deal with Sun Ce for you?"

"That was the intent, but this war with Yuan Shao happened and opened our rear to Sun Ce too quickly. I surmise that he and his advisor Zhou Yu would not pass up the opportunity to cripple us by making sure we have no base to return to. It only makes sense."

Xiahou Dun remembered the imperial visit to Baifu, the capital city of Sun Ce's realm. While not ancient, it had flourished quickly and was a cultured and beautiful city of white stone, rich woods, painted in glorious colours, lined with pretty ornamental trees and studded with fountains and gardens that glittered in the sun like blue and green jewels. The city had been organized along the principals of proper geomancy and within its walls were Confucian academies, temples dedicated to the gods and the Tao, along with many to the new religion that adhered to the teachings of the Buddha.

His remaining eye flashed angrily at everything the city represented- its rejection of the old ways and the old system that had made the Middle Kingdom what it was, the greatest land in creation. Baifu represented a new start, open to new ideas and, even worse, new peoples. The dreadful and savage barbarians from the farthest west Sun Ce now protected were a mere indication of the havoc the man known as the Young Conqueror could wreak if left unchecked.

Sun Ce needed to be beaten into submission or destroyed, if he would not submit.

"You are certain Sun Ce has moved against us?" Xiahou Yuan pressed, clearly desiring another answer.

"It is a prudent move on his part, cousin. I would admit to be disappointed in him if he were not to, for I believe him to be a man of audacity and sound judgment. Even my agents amongst the Shanyue tribes in his south have not been able to destabilize him."

Horns sounded to the north, along with rolling drums, indicating that battle had been engaged.

"I will deal with Yuan Shao," Cao Cao announced firmly. "I have Xu Huang, Zhang Liao and Guan Yu to assist me. Cao Ren holds Xuchang alone and if Sun Ce attacks, he will need your assistance to break the siege. Go now, we have little time."

The two warriors bowed and strode off, leaving Cao Cao to his thoughts.

_"You may be an indomitable warrior, Sun Ce, but even you cannot challenge the will of the Heavens, nor can you resist the power of the darkness I command now. You will not live to see the new moon."_

***

Sun Ce whirled and struck, his halberd cleaving the foe in half as he rushed up. Without pausing he leapt at another enemy and took him down, using relentless momentum to carry Cao Ren's troops before him. The fight at the fortress gates had been swift and savage, but the Southlanders had carried the day and forced their way into Xuchang.

The citadel-city was a complex maze of streets and boulevards, alleys and open spaces. Clearly Xuchang at some time in the past had been designed with siege in mind and the layout was meant to disrupt the invader's formations and sense of direction. The defending troops, secure in their knowledge of the city's layout and the defensive plan, could ambush the attackers and massacre them at pre-determined points.

Though the gate had been forced, other avenues of entrance were needed to make sure that the city's bewildering design was not a fatal complication. Xiao's squad of psychotic girls had used the _Feilong _to fly over the city, surveying its layout and the location of military installations. Ce did not intend to involve the citizens or harm them if at all possible- the intent was not, after all, to secure and keep the city, but to liberate the emperor and compromise Cao Cao's operational capacity.

Defended by the stout and fearless Cao Ren, cousin to the Prime Minister, Xuchang's defenses were proof again all but the most determined or devious of attacks. While the _Feilong_ rained Greek fire down on the barracks and supply depots spread throughout the city, Ce's forces had rapidly approached the walls. The tall, strong barricades did not lend themselves easily to assault, since they were reinforced with many lofty towers, on which sat ballistae and catapults that could rain death upon an encroaching army.

There were also large, round holes interspersed along the foot of the walls that did not immediately identify any purpose. One of Ce's scout squads has rushed up inside such an aperture and was crushed horribly when a large boulder came rolling down the tunnel from the parapets above. Clearly this was an unusual and terrifying defense mechanism. The boulders that would come tumbling down these chutes could easily smash a reinforced siege engine, to say nothing of any hapless troops caught in the way.

Sun Ce knew that these chutes were still the key to his victory over the walls, even though entering them meant certain death. The defenders were used to counting on them and their continued operation, dumping boulders on their enemy from the safety of the walls.

The _Feilong_ put a stop to that.

Xiao's Dragons soared overhead and dropped fragile clay pots containing Greek fire on the defenders, causing them to scatter away from the boulders and the deployment chutes necessary to their use. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu dashed headlong into one of the tunnels and emerged atop the walls, wreathed in the flames of the incendiary bombs. They attacked the defenders savagely, forcing their way to the gates while the Night Tigers and Swordwind warriors streamed up behind them through the tunnels.

Bitter battle was given at the main gate and it took three assaults before Ce and Zhou Yu had taken the housing that controlled the mechanism. The gates slowly ground open and in poured the Southlands army. Horns sounded within the city and the defending troops pulled back to their next position, ready to let the enemy exhaust themselves in the twisting alleyways of the citadel.

But Ce and his comrade in arms were not about to fall for the ploy- rather than pour into the city, his troops fought their way along the walls, capturing them and pinning the defending forces inside. They then turned the catapults and ballistae on the walls against the barracks and other defensive structures within, all the while leaving the residential areas alone.

He left Taishi Ci in command of the troops along the walls and ordered them to destroy any targets of opportunity. Meanwhile, he and Zhou Yu slipped onto the rooftops and began sprinting into the city, looking to wreak havoc. The two warriors leapt from building to building and house to house, moving too quickly to be shot off their perches.

"Are you certain that the halberd is the best choice of weapon in such confines?" Zhou Yu queried, not really doubting Ce's ability to use it within the alleyways of Xuchang but curious about the choice.

"It'll be fine," Ce replied without concern. "Just gotta remember what we're here to do."

Zhou Yu nodded. Not only were the trying to cripple Cao Cao's operational capacity but they were also here to remove the emperor from the Prime Minister's protective custody. Traditionally, emperors were always held hostage by the strongest member of the government and while they theoretically had the final say in all matters, they were usually kept busy with ceremonial, prosaic and ephemeral duties more suited to the Middle Kingdom's spiritual well-being than its actual administration, where their lofty ideals were often a hassle for bureaucrats.

Ce did not intend to liberate the emperor only to keep him under control in Baifu but to set him free, perhaps back to Luoyang if that was the Son of Heaven's desire. If necessary he would appoint a contingent of his own warriors to assist with guarding the emperor, but his plan was for the emperor to be out from under the thumb of the warlords and the eunuchs. The emperor would be supplanted soon enough, but he intended to use the Imperial office to throw the rulers into confusion, conflicted by the need to serve the Imperial House and its new and dangerous autonomy.

"Battalion up ahead," Ce said as they ran. "You ready?"

Zhou Yu nodded. He could feel the tension inside the city as the defenders went from feeling protected by their elaborate surroundings to being trapped by them. They were almost required to stay in one spot, lest the defense be compromised. If they were in danger, there was little any other groups could do to help for fear of further weakening the carefully-planned stratagem.

The defenders were hardly cognoscente of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu being among them before they began dying. Ce and Zhou Yu whirled through them in bloody arcs, cutting down all within reach. Panic spread rapidly through the battalion as they (reasonably) assumed they were under attack by a larger force. The Xuchang troops scattered, breaking rank as their officers fell beneath the unstoppable blades of their foes.

"That's right, guys, run!" Ce yelled as he slew. "You tell 'em all Sun Ce's here and this city's mine!"

They let scores escape, knowing these terrified men would sow confusion and distress throughout the other units guarding the city. They would head straight to the closest perceived safety and tell their hair-raising tale of the two demons that had slaughtered their comrades and were even now coming to finish the job.

The two warriors split up, confident in their ability to handle anything the city threw at them. The objective was to create safe avenues of approach for the troops waiting on the walls, because the city's defenses were planned around large numbers of enemy troops becoming entangled within the maze of streets, whereas two lone and spirited warriors could not be stayed by such a system, moving by rooftop or through houses and buildings as necessary.

The objective, of course, was the strong fortress that sat atop a tall rise in the center of the city. The walls of this inner fortress overlooked the streets and its defensive turrets, while they could not reach the outer walls, had a commanding view of the squares and boulevards below, where enemy forces would need to gather in order to assault the keep.

Within that keep would be Cao Ren, the general defending the city. Also within those walls would be the Son of Heaven, kept safe by his Imperial Tiger Escort. Ce had no intent to fight these fanatical and brave warriors, since he merely wished to liberate the enemy from Cao Cao's iron grip. No battle was necessary in his estimation.

He wore the armour of Iskander and carried the halberd the emperor had given him, a symbol of his office and his loyalty to the Imperial line. It was his hope that this appearance on his part would convince the emperor to listen to his arguments; Liu Xian was rumoured to be pliant when visual impact and appeal were involved.

He slammed into a regiment of swordsmen without warning, the gleaming steel of his halberd red with blood as he slew. Even thought they were on alert, he had taken them by surprise and the ferocity of his assault was too much. The swordsmen routed, streaming toward the inner citadel, spreading their panic and terror along the way.

He watched as one of the _Feilong_ soared overhead, flying toward the walls of the inner citadel, hopefully to deal with some of the wall-mounted defenses. Even if he and Zhou Yu cleared these avenues for safe passage, there was no guarantee of safety with those turrets still active. He wouldn't put it past Cao Cao or his generals to bombard the residential sections of the city if it meant defeating the enemy.

He sprinted into a house to disappear from sight and found a family within- a mother and father huddled against the far wall from where he entered, holding their daughter between them. She could not have been more than thirteen and she looked less terrified than either of her parents.

He grinned and winked at her. "I'm Sun Ce, and this'll be over soon, folks. You have my word."

He dashed up some stairs and clambered out a window to get up onto the roofs again. He scanned around his immediate surroundings and espied a flag atop a long, rectangular building- the barracks of some regiment charged with defending the quarter.

He leapt to the peaked roof of the installation and plucked the banner from its fixture and began waving it around grandly for all to see. From the distant outer walls he could hear cheers at his display. He expected some reaction from the troops on the ground, but little more than scattered bow fire, since they were not to leave their positions.

And then from the walls of the inner citadel he got the reaction he wanted. A small, dark object came hurtling toward him from one of the turrets, swiftly growing larger as it approached.

He leapt away as the boulder hurled by a catapult defending the inner keep smashed through the roof of the barracks and plunged down into the living space below. Shouts of surprise and distress could be heard as he sprinted off again, smiling as he assessed the reach and accuracy of the defensive turrets above- clearly they had expert crews and the city was measured and marked for their use.

They were also not above sacrificing their own or the city's populace to defeat the foe. He would have to be careful. He was not here to destroy the city but snatch it out from under Cao Cao and liberate Emperor Xian from the Prime Minister's control.

He sprinted along the rooftops, sometimes dropping to the streets and racing along the narrow ways. Wherever he found foes he attacked them ferociously and routed them, causing further panic. The citizens, well-disciplined to remain indoors, did nothing to interfere.

Sun Ce had marched north quickly, bribing local lords and rulers to keep quiet. Xuchang was a considerable distance from the Wu territory and there was neither practical way nor strategic advantage to trying to hold the fortress-city once it was captured. His only concern was crippling Cao Cao.

Rocks sailed far overhead from the walls of the inner keep, aiming for the outer defenses, where Ce's troops now waged battle for control. He knew that they would be moving swiftly, determined to give the defenders no appreciable targets. The troops he and Zhou Yu had brought were swift and deadly on offense and he did not intend to be here long enough to waste lives defending he city once the Prime Minister returned.

If he returned.

The outer city's defenses and troops had been neutralized and Ce was already thinking about the assault on the inner fortress. Three wide gates provided access, more than enough for entire battalions to come down and reinforce the outer perimeter, but Ce thought that was too simple for Cao Cao. He could not feature the Prime Minister not having clever tricks up his sleeve for having his troops appear unexpectedly behind the enemy.

Large apertures once again punctuated the walls, like they had the outer ones, but the ground was barren and dead, often having a scorched appearance. Ce knew that entrance up those tunnels would be death and there was no ammunition to readily sabotage. He had to find another way in, opening up the path for his troops.

The major part Prime Minister's army was away in Guan Du, fighting Yuan Shao, so even thought the troops left behind were experienced and disciplined, there could not have been an overwhelming number of them. The troops he routed here in the outer city were fleeing but plainly not all of them were using the three gates, which were now under bombardment from the catapults and ballistae on the outer walls, softening the fortifications. Quan and Lu Meng were rapidly overrunning the defending troops and Ce needed to find the next route soon or their momentum would be stalled.

He dashed into a warehouse and whooped in triumph as he notice troops he had previously routed streaming into concealed tunnels beneath the large structure. He was on them instantly and felled any who stood in his way. He then sprinted hard, making his way through the dark tunnels, chasing those ahead of him. With any luck they did not know he was coming and he arrival at the other end would be a total surprise.

His estimation was correct and he emerged inside a staging area within the inner keep. His muscles ached and his lungs were weary from all the fighting, but his spirit burned within him, rejecting defeat, acknowledging only his victory, no matter what the odds.

The defenders shouted in alarm as he attacked them, completely stunned by his sudden appearance. Horns sounded and he knew that more troops would be coming, pulled back from the walls to defend against this new threat. He laughed, knowing that this would weaken the walls against his own forces. Before long the inner keep would fall.

He spun low and then rose up with a mighty slash, his halberd hewing down any who were within reach. His red cape whirled about him as he fought and the floor was soon awash with the enemy's blood. Exulting in his strength and prowess he leapt forward, bursting out of the building and into the street. On the other side of the keep he espied Zhou Yu, leaping down from the walls, apparently having decided to take the high ground for his approach. The raven-haired strategist whirled about his a bloody battle-frenzy, ribbons of blood trailing after his ancient blade.

Ce raced along through the main square, heedless of the troops that followed him, his only concern was to reach the emperor's pavilion. He could see it now, tall and regal, surrounded by a complex of administrative buildings. Within would be Xian, surrounded by his Tiger Escort. Before that challenge, though, Ce would have to defeat Cao Ren, the Prime Minister's cousin and one of his stalwart vassals.

Horns sounded outside the city, indicating that the inner walls had been breached and reinforcements were coming. Hundreds of troops were closing on he and Zhou Yu now and they fought madly to survive the onslaught. The broad admission hall was not far, up a flight of long, white steps, allowing access to the royal complex.

Standing at the top of the stairs, in front of the red doors, Cao Ren waited, watching coldly. Though short, he was strongly built and wore stout armour and carried a wide-bladed pike. Ce could see by the glint in his eyes that getting through this man would be no easy task if he had been fresh and Ce was already quite weary.

Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers were through the central gate and now overran the central square and boulevard of the inner keep. Cao Ren's troops could not stop the commander and he used his mighty clubs to beat anyone who opposed him into oblivion. Lu Meng's Long Fangs were not far behind while Quan's elite Wolf Guard continued to secure the walls, silencing the counter-siege batteries.

The battle became general in the square as the defenders' formations were burst apart by the sheer savagery of the Southlanders' assault. Men struck, hewed and slashed at one another and the white stone of the great square ran red. The tumult no doubt echoed in the city below, the wails of the dying a terrible sound for the terrified citizens to endure.

Ce struck down a large officer who opposed him and then planted the butt of his halberd firmly on the ground. He glared up at Cao Ren, his scarlet cloak whipping defiantly behind him. No defenders remained except the elite squad standing with Cao Ren and any remaining inside the complex. The city belonged to Ce.

"Cao Ren!" he called loudly, his voice carrying across the suddenly deathly silent square as his troops reorganized. "You know who I am and you know I am here for the emperor! I intend to liberate him from your cousin's grasp and let the Son of Heaven decide for himself where he best serves the Middle Kingdom, not to be dictated by lesser men as to what his will should entail. Step aside or you will be the last of your men to die at my hand!"

"High words, lord of the Southlands," Cao Ren said steadily. "But you will find I am not so easily intimidated, nor will I be moved. If you seek death, you need merely approach. To the victor goes the next audience with the emperor."

Ce nodded and began to stride forward, as he arrived at the steps he broke into a run, sprinting up the steps, accepting his foe's challenge. Committing his soul to the heavens, he prepared for the toughest fight yet of this siege.

The doors behind Cao Ren opened slowly and both men paused as a radiant figure in a broad yellow mantle and robe stepped forth, his face obscured by the beaded veil of his flat-topped cap; behind the person stood a squad of the legendary Imperial Tiger Escort.

"Emperor!" Cao Ren said hastily, bowing to one knee. "You must get back inside before-"

"No, general, I think it is time that this matter was settled once and for all." Xian said lightly, waving dismissively at the commander. "I have anticipated Lord Sun Ce's arrival keenly. Stay where you are, I have need to speak with him."

Cao Ren struggled for a moment about what to do but then bowed his head and stepped aside, accompanied by his guard. The Tiger Escort remained a respectful distance behind the Son of Heaven as he seemed to almost float down the steps toward Sun Ce, who had moved back down to the square and waited on one knee, his head bowed and his halberd still in hand.

"Such a mess, Lord Sun," Xian said, indicating the carnage of the square with a graceful gesture even Zhou Yu might not be able to match. "All for the express purpose of an audience with me? Are the normal bureaucratic channels too slow for your liking?"

"Your majesty, you know why I am here," Sun Ce responded, his head still bowed. "I would see the Imperial House liberated from the tyranny of lesser men, trapped and forced to do their bidding. Should not the Son of Heaven make his own way and be the guiding light for the people of the Middle Kingdom?"

The emperor looked down at Sun Ce steadily for some time, saying nothing.

"Arise, my lord." Xian said quietly. "For, as your yellow-haired barbarian once said, I wish for you to see the honesty in my eyes."

Ce rose now and looked squarely into the eyes of quite possibly the most powerful man on earth. Nations were destroyed with a wave of his hand; immense projects of countless wealth, endless blood and unnumbered tears were erected at his whim, all in the name of Heaven. This being, the viceroy of the gods on earth, the living embodiment of the will of the Tao, now addressed Sun Ce as honestly as one man ever spoke to another.

"Your intent is lofty indeed, Lord Sun, for I do sense that you would do exactly as you say, allowing me to go where I will and do as I will, to not be held captive by those who serve me. I daresay no man has ever offered a ruler such a boon before."

Ce bowed his head.

"But I say now to you, Lord of the Southlands, that this does not suit me," the emperor continued. "My family has ruled the Middle Kingdom for hundreds of years now and I am perfectly happy with things the way they are."

Ce's head snapped back up and his eyes were wide with disbelief. The emperor smirked at his vassal's incredulity.

"Oh, be sensible, Lord Sun," he said almost merrily. "There is no need for one such as I to concern myself with the common good. I have everything I need. What true liberty does any man have? I am not emperor for the good of the people, nor do I seek such approval. Myself and my fathers before me knew that the only true worthwhile pursuit was that of power. The power to create and destroy as you see fit, to cause happiness and misery as the mood suits you."

Sun Ce was silent, too stunned to respond.

"I give and take as I please, lord." Xian said simply. "If the price for wielding this power is that men think I may be kept, then let them have their delusions. Certainly if I wanted Cao Cao done away with, it would be easy enough to bribe someone to poison him or one of his own kin to turn against him."

His eyes were now penetrating as he held Ce's gaze. "Every man has a price, Lord Sun. Except for you, seemingly. And that does not suit me. For this arrogance, I promise you, you will be destroyed."

Ce's mind whirled with the magnitude of this treachery. The Han had always been a lie. This family beguiled countless millions, building on the works of previous regimes, relying on duplicity to keep the various factions at odds and all the while, Xian indulged his petty whims, pretending to care.

The emperor looked subtly at the halberd in Ce's hand, the knuckles of which were whitening as he fought to control himself.

"Yes, Lord Sun," Xian cooed almost soothingly. "You could indeed slay me here and now, quite possibly before my Tiger Escort reacted. I have indeed given you the chance to do so, because I am enjoying seeing the conflict raging within you. I, Lord Sun, am a true sybarite, I live for my pleasure and I get it from all things, including the turmoil of your heart. I am not base and cruel in my whims, like Dong Zhuo, he was a fool and an unsubtle tyrant, his death inevitable because of his excesses his peers could not endure. I give pleasure to people as easily as I give pain, but only if it gratifies me to do so or is expedient. And what I see in you now indeed pleases me greatly."

Their eyes met and Ce realized that he was not dealing with a monster but just a man who knew how to play the game and didn't care one whit for anything other than his own desires. The situation as things stood suited him perfectly and he had no desire or inclination to change it.

"The Middle Kingdom is exactly what I intend it to be, Lord of the Southlands." Xian said levelly. "It is a human face beneath my boot, begging to be stamped on and praising me when I stop. Why, then, would I seek to change this?"

Horns sounded from the walls, a call of alarm, indicating an approaching enemy. The troops became tense but Ce did not move, still listening to the emperor.

"I think you're about to have company, my lord," Emperor Xian said pleasantly. "I doubt they've come to socialize, so I imagine you'll probably want to vacate quickly, since you have not the strength to hold the city."

The Son of Heaven turned and walked away slowly but then paused and looked back at his vassal.

"Think on what I said, for your own good," he suggested, his voice still mellifluous but tinged with iron. "Remember it in your next life, since this one is now lost to you."

And with that, the emperor almost floated back up the stairs and into the compound. Ce stared sightlessly, not noticing that Cao Ren had followed the emperor inside as well.

"Ce!"

Sun Ce snapped out of his shock and whirled around to see what Zhou Yu was calling out about. He saw Lu Xun sprinting through the gates and up into the great square, obviously in a great rush. He knelt now in front of his liege and reported.

"Lord Sun!" he said breathlessly. "Cao Cao was indeed victorious at Guan Du, and much quicker than we had anticipated. Though he is still obliterating Yuan Shao's forces, he has sent his cousins Xiahou Dun and Yuan back, certain that you would attack Xuchang in its weakened condition. Even now they approach, leading nearly fifty thousand troops!"

Zhou Yu bit his lip, considering the information. "We cannot hold the city, Ce, we are not organized and the men are exhausted."

"How far away are they, Lu Xun?" Ce asked.

"I only just beat them here, lord," the young commander replied. "They are maybe two hours away."

Ce sprinted to the walls and up into a lofty observation tower, accompanied by Zhou Yu and Lu Xun. Looking out to the north, he could just make out the banners of the Prime Minister's army, heading south, thousands of them.

"This just keeps getting better and better." Ce muttered.

"Do we retreat?" Zhou Yu queried.

Ce's mind raced for an answer, he didn't have much time. He was still in shock at the revelations of Emperor Xian and he knew that he could not let this stand.

"They're all expecting you to retreat, it's the only sensible option. Even if you are now an enemy of the Han, you can defend the Southlands against your foes. It's what they expect. To hell with what they expect, what about the unexpected?"

"Zhou Yu, we could defend the inner keep, couldn't we?" he asked.

Zhou Yu nodded. "For now, yes, but we would be trapped, eventually, along with the emperor and having accomplished nothing."

"Oh, the emperor won't be a part of this equation," Ce growled. "If we take the administrative city and slay the emperor…"

He could not see the shock on his companions' faces as the world swam into blackness around him and he fell to his knees. A great and terrible, malevolent presence intruded upon his mind and he fought madly to see it, to know what was happening and who his enemy was.

Two menacing yellow eyes flashed in the darkness, mocking him, threatening everything he loved.

"_Lord Sun Ce! Save us!"_

With his wife's voice, the darkness rolled back and the world returned. Zhou Yu and Lu Xun were kneeling beside him, trying to help him up.

"Ce, are you alright?" Zhou Yu asked, obviously worried. "You just feel to your knees after saying something ridiculous about slaying-"

"We have to get back to Baifu, now," Ce said, rising. "Something is very wrong and I don't know what it is."

Though Zhou Yu was confused, he needed only a moment to consider his friend's tone and then he nodded. He relayed the orders to Lu Xun, who dashed off to spread the word about the retreat. Zhou Yu looked at Ce again, obviously concerned.

"I know that look, Ce," he said quietly. "And I believe you when you say something is happening back home. It is no mere military threat, I can see that. Is it Ou Xing?"

"No," Ce replied, still trying to work it all out. "Baifu is being threatened by some_one_, not some_thing_. I don't know yet, but I heard Da's voice, crying for help. We've gotta go, you an' I. Quan an' Lu Meng can organize the retreat, but we can't wait."

Zhou Yu nodded. He didn't need to be told twice.

***

"You will not get away with this, whoever you are." Da Qiao growled as she was forced to kneel before the throne in the audience hall. The man who now sat on her husband's throne gazed down at her lazily and vaguely amused.

"My name is already known to you, Lady Qiao, I have stated it many times," the interloper said simply. "Why is it that you have such a hard time remembering this fact?"

Da flushed angrily as the name left her mind again suddenly. This man was obviously enjoying the game he was playing and clearly no one here could stop him. Any time anyone tried, their minds grew addled or complacent. She bit her lip as a servant come up and served the guest wine, bowing as she did so.

"Our lord should be back shortly, kind sir," she chirped.

"Oh, I am counting on it, my dear," he said pleasantly. "That is exactly what I want to hear. What is your lord's name again?"

She smiled. "His name is Su- his name is… I…"

The girl walked off in confusion, clearly trying to remember whom she served. The man looked at Da pointedly.

"Perhaps you would care to indulge a girl's romantic whims and forget your husband for a while? As you can see it is easily arranged."

"Thank you. No." Da replied coldly.

"I believe you, Lady Qiao," he said, nodding. "You are a rare woman and I see in your heart you are true to Lord Sun Ce beyond all reasonable measure. A most gratifying trait."

"What is it you want, cur?" she demanded, not interested in indulging his conversation. "Clearly you are waiting for my husband's return, but then what? Why do you seek to harm us?"

"What harm have I done?" he asked. "I have yet to do anyone any injury, why would you accuse me of such a thing?"

"Everyone here acts against their will and their nature to be accommodating for you and clearly you have ensorcelled us." Da shot back accusingly. "Were it within my power I would strike you down myself, but clearly you have me in thrall, at least physically."

"And here I had been told that you people of the Southlands were legendary for your hospitality and courtesy," he remarked. "Imagine my disappointment to find out otherwise."

"We are legendary for our tenacity and resolve." Da growled.

"Clearly…" the man replied agreeably as he beckoned a servant girl over and she willingly snuggled into his lap, almost purring. Da scowled at his trickery, for she knew Pan was happily married to a cavalier in the Fire Riders regiment.

The man's robes hurt her eyes. They seemed to be yellow but they shifted subtly and never seemed to be quite solid or still. At times she found herself staring deep into the fabric, as if she could see every fiber and it became her world, but at other moments it was remote and remarkably distant and shining like a star that pierced her mind almost painfully.

She found herself being forced to kowtow before him, unable to help herself. She wasn't sure but she thought that she heard Pan kissing the man amorously and it chilled her. What if the man could do this to her? What if he was just toying with her? How could she ever face her husband again?

She now stood, although she did not recall willing herself to do so and waited while the man stood and strolled around the throne room, examining things with interest.

"I love the Sun family's sense of décor," he said casually. "The vermillion and gold is so rich and royal, lacking the pretense of the imperial yellow. The dark woods that make up the furniture contrast splendidly and the solid grey stole of the floors, punctuated with-"

"I do not need a lesson in aesthetics." Da hissed.

"Such a sharp tongue," the man mused. "Indeed you Qiao women are fiery and not to be trifled with."

Clearly his last statement amused him since that was exactly what he was doing with her and they both knew it. Nothing Da did could prevent him from acting as he pleased or indulging whatever whim occurred and she burned with anger and humiliation.

"Lord Sun Ce, please return quickly. We need you…"

***

Sun Quan and the Wolf Guard moved quickly, the last of the Southlands units to retreat from Xuchang and covering the general retreat. Though they had taken the citadel, the timing had ultimately worked against them and the operation, while tactically successful, was a strategic failure. Cao Cao's ability to campaign was not compromised and now the Southlands had declared itself an implacable enemy of the Prime Minister before the entire Han.

He scowled as he thought about what he'd heard concerning Cao Cao's campaign in the north- apparently he had defeated Yuan Shao utterly and the mighty warlord's power was broken, perhaps beyond all reasonable chance of recovery. While Cao Cao's own losses had been heavy, he had seen fit to return a strong contingent south to Xuchang, clearly anticipating an attack at his capital.

The Prime Minister was not only devious and cunning but obviously a man of great vision and insight. He anticipated every possibility and minute detail as if it were critical. If there was a remote chance of something adverse happening, he had a contingency for it and if there was some tiny, overlooked advantage to be had, he exploited it. He obviously didn't believe in overplanning.

The Sun family's gamble to cripple Cao Cao's operational capacity was a good one and should have worked, but the risk involved was also very high. Xuchang was far from the Southlands territories and they were marching back through what could now be hostile territory. The plan had been to cripple Cao Cao's capital, cutting him off from support and freeing the neighbouring warlords from their intimidation and fear of his ruthlessness. They had won, but then something happened- yes, Cao Cao's troops were returning from the north, but whatever discourse Ce had with the Son of Heaven had clearly shaken him. More than that, another outside factor now held his brother's attention entire and Ce had sped back to Baifu with little more than firm instructions about the retreat.

Lu Meng and his Thunderhorse regiment were acting as the van for the Southlands army and Quan had taken the rearguard action. It seemed obvious that this operation was coming apart for reasons he did not yet understand and had nothing to do with the actual tactical outcome.

Horns sounded not far away and the Wolf Guard instantly tightened their ranks as they marched, ready to leap into a defensive formation and defend their lord. Quan waved his hand as he rode, signaling them to keep moving. It was imperative that they not fall behind the other units, not only to keep the rear safe but to make sure they were not surrounded.

Quan did not fear battle nor the magnitude of the danger they could potentially be in, but sometimes the sheer size of the chaos surrounding them and the treachery of the Han and the other lords could be overwhelming. He thought about the fact that he had willingly participated in an unsanctioned attack on a theoretically loyal office-holder of the emperor's court. While he understood that the Sun family's cause was just, it still represented a breach of the traditional Confucian values he held so dear. Cao Cao was indeed ruthless, but he was not a selfish tyrant like Dong Zhuo. Did his methods in and of themselves justify this act of rebellion by a family held for centuries to be amongst the most loyal in the Middle Kingdom?

Would the other lords even care?

Quan wanted to be back in the Southlands, behind the mighty river that demarcated the boundaries between himself and the confusion of the other lands. He preferred to view things objectively from Wuchang, to defend that which he had nurtured and helped to grow and flourish. One day the land would be united under the Sun family banner and he would be glad, but right now he felt turmoil in his heart.

What if they had won? If they stood now back in Xuchang and Cao Cao's power were broken, how would he feel? He knew himself well enough that he realized he would be dedicated whole-heartedly to whatever task he was set to and there would be no doubt in his mind. What he felt now was a direct response to not having achieved his stated goals?

Was that it? Did Quan just hate losing? True, nobody liked it, but how one reacted to it was the true measure of a defeat- not whether you got knocked down, but did you rise from your knees and continue on?

He held up his hand and clenched it tightly, rotating his wrist. His Wolf Guard responded instantly, assuming an in-depth defensive formation around him. Quan leapt down from his horse and drew his sword, eyeing the terrain warily. The enemy was nearby, although they could not be spotted.

They waited for several minutes and then a lone figure on horseback came into view. Quan's eyes narrowed as he recognized the figure.

Xiahou Yuan.

The Prime Minister's cousin waited patiently, gazing at the Wolf Guard and the lord of Wuchang. He was obviously alone and unafraid.

Quan mounted his horse and rode through the gap that appeared in the tightly-knit ranks of his warriors and indicated that he was not to be followed. He rode toward Xiahou Yuan and the northerner did likewise. He stopped and waited for his counterpart at a certain point and Quan concluded that with spot was equidistant between the Wolf Guard and Xiahou Yuan's unseen troops. Fair enough.

They looked at one another from atop their steeds and the heavyset man nodded and smiled. "Well met, my friend, although these are hardly the circumstances I would have chosen for seeing you again."

"I concur," Quan said quietly. "Fate dictates strange things for us."

"I know better than to ask why you and your brother have acted in this way, since I believe you both to be men of conviction and principals," Xiahou Yuan remarked, getting to the point, much to Quan's relief. "But this does put me in an awkward position, since I was commanded to hunt down and destroy any Southlander troops I found north of the Great River for what they have done."

"I appreciate your candour, Xiahou Yuan," Quan said. "I know you believe in your cousin's convictions and destiny as strongly as I do in my brother's. It is a sad thing that it would bring men of principal to conflict. What is your intent?"

"I do not know now," Xiahou Yuan muttered. "Had anyone else in your army been taking the rearguard action I would most certainly have had them destroyed swiftly and mercilessly. But now that I know it is you, I am somewhat torn, admittedly. My duty commands that you must perish, but I don't want to see a friend fall in a hail of anonymous arrows. My troops are many times greater than yours in number."

Quan nodded, not doubting the statement.

"It is an odd thing you Southerners do," Xiahou Yuan said, smiling. "You have numbers to your army, we have all seen it, and yet you insist on these risky ventures and try to implement them with as few men as possible, for reasons one can only assume are noble and concerning the well-being of your people. You did it in Xia Pi, you did it in Jing and you have done so again here in Xuchang. You are great warriors, to be sure, but as was proven by Lu Bu's demise, even the mightiest warrior cannot defy the will of Heaven or even just the simple logic of numbers."

"It is true, my brother does value the peace of our realm and he tries to involve as few men as possible in his campaigns, so that wives and mothers and lovers do not weep at the horrible losses inflicted on them by the chaos of the land. He prefers to rely on the conviction and strength of arms of the transcendent spirit who achieves what he may through his own will, rather than stumbling over a field of his comrades' bodies."

"Well put and most commendable," Xiahou Yuan said, pleased with Quan's answer. "I believe that my cousin shares your brother's admiration for the superior man, but where they differ is that my brother believes that the man of quality must not be held back by those who choose to ignore the will of heaven and not embrace a better path that is readily available to all. They are to be pushed aside or eliminated for the good of the Middle Kingdom."

"What you say makes sense," Quan admitted. "It is reasonable, logical and justifiable. But I don't think that makes it right. The people of our realm deserve whatever peace and happiness they can cut out for themselves, and I believe the superior man's purpose is make this possible for them, not to mention pave the way for other do find their happiness in days to come. I doubt my brother would value himself over even the lowliest clay digger or pig farmer, let alone a magnificent warrior like Guan Yu."

Xiahou Yuan's eyes darkened slightly at the mention of the massive oath-brother of Liu Bei. He cleared the issue from his mind and returned his attention to Quan. "Be this as it may, you and I are here now and what is supposed to pass between us pains me, for I have no wish to kill you."

"I am glad to hear that, for I have no wish to die." Quan replied. "And yet you are right, resolution to this quandary seems bad on all counts for both of us, not least of which is the bond of friendship we pledged."

"I cannot let you go, yet I am loathe to fulfill my duty and destroy you because of the high regard I have for you." Xiahou Yuan agreed.

"Then we must fight." Quan said with regret. "My men and I are ready when you are, my friend."

"I would have us settle this with a duel if I thought the parameters of my orders would allow for it, but alas, they are explicit about the demise of your men as well."

Quan smiled. "More's the pity, since the tradition in the Southlands would be to allow a duel and spare the men on both sides the anguish of pain and death."

Xiahou Yuan shook his head and smiled. "I see the virtue but not the wisdom in it and it appeals to me in many ways. Though it makes no sense to do what I offer now, I promise you, I will not use my numbers and my bows to annihilate you from a distance, friend. In spite of the losses you are sure to inflict upon my men, you have my word I will attack you bodily, so that your death will not be ignonimous."

Quan nodded, knowing that no matter how hard he and his men fought, ultimately there was no victory to be had here, only glorious and song-worthy defeat. At the hands of someone he considered a friend.

There were worse ends.

The hills and forests around them began to echo with a thumping, clashing noise they caused them both to look around. Not far behind came an eerie chanting in a deep, guttural and alien tongue. Quan frowned.

"The _Bailangren_…" he muttered.

Xiahou Yuan's head snapped back to look at Quan, his eyebrows raised. "The barbarians?"

"Yes," Quan answered, nodding. "And by the sounds of it, all of them."

"How many is all, Sun Quan?" Xiahou Yuan asked warily."

"Thousands," Quan answered, hating the lie but knowing he needed to force Xiahou Yuan to back off, and quickly, if he were to escape. "Look to your safety, my friend."

"Thousands?" the northerner exclaimed. "We were under the impression it was only a few hundred. We saw their leader marching at their head when we and the Son of Heaven came to Baifu."

"That was Lord Elryk's elite guard, his _comitatus_," Quan said, his mind racing. "Beyond his berserker bodyguard there are nearly four thousand of the barbarians in his personal army."

"What has your brother done, bringing these demons into our realm?" Xiahou Yuan muttered. "Can you tell them not to attack? I doubt my men are ready for such a shock."

"I imagine Elryk will not acquiesce to such a demand," Quan admitted. "He will see you as trying to slay his sworn master's brother and that alone will override any authority I might have with him. He and his men will attack with a savagery I have only ever seen in my nightmares and even if your numbers somehow prevail, the losses will be devastating."

Xiahou Yuan thought while the thumping and chanting grew closer and louder. He knew he was running out of time to make a decision. If he fought Quan, he would by flanked by the barbarians, and he could hardly expect Quan to sit still and wait politely to be destroyed if he turned to meet this new and terrible threat.

"My cousin believes in victory, but not in squandering valuable resources like elite troops," Xiahou Yuan concluded. "For me to try and slay you and fight off the White Wolves would be a tactical error, since it would lead to losses my cousin can ill afford after the campaign in Guan Du. Heaven's star has shone upon us this day, my friend and we will not need to cross our blades, for which I am eternally grateful."

"As am I, general, I assure you." Quan agreed, meaning it. "You must go, Elryk and his men are surprisingly fleet of foot for people so large and unable to ride."

Xiahou Yuan nodded. "As you say. Though we serve different sides in what is sure to be a terrible war, I still hold you my friend. One day, when we inevitably confront one another, I hope it is across an open field with fair numbers and may the gods decide with whom right lays."

Quan clasped his fist in his hand and bowed his head. "Until then, Xiahou Yuan. Be well."

The northerner turned and galloped back to his hidden position. Quan watched him go and then rode back to the Wolf Guard, just in case one of Xiahou Yuan's men decided to try and get lucky with an arrow. He assumed he would not see or hear any sign of his friend's retreat. His heart pounded in his chest as he thought of how close he had come to losing his life this day. If not for the White Wolves…

He ordered his men to resume their march, double speed, because there was now lost ground to make up, not to mention that there was no guarantee that Cao Cao's men would not return once his obfuscation about the _Bailangren's _ numbers was discovered…

***

"The one thing I can assure you, Lady Qiao, is that it is your husband who shall be returning, no one else," the intruder remarked casually as he watched Da Qiao do a fan dance in front of the throne he sat in. "For I have addled their minds and confused them, so that he and I might speak alone." Try as she might, her body was not hers to control and merely acted upon his orders. She shuddered in horror to think what else he might be able to force her to do.

"You cannot control the Sun family so easily!" she said, even as she stood on one toe and spread her arms out in a flourish.

"Then where is Shang Xiang now?" he asked, plainly amused. "She was just outside the city with her corps, was she not? Once your brother returned from Xuchang, was she not to head south to deal with the Shanyue? She was preparing for her campaign, but surely if she realized the peril you were all in she would have done something by now, yes?"

Sun Kai-Ying came into the throne room, gazing in wonder at her mother as she danced.

"Mother, why do you-"

"Now is not a good time, darling." Da Qiao forced herself to say as she twirled. "Mommy is busy."

"Get that brat out of here!" the man spat in irritation. Plainly something about the girl discomfited him although what it was Da could not guess at. A servant came and hustled Kai-Ying out of the throne room.

"I assure you, when I am done with you and your husband, that _thing_ will be next…" the man said, his normally jovial voice dripping with venom.

Da glared at him. "By all that is under heaven, if you dare lay a finger on her-"

"You will do nothing," he said firmly. "Everything you do or even see and perceive is my pleasure to introduce into that little mind of yours. You only remember you are married because I choose to allow it so. I could make you forget your husband right now and you would feel true bliss thinking that the life growing inside you was what I, as your actual husband, had given unto you."

Da shuddered in fear as she danced. How did he know she was pregnant?

"My husband will not fear you or your mentalist tricks!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, my dear lady, I am nothing so pedestrian as that," he said, his voice sounding almost hurt at her doubt of his ability. "But perhaps I owe you a demonstration."

He took her by the hand and took her up the loftiest tower of the castle, looking northward. As they walked by, people just bowed respectfully, clearly not capable of reacting to this unusual occurrence. He pointed to the sky and directed her attention. Small dots could be seen. As they came closer their shape became evident. It was the _Feilong_.

The man smiled as Da recognized them. "Yes, indeed, your weapon that holds all armies in terror, thinking your husband commands the dragons themselves. Yet you and I both know that they are nothing but contraptions that men have made and can be unmade. So…"

He made a deft gesture with his hand and the central shape, the largest one, seemed to almost crumple in mid-air and then plummet from the sky. Da cried out in alarm, knowing who was flying in that particular apparatus.

"My, that would be quite the fall, wouldn't it?" the man mused. "She must have been almost a full _li_ up when the wings snapped off like that."

Da began crying and sobbing in terror, knowing that no one could survive a drop like that. Xiao was dead. She dropped to her knees, unable to bear the thought.

"You're a monster…" she whispered.

"I am no monster, woman, but a man who has seen the truth and mastered many secret arts. Such are my powers that I fear none, including your mighty husband."

He took her by the wrist and led her back to the throne room, where she resumed her dance, even as she wept for her sister. He allowed her to cry, even when he was forcing her to smile. She could feel it all happening to her and there was nothing she could do. Her will mattered not one whit in this game. She may as well have tried to move a mountain.

"Struggle all you like, my lady, I would certainly not want to be accused of depriving a person of a valuable learning opportunity."

With all her will and might she contested her body and her actions, but it simply would not respond. She envisioned herself trying to do things and act on them but could feel her body going through the motions of whatever this unwanted guest had decided on. She hated it. The only thing she could do freely was speak.

"You cannot control everything or everyone," she stated as she danced. "No one can do that."

"You know nothing of my power or my arts."

"I dare you to try that with my daughter, then." Da growled.

The man's countenance darkened for only a moment but it was enough and Da tore free from his dance. She sprawled to her knees, panting and glared at him.

"Not all-powerful after all, are we?"

The man rose from the throne and approached Da Qiao, but then the doors of the audience hall boomed open and in strode Sun Ce, glaring at the guest, his halberd in hand. He strode forward steadily, his eyes never leaving the interloper.

"Ah, at last, the great lord has arrived," the sorcerer said, bowing gracefully to his host before turning to ascend the dais. "How good of you to-"

He heard something behind him and he looked back. He vanished out of his voluminous robes just in time as Ce sprinted up the stairs and bisected his robe with the blade of his halberd, clearly not interested in talking. The man was now near the servant door, looking at Sun Ce with disapproval.

"Such poor manners," he chided. "I had always heard you were a gracious host."

"Playtime's over, pal," Ce said, striding toward the intruder, his eyes flashing. "Y'don't barge into my place unannounced and unwelcome and begin messin' with my people and not pay for it."

"I do not see your people objecting to my presence, do you?" the man pointed out. "But then again, I have not even introduced myself, have I? I am Yu Ji."

"I'll make sure they carve it on the stone block over your grave." Ce declared as he approached. He held the halberd out, the tip at Yu Ji's throat. The man didn't move but just smiled.

"There is no need for this hostility, my lord," he said calmly. "After all, two men of great knowledge such as ourselves need not resort to such base instincts as violence to achieve resolution of our ends."

"You might as well save your breath, Yu Ji, because I don't believe a single thing you say. You're no different than Ou Xing to me."

"Oh, but in that you could not possibly be more wrong, my lord; for you see, like yourself, I know the Tao, and it is that which makes us special and peerless, of course." Yu Ji said simply.

"No one who knew the Tao would feel the need to torture people the way you are, pal." Ce said sternly, growing tired of the man's self-importance.

"Lord Sun Ce, there is no cause for such words or accusations," Yu Ji said reasonably. "Please, but down your weapon and let us reason together."

Ce's arm trembled for a moment and his brow furrowed, but slowly the weapon was lowered and Ce sighed.

"You're right. Whatever it is you've come for, I can at least hear you out."

Da trembled in relief, thankful that there would be no blood spilt in the audience hall. She watched as the two men walked out of the audience hall and into the menagerie, discussing why Yu Ji had come and what this visit portended.

"You alone, lord, understand the movement of the heavens and how all things come to pass by the will of the Tao," the sorcerer remarked. "Those who do not see the most simple of truths walk blind through the veil of life, grasping for a meaning they dare not see or contemplate."

"The truths of life are too great for some people." Ce answered. "But for all that, do they not deserve happiness? Isn't it possible to be a good person without knowing the deep truth?"

"Such people amount to little or do more harm than any small good they might do." Yu Ji said. "The simple and hearty farmer may look to be a good person, but he may slaughter his animals for meat or beat his wife when she is what he considers out of line. Would either of these grave things happen if he knew the Tao or must we simply overlook them and say he is good enough?"

"No man can no everything and it is hubris to claim that one does." Ce pointed out. "Great truths lie outside the Middle Kingdom as well, things we have never considered. If these other people lived successfully without the Tao, are they inferior because we say so? What do their sages tell? What do the priests of Ind or Roma say about what the great universal truths are?"

"What does that matter here within our own realm?" Yu Ji countered.

"Because that reasoning is subjective and the Tao is supposed to represent a universal constant, no matter where you go. Were I to travel to the edge of the world, should not the Tao apply there as well? Lord Elryk and his people passed over the Barrier Mountains and when you ask him if he say the homes of the gods in those high peaks, he saw only mountains. But for generations untold we have maintained that Xi Wang-Mu and the other immortals reside there. If the Tao is obvious and universal, should Elryk not have seen something, even if he did not understand it?"

"Your barbarians are an impressive and stalwart people, Lord Sun, but that is all they are, barbarians." Yu Ji said firmly. "I would no more ascribe to them a shred of wisdom more than I would any understanding. I pity them for their backward ways and they simply indicate to me that the so-called world beyond our blessed realm is shrouded in darkness and in need of light."

"I believe that logic's flawed, Yu Ji." Ce intoned. "To know the Tao is to simply accept what is and also realize that you don't know all that is. If we presume that about other people and places, we are flawed, for the must be a part of the universal Tao's plan, right?"

"Your concern for others is refreshing at first but somewhat cloying after a while, my lord." Yu Ji commented dryly. "But the outside world is not my concern with you this day. I have come to speak to you about your transgression against the Son of Heaven in the form of attacking his loyal offices for your family's own gain."

"The emperor believes that I am a traitor?" Sun Ce queried, his voice carrying a tone of concern.

"How could he not?" Yu Ji reasoned. "He is the Son of Heaven, the being ordained by the immortals themselves to rule the Middle Kingdom and to attack a man or an office he saw fit to appoint himself is a serious transgression. Whom under heaven, is fit to challenge his decisions or sensibilities?"

Ce said nothing.

"When a man transgresses against the Tao, a crime most people cannot even fathom, what choice would a divine ruler have but to take issue with the subject? Yes, your family has been known for years unnumbered for its loyalty to the Dragon Throne, but never before has it taken such heinous action. It defies all truth and logic."

Yu Ji turned to face Ce now and his expression was grave. Da Qiao walked silently nearby, listening but saying nothing. She watched as the animals of the menagerie slinked away from the two. Even their daughter's normally gregarious tiger made himself scarce in a corner behind some large trees.

"What can possibly be said that would condone such actions?" the man in the mysterious yellow robes asked. "How could a man justify such a betrayal of the virtue of filial piety and not be accused of hubris?"

Yu Ji looked steadily into Ce's eyes. "Can you see the magnitude of your offense, lord?"

Ce knelt slowly before the man and spread his arms out in a gesture of supplication. "I have required others to submit the will of heaven and its judgement, it is only right that I do the same."

Yu Ji nodded sagely. "It is wise of you to accept responsibility for your folly, young lord. Although this life must be lost to you, mayhap in the next you will know the true humility necessary to follow the Tao."

The sorcerer made several arcane gestures over Ce and draw a small knife from within his robes. Ce remained motionless. Da watched sadly, knowing that what was now happening was simply the will of the immortals and that all was as it should be. The grieving in her heart almost overwhelmed her.

Ce waited while Yu Ji prepared to free his soul, his eyes closed. "Such clarity... I see, hear and even smell the earth's rightness around me and its touch on all things. I can hear my wife's heart beat... the breathing of the trees... the ripe scent of the pepper-spiced millet cakes of the north, a delicacy of Xuchang, exuding from your very pores..."

Yu Ji's eyes widened as Ce's glanced up to hold his gaze. Before the sorcerer could move, Ce's hand plunged through his sternum, a perfect knife-handed strike. The man shuddered and he attempted to grapple onto Ce. The young warrior glared into his eyes.

"You must think I'm really stupid, Yu Ji," he said in an iron voice. "You don't get it at all, do you? You never had me for a moment, but it's clear that Cao Cao sent you. If this is the best he can do, then he's really underestimated me!"

Yu Ji set his steely gaze on Ce and gripped the armed that was through his torso.

"Regardless of what you perceive in the Prime Minister, it is clear that you have underestimated me as well, whelp..."

He reached forward and placed his hands on Ce's chest, his eyes flaring and his yellow robes whirling around him in a mystical whirlwind of power. His irises shone like stars and the sound of his voice was at once full and empty, a powerful, hollow sound like the voice of a man who was the vessel of divine authority.

Ce shuddered and cried out in pain as Yu Ji's malevolent will coursed through his body like a sickening fire, igniting his nerves and burning his organs. He struggled desperately to move but he could not, rooted to the hideous agony the sorcerer now poured into him.

"See now, little man, the price you pay for defying one who truly knows the Tao." Yu Ji hissed, his eyes boring through Ce's, willing his doom. This little filth had dared to defile him with his touch; he, Yu Ji, who knew sacred alchemical arts that no other man in the Middle Kingdom was privy to.

Da was rooted to the spot as she screamed in fear, wishing to race to her husband's side but unable to move. She could see his body rending itself within, unable to contain the venom that now flowed into it. She cried out in supplication to P'an Chen-Lien, the goddess of courtesans, to have mercy on her husband and protect him from the evil that threatened to destroy him.

With every fibre of his being, Ce shoved Yu Ji away and the sorcerer staggered back, holding the gaping wound in his chest. He panted as he examined the gore on his hand before glaring at Ce.

"Fool!" he hissed. "Now die!"

He whirled about within his voluminous yellow robes and then was gone.

Ce dropped to his knees, his eyes wide in shock. His entire body shook as he tried to control himself. Da watched in horror as he turned his head to look at her, his gaze almost unseeing.

"Da..." he whispered before slumping to the ground.

"Ce!" she screamed in desperation, finally tearing herself free of the spell that seemed to hold her in place. She was at his side instantly and cradling him in her arms. Her tears fell like rain on his face. He was already so pale and cold. He barely moved and his eyes stared sightlessly up at the sky.

"My love!" she begged. "Ce! Do not give in! Fight this evil! Ce, fight! Do not leave me!"

Ce did not answer and it almost seemed as if he could not hear her.

As servants and retainers came sprinting to the scene, drawn by their mistress' cry of desperation, everyone stopped in shock upon seeing their mighty lord laying like a dead thing in her arms. Zhou Yu surged through the crowd and knelt next to Da. His face was grim as he examined his sworn-brother.

"Get him up to the royal chambers and summon the healers and Ren Neng!" he commanded. "There is a grave evil at work here and there is no time!"

Da held her husband's hand as the Night Tigers carried Ce to his chambers. She would not leave his side.

***

Bo and An sprinted through the woods, cursing to the heavens about their rotten luck. They had landed their dragons sooner than any of the others, but several minutes had passed since Xiao Qiao's dragon has seemingly burst apart in mid-air and plummeted into the forest. They were scanning the trees for any sign of their commander, for whom they would give their lives readily.

An called out, pointing to the wreckage of Xiao's dragon, spread throughout the boughs of several trees, high up in the canopy. Bit of pieces of the apparatus had fallen to the earth all over the general vicinity. They searched everywhere but found no sign of her. They were soon joined by Shing, who was generally regarded as possibly the strongest woman in the Southlands, after Sun Shang Xiang and Fu Chin-Ran. She pushed and rolled aside old logs and stumps or stones, praying to whatever gods would listen.

Finally the other girls had arrived and they all scoured the area, still showing no sign of their commander. Shing shouted out in frustration and anger before kicking at a pile of leaves beneath a tree. She jumped back in alarm as the leaves squeaked in response to her kick. She recovered and lunged forward, pulling away at the foliage before crying in relief- beneath lay Xiao Qiao, arms and legs spread out, looking up at the sky somewhat blankly.

"So that's what it feels like to fall off a mountain..." she murmured.

Shing and Bo knelt and massaged her neck and limbs while the other girls stood in a circle around them, glaring ferociously at the forest, daring it to attack. When they were convinced Xiao was not paralyzed and could breathe, they helped her to stand, something she did unsteadily and with no little effort.

"I guess I need a new dragon," she commented, sighing. "Too bad, I was thinking of naming that one, too."

"Are you alright, Lady Qiao?" An asked worriedly, not taking her eyes off the woods.

"No I'm not alright," Xiao groused. "I fell ten thousand spans, I'm pissed off, I have to find a new dragon..."

"Why were you just lying under all those leave like that?" Shing finally asked, bewildered.

"Why are you asking me?" Xiao replied, wiping the leaves, dirt and twigs off herself before rolling her eyes upward in her head to see if she had any foliage in her hair. "It's all kind of a blur after the drop, you know. I have no clue. I was plummeting, there were trees and then I got kicked in the ribs. How was your day?"

"We need to get her back to her palace in Baifu," Lian said, obviously referencing Sun Ce's residence, but the distinction had always been lost on them all. They had a hard time remember that Xiao served Sun Ce and not the other way around. "Lady Qiao, can you walk?"

"It'll be easier than falling, I imagine." Xiao answered. We can leave the _Feilong_ where they are, we are close enough to the capital that they are in no danger."

"I am so relieved you are alright, my lady!" Mi exclaimed, bowing and taking Xiao's hand in hers, pressing her forehead to it, as was their unusual custom.

"I'm glad, but something's wrong back home," Xiao said, her mood darkening. "As I fell, I was aware of something unwholesome that focused its attention on me and wished me harm?"

"That Ou Xing thing?" Qi asked, worried.

Xiao shook her head. "No, nothing like that. It was different. I don't know how and I'm not thinking too clearly at the moment. You're all lucky I remember my name."

She waited for someone to comment that this was nothing new, but her warriors remained dutifully silent. She finally sighed and began walking out of the forest.

"Back to impending danger in Baifu," she grumbled. "What could make this day any worse?"

***

Ren Neng had tried everything he could think of- as he stood over Sun Ce, he smeared unguents and the nectars of rare plants all over his ruler's prostrate form. In spite of all his lore, there was no reaction to his ministrations. Sun Ce's body grew paler and colder with each passing hour, his eyes, though wide open, more distant.

Worse, the large black mark on his side just below his ribs was growing ever larger and even beginning to take on a recognizable shape...

That of a human skull.

Da Qiao had steadfastly refused to leave her husband's side and Ren Neng knew better than to contest her will on this. He would simply work around her and to be honest, he was encouraged by her presence. Her features were pale and her beautiful eyes red from the tears she shed as she quietly called her beloved's name.

"Ce..." she whispered.

Their daughter, Sun Kai-Ying, stood beside her mother, watching her father intently. Her unsettling silver-grey eyes were deep with discontent. Did she know her father was dying? Could she comprehend this? Ren Neng had to admit he was having a hard time fathoming this himself. Of all the people he expected to try and save from death's door, Sun Ce, mightiest of men and peerless lord was not one of them.

Zhou Yu was directing the traffic in and out of the room, making sure that Ren Neng and the priests had everything they needed instantly. Priests of the Tao and monks of the Buddha both stood within the room, chanting and droning their prayers, seeking the blessings of Xi Wang-Mu, Chu Jung, Guan Yin and all the Celestials, imploring them to hear their words and take pity on a man's soul. The room reeked of incense and sage.

Ren Neng's brow was beaded with sweat as he worked. What devilry was this? He had never encountered the likes and he was even familiar with some of the sicknesses and curses of the far lands of Ind. No matter what he did, Sun Ce was unresponsive. He had carefully placed slender needles into his meridians and moved and tapped them rhythmically, attempting to take into his spirit and the wondrous alchemy of the human body, but in return he received nothing. Even a dead body would respond to these deep touches, and he was fairly certain Ce was not dead.

Not yet.

He held a small, polished piece of glass against Ce's lips, hoping to see the faint mist of breath, but there was none. He checked for a pulse in several locations but found nothing. He was certain that Ce was not lost to them as yet, but to all intents and purposes, he might as well have been.

He was running out of options and time. Before night, all would be lost.

***

The universe tumbled around him, all nonsense. He could perceive nothing clearly, aware only of a sickening coldness that he had never known before. What was happening to him? Time elapsed and stood still, all at once, mocking his perception and senses.

At moments unbearable bright light was all her could see inside his head while at other times it was a deep, stifling blackness that swallowed all. He fought to reject these perceptions, convincing himself they were not real. He wrestled to remember what had happened. He had gravely wounded Yu Ji, but then the maddening pain began... focus...

He suddenly felt himself at rest, lying on his back, as if he had splashed into water that broke his fall. Above him the sky swirled in a riot of colours, defying his ability to concentrate on them. He ignored everything else, determined to force one thing around him to make sense, focusing solely on the chromatic effluence that churned overhead.

Shapes now came into view, things that he was certain he knew on some primitive, elemental level but could not identify with his conscious mind. The great wheel of the heavens turned slowly overhead, spinning and singing of a grand design no mortal could fathom even an infinitesimal part of.

Worlds shone and then perished amid the stars. He saw lands rise out of the sea, giving birth to mighty empires and cities with lofty spires of gold that reached the heavens, only to be returned to the blackness of the water by the upheaval of the lands- nations tumbled into ruin, all their vaunted wisdom and learning for naught.

He floated through the pearlescent clouds, flying over the familiar lands of the Middle Kingdom- he saw the magnificent buildings and structures of Yong'an, the vast, golden fields of wheat that fed the northern reaches of the empire. He touched the pinnacles of the mighty Barrier Mountains with his hands before piercing the veil of the Uttermost West and seeing, for the first time, what lay beyond.

Unimaginable distance greeted his eyes, deserts whose breadth was greater than all that of the Han; steppes and forests reached for untold _li_ in all directions, almost completely devoid of human habitation, punctuated only by small clans of nomads related to the Xiongnu.

He gazed upon the fertile valleys of fabled Ind, its countless dark-skinned peoples living on the bounty of great rivers and fertile valleys, building cities, temples and palaces of incredible design and technique. They lived and warred for all the same reasons as the people of the Han, with armies including hundreds or thousands of the incredible _xiang_, the terrifying beast that drove all before it. He saw their strange gods, beings of many faces and aspects, sometimes having multiples limbs or legs, often completely inhuman, like great birds or tigers.

The blistering deserts beyond Ind were home to wondrous cities that seemed to spring out of the sands like jewels, fed by glittering blue oases or threaded with rivers that protected them form the merciless sun.

He witnessed the birth of a learned culture of city-states, men who valued scholarship as highly as any Confucian could claim. They fielded citizen-armies that, while small in comparison to an army of the Han, were noted for its élan and fighting spirit. One city even boasted a professional army that was so disciplined and brave that he watched a single handful of some hundreds, led by their warrior-king, hold off the entire host of an eastern king for days until they had died to a man, but so terrifying were these men that the day was won and their nation saved. Were these the Spartans he had read about?

A vast empire sprang up before him now, its glorious capital home to countless throngs, the structures made of strong stone and glorious marble. Forums were crowded with men engaged in debate, temples dedicated to tall and noble gods stood on hills and peasants laboured in rich fields to produce the food that fuelled Imperial Rome's war machine.

Legions of disciplined soldiers marched with incredible coordination, protected by stout armour and tall, strong shields. They fought against the dark-skinned desert warriors of the east, the sea-faring cities of the coasts and the terrifying barbarians of the northern reaches, from whence Elryk and his people had come. Like the Middle Kingdom, the farthest west seemed to be in the grip of continual conflict.

The scene before him swirled and he saw Rome burning, overrun by barbarians who plundered and destroyed all that they saw, seemingly enraged by the culture and learning of what now lay before them. The empire was cracked in half, even as a strange religion took hold. He watched in bewilderment as men marched to war in the name of this peaceful religion, besmirching its message, just as Zhang Jiao had done with the Way of Peace.

He watched in horror as millions died in the wake of a terrible plague, extinguishing learning for centuries to come. Within his own realm, the world without had been shunted aside and ignored, as if it didn't really exist; though the realm was in theory stable, the price was a wilful ignorance of all that passed anywhere else.

Civilizations died and others carved a niche for themselves amid the conflicts- countless men died in the name of sovereigns they would never see or at the behest of priests who bade them die for their deities. The once brilliant cities and nations of the deserts and deltas were consumed in conflict between two great religions, a state of war that would never wholly cease.

East of the sea, beyond the shores of the Han, a hardy group of people began to occupy an island chain, forcing the indigenous peoples ever further north. These people had the learning of the Middle Kingdom brought to them but they were a fierce culture whose warriors would know few equals. Though barbaric to those of the mainland, they were dignified and noble in the way they tried to live.

A white banner sprang up before him now and it was emblazoned with a black cross. He witnessed now tall and heavily armoured cavalry, all of them wearing white with the black cruciforms, bearing long lances and charging across an open field, calling out the name of their god. They were tall, powerful warriors, often yellow-haired like Elryk's people, on large steeds the likes of which were unknown in the Han. He watched them clash with foes that dared oppose them and all were trampled under their terrible charge. He understood that such warriors were invincible, if they were allowed to engage their foe.

The great steppes opened before him again and he saw a vast army of the Xiongnu- no, it was not the Xiongnu, but some descendant of them. Countless thousands of steppe horsemen rode in ordered companies, carrying lances, bows and wicked axes, following a simple banner made of nine black horsetails. The great warlord and ruler of this untold horde was a grim and fell man, wise in the ways of war and ruthless beyond measure. He and his people lived for conquest and in their eyes Ce could see the fall of his people.

War rages across the vast lands and new, horrifying weapons ensured that men died in ever greater numbers- a device that spit death with a fiery explosion became commonplace, ranging in size from vast mechanisms to tool no larger than a spear that could be operated by one man, and even the terrifying cavaliers in black and white were not immune to their assaults.

Empires fell again and new ones rose, with more and more men serving in ever larger armies, fighting over ground that had seen blood spilled for centuries. Much that had been unlearned was beginning to be rediscovered and rarely was it beneficial for the common man- the armies were now supplied by economies that clothed them uniformly, allowing ease of identity in the ever-growing chaos of the battlefield. The hideous explosive stick was now the principal weapon of warfare and men were trained to march in lines or columns to certain doom as the two sides unleashed fiery hell on one another.

Titanic ships of wood and then metal clashed on the seas, vying for supremacy over distances so vast he could barely comprehend them. The armies became larger and the men less relevant. Wars began to claim more lives than lived in the Middle Kingdom and he was sickened by the wanton slaughter.

A blinding flash filled his vision, to be followed by a red light, and then a great cloud of unique shape, that stretched from the earth to the heavens. All he knew was that it was death incarnate and none could escape it; war had nothing whatsoever to do with the equation.

"_Fool!"_ came a disembodied voice he recognized finally as Yu Ji's. _"Do you see now the legacy of those who do not embrace the Tao? Do you see at last what comes of the acceptance of the inferior man and his will to determine his own destiny?"_

"_Your vision is warped, Yu Ji!" _Sun Ce said, struggling to focus on the voice that filled his head. _"It doesn't matter if this is a vision of the truth or your own misinterpretation; you see only what you want to see in order to justify your actions!"_

"_What good are the actions of the noble few compared to the savagery of the many?" _Yu Ji asked. _"What difference do a few good deeds make in comparison to what you have witnessed?"_

"_That doesn't mean we just toss the good deeds aside and act out atrocities in the name of our own interests! The Tao doesn't represent any one man's desires or interests!" _ Ce yelled.

"_Such revelations are late coming from you, young lord, since your obliteration is imminent. I have shown you both the past and days yet to come, just so you can see the futility of those you fight for. You squandered your strength and your knowledge for their so-called well-being, instead condemning them to what you have witnessed, all in the name of allowing them some measure of self-determination."_

"_You cannot defeat me, Yu Ji!" _Ce roared. _"There tricks of yours will not work on me!"_

"_Mayhap, young one, but I assure you, your death is no illusion. Nor is it mere death you face, but utter oblivion, the destruction and unbeing of your soul and self. You will not exist and you may well have never existed."_

Ce shivered at what the sorcerer was implying. To be naught, to not exist in any form, beyond death and sleep, to simply not be a part of the universe or beyond... just nothing...

"_While you face off against your doom, those you leave behind cope as best they may. Your brother will rule, albeit under my thumb, and your own wife will come to terms with her loss and cleave to me, determined to forget this agony, the pain of remembering you."_

Ce watched in horror as the world came to him and he seemed to be stuck inside his own body. He saw Ren-Neng standing over him, shaking his head. All about him were Ce's friends and retainers. Da Qiao looked down sadly at him, finally turning to bury her face in Yu Ji's shoulder.

"_Da..."_ Ce exclaimed quietly. _"No..."_

Ce tried to move but was trapped. He looked up helplessly as those around him shook their heads in sorrow, said their prayers over him and left the room. Da looked down at him again while Yu Ji put a comforting arm around her, drawing her close.

"_And the life within her, young lord, you needn't worry, for it is not your child at all."_

"_That can't be!" _Ce raged, struggling to move. _"Da would never!"_

"_Ce, let it be," _his wife said softly. _"Perhaps this is not what we envisioned, but what is, is. As you always say we must accept the great truths, and this is one of them. It was your destiny to be a great conqueror but not to rule our people. My destiny is to cleave to the man who will rule and give our land the sons it needs to prosper and grow strong."_

Ce's mind reeled, unable to fathom what was happening. It couldn't be true, but he was witnessing it, with perfect clarity.

He could feel a terrible choice tugging at him, urging decision- oblivion and utter nothingness awaited, but he could not let go of his wife, now lost to him. The women of the Middle Kingdom were married and remarried as deemed fit. His presumption that Da would only ever belong to him defied tradition and logic, an arrogance apparently to be punished and never forgiven.

"_I am sorry, Ce," _Da said, her voice tinged with sadness. _"However much I may have wanted your sons, this is what happened and it must be dealt with. There is no room in my life for you right now; I have my new child to look after and the future of his family. Though I will always love you, it is a luxury that cannot stand in the way of reality."_

"_Da..." _Ce murmured.

"_You cannot be a part of what comes now, my love." _Da whispered. _"Though I wished for otherwise, it was not my choice to make. This circumstance was not of my design, but fate dictates that I must deal with it. Please understand."_

"We pledged ourselves to one another eternally." Ce pleaded.

"_I know that, Ce, but forces greater than ourselves acted upon this and judged otherwise. If I could change it, I would, but that's not how things are to be. Though it is not yours, I will love this child completely. And if you are dying, then what am I to do with my life? Do I sit in an elegant parlour, mourning until the day I too must pass? Is that a fitting legacy?"_

Da's words pierced his mind like darts and shattered within him. She was clearly accepting his death and moving on.

"_Fear not, Lord Sun," _Yu Ji intoned. _"She will be well looked after. Beyond that, you have another concern awaiting you, that being your utter oblivion."_

"_No!" _Ce roared. _"I defy you, Yu Ji! Your tricks mean nothing to me!"_

"_Defy it all you want, Sun Ce, it matters not to me," _Yu Ji replied indifferently. _"You will die and cease to exist and your heartfelt protestations will be for naught. How you spend these final moments of your life is of no consequence to me. All that matters is that you die. I would say fare thee well, but that is not going to happen. You will not know even the torment of the Nine Hells, you will know nothing at all. You will not be."_

And with that, Yu Ji turned and walked away, taking Da with him.

Ce called out loudly to his wife but she did not respond. He felt something creeping in around the edges of his consciousness, eroding his senses, almost smothering him. He could hear Yu Ji's laughter as the hateful nothingness encroached, but his thoughts swirled around his wife. Without her, he had nothing. There was nothing to live and hope for, he realized. She had meant more to him than even he realized and he would willingly give up everything for her. But now she had something else and his everything was not enough.

A cold emptiness washed over him, robbing him of sight and then there was nothing...

***

Da knelt beside her husband, her cheeks stained red from her tears. They echoing chanting and prayers around her continued but she barely noticed them. She felt a hand on her shoulder and then Zhou Yu knelt next to her.

"My lady, I-"

"He's not going to die, Zhou Yu." Da said firmly.

Zhou Yu said nothing at first but then drew a breath. "Please tell me, what happened to the man Yu Ji?"

Da tried to focus, remembering what had transpired. "A ruse. Ce had tricked Yu Ji into thinking that he could be controlled, like the rest of us were. Yu Ji was about to kill him when Ce lunged up and put his hand through his chest. Yu Ji then took hold of Ce and did this to him before disappearing."

"So he is still out there," Zhou Yu whispered, mostly to himself. "He could be back at any time."

Da kissed Ce's hand again, noticing that it was no longer supple but hard to move, as if the rigours of death had set in.

Several servants hurried forward and propped up Ren Neng as he almost dropped to his knees in a swoon. He was drawn, pale and exhausted, his eyes full of sorrow.

"I have done everything I can," he said in a weary voice. "But it was not enough..."

Zhou Yu gestured and the servants helped the healer out of the room, still muttering to himself.

"Not enough..."

Xiao Qiao now entered the room and she paled at the sight of her brother-in-law, even though she had been told what transpired. She knelt now with Da and held her sister, trying not to cry.

"Do not weep, Xiao," Da said softly. "He is not dead."

Xiao trembled for several seconds, desperate to believe her older sister, but then retreated to Zhou Yu's arms, bursting into tears. Da shut out the noise, looking on her husband. His hand was becoming almost unbearably cold to touch.

She bade servants bring clothes soaked in hot water to put upon his body, but the water lost all its heat almost immediately upon contact with his skin. No warmth could reach him. She brought a flaring brazier close and looked into his eyes. The pupils were small and there was no sign or flicker of life.

"Ce, you must not die," she said. She put his hand against her belly. "Our new child needs you. Our daughter needs you. I need you..."

Even as others left the room, Da knelt by his side, speaking to him, unwilling to let get. The sun set and the moon rose, the blanket of night giving no comfort to the residents of Baifu.

***

Quan stood now in the audience hall, surrounded by servants and advisors. Zhou Yu bowed his head in respect before proceeding.

"Lord Sun, these are grave times, but we must look to the future. Lord Sun Ce, your renowned brother, is lost to us and the defence of our realm falls to you."

"He will die, then?" Quan asked, his eyes pained.

"Despite Lady Qiao's protestations to the contrary, my lord, yes, all the healers have said he will pass on. We must accept this fact."

Quan knew how hard this was for Zhou Yu, who had been like a brother to Ce. Around him, everyone felt the cloud of uncertainty. Shang Xiang stood beside him, her head bowed and a single glistening tear on her cheek.

"Have the borders reinforced," he said finally. "Baifu and indeed our entire realm will observe a month of mourning for my brother. Trade is suspended with the other lands of the Han and there will be no diplomatic missions, unless they come from the Son of Heaven directly."

Quan directed for a simple chair to be brought into the audience hall and he had it seated at the foot of the dais. He sat in it and sighed heavily.

"I do not aknowledge myself as lord of the Southlands until this period of mourning has passed. Until then, Lord Sun Ce remains our ruler and I merely act in his absence."

Two days had passed since Sun Ce had been struck down and no one had slept, tormented by their loss. In all that time, Da Qiao had never left his side, whispering and calling to him constantly.

They were all stunned by what had happened. How could the invincible Sun Ce have fallen so?

He had dismissed the assembly and went now to see his brother, accompanied by Shang Xiang. Their mother and Kuang had been summoned from Wuchang, hopefully to arrive will all possible speed.

Taishi Ci and two Night Tigers stood guard outside the door of the room Ce lay within and they bowed low as he entered. In spite of the fires within, the room seemed cold and hollow and the dark was not a comforting one. He walked up to Da Qiao and stood next to her. She looked up at him, her features pale and drawn, yet somehow still lovely.

"When will he come back to us, Quan?" she asked, desperate to hear the soothing words she needed.

Quan struggled with what to say, since he was not good with such things at the best of times, let alone now in their darkest hour. He gazed down at Ce and he knew that all was lost. The heavens had done the people of the Southlands a great cruelty.

There were no words.

***

Darkness... light... sound... silence... they had all lost meaning and relevance. They did not exist. The slowly faded or slipped away, taking with them all sense of reality. What lay beyond was not of the Tao, nor of anything else known to man or immortal. It was simply nothing. His ties with all that existed were severed and he would simply cease to be. This was not a release from the chains of mortality or existence, this was not the peace of which sages talked.

This was just utter oblivion, a great void. There was no place in existence for him anymore.

Nothing.

***

Da Qiao stood on the balcony and looked at the silver moon. There were no songs or words from the Heavens, just silence, no acknowledgement. Nothing.

Lord Sun Ce was gone.

_**The End?**_

***

**Author's notes: **I know I promised the long delays wouldn't happen again, but real life makes for surreal circumstances and interferes with my creative groove rather badly. This was a tough chapter to hash out because there was so much ground to cover. Hope fully it didn't seem rush and hopefully it doesn't seem disjointed.

So many things have been up in the air and I think a great deal of my trepidation and concerns, along with my resolve, have gone into this chapter. My apologies if it seems somewhat self-indulgent then, but I write what I feel a need to express, so I hope it was worth the effort. I always have a framework in mind for my stories when I write them, knowing the beginning and end and filling in the creamy middle as best I may.

Once again, my deepest apologies about the delay in publishing this. I wish you all a Happy New Year, and since the Chinese New Year is almost upon us, _gong xi fa cai_ and _xien nien kaui le!_


	50. Chapter 50

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

** Chapter 48- The Celestial Tiger **

They weather was dark and grim, unusually cold for the Southlands and Baifu was a nexus of great mourning. The mighty lord Sun Ce had perished and the entire realm of Wu felt the grief of their beloved rulers as they tried to cope with the loss.

Normally the festivals and rites would have been performed all over the realm, but something held these events in check- everyone seemed stunned into inaction, as if the weather were some dire indication of the mood that swept the land. It was as if the heart had gone out of them.

Sun Quan sat now in the audience hall on his low chair in front of the dais, lost in thought- nearby waited his aide Zhou Tai, silent and immovable as a statue. His mother and his younger brother Kuang sat nearby, the younger Sun boy speaking gentle and consoling words to a woman who lost not only her mighty husband some years ago but now her great and glorious oldest son. Servants milled about the hall sullenly, duties being performed, but almost absently, as everyone was gripped by the sorrow of unspeakable loss.

Within the family shrine, Sun Shang Xiang knotted her hands in prayer, begging for the deliverance of her family from the grief that overwhelmed them now. Next to her, General Fu Chin-Ran, her fast friend and lover, waited with her eyes closed; she knew only three devotions in her life- glory in battle, her undying and immutable love for Shang Xiang, and her deep and unquestionable loyalty to the Sun family and Sun Ce in particular, whom she had almost worshipped.

Within the Spirit of Fire Pavilion, Zhou Yu, the great advisor, sat in his private chambers, holding his wife Xiao Qiao as she sobbed in agony, shattered by the loss of her sister's husband, a man she revered even more than Sun Jian, the great patriarch of the family. So many deaths that any of them could anticipate, it was a daily thought in a bellicose warrior-culture like that of the Southlands, but _never_ had it occurred the innocent Xiao that Sun Ce could be taken from them; he was steadfast, wise beyond his years, mighty in body and subtle in thought, gregarious and kind. In him she had perceived what she wanted all immortals to be like and now he was gone, taken cruelly from them.

The generals of the realm were meeting in a council chamber and supposed to be discussing the ordering and defence of the realm, but no one seemed inclined to speak. They merely sat around the long table, despondent and feeling no urge to confer. The hardy Huang Gai sat in his hair, resting his head against the handle of his long, battle-worn club, his eyes closed as he tried to comprehend the magnitude of the disaster. Lu Meng, patient and studious, sat with his arms crossed and staring at the tactical map on the table, seeing none of it. Ling Tong, normally so spirited and eager for answers and resolution, absently flexed his hands around his flails. Lu Xun, the most junior commander, stood near the wall, looking into the flickering fire of a brazier, as if trying to see some vision of their future. Even the titanic Elryk, lord of the White Wolves, accompanied by his Uyghur scribes, Lap and Khun, could not rouse himself to action. Though he had not served Sun Ce for long, his loyalty was unquestioned and his place amongst them was one of honour by virtue of his might in arms and his people's valour.

None of them knew what to do.

The news had spread through the land quickly and all who heard it were stunned. A day from Baifu, in an elegant Shiheyuan atop a lone hill, the courtesan Diao Chan heard the news from a servant and dropped to her knees. She wept for the realm and said several prayers to the gods of her ancestors, praying for mercy on them all, now that the most valiant and noble man in the empire was no more.

Gan Ning, once a renowned pirate, lay now on a hillside, his arms behind his head, looking at the grey sky that churned overhead. Though he had hardly known the man, he respect for Sun Ce had been immeasurable and this struck him as a great travesty. He was well-known for his hard-nosed attitude about the unfairness of life and just dealing with what happened, but somehow this loss irked him and even angered him. It wasn't right. He hadn't been there when Ce perished, but everything he had been told indicated some great and cruel joke of the uncaring heavens, who only wished to see people grieve.

And at the center of it all, within the White Tiger Pavilion, Da Qiao, wife and concubine of the great lord of the Sun family, sat next to her husband's body in their private chambers, sitting in a chair and waiting for him to wake up. Though nearly seven days had passed, Da had not left his side and people were more than a little scared for her. She spoke to none, save her daughter or sometimes her mother-in-law, and when she did answer, it was quiet and in few words. She had other things on her mind.

Stretched out on the bed before her lay Sun Ce, mightiest warrior in a realm of splendid warriors; even as he lay in death's grip, his features were handsome and comely, though muted and his normally glossy auburn hair seemed dull. They had finally closed his sightless eyes and he seemed to be at rest, were it not for the pallor and horrific coldness of his skin.

His muscular body was marred by a large and hideous black bruise on his side that, even though death had taken him, seemed to keep growing- it looked unsettlingly like a human skull, set to devour the young lord utterly, leaving no trace as it sated its never-ending hunger.

Ce had contended strength and wills with a mysterious sorcerer named Yu Ji, who had come to the Southlands, seemingly at the behest of the Prime Minister, to deal with the Sun lord and his troublesome realm. Though the yellow-robed mage had seemingly been grievously or perhaps mortally wounded, he had laid his hands upon Ce and felled him with some terrible curse that had ended his life. No one could help the young noble as all who encountered Yu Ji were unable to resist him, at least until Sun Ce had arrived.

Da Qiao sat beside him still, caressing his icy hand and speaking to him softly, or singing. She spoke lovingly of her favourite moments of their life together or of the myriad things about him that made her love him more each day. She spoke of the child that she carried and how the soothsayers were predicting a boy. She mentioned names she had considered and suggested what he might be like and what aptitudes he might show, depending on whose traits he took after, hers or his.

She told him about what their daughter Sun Kai-Ying was doing, how the girl almost never left her father's side, except when it was time to sleep or when she had lessons, which she dutifully attended, to make her father proud of her. She mentioned how their daughter's tiger, a great white beast who was so very gentle, would stay in the room with them and even approach and sniff Sun Ce, although the creature shied clear of the unseemly black bruise on his side, fearing it.

"What a wise pet we have for our daughter." Da remarked to Ce, caressing his hand.

Night came and she was alone with her husband. Sun Kai-Ying was curled up in some pillows not far away, next to her tiger. Da Qiao stood for what seemed like the first time in days, her muscles aching as she walked to the window and looked out. Even though the moon was obscured by the roiling grey clouds, she squinted uncomfortably at the change in light. How she missed the moon.

She walked back to Ce and looked down at him, her eyes red and bleary from the tears she had shed.

"What is it you wait for, my love?" she asked in a voice barely above a murmur. "What holds you back from returning to me? What injustice have I done that causes you to forestall our reunion? Can you not see that I need you? The others, they do not understand. They think you are gone, lost to us. But I know this cannot be, husband, for there is no power under Heaven that can part us. Certainly no mere man who claims to know lost arts has the means to keep you from me."

She leaned in and caressed his face, kissing his forehead, which was like ice to the touch.

"This does not become you, Ce," she whispered. "This death you feign, it is for lesser men. What need have you for scaring everyone so? We all know you love to laugh, but not at the expense of others..."

She lay on the bed and held herself next to him, willing herself not to shiver at the chilling touch of his skin.

"You are not rid of me so easily, my love. There is no length of time I will not wait. You are mine, as I am yours, and though the world fades away around us, we will always be together..."

***

Dawn came, though nobody took comfort in it. The grey skies hung overhead, as they had for a week, never showing the sun, bringing only a chill wind and the uncertain dread no one could articulate. Sun Quan sat in the audience hall, accompanied by his generals and advisors, all of whom shared his grim visage.

Zhou Yu spoke first, as was his privilege in most matters, as the most learned and wisest person present. His words were grave, spoken by a man who world had been turned upside down by a loss even he could not express.

"We all mourn the death of the man I held as a dear brother," he said quietly. "In Sun Ce we saw the best of people, everything that we hold a virtuous ruler to be. But no man escapes the Great Wheel and Lord Sun Ce's time was never ours to determine. The dread that holds us now is not just because he has passed, but because of what the sorcerer said, that Sun Ce was to be destroyed, to be made naught."

Several people shifted uncomfortably at his words and Xiao turned away to hide her tears.

"I do not know what has become of our lord," Zhou Yu said heavily. "The ways of fate and a man's end are known only to the celestials. We pray that Yu Ji's talk of oblivion were nothing more than bluster, but how then would we expose this chicanery? We have allowed ourselves to be caught in the grip of this dread and I think that this would be something Sun Ce would admonish us all for."

Quan nodded slowly. "Lord Zhou Yu is right, of course. We all mourn my brother's passing, but he would not want us to be ruled by fear. We cannot let our realm fall to doubt, to let others dictate our moods and nature. I say to you all, that if something as eternal as my brother Ce can pass out of this world, then so too will this yoke of trepidation we all wear."

He rose now and bowed his head, his green eyes closed.

"I am not Sun Ce," he admitted. "I hold myself to be in all ways inferior to my brother, though I have learned that I should not envy him for his glories. Be that as it may, his realm now falls to me to administer and protect and I pledge to you all now that together we shall honour his memory and make him proud of what we shall accomplish."

Lu Meng now spoke. "We must first honour our fallen lord, for it would not do to have him improperly cared for between this world and the next. The proper rituals must be observed."

Elryk interjected now, once Khun had finished translating for him. "Who, then, do we send to retrieve his body?" the yellow-haired giant asked. "Is anyone here mad enough to try and remove him from Lady Qiao's vigil?"

His question was met with silence. Da Qiao had not left Ce's side since he fell and she maintained resolutely, when she deemed to speak to anyone, that her husband was not dead. No one had seen fit to contest her will on the subject up until now.

They all wracked their brains, trying to nominate a victim, for whomever they chose certainly risked Da Qiao's wrath and while she may not have been the greatest warrior, not even Elryk wanted to try and come between her and he husband, to whom she was so utterly devoted.

"She is more likely to die by his side of a broken heart than she is to relinquish him to us," Shang Xiang pointed out. "Da has a will beyond the strength of steel and rarely have I seen its like. Even Ce was reluctant to test it."

"We could set fire to the White Tiger Pavilion." Elryk suggested. Khun finished translating and everyone stared at the giant barbarian warrior in disbelief.

"What?" he said somewhat defensively. "In my lands, a funeral pyre is not uncommon for a great warrior and wives are often burned with their husbands."

Everyone ignored the suggestion, knowing that Elryk meant well but just didn't understand. They continued debating how they might appropriate Sun Ce from his chambers, unable to find a suitable resolution to their predicament, that being that no one knew of any way to convince Da Qiao that her husband was indeed dead. Even the great healer Ren Neng had eventually declared him so.

Sun Quan sighed, discouraged by how even this simple task was beyond them. Deep in his heart, he wondered what hope any of them had without Sun Ce to lead them...

***

Qiao Xuan stood nearby and watched, shaking his head as his wife Bi tried to reason with their daughter. She'd given birth to the stubborn girl, one would think she would remember that Da was very hard to persuade of anything once her mind was made up.

"Daughter, please," the mother begged. "It is not fit for a fallen lord to be denied all the honours he deserves. The realm _needs _this, in order to move on, not to mention that Ce will never know peace unless we-"

"I told you already, mother," Da Qiao said irritably, sitting in her chair with her back to her parents and rolling her eyes. "Ce is _not _dead. How many times must we go through this?"

She stood up and gestured to his body, scowling at her unreasonable parents. "Look at him! He has been lying silent for a week! Were he dead, would he not be decaying, would his body not be falling into ruin? Would the stench of death not fill the air? Admit it, none of these things are true!"

"But if, as you say, daughter," Bi Qiao said with all the patience of a good mother and veteran courtesan. "If he was learned in the Tao, is it not possible that the alchemical balance of his body was so exquisite that it simply is not subject to such things, even in death?"

Da wrinkled her nose at her mother's puerile argument. "If that's true, mother, than why should a little thing like a curse stop such an exquisitely-balanced man from living? Perhaps a lesser person would succumb; perhaps death and oblivion would be our fate if we had been so tested. But not my husband, no, mother! Ce has fought beings of dreadful power and overcome terrible odds, always proving mightiest, even when it looked like there was no hope for him!"

She turned away from them and looked down upon her husband, stroking his face.

"He is not dead. We promised one another. Do you remember, Ce? You promised me that when the time came, you would let me die first, to prepare the way for you, because I do not want to live a single day in this dreary world without you."

Her parents looked at one another sadly. Qiao Xuan stepped forward and hugged his daughter from behind. She held her father's arms silently for several moments, her eyes closed and then released him. The couple gathered up their sleeping granddaughter and exited the chamber, leaving Da with her husband.

"This grows wearisome, Ce," she said quietly. "They all think you dead and they all think I am mad, crazed with denial about you. Why must you make this so difficult for me, darling? To what end do you test me?"

She gestured to the window, indicating the omnipresent grey sky. "The vault of heaven itself waits on your return. The sun refuses to shine and the moon shows not its face because of the grave evil that permeates the land. So dreadful is this plague that the sun and moon cannot look upon the earth, because their champion comes not to right these wrongs."

She leaned in now and whispered to him. "Ce, I believe Yu Ji lives. What else cannot account for the unease and appalling state of things that beset us now? This is unnatural. Quan is preparing to rule in your stead and not because he wants to."

Her frustration peaked and she put her hands on his shoulders and called down to him loudly.

"Ce! Please come back to me! Do you have any idea how foolish this looks?!"

She sat on the edge of the bed, facing away from him with her arms crossed and she huffed in irritation. Men could be _so_ inconsiderate at times...

***

"She has not moved from her position, my lord," Qiao Xuan said, bowing before Quan. "She has always been a most difficult girl."

"Well at least one thing around here hasn't changed." Quan said with a sigh. He was standing at the window of one of the chambers inside the palace and looking to the west, wondering what lay beyond the great veil of the Barrier Mountains, home of the gods. "But I appreciate you trying, it is a most difficult thing. We all wish she was right."

"My poor daughter," Bi Qiao mourned. "Grief has snapped her mind. I believe she may never recover."

"She is not the only one who feels that way," Quan admitted. "None of us know what comes next."

The couple bowed humbly and made their way out of the room. Quan stood silently, lost in sadness. In the corner of the room, Shang Xiang had been sitting, listening somewhat absently to all that was said. She approached her brother now and laid a consoling hand on his shoulder.

"Whatever may happen, brother, you know I am here with you. You and I both know that Ce was the greatest of us, surpassing even our father; but our family will prevail and the land will know the peace and happiness that Ce dreamed of. We will make it happen."

Quan squeezed his sister's hand and nodded. He had to believe in that certainty.

A cold wind blew in from behind them and they turned around to see what was amiss. They stared wide-eyed at the intruder and although they had never seen him before themselves, they knew immediately who confronted them.

"Yu Ji..." Shang Xiang whispered.

"I am flattered by your recognition, Lady Sun," the sorcerer said, bowing his head. "Indeed as you say, I am Yu Ji, and I wanted the Sun family to know that I am still among you and the game has not ended."

Quan stepped in front of his sister possessively. "What do you want, Yu Ji?"

The sage smiled. "As I have already stated, my presence here is still necessary, until your family is no more and your lands lie in ruins. The stars that wheel overhead have not declared in your favour, oh arrogant Southlanders, the Mandate of Heaven lies with another, one who will be known as the Hero of Chaos."

Quan and Shang Xiang both knew that Yu Ji referenced the Prime Minister, Cao Cao Mengde, who would be the hammer and the anvil that beat the chaotic realm into order.

"My work here did not end with Sun Ce, no, my friends. I agreed to work the will of the Celestials in these far lands until none remained to oppose the coming rule of law. Though your brother was the greatest offender amongst you, it simply will not do to have you oppose divine providence, simply for the legacy of your family."

"Ce slew you," Shang Xiang said, her tone biting. "No one can survive what was done to you. You are an illusion. Begone, foul dweomer!"

"I assure you, my high-hearted lady, that I am absolutely real," Yu Ji said simply, pulling back his scintillating yellow robes to reveal his chest, which showed no sign of injury or the least marring. "Such a wound as your brother inflicted could hardly bother one such as I, who knows the way of the universe."

The Sun sibling glared at the sorcerer, their fighting spirit rising at this challenge, though both were unarmed.

"Still doubt me?" Yu Ji queried. "Then perhaps _this_ will convince you..."

He spread his arms wide and closed his eyes. The grey skies grew almost black and the heavens rumbled. Peals of thunder boomed throughout the land while bolts of lightning struck the lofty towers of Baifu, setting buildings ablaze and the city into a panic.

"Even as we speak, other cities within your realm are experiencing these tribulations in response to your arrogance," the man declared, his eyes glowing with power. "Wuchang, Jiangling, Dong Ting and others will know distress this night, cowed by my mastery of the Tao. The terror I cover the land with will drive your people to madness. They will slay one another and within a week the realm of the Southlands will collapse in utter chaos."

Quan bit his lip, seemingly unable to move, rooted to the spot while the sorcerer spoke. No matter what he did, his body would not respond.

"I have no intent of killing either of you yet," Yu Ji declared, his hands returning to the voluminous sleeves. "This realm will know true fear before it falls. You will see or hear from me as I deign, but mostly you will just understand that I am nearby, because of the troubles and woes that befall you. Try to administer, if you must, for the lands wait for no man."

They blinked and he was gone. But if they were trying to convince themselves that he had been nothing more than a figment of their imagination, the sky outside burst open, unleashing a terrible tempest upon the countryside.

What could possibly be done?

***

_Where am I? Is this the nothingness Yu Ji spoke of? It cannot be, for I am aware. Where the hell am I?_

_**Is that an answer you are sure you are willing to hear, my young friend?**_

_Oh, not you again. Dammit, what was your name? Zuo Ci, right?_

_**Your memory is sharp, Lord Sun, I am flattered. Indeed it is I.**_

_I dunno whether to be pleased or annoyed with your presence. Since you're here, I'm assumin' this isn't the oblivion Yu Ji threatened me with._

_**Not as such, no. Not yet.**_

_Well thanks for that, old man. I wanna say that I haven't got time for this, but you're probably gonna say that time doesn't exist here, so what's my rush, right?_

_**Your understanding of the Tao is matched only by your impatience with it, young lord. However, as you can clearly see, even your perceptions of the great truths are exceeded by that of others. Can you live with this?**_

_Not too keen on dyin' with it, I'll tell you that._

_**Why, then, do you tarry, lord? What is it that holds you back?**_

_Damned if I know, I have no clue where I am or how I got here or how the hell long I've been here. Am I dead?_

_**Do you think you are dead?**_

_Will you cut that shit out already, pal? Either answer my damn question or leave me alone so I can figure this out! You wouldn't be pestering me if you didn't want me to overcome whatever's goin' on, you'd be floating around pissing someone else off._

_**So certain of your destiny, are you?**_

_Like I've got anything better to do. Now talk to me or take a hike, I'm not in a chatting mood. Why don't you ever show up at Baifu when it's peaceful and just have tea and ask your creepy questions then? What's so wrong with that? Don't you miss doing something normal?_

_**To be what you consider normal is often contradictory to the Tao, my friend. What if you were forced to choose?**_

_That's a stupid question. Choosin' between my wife and the Tao? You ever even kissed a girl?_

_**Your outlook is always refreshing, Lord Sun, though conversation with the Lady Qiao is usually more civil.**_

_She's a trained courtesan, grandpa. There's a big gap in my education concernin' that sorta thing. And before you ask me why I'm here, I wanna know why you're here. I somehow doubt you're stuck like I am._

_**Are you ind-**_

_Yes, I'm stuck, at least for now. Wanna know why? Because I'm not concetratin' on figuring it out, but some weird old man with a purple eye tattoo and too much eternity on his hands won't shut up and I keep hopin' he might gimme an idea or clue about what's goin' on._

_**You fascinate me, young lord.**_

_Well the feelin' ain't mutual, pal. You're like some mystic party guest that just won't go away and you have to keep entertaining them when there's other stuff to do._

_**Perhaps I am not so dreary and uninteresting as all that.**_

_Like I'll ever find out, since you only show up at times where I'm not the least bit interested in you. Look, just focus and help me figure this out, okay? Can the damn riddles and answer some questions, otherwise I'm ignorin' you, got it?_

_Good. Now, I'm assumin' that I wasn't obliterated, since I'm stuck with you. So it might be that I'm dead, but I'm guessin' that isn't it either, or you wouldn't be keepin' me here like this, I'd be gettin' judged for my deeds and all that stuff. _

_**As you say.**_

_Can you tell me how many days, according to mundane measurements, I've been stuck here?_

_**Seven.**_

_Dammit!_

_**Why the hurry?**_

_I may have eternity, but my family, my friends and my wife don't! I know I didn't beat Yu Ji, meanin' he's still down there, tormenting them! Who the hell is that guy, anyway?_

_**He is a very powerful sage indeed, one who knows the Tao and then acts on his convictions.**_

_He's workin' for Cao Cao is what he's doin'. I could smell it on him. Even sages eat and he reeked of the delicacies of Xuchang._

_**How astute of you to notice. Why would you contest one who knows the Tao?**_

_Because he's abusin' what he knows. He's torturing people and forcing them to act on his whims! Where's the justness in that?_

_**If it is as you say, surely the Heavens would not allow it, right?**_

_The Heavens allow a lot of shit to happen, probably because we demand to be given self-determination. Even if what he was doing wasn't happenin' to my family, I'd still say what Yu Ji was doin' was wrong. Right'n wrong are universal, they're not gray._

_**And you would defy such a balance, simply to save your friends, family and loved one from what Fate has ordained?**_

_I ain't convinced that this is how things're gonna pan out. Best believe that if I figure out how to get outta here, Yu Ji's gonna be sorry._

_**And if Xi Wang –Mu and the Celestials have decided that indeed you do belong here and apart from their fates, what then?**_

_I'll believe it when I see it. An' I don't believe they're that cruel. What's the point of preachin' mercy in the name of Heaven if Heaven ain't providin' an example?_

_**Your faith is strong, if articulated in a somewhat heretical form.**_

_What, what did you say?_

_**You are a man of tremendous spiritual strength and faith, young lord, though your language smacks of heresy to the close-minded.**_

_And you just gave me the answer I needed, pal. It ain't easy, but now I know what's gotta happen if I'm gonna solve this mess. _

_**Indeed?**_

_Just sit back and watch, old man..._

_ ***_

Thunder shook the pavilion and lightning made the inside of the chamber as bright as day for several moments before returning to darkness. A chilling wind howled through the balcony entrance, billowing the curtains and guttering the braziers. The servants shivered and pulled their robbers or blankets around themselves, staring all the while at Da Qiao, who remained seated next to Sun Ce, unmoved by the unnatural bluster.

"Lady Qiao, _please_ allow us to put a heavy robe on you," begged one woman, fearing for her mistress' life. "You will catch your death from cold if we-"

"My husband has no need of such comforts and neither do I." Da said in a firm but drawn and tired voice. She had not slept in a week and her strength was waning. If Ce didn't wake up soon...

The servant sighed in despair and made sure the braziers stayed lit and then returned to Da's side. "At least allow us to block the balcony so that the winds do not plague you so."

"Unacceptable," Da announced. "Ce needs to see what is going on while he treads the arrow."

She glared down at him now. "And it had _better_ not be while in the company of some frivolous young spirit or nymph. Because by the gods, if you are, you'll _wish_ you had died, Lord Sun."

She heard conversation outside the door to the chamber which then opened and allowed someone in. She felt the presence of someone who had never come to Baifu before and she turned around to look at Elryk levelly.

"I assume, lord of the White Wolves, that it is your turn to try and make me relinquish my husband, whom you have all given up for dead?"

The huge barbarian warrior shook his head once Lap had translated and bowed his head. He had great respect for the Lady Qiao. "No, great lady, though I confess I do believe that the night has taken your husband, that is not my purpose here."

"What is then, Elryk?"

He walked over and stood in front of the balcony, gazing out into the turbulent dark, even though it was barely past midday. His keen, ice blue eyes reflected the lightning as he spoke.

"These storms... they are unnatural here and yet they remind me of the tempests that batter the northern shores of my own home."

"I suppose you mean for me to take comfort in these words, lord, but I am neither bothered by these storms nor interested in them at the moment." Da said coolly. "I know why they are happening and I await the arrival of the solution, though all others have despaired, foolishly."

"My lady, nothing would be make me happier than for your words to ring true," Elryk admitted. "But my purpose here was not to console you so directly. I came to tell you that when such miseries afflicted us back home, we prayed to our gods to defend us from these demons that tear the sky asunder and shake the land with their rage."

"The priests and monks pray constantly for our deliverance, Elryk, and yet nothing has happened. What more would you have them do?"

"Nothing other than what they are doing, I assure you. However, I believe that in this matter I may be of some value, or rather, I know someone who should be..."

Elryk gestured to the door and in came his younger brother, Aengava, the seer and shaman for the _Bailangren_, the People of the White Wolf. Though not as tall as his brother, he was still strongly built and a capable fighter. But what was different about Aengava was his startling violet eyes- some said that they represented his unusually strong connection to the spirit world beyond the mortal realm, a sign of their pact with him and only the most self-possessed of people could endure his gaze for long.

He stood next to Elryk and bowed low to Da Qiao. He wore the rugged breeches of his people and a sturdy leather belt. He was bare-chested and wore a wolf pelt mantle across his shoulders. On his chest hung a simple and large gray stone with some strange rune carved into it. Da had never seen fit to inquire after the artefact, something about it unnerved her.

"Great Lady of the Southlands, I beg your permission, as your humble servant and the spiritual guide of my people, to attempt to assist your priests and monks in their endeavours to quell the chaos the heavens rain down upon you. Such trials are not unknown to us in the forests and shores of Europa."

Da considered the request. Though it might be considered heresy, her own gods were not exactly hastening to ease the torment of the people of Wu and she was willing to try anything at this point. Though she had not left this chamber for the past seven days, she still had a realm to think about.

"What do you suggest, Aengava?" she asked.

He bowed. "Unless you have some objection, my lady, I would have you dismiss the priests within this room and the surrounding chambers and allow me to stand vigil and pray for us all. Though I encourage them to continue, I need room to commune with the god of night and they'll frankly be in the way."

Da looked down at Ce, a wry look on her face. "Well, this should amuse you no end, and I am sure that P'an Chin-Lien will be delighted with me for turning to barbarian gods to solve our problems. I hope you know what sort of trouble I go to for you, Ce..."

She had the pavilion cleared of priests, who objected strenuously, but knew better than to provoke her wrath- they had not given her the results she desired over the past seven days and now she was attempting something else- so be it.

Aengava settled into a corner while Elryk took his leave. The shaman carried his gnarled staff of some alien wood, studded with silver nails along its length. He had already begun mumbling to himself and Da returned her attention to her husband. She heard Aengava take a long draught of the infernal _beel_ the barbarians drank and then he let out a long, rolling belch before continuing his guttural chanting.

It was going to be a long day.

***

Ce's mind burned with concentration as he willed things to be for him. From the nothingness that surrounded him, he would see that which he needed, mould that which he desired and effect whatever suited him. And the first thing he wanted was to know where the hell he was.

He opened his eyes, which apparently he still had, and found himself afloat in a realm of darkness, punctuated by stars, suns, sacred comets and celestial bodies. A cluster of stars seemed to observe him, almost looking like a face that shone with the wisdom of a thousand ages.

_**Impressive, Lord Sun Ce; have you created that which you see around you or have you merely managed to see that which cannot be seen?**_

_I'm seein' what can't be seen, because if I'd created it, you wouldn't be buggin' me right now. Nice to know I still have a conscious mind and all that. I'm not percievin' this, I'm actually seein' it. _

_**An astute observation, my lord. What now for you, then?**_

_I ain't got that figured out just yet, but it'll come to me. _

_**Do you still mean to contest the will of the Celestials?**_

_You haven't proved to me that I am, Zuo Ci. Until they come an' tell me that I am, I'm bettin' that I am doin' exactly what I'm meant to be doin'._

_**Such confidence. Perhaps this path is not beyond you after all. Allow me, then, to assist...**_

Thought the darkness remained, Ce watched as Zuo Ci realized his physical form, standing into the middle of the void, stroking his shining white beard thoughtfully.

"It's annoyin' to watch how easily you do that." Ce grumbled.

"I have had eternity to practice." Zuo Ci pointed out. "Beyond the confines of the world we are born into, time is meaningless and not a constraint."

"If that were true, I'd be fixin' this damn mess in everyone else's last week." Ce growled, clearly not interested in temporal physics at the moment.

Zuo Ci chuckled at Ce's statement. "Lord Sun Ce, you amuse me and awe me all at once, for you perceive eternity and yet understand how a linear existence keeps us from correcting issues we seek to influence. We cannot change the past."

"What if that wasn't entirely true?" Ce suggested.

Zuo Ci raised an eyebrow, waiting for Ce to elaborate.

"I don't mean change it directly, of course, but what if the _meaning _of history were something other than we initially understand?"

"And yet earlier you posited that you believed in objectivism and universal truths, rather than the subjective value of mere perception." Zuo Ci stated. "How do you reconcile this statement with that one?"

"Perception and understanding ain't the same thing," Ce said. "You an' I both know that. We perceive events at the time, but few people see the larger meaning in things."

"True enough, but what has this to do with the past?"

"Like the old riddle- if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it still make a sound? If all men lost their sight tomorrow, would there still be colours? The answer to both is yes. My point is, we only perceive yesterday a certain way, from our exposure and others'll perceive it another way, based on their circumstance. The truth has gotta be both, even if we can't see it all."

"I would concur," Zuo Ci said readily, enjoying watching the young man's mind at work. "When the world once was unmade, our people spoke of cataclysms including a fire that scorched the land, while those of the uttermost west recall tales of a flood that swallowed the world. One makes no mention of the other, but our shared world suffered both misfortunes, although the extent remained unknown."

"Right," Ce said. "An' I think that if you know these things, you can affect the outcome of yesterday. Influencing it however, even if people don't see it happening, things'll still play out the way you want them. You can't overwrite history, but maybe you can underwrite it."

"You propose to make history prove you right in the future by tying it together in ways that remain unseen." Zuo Ci concluded. "But who except the most subtle immortal could possibly see all ends and tie them together into such a strand as you propose?"

"Do you think that the arrival of Elryk's people and their gods is a contradiction to our beliefs or a validation of it?" Ce asked.

Zuo Ci pondered Ce's question. "Their gods exist as surely as our own, for we have seen the god of night and his terrible power. You seem to be proposing a unification of powers, where the gods of the west are simply their interpretations of the being we have always worshipped. But that is only the surface of your query. Beyond the question is a conclusion- you understand that these barbarians, admirable as they may be, represent a serious threat to our way of life. Our tolerance of them will force us to examine and affirm our own beliefs, lest we lose ourselves. A thousand years will pass or even more and still we will keep our ways and beliefs, never diluting them with the thoughts of others."

Ce nodded. "Without them, we'd probably change and adapt at some point to suit ourselves, because our perceptions were never challenged. Thousands of years from now, the Middle Kingdom will still center around the Tao. Change will strengthen rather than stagnate our beliefs and we'll have been right all along."

"The underwriting of history." Zuo Ci said finally. "An edifying theory, young lord, but what of it in your particular case?"

"This started a long time before I was around, pal," Ce said, certain he was correct in his thinking. "It's all underwritten, y'just need to be able to see it all."

Zuo Ci nodded. "The shaman Aengava works to summon the god of night, for the priests and the monks are powerless before Yu Ji."

"An' so is Aengava, but a god won't be." Ce said firmly. "The god of night'll keep the bastard busy."

"It is a dangerous game you play, lord," Zuo Ci warned. "To slight our own gods in favour of these deities of other peoples..."

"It ain't my choice, I just know it's gonna happen," Ce reasoned. "It makes sense, since nothin' else is workin' for them and they're not gonna just surrender."

"They think you dead, they have almost given up hope as it is," the sage pointed out. "All except your wife, that is."

Ce remembered the moments after Yu Ji had struck him down and he had convinced Ce that Da Qiao had abandoned him. Yu Ji was indeed powerful if he could influence the young warlord so easily.

Even if Yu Ji had made Da say those things and even if by some miracle the child was indeed the sorcerer's and not his own, it changed nothing. Da Qiao was his, until the world and the heavens were reduced to void. Nothing would change that.

Blackness swallowed him and he swooned for a moment before coming back to himself. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth as he fought the sickness he felt. The pounding ache in his chest was unbearable, it felt as if some terrible clawed hand was reaching inside him and squeezing his heart until it was ready to burst.

"Though you are not dead yet, Lord Sun, it may still happen," Zuo Ci said quietly, his voice containing a trace of concern, something Ce had never heard in it before. "Yu Ji's power is great and the curse he poisoned you with affected not only your body but your soul. You teeter not only on the brink of death but also the oblivion he threatened you with. That part is indeed true, although delayed by the strength of your will."

"So time is a factor." Ce remarked grimly. "Once my body gives out, I'm finished, right?"

Zuo Ci nodded quietly.

Ce closed his eyes and thought of what to do. Through his mind's eye he saw the stars take the shape of a great cosmic tiger, a beast that stood to either destroy or protect the heavens, depending on its mood. Its piercing gaze fell on him, stripping him naked and leaving him open to judgement.

Ce refused to look away, holding its eyes with his, daring the celestial beast to come closer...

***

Aengava wailed and chanted in his strange tongue, arrhythmic utterances that sounded unlovely to the listener's ears, yet somehow compelling. His eyes were glazed as he called out to his deity, the great and terrible god of night that watched over the People of the White Wolf.

Almost as if in response to his prayers, the storm that plagued the land became wilder still, as if two great tempests were battling for control of the skies above the Southlands. The winds and noise remained, but somehow seemed not so malevolent, as if the attentions of the dark vault of the heavens had been directed away from men and terrorizing them. The new storm that rolled over the land seemed different, and the thunder and wind held some faint trace of a war-cry or a shout of wrath. Those who dared to look up were slightly discomfited by the visual suggestion of a huge, angry face in the blackness of the clouds.

Da Qiao had finally succumbed to sleep. She sat in the cushioned chair next to Ce's bed, her eyes closed as she rested after a week of constant vigil. Within the room, Quan, Shang Xiang, Zhou Yu, Xiao Qiao, Taishi Ci and some others gazed at her, sick at heart about what they must now do.

"The time has come," Quan said quietly. "My brother's soul will know no peace if he if left un-honoured and unburied, without the ceremonies due to his station. I grieve for my sister-in-law, for what we now do will shatter her and she may never heal, but this must be done. Xiao, please have Da's servants take her to the quarters in your own pavilion and tend to her, for she looks nigh unto death herself and I cannot bear another loss of one so close."

Sadly, Xiao came forward and directed the servant girls to carry her older sister via the covered walkways to her chambers in the Peach Blossom Pavilion. She embraced her husband and exited, not wanting to be around for the preparations that would follow.

They came forward and Taishi Ci lifted Sun Ce up from the bed he lay upon, the only one in the room who could bear the young lord's powerful body with relative ease and afford him any dignity in the transportation. Leaving Aengava for the moment, they emerged from the White Tiger Pavilion and went to the temple across the parade square, dedicated to Chu Jung, the god of fire and patron deity of the Sun family.

In spite of the tempest that raged above, thousands of people waited in silent vigil, kept from getting too close by the Night Tiger's, Sun Ce's personal bodyguards and the deadliest warriors in the Southlands- they were chosen not by their lineage or social privilege but solely based on their combat ability and unwavering loyalty to Sun Ce personally. Their ferocity on the battlefield was matched only by the White Wolves of Lord Elryk and their fanatical dedication only by Sun Shang Xiang's amazons. They were even held to be the equals in combat of the emperor's Imperial Tiger Corps, the most legendary warriors in the Middle Kingdom. High praise indeed and none of the spectators dared to contest their will or their barricade.

They entered the temple, within which several fires that were never extinguished burned and the air was thick with incense and the sing-song chanting of priests. Within the center of the main hall stood a palanquin, bedecked in scarlet and gold and magnificent tiger skins. It was here that Taishi Ci solemnly laid Ce's body and then stepped back, bowing low as the priests and monks moved in and began praying over the naked warlord.

As they watched, Quan sighed heavily. "How then shall we attire him for his afterlife?"

Shang Xiang wiped away a tear from the corner of her eye. "Ce was a warrior like no other, of course. We should inter him dressed as such, for surely there will be battles to be fought against evil spirits, demons and old foes in the vaults of heaven or the void beyond."

"Do we appoint him with the armour of Iskander and the halberd bestowed upon him by the emperor, to signify his rank and favour?" Taishi Ci asked.

"I think not," Zhou Yu said finally. "Ce was brought to this death by the emperor and the Imperial Court, as surely as Sun Jian was. Magnificent though he looked in that breastplate and with the halberd in hand, I believe that the scarlet and gold armour he wore and his tonfas are far better suited to him and how he would wish to be remembered. No warrior could ask for better."

They all nodded in agreement, seeing the wisdom in Zhou Yu's conclusion. They all remembered him as the dashing and invincible warrior who loved a good fight, who somehow appeared to be everywhere on the battlefield at once, exhorting the men and leading with examples of inhuman bravery.

Quan gestured to a servant and instructed him to retrieve Sun Ce's armour and weapons and the man left immediately. Shang Xiang looked at the ceiling, listening to the rolling thunder and howling winds outside the temple.

"If I didn't know what was causing all this, I would say the heavens were rebelling at our lethargy in burying our brother," she murmured. "Surely they could not be blamed for this sentiment."

"How many triumphs have we gained because of his sheer will?" Quan pondered. "How many battles were won simply because he was there?"

"Though we must go on, it will never be as easy," Zhou Yu said softly, speaking aloud what they were all thinking. "Yet we must honour him and his memory by fighting for and creating the world he fought for and wished to see, the city in his dreams."

They watched silently as the monks and priests droned on, calling on the god of fire to watch over his favoured son; they tried to ignore the black bruise that marred his skin, skull-shaped and menacing, seemingly still growing larger, although they all knew this was not possible.

While the tempest outside raged, the fires within the temple were stoked higher and the heat of the hall became almost oppressive. The warriors waited with great patience until the initial prayers were done, nearly two hours later and then the priests and monks retired, preparing the next set of rites for the departed.

Quan, Shang Xiang and Zhou Yu approached Sun Ce, looking down at him sadly, still in disbelief that this could have happened. They were both perspiring because of the heat when Shang Xiang reached out and laid her hand on her brother's before withdrawing it suddenly.

"He's still cold as ice, Quan," she said, wrinkling her brow. "I know he is dead, but shouldn't his body have warmed up a little after all this business in the temple? There's even a fire burning under the stone base of the palanquin he is resting on."

Quan touched his brother's forehead, closing his eyes and listening for anything that might betray their fears, but he shook his head. "I know not what devilry was at work, Shang Xiang, but when a spirit as mighty and fiery as our brother's leaves its shell, maybe a cold husk is all that's left."

There was a flash of lightning that poured through the open doors of the temple and a roar of thunder that shook the building to its foundations, almost like a bellow of rage.

"Can a foreign god really defeat the evil at work here?" Shang Xiang asked.

"I know not," Quan admitted. "But it was so great an evil that evil Ce could not defeat it, maybe only a god can do what needs to be done."

Shang Xiang closed her eyes, praying for their deliverance. From here on in, they would need all the help they could get.

***

"What do you think, Lord Sun Ce, of the paradox of your family's association with the tiger?" Zuo Ci asked as he strode amongst the pearlescent clouds, stroking his beard.

"What are you talking about?" Ce replied somewhat tersely as he knelt, his hands knotted together in a pattern of concentration and evoking the principal of _sha_, the alchemical ability of the body and spirit to heal itself.

"I assume you know that the White Tiger, _Xi Fang Bai Hu_, is the guardian of the west and his star rules the Seven Mansions of the Moon, yes?" the old sage queried.

"Yeah, of course I do." Ce answered, somewhat irked, since this was basic astrology. Even common peasants knew this much.

"Your family has never lived in the west. Moreso, your origins lie in the east, ruled by the element of wood and the Azure Dragon."

"Ah, bullshit," Ce scoffed as he concentrated on the principal of _tung_, the mastery of time and space as related to one's own body. "My family is from the South and the spirit of the south, which is ruled by fire."

"And the phoenix, not the tiger." Zuo Ci countered.

"What's your point, beardy?" Ce said somewhat absently, trying to feel his toes.

"No point, I was just musing about the paradox or discrepancies, if you will, of your ruling stars. The west is aligned with the lungs and respiratory system, the south with the heart and circulatory system. The north, by contrast, is associated with water and the skeleton and excretory system and kidneys."

"Well piss on them," Ce said pithily. "So you're just occupying yourself with all this nonsense while I try to survive, is that it? And yes, I know that the planet that rules the south is called Agnaraka or Mangala (Mars/Huo Xing) by the Vedics who brought us the Great Wheel while the West is ruled by Shukra (Venus). I am somewhat educated off the battlefield, thank you."

"Far more than you ever let on, in fact," Zuo Ci observed. "Your learning in most academic matters rivals that of your sworn brother Zhou Yu's and exceeds his in matters ephemeral and spiritual."

"Just keep it to yourself, okay?" Ce muttered. "I don't want people buggin' me all the time."

"What use have you for such obfuscation if you are not amongst them?" the sage asked.

"You sayin' I won't make it back?" Ce challenged.

Zuo Ci pointed at Ce's side. The young warrior looked down where indicated and frowned at the hideous and unusual bruise, blacker than night. It seemed almost to move or crawl under his skin.

"What the hell is that?" he demanded.

"Yu Ji's mark on you, of course." Zuo Ci answered simply. "It is a mark of death and desiccation, the sign of an evil spirit that consumes all with its endless hunger, even unto the soul."

Ce frowned at the mark, curious by it. He saw not only the bane of his own people in this dire sigil, but hints of the sufferings of others. Cries of pain and torment flooded his mind, cursing the names of this hideous creature.

_Pazuzu... Ravana...Wendigo...Babalu Aye... Kolaksay..._

"Are they really all the same entity?" Ce murmured, lost in wonder at the possible revelation.

"Even the wisest do not know, my son, and those who have transcended will not say once they reach the heavens," Zuo Ci said. "What I do know is that none so cursed have survived. Do you intend to survive? Is an intact soul worth losing your body for and your chance to be with those you love?"

He looked at Ce steadily, peering into his heart. "Would you accept eternity if it meant shunning mortality? For that is the choice you now face. You can keep your soul, never again knowing the touch of your beloved, or you can fight and perish, losing everything and surrendering to oblivion, knowing nothing of your great loss."

Ce was silent for what might have been a thousand years or the blink of an eye, he knew not. Time mattered not, seemingly. When his gaze met Zuo Ci's his eyes were flashing with defiance.

"I choose neither," he said firmly. He stood now, his body whole and strong, but for Yu Ji's mark that threatened to consume him if he did not defeat it. "Death, eternity, whatever- I'll face them on my terms and everything else can just learn to get along with that."

There was a deafening roar as the celestial tiger voiced its approval for his steadfastness and resolve to overcome any adversity.

Zuo Ci bowed. "Most admirable and no less than I expected, great lord. Men come to the Tao how they may. It is a simple path and always the same, although what we see along the way and how we walk differs for each. Unity and conformity are so very different, after all."

Ce could feel something was amiss, but not here, elsewhere.

"What's goin' on? I can see myself, but I still can't perceive anything else that was real to me."

"The god of night holds Yu Ji's assault on your realm in check, but more immediately, your wife's strength has left her and those who love you and believe you gone have taken your body from her custody and are preparing it for the pyre." Zuo Ci warned.

Ce's eyes widened. "A pyre?"

The sage nodded.

Ce stamped his foot. "Dammit, Elryk! You and your damned foreign ways and ideas! How's a guy supposed to get back if you torch his body?!"

"I am sure you look splendid, however." Zuo Ci remarked unhelpfully.

Ce's mind raced. "I can't make it back, can I? I'm not strong enough to stop this by myself."

Zuo Ci said nothing.

***

Da Qiao strode angrily through the courtyard, ignoring the howling winds and storms overhead, followed by her anxious younger sister. Da had woken up suddenly and much sooner than anyone would have anticipated after a week of not sleeping. Though she was pale she seemed full of energy and determination.

She pushed past the Night Tigers guarding the temple doors and stomped inside. Everyone looked shocked to see her, even Zhou Yu. Without so much as a word to anyone she shoved past the priests and monks performing their rituals and gazed down at her husband- he was wearing his traditional scarlet and gold armour and his tonfas were resting in his hands, crossed over his chest.

She whirled around and glared at the assembly. "I go to sleep for five minutes and you lot decide to bury him?!" she shouted. "Who overruled my orders about my husband?!"

Quan strode forward and to everyone's amazement, kow-towed in front of his sister-in-law.

"Da Qiao, please forgive me, but my brother's spirit-"

"Get up, Quan, I'm not the damned leader of the realm!" Da said harshly. "What the hell is so hard about seeing the truth of all this?"

"Because you're the only one that does, Da." Shang Xiang said, walking up to her, her eyes glistening and her hand trembling as she reached out to put a hand on her shoulder. "We all want so much to believe what you say, but he is gone. He has been taken from us and now we must pay our final respects to him."

"Listen to Shang Xiang, my lovely one," Lady Sun, matriarch of the family said gently as she approached Da. "Listen to me, for I know how great this pain is for you, as you well know. It is a burden you and I alone share and now I have lost not only my husband but my son. Were I to sit and wait with you for a thousand years, would it being him back?"

Da was silent as she turned and looked down at her husband, struggling with herself. It could not be. He could not be dead.

A tiny hand touched hers and she trembled with emotion.

"Mother," Sun Kai-Ying said in a tiny voice. "Why do you hold father back? He can never be with us in the heavens if we do not let him go for now..."

Da closed her eyes for a moment before whirling around and striking her daughter across the cheek and sending her sprawling. Everyone gasped in horror and shock while Da Qiao glared at the little girl, her eyes flashing with rage.

"Blackheart!" she hissed. "Of all the cruelties to ever enact upon a grieving family, what you do now is without measure and beyond forgiveness!"

Sun Kai-Ying smirked and stood, revealing herself to be none other than Yu Ji. Taishi Ci snarled in anger and attempted to lunge forward but found he could not move. None of them could, save Da Qiao. The sorcerer smiled at her in amusement.

"You are far more perceptive than you appear, woman." Yu Ji intoned. "Though you have thwarted a final amusement on my part, nothing you do would have saved your husband, for truly he is gone. Not only has he passed from this world and shed his mortal coil, I have ripped him from it and his soul was devoured by the void, the great nothingness that awaits all those who challenge the Tao."

"Liar!" Da spat. "You dare tell your lies and falsehoods within the sanctum of the god of fire?! You are a vile heretic!"

"Who here is the liar, oh Lady of the Southlands?" Yu Ji sneered. "Everything I have promised has come to pass, while you desperately cling to your denial about your husband's continued survival. I tell you now he is as dead as his father- moreso, for Sun Jian, noble warrior, will be rewarded for a dutiful and virtuous while Sun Ce, ignoble wretch who challenged the Way, is naught, punished for his arrogance."

Da shook with fury at Yu Ji's repudiation of her husband. "Lies..."

"What further proof do you need?" Yu Ji mocked. "Were I to light him on fire this very moment, as was your family's intent, he would not burn, for his body is simply beyond such absolution. It is doomed to be taken and consumed by the mark I put upon him as punishment and no force under heaven can change that, however you may will it."

He strode forward and grabbed Da by her hair and spun her around, forcing her to look at Sun Ce. She could not resist, though she glared hatefully at him.

"Look at him. Look at him!" the sorcerer said harshly, pointing her face at her husband. "That is not death, fool! That is infinitely worse, for it is the sign of oblivion, nothingness and the void! This shell is all that remains and soon it too will be gone!"

He spun her away and she fell on her side, stunned by his power over her. He looked at them all, his eyes burning with light.

"There _is_ no Sun Ce. And I will slowly splinter him from your minds, so that you forget him utterly and willingly. No one will ever know or care that he existed..."

There was a rush of blinding wind and he was gone.

Zhou Yu rushed forward and helped Da to her feet. She was shaking and panting as she tried to control herself, unable to find the words she wanted to speak.

"We should complete the ceremonies as soon as we can," Quan said firmly. "If my brother is to have any hope of the afterlife, we must-"

"No!" Da shouted. "No, damn you! What part of this is not clear to you all?! How can you condemn your own brother to death like that!"

"Da, I beg you, see reason," Quan pleaded. "We all-"

The doors of the temple slammed shut and the sound of the great beams that sealed them echoed thunderously throughout the hall. Priests and Night Tigers rushed over to force the door, but to no avail- even Taishi Ci could not budge the barriers now.

"Does he intend to burn us alive?" Shang Xiang asked, worried. "What other egress is there from this building?"

"He said he was going to make us forget Ce, so he doesn't intend to kill us." Quan said, looking around for an answer to the dilemma.

"Then what is he keeping us from?" Zhou Yu muttered.

The hall echoed with the cries of a terrified girl. The sound rooted Da to the spot with horror.

"Kai-Ying!" Xiao screamed as she hurled herself against the huge doors, beating on them as she attempted to escape and save her niece. "He's going after Kai-Ying! We've got the rescue her!"

Everyone got over their initial shock and began trying to move the doors when they heard an odd sound, one they did not expect- the sound of Da shouting angrily.

They turned around and gasped in shock- the Lady of Wu had leapt up onto the palanquin Sun Ce rested upon and had grappled onto his collar. She was swearing at him angrily as she struck him back and forth across the cheeks as hard as she could.

"SUN CE! GET THE HELL BACK HERE! I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THIS NONSENSE! YOUR DAUGHTER NEEDS YOU AND YOU NEED TO QUIT SCREWING AROUND! GET BACK HERE NOW, HUSBAND!"

Everyone stared stupidly at the surreal scene, Da's tiny open hand smacking Ce's face so that it snapped from side to side in time with her words.

"GET BACK HERE OR I... WILL... KICK... YOUR... ASS!!!"

Sun Ce's eyes flared open, shining with an unreal celestial light.

***

Aengava glared balefully at the sorcerer who had intruded upon his rituals, chasing Lord Sun Ce's daughter into the room, clearly intent on harming her. The little girl hid behind the muscular barbarian warrior, scowling at Yu Ji. Aengava kept the intruder at bay with his sword and his gnarled staff.

"Your petty god cannot hold me back forever, barbarian," Yu Ji sneered. "His power in this world wanes when your strength ebbs and I am certain that will be before long."

"Try me, you little yellow bastard." Aengava growled.

Yu Ji sped in like a serpent, a wicked knife in his hand. He struck at Aengava with it and the shaman blocked the blade with his staff- the two wrestled and strained against one another, their bodies crackling with energy. Aengava's brilliant violet eyes glowed with the rage of the god of night while Yu Ji summoned the forces of twisted nature to do his bidding and destroy his foe.

Yu Ji spun away as Aengava thrust at him with his sword, shearing one of the sleeves off the sorcerer's robe. Barely a heartbeat had passed before he struck again, thrusting his palm forward and blinding German with a burst of light. Even as he reeled, Aengava struck with his staff, cracking it across Yu Ji's temple and making sure he could not follow closely.

The shaman spun and grabbed Sun Kai-Ying, holding her close, knowing that Yu Ji would be aiming for her. He felt the sorcerer's knife tear through his wolf-pelt, barely missing his tender flesh, but even this caused an obscene chill in him as the blade passed too close.

He struck backward with this sword, desperate to put distance between himself and his assailant, but he was hunkered down and moving awkwardly with his back to the foe. He could not face Yu Ji without endangering the girl and this he would not do.

He lifted her up and sprinted for the balcony, knowing Yu Ji was on his heels. Holding her close he threw himself over the ornamental railing and into the pond below. As he felt the wet blackness envelop him, he cursed as he remembered he could not swim; but he could not let the child drown, so he fought madly to get to the shore. He had barely crawled out, still holding Kai-Ying and coughing and spluttering for breath when he saw a blade in front of his face, impeding his movement. He looked up and cursed the god-rotting heavens upon seeing Yu Ji smiling down and him disdainfully.

"And now, barbarian," the sorcerer said quietly. "You and the girl die."

He drew his sword back for the strike when he looked up at a bright light overhead. His eyes went wide as he saw what looked like a star falling to earth. Yu Ji sprang away as the object crashed into the menagerie, a shining figure almost too bright to look upon. The being stood slowly, energies of a terrifying battle aura surrounding him like a corona of silver fire. The eyes belonged to a tiger, but one that was made out of the stars themselves.

"No..." the sorcerer breathed in shock. "It cannot be."

"You," Sun Ce said in a steady voice, betraying barely controlled fury. "Do you even _realize_ what you've done?"

He held his tonfas in his hand as he took up a fighting posture, his body still pulsing with energy and his eyes blazing like stars. He glared at Yu Ji, the sorcerer's uttermost destruction on his mind.

"You'll pay for this..."

***

Zhou Yu and Taishi Ci sped out of the temple, leaving the other to take care of Da Qiao, who had spent the last of her strength and collapsed. As they raced into the square, they were astonished to see what looked like a comet leap out of the White Tiger Pavilion menagerie and sail over the walls of Baifu and into the wide spaces beyond.

Following on foot, sprinting faster than a lithe deer, was Sun Ce, his eyes flashing and his body shining with his battle aura.

"Oh no you don't, pal!" he shouted angrily before leaping onto a rooftop and then out into the night after Yu Ji.

They both just stared at the distant wall the combatants had exited over.

"Well... now what?" Taishi Ci asked.

Zhou Yu looked up at the sky, pointed and sighed. "I guess we'd better check on Sun Kai-Ying. You'd better bring Elryk, I think his brother is losing control of whatever _that_ is..."

Indeed the raging storms overhead still did battle for supremacy, but the one that seemed like the fury of a god personified was slowly rolling back Yu Ji's tempest, now that the sorcerer was otherwise occupied. The clouds bellowed and thrashed, searing arcs of lightning tearing the sky apart. Within the city, people had finally had too much, the supernatural terror of the god of night overcoming their will and they had retreated to the safety of their houses and apartments.

While Taishi Ci went to retrieve Elryk, Zhou Yu dashed into the White Tiger Pavilion and began searching frantically for Sun Kai-Ying. Remembering that he had seen Yu Ji and Ce emerge from the menagerie, he hurried through the ornate building and through the doors that led to the sanctum- he saw Aengava lying on his back next to the pond, his startling violet eyes glazed over as he chanted and moving his arms wearily, still clutching his blade and his arcane staff. Sun Kai-Ying was kneeling over him and talking to the shaman softly in their strange and unlovely tongue. She looked up at Zhou Yu and smiled.

"Do not worry, Uncle Zhou Yu, Aengava lives."

Zhou Yu swept her up into his arms and hugged her tight. The girl squawked and struggled to free herself from the embrace, clearly in a phase where hugs from boys were not welcome.

"Uncle Zhou Yu!" she hissed, squirming. "Aengava needs me!"

Zhou Yu released her and then took a moment to breathe deeply and compose himself before looking around- the menagerie was a wreck. From behind a large stand of ferns, Sun Kai-Ying's enormous white tiger peered out timidly.

"You can come out now, hero, the danger has passed." Zhou Yu said dryly to the animal. "One day, I shall compose a story in your honour, I swear. May this tale never be forgotten and may it be re-written throughout history, 'The Tale of the Little Girl And Her Cowardly Tiger."

The cat moaned ruefully and hid his face.

***

Sun Ce's heart pounded in his chest as he sped through the forest, knowing that Yu Ji was not far ahead of him. No matter how far the sorcerer fled, he would not escape- Ce would not let him. Today would be the end of Yu Ji's days for what he had wrought.

He leapt now up into the trees, moving rapidly from branch to branch, almost as easily as if he had been sprinting on the ground. He sensed rather than saw the sorcerer, whom he knew had been taken completely by surprise at his return. Yu Ji's overwhelming arrogance would be his downfall. The man had learned the secrets of the Tao and with it he wrought havoc and pain, bringing despair to untold peoples he considered inferior, just because they had not been blessed enough to know the Way. It was unforgivable.

Through the raging night Yu Ji flew like a bird, but Ce was faster. Even as the sorcerer looked back to make sure he had distanced himself from his pursuer, Sun Ce burst through the canopy of the trees and struck, spinning and slamming his foot into the mage's chest and sending him hurtling to the earth like a comet. Yu Ji bounced roughly and seemed to explode in a shower of sparks before appearing elsewhere, glaring at Sun Ce as he floated menacingly, his eyes glowing yellow.

"So, you have cheated your appointed death, whelp," he said, his voice rumbling and alien. "Your lucky escape will not avail you, for the mark I left on you is not so easily thwarted."

Ce's limbs suddenly felt like lead and he tumbled to his hands and knees, his body awash with a sickly, gnawing cold. He could almost feel it emanating from his side, as if teeth made of ice had bitten into him and were spreading a fatal cold through his bloodstream. He fought to remain conscious, his head swimming as the world buckled around him. He could see with his mind's eye the terrible black mark on his side writhing and thrashing, as if trying to burst forth from him and devour him. A cold and clawed hand gripped his heart and squeezed mercilessly. He cried out in sudden agony.

"You cannot win, child." Yu Ji said scornfully. "No matter what that old meddler Zuo Ci told you or taught you, you cannot match my might."

He made a gesture of disdain and threw Sun Ce on his back, the warrior's body wracked with spasms of pain that would have killed another man. Ce felt as if his limbs were bending and snapping and his muscles being undone fibre by fibre, unwinding within him like frayed thread. The torment was maddening.

He defied pain, he defied terror and he defied confusion. He thought only of defeating his foe, no matter what the cost. No torture could deter him as he stood after what seemed like an eternity and glared at Yu Ji, his body shaking with effort.

"Your tricks ain't gonna work, Yu Ji, I'm onto you."

"No tricks, I assure you..." the sorcerer said coolly as he reached forth a hand and made a clenching motion. Something in Ce's leg snapped and he fell back to the ground, which he held onto desperately as the world spun around him.

"Though there is some satisfaction to be had in slaying you myself, I think it would please me more if those you held dear were to do it." Yu Ji mused, smirking as he observed Ce's suffering. "Perhaps I shall reunite you with them one last time..."

Ce felt a sorcerous wind blow and then was aware of several presences that made him sick with dread. He pushed himself to one knee and his eyes went wide as Zhou Yu rushed toward him. The strategist's face was one of panic and confusion as he drew his ancient sword, pointing it at his liege.

"Ce!" he shouted. "I cannot-"

Sun Ce avoided the strike and knocked Zhou Yu away, hopefully stunning him. He felt someone else behind him and narrowly dodged as Taishi Ci's club nearly knocked his head off his shoulders. He ducked the next strike and slammed his tonfas into Taishi Ci's heavily armoured chest, knocking him back a great distance. The metal protection held, but only barely and Ce prayed he hadn't crushed his commander's ribcage.

The world exploded in white light as Ling Tong's flail struck him across the side of the head. Reacting almost completely on instinct, he thrust out with his foot and felt it impact he assailant's stomach. He spun low, ignoring the pain in his leg and threw Ling Tong away bodily, giving himself time to breathe.

"Lord Sun Ce..." came a trembling voice behind him.

Slowly, Ce turned around and faced his great dread- Da Qiao was walking toward him unsteadily and awkwardly, as if she were trying to fight the momentum but losing, her battle fans in hand.

"Please, my lord," she begged, her eyes crystalline with tears. "I cannot control my body, Yu Ji is too strong for me. I am fated to kill you if you do not stop me..."

Ce could not move, stunned into inaction.

"My lord, I beg of you," his wife pleaded, beginning to sob. "You once promised me you would let me die first and I cannot bear the thought of taking your life. Take my life, for I will not be this man's tool for your torment."

Ce's heart pounded and his blood was like needles of ice as she began to run toward him, her fans ready to strike.

"Lord Sun Ce!" she screamed. "KILL ME!!!"

Ce shouted his agony to the heavens as he drove his tonfa forward, his eyes squeezed shut as he obliterated his foe. The terrible silence that followed echoed in his very soul, even as the demonic black mark on his side howled and cackled mercilessly.

His eyes were still squeezed shut as he felt another foe approach. Even as his wife lay dead, he felt Sun Jian's sword slicing down at his head...

He blocked the strike with his crossed tonfas and slammed his father back with an expert side kick. Even as Sun Jian tumbled away, Ce glared at Yu Ji.

"Bad idea, Yu Ji," he growled. "You got too cocky and forgot a simple truth- my father's already a member of the Celestial Tiger Guard. You have no power over him."

Yu Ji's eyes widened and he seemed to almost diminish as his oversight and folly became known to him. The bodies of Ce's foes shimmered and revealed their true forms, those of hapless garrison troopers of Baifu, now lost to the world for this man's sick pleasure.

Ce staggered forward, ignoring the flaring pain in his leg. Yu Ji held his ground but was clearly intimidated.

"Stay back..." he warned.

"Not a chance." Ce replied.

Yu Ji's eyes flared angrily at Ce's defiance and he draw forth his knife and lunged at Ce, stabbing at the warrior's heart. Ce made no attempt to dodge the strike but let his foe come in. The wicked blade pierced the metal of his breast plate before sliding into his tender flesh and then deep in his chest before breaking. He ignored the wound as he took hold of Yu Ji's shoulders and rammed his forehead into the sorcerer's nose, shattering his face. Even as Yu Ji reeled, Ce held onto him grimly, gripping his head and snapping it to one side, breaking his foe's neck.

Yu Ji's body crumpled but Ce still held him aloft. He eyes flashed like stars as he glared into the mage's face and willed his death.

"For my wife and my daughter..." he said coldly as he took the broken knife Yu Ji had used and rammed it deep into his chest. The man's eyes went wide and he shuddered. The hateful blackness took him and he knew no more.

Ce let the body drop now and stared down at it. Before his very eyes it seemed to shimmer and then fade away into nothingness. All that remained was the hilt and shard of Yu Ji's knife for even that faded slowly and then Ce was alone in the clearing.

He knew he was dying but he would not let himself until he returned to Baifu. Slowly and with more effort he could imagine, he turned about and began trudging back toward the city. Though the rage of the god of night thundered overhead, he could only hear the slow and weakening beating of his heart and the patter of his blood on the grass below, signalling his approaching time.

***

Zhou Yu was organizing the search parties when the southern gate guards shouted loudly and opened the great doors- a long figure staggered almost drunkenly through the archway, clearly horribly wounded. Zhou Yu cried out and dashed forward, along with Taishi Ci, Quan, Shang Xiang, Elryk and many others. He caught Ce just before he collapsed to his knees and held his sworn brother upright.

"Take me to Da," Ce wheezed. "There isn't much time."

"Ce, we must-"

"Dammit, Zhou Yu, just do what I say for once!" hissed the failing warlord. Knowing better than to argue, Zhou Yu helped Ce through the streets and back to the parade square in front of the palace. Hundreds and then thousands of soldiers and civilians began to flock the streets, trying to see what was happening now that the storm overhead was abating.

As they entered the square, the temple doors opened and out came Da Qiao, supported on either side by her sister and her mother-in-law. They were coming down the steps when they espied Lord Sun Ce's approach. Da paused and looked at her husband silently. Ce too had stopped and looked through the red haze at his beloved wife. Though his heart still beat feebly, he felt now in it the devotion and unconditional love he would only ever feel for her and it gave him the strength to do what came next.

He stood tall, waived aside all assistance and began walking stiffly toward her. Da Qiao too left her escort and moved to meet her husband in the middle of the square. Countless eyes were all them and the city watched silently as they met.

Da Qiao stared up into his eyes, her own weary beyond measure for her week-long ordeal.

"You have come back to me."

"Yes, my lady," Ce said, his voice trembling with emotion and effort. "Though I cannot stay, because my body has been tortured beyond even my capacity to endure; these moments are my last."

Da saw the grievous wound in her husband's heart and put a gentle hand on it before smiling.

"You are wrong, my lord, for they are _our_ last moments, and we shall have them together..."

They held one another's hands as they sank to their knees, still looking into one another's eyes. Ce could see that she had spent all her strength and will to live through this ordeal and there was nothing left to continue the journey with. More than that, he remembered his promise that he would let her die first, so that she never had to spend a moment in this weary and hateful world without him.

Da looked into Ce's eyes and she saw not only his mortality but also something new, some new understanding of the world and the stars and the great machinations that wove the story. He had seen something and whatever it was, it lay beyond the veil of night and eternal rest. She also knew that she would be with him to discover it.

Ce was kneeling as he cradled Da into his arms and smiled down at her, a single crystalline tear falling onto her cheek. She smiled up at him and placed her hands on his face, caressing it lovingly, as if trying to memorize it for the eternity that was to come.

He leaned down and kissed her as he held her close, the touch of her lips the last thing he felt...

***

The crowds closed in as they attempted to discern what had happened. Zhou Yu, Quan, Shang Xiang, Xiao and Lady Sun all stood over the couple and looked down at them silently, not knowing what to say. However much they might have wanted to, they could not bring themselves to disturb the final rest of the two people they all loved more than life itself.

Ren Neng the healer pushed his way through the crowd and past the silent friends and knelt next to Ce and Da. He checked various points on their bodies and then looked up at the assembly.

"Well, she needs a lot of rest and some solid food. If any of you fools would care to help me remove the knife shard from Lord Sun Ce's heart, I am pretty sure he will be fine by the end of the week. _What are you all waiting for?!"_

Xiao squealed and clapped in joy. It looked like she still had a sister after all.

***

Sun Ce sat on his throne, looking down at the women and men kow-towed before the throne. He felt now, more than ever, the burden of rulership but also the devotion of the people of Wu. Standing beside him, Da Qiao waited quietly, looking beautiful and noble in her formal gowns.

"There are no words I can say to you that will ever address your loss," he said gravely. "I slew your sons and your husbands in my fight with Yu Ji. It doesn't matter that I perceived them to not be who they were, I should have been stronger. I cannot tell you how sorry I am that I am still here today while they are lost to you."

"Lord Sun Ce," begged one old woman, a mother. "Though we grieve, we know that it was not you but that horrible Yu Ji who was at fault. What you did was not done out of malice, we all know you are not like this."

She looked up at him now and her eyes were full of tears. "The heavens have taken my son from me, but I have others. We will remember him for the rest of our lives and we will be reunited when the time comes. Who, my lord, but you could have saved our people from such peril? There is no one else strong enough. My son, though dear to me, died in a worthwhile cause, though it was not of his own will."

Ce's heart was heavy, knowing that these people did not forgive him because from their point of view, there was nothing to forgive. Clearly he was agonized about what had happened and they revered him as the man appointed by the heavens to protect them and rule them justly.

"I consider your families my personal responsibility," he said finally. "Whatever your positions, whatever your trades, I will see you are trained to be the most skilled professionals in the Southlands. I will care for your elderly and your sons who died shall be honoured as heroes, with shrine erected in Baifu to their memory."

The families were escorted out and now Aengava was brought before Sun Ce. The shaman kow-towed awkwardly, still holding his gnarled staff. Out of a corner, Sun Kai-Ying came running and tackled the German, knocking him on his side. Everyone laughed while Zhou Yu rolled his eyes.

Ce smiled. "Well, I guess I owe you one, Aengava," he said cheerfully. "You and the god of night did us a big favour, holding off Yu Ji while I was indisposed."

"Indisposed," Da Qiao queried, raising her eyebrow and looking at her husband. "More like taking an ethereal vacation while everyone else was dealing with your political fallout."

Ce coughed while Lap translated for Elryk and the _comitatus_, who were standing nearby and they roared with laughter. Khun explained to Aengava, who was trying to extricate himself from the Sun daughter's embrace.

"It... it was nothing, large lord." Aengava said in heavily-accented Chinese. "It was nothing more than any of your other subjects would have done."

Ce shrugged. "Well, you still went above and beyond and I understand from Elryk that it is customary for lords in your own lands to reward such service."

"No such boon is necessary, Lord Sun." Aengava said, trying to bow around Kai-Ying. She ended up sitting on his back, causing her tiger, sitting off in a corner, to grumble.

Ce rose and stepped down from the dais and shooed his daughter off Aengava's back and beckoning him to rise. He took a heavy silver band studded with purple amethysts off his finger and put it in Aengava's hands. He also beckoned a servant forward. The man hurried up and helped Sun Ce tie a glorious silk cloak of deep purple and trimmed with grey wolf fur around Aengava's broad shoulders. The silk was cunningly woven with mystical Chinese glyphs and Germanic runes of potency and power.

"There's one other thing a need you to do, pal." Ce said, clapping the warrior-priest on the shoulder. "I'm glad you an' your people have a home here now, but I'm not sure we've given your god of night the same courtesy. How do we build a shrine to him or whatever we're supposed to do?"

Aengava looked over at Elryk and the older brother nodded. The shaman drew a breath as he considered.

"We do not build shrines as such to our gods, lord, he said, thankful that Khun was translating now. "We have groves or clearings that we consecrate and make sacred to them, nothing so structured as you have."

"Aright then," Ce said agreeably. "I want you to look everywhere you like within my realm and find that grove or clearing and I'll let it be known across the land that it belongs to the god of night, forever and inviolate."

Aengava bowed low and the Germans beat on their shields with their fists loudly, causing the hall to echo uncomfortably. Elryk led the customary chant of devotion to Sun Ce and then the barbarians made their exit for the purpose of going to drink beer.

Zhou Yu now led everyone in bowing to Da Qiao humbly. "Please, my lady, can you ever forgive us for doubting you? Your faith in fate and your husband was not misplaced, whereas we did not prove so wise."

Da blushed and bowed back. "There is no need; I was right about this one thing. Anyone can be lucky. I continue to rely on you all as pillars of wisdom and I pray that never changes, because I have no wish to always be the one everybody looks to for the correct answer. It is too great a responsibility for me. Looking after my stone-headed husband is work and requires wisdom enough."

Ce looked over at his brother Quan. "So? How'd you like it in the big chair?"

Quan scowled. "Just don't ever do that again, okay? That was not nice."

Ce laughed. "You make it all sound like I did this on purpose. I'm pretty sure my near-death experience was involuntary."

"Try harder next time, you jerk." Shang Xiang huffed before turning on her heel and marching out. Ce looked over at Fu Chin-Ran quizzically and the brawny woman-warrior shrugged.

"She's just emotional about it and doesn't want you to see her cry."

The amazon captain bowed low and left after her lover. Soon, the only people left were Ce, Da Qiao, Zhou Yu and Xiao. Wine was brought and Ce took the silver tray for a moment, holding it up and frowning as he examined the reddish, almost purple welts across his cheeks.

"Damn, whatever Yu Ji did he must've really enjoyed himself. I don't recall him slapping me, though."

Da blushed. "Well... you _were_ pretty out of it, my lord. You cannot be expected to remember everything that happened."

"_I hope..."_ she thought to herself.

"So what was it like, Ce?" Zhou Yu asked, providing Da Qiao with a distraction.

"What was what like?" Ce queried.

"Well... death." Zhou Yu replied.

"Annoying." Ce said darkly. "A guy looks for a little peace and quiet for a change..."

"Excuse me?" Da demanded, looking at her husband sharply.

"I was stuck with Zuo Ci." Ce said hastily.

"Oh," she intoned, momentarily placated but then she smacked him on the shoulder. "You be nice to him, Ce! He is a very kindly and caring old man."

"Ow, alright, alright, have it your way. You just weren't pondering the prospect of being stuck with him for eternity, sitting there and asking you weird and esoteric questions about underwriting history and causal substitution."

"What?" all three of Ce's companions asked in unison.

Ce tried to explain about how the history of tomorrow was only certain if you made it happen a particular way and how it was possible for you to have been right all along if you subtly influenced events up to that point but eventually Xiao just shook her head.

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard!" she declared. "Why would I want to be right about how history turns out tomorrow if it sucks? If I do this underwriting thing and tie zillions of threads together throughout history, then I really am responsible for things if they've gone wrong."

She turned and glared at Zhou Yu. "If any of this get into your head or starts making sense to you, there's going to be trouble, mister!"

Zhou Yu and Da watched Xiao storm out of the room and then looked back at Ce, who was trying very hard not to laugh.

"Oh, wow," he said, his eyes bright with mirth. "Only Xiao could undo all of Zuo Ci's clever talk with a single observation. If he ever meets her he'll forget everything he ever knew about the Tao."

Zhou Yu had excused himself and Da now sat in her husband's lap. She snuggled into it and listened to his heart, beating now regularly and strong. It was the most comforting sound in creation.

"We died together," she said quietly. "Let us not do that again for a while, okay?"

"You have a deal, Da." Ce agreed, nodding.

"But now that Yu Ji is defeated, what do you intend to do about the people who sent him?"

Ce's brow furrowed and his eyes darkened. "Oh, to some people, failure is a worse fate than death..."

***

Within the confines of his great tent in the fortress of Guan Du, now his command center while he eradicated Yuan Shao's forces, Cao Cao sat quietly on his field chair, waiting while the messenger bowed humbly and then presented him with an elegantly carved wooden box. He dismissed the man and when he was alone he opened the container and nodded at what was contained within. He made to touch the contents but then dropped the box to the ground, causing it to break. His eyes were wide with surprise as he turned the scarlet silk switch in his hand, scrutinizing it carefully. Stitched into it in gold thread were two words he had expected not to read:

_I live._

***

Sun Ce and Da Qiao walked along the shoreline, side by side as the sun came over the horizon, heralding the dawn. The surface of the blue water glittered like unnumbered diamonds and the song of sea birds carried on the warm sea breeze.

Sun Ce clutched at his heart suddenly and stumbled to his knees. Da gasped and held onto him, gazing at her husband with worry. After a few moments he looked at her and smiled wearily.

"Heh, sorry about that..."

He rose and they continued their walk, silently thinking about what Ren Neng had said about Ce's wound, how it might take many years for it to go away and stop plaguing him, if it did at all. Either way, they had a silent agreement that it changed nothing. They had one another and they could overcome anything.

They stopped on a small rise and looked out over the sea toward the east.

"Beautiful." Da Qiao murmured.

"Just like you." Ce said, looking down at her, putting his arm around her.

She looked up at him and smiled lovingly. "My lord, the road ahead is long. Promise me will walk it together."

Ce knew he would, it was the natural order of things.

It was the Tao.

_**The End**_

***

**Author's Notes: **_No, _I am not ending the series, don't worry. To be honest, I don't think the story's even half-finished yet. There's plenty more to come, I assure you.

Now I know that there was a lot of esoteric and existential gibberish in the scenes with Zuo Ci, but frankly I have come to use him as a vehicle for discussing weird topics that interest me. I have a penchant for laconic ellipses such as this and you will simply all need to learn to accept that quirk. It is not unlike Lewis Carrol spiking his books such as _Through The Looking Glass_ with discourses on abstract mathematical principals held between the characters, simply because he could. Besides it was nice to attribute some esoteric thoughts to someone other than Zhou Yu for a change. Your feedback on these sort of things is welcome, I won't be upset or offended if you say it does not appeal, I'm just warning you that it's there because I enjoy it and that's unlikely to change.

So as you all know, the big wars are going to start soon and there's much to do. Plot development will continue to grind forward, along with the creamy battle fillings. Look forward to some entertaining interactions between Gan Ning and the Disco Duck- I mean, Ling Tong, not to mention Gan Ning and Lu Meng.

I don't remember if I ever mentioned this, but some time ago I laid my hands on a copy of the Chinese film _Chi Bi/Red Cliff_ and I must say that I was horribly disappointed. It couldn't have deviated any farther from the story if Peter Jackson had directed it. It was magnificent in scale and cinematically beautiful, but its gross inaccuracies (when compared with the fictional work) left me cold. More than that, some of the characterizations made me quite ill- Grandpa Liu Bei and Old Man Guan Yu were my first objections and then there was their treatment of Xiao. I won't tell you what they did but it was enough to put me off my tea. I guess I expected the Chinese to be a little more respectful of their own history, given how Hollywood mangles American history so readily for a buck or jingoistic purposes, but more the fool me. My advice- watch _Chi Bi_ for the sake of saying you've seen it, but don't go in expecting a glorious masterpiece. Just saying.

Next chapter is nearly ready. I'll have it out in a week or two, hopefully in time for Chinese New Year on the 14th. The year of the metal tiger is upon us. My best to you all!


	51. Chapter 51

**The Young Conqueror**

** Omake 5- The Big Interlude**

_Open a scene where Da Qiao is sitting quietly in her private study, looking over some scrolls of poetry. No indication as to what type of poetry it might be, but since we all know she is a closet perv, we can assume it is not likely to be G-rated..._

[Da Qiao is reading a scroll intently by the light of a nearby brazier. Her deep, liquid brown eyes glance over the flowing script before flicking up and noticing the reader, watching her. Her eyes seem to darken slightly before she turns them back to the scroll on the table and begins reading again.]

_Observe now the creature in her natural habitat, simply at ease and without a care in the world._

[Thirty seconds after choosing to ignore the reader, Da's eyes flick up to us again and the hint of a frown creases her lovely features. She looks down again, once more ignoring us, but the frown remains.]

_Like any alpha female, though, the subject can get territorial and moody if disturbed..._

[Da sighs somewhat forcefully and gets out of her chair, moving it around the table and then sitting down again, her back now to us. She resumes reading, her shoulders slumped to indicate her darkened mood.]

_Not too close now, we are here to observe, not disrupt..._

[Da continues reading but her body language indicates she is aware of our continued and unwelcome presence. One foot begins to bounce, squeaking against the wood of the floor, the only sound in the room.]

_The patience displayed by the females of the Qiao species is renowned and their politeness is legendary. See now how she-_

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?" Da bellows as she whirls around and throws the table at us in a remarkable display of rage-fuelled strength. The scene goes black as the table finds its mark, dead between your eyes. Way to go, Sparky...

_Fin_

**Author's Notes: **Sorry about yet another delay, folks. While I am happy to announce that I have upgraded to a wonderfully powerful PC, it occurred to me that I do not have MS Word on the damn thing yet and the version I require is a little more expensive than I would care for it to be. Resolution to said issue is for me to work a little overtime and then go buy the MS Office suite I require. This should be done in the next week or so. Updates will follow soon after that.

As a side note, for those of you into Warhammer 40k, I am accepting a challenge to write a story about my favourite Space Marine chapter, the Blood Angels. I know in my head what I am doing with it but I have only the most rudimentary framework set up. I have yet to decide if it will be tied somehow to the Blood Angels novels extant, centering around Rafen or whether I would do something entirely different, focusing on a new character. In typical Canadian style, I will probably compromise, incorporating Rafen and maybe my own invented character, something I like to do. Hey, if I can introduce Invader Zim into the Dynasty Warriors universe, how hard can it be, eh?

I appreciate everyone's support and reviews up to this point, this little Wumake is just here as a filler and to let you know I am still alive and so is The Young Conqueror. My best to you all!


	52. Chapter 52

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

* * *

Da Qiao woke up suddenly, without initially knowing why, after first, but then she realized she could hear laboured breathing and feel someone trembling. As she woke fully she turned around and reached for her husband. Sun Ce was indeed trembling, although with pain or effort she could not tell, and his skin was at once both cold and sweaty to the touch.

She leapt out of bed and brought one of the braziers along the wall closer, so she could see what ailed him and also called for a servant to find the healer Ren Neng as quickly as possible. She brought the flickering light as close as she could and looked at his face. His eyes were closed, as if whatever tormented him would not allow the young ruler to wake.

"Ce? Lord Sun Ce..." she urged quietly, trying to rouse him from his sleep. "Please, Ce..."

Eventually the warrior's eyes opened and they were deep and uncharacteristically dark. His skin was pale and his expression a grimace of pain... or loss.

"My lord?" Da said anxiously.

"It's gone, Da..." Ce said in a trembling voice as he fought off the agony and sorrow. "My city, it is gone. I can no longer see it."

Da heart wept for her husband, for she knew exactly what he was referring to.

"And I cannot... I..."

Ce sighed deeply, his voice tinged with uncharacteristic despair.

"My waking dreams... they are gone too..."

* * *

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 49- The Uncertainty Principle**

The council chamber was buzzing with debate, dominated by Sun Ce and his closest generals and advisors. What confused Zhou Yu, though, was the sheer number of people in the room who had been instructed to attend by the ruler of the Southlands. True, all present were exceptionally capable, but he was acutely aware of Sun Ce's dislike for bureaucracy, so this struck him as unusual.

Sun Ce was also asking a remarkable number of questions; normally he just listened and commented, always rendering his final judgements on matters. The amount of input from people he was requesting no doubt made them feel validated but indicated to Zhou Yu that something was amiss with their leader.

A brawl nearly broke out between the brash Ling Tong and the former pirate Gan Ning over a rather cavalier comment the latter had made. Ling Tong, ever eager to make life difficult for the corsair, took exception and a shouting match began. Only the massive form of Elryk, lord of the White Wolves, interposed between them had prevented a fistfight.

"Alright, that's enough, you two." Ce said sternly. "You wanna kill each other, do it while you're off-duty and once I've found some replacements, but not right now, got it?"

The two commanders sat back in their chairs and waited patiently.

Ce looked around the room. "Now we all know that war's inevitable and we need to step up how we're doin' things. It ain't gonna be long before Cao Cao's pacified the north and taken it all under his control, an' when he does, his resources are gonna be much larger than ours- his manpower, his iron works, his arable land... there's no way we can match it."

There were murmurs of discontent around the table and this uncomfortable statement, but they all knew it to be true. The Southlands did not have _nearly_ the populace of the central plains and the vast fields could produce copious amounts of food for huge armies.

Even more alarming, Cao Cao was revolutionizing the system to meet his needs- he had taken then vast majority of Yuan Shao's defeated army into his service, as he had done with the Black Mountain warriors and the Yellow Turbans, meaning his forces far outstripped any other lord's for sheer numbers. He also made sure that the fields were tilled and worked by these men year-round when they were not campaigning, ensuring plentiful supplies.

"If Cao Cao gets things organized, he'll be able to move against the Xiongnu and beat them back across the Great Wall," Ce continued. "He'll defeat and perhaps even subjugate them, which means he'll have access to those horses from the north an' there aren't enough mounts of quality here in the Southlands to match that."

The north and the central plains, currently on the brink of falling under the Prime minister's control, had a population at least five times that of all the Southlands. Everyone knew the plan was to increase the efficiency of the industries south of the Great River, that mighty barrier that demarcated Sun Ce's realm from the rest of the Middle Kingdom, but the gap was still enormous. Could they really overcome such a disparity?

Rice paddies were being planted in ever-growing numbers and irrigation and terracing were becoming common practices throughout the lands of Wu. Rice replaced wheat, millet and even bean curd as the staple of the south and it could be kept for even longer than wheat, meaning stockpiles were plentiful. Salt was mined at an exponential rate, as were copper and iron. Zhou Yu, along with other engineers and planners, were constantly looking for ways to increase production and minimize manpower so that hands could be turned to other tasks.

One exceptional young engineer have presented a design for a seed drill that would reduce the time and effort required to plant crops, not to mention minimize duplication and waste. Another man introduced an irrigation pump that required only one man instead of two or three.

But all these resources and labour-saving devices meant nothing if the realm could not defend itself. If a foe did manage to cross the Yangtze, an army would need to stop it. Ce had implemented the designs of Roman roads, connecting his realm with a transportation network that allowed both trade and entire battalions to move swiftly to wherever they were needed.

The warriors of Wu were also being trained hard, because if Cao Cao's forces were four times the size of Ce's, each Southlander had to be the equivalent in combat of four northerners just to draw parity. The Sun family's advantage lay in the ages-old warrior-culture of the Southlands, whereas the north tended to draw upon massive levy-armies in times of need. Cao Cao seemed intent on changing all that, but the warrior-ethic was natural to the people of Wu.

Naval warfare was one area where Sun Ce and his advisors were certain they would reign supreme, no matter what the Prime Minister attempted. For generations they had been daring mariners, unafraid of even the deep sea and their mastery of the waterways that connected the Middle Kingdom was unmatched. Upon returning to the Southlands, Sun Ce had used the populace to build strategic canals that would allow bulk goods to move at speed, similar to the principal of the Grand Canal, but without the horrendous maintenance or fiscal upkeep. Ten of thousands laboured tirelessly for cash strings or the guarantee that their children would be allowed to attend the educational academies that were springing up across the south.

In spite of the enormous progress that even the Celestials would admire, everyone in the chamber still felt the press of time, knowing Cao Cao would not politely wait until they were ready.

"Lord Sun Ce, we must deal once and for all with the Shanyue," Lu Meng said, leaning forward now to speak his mind. Everyone listened intently, since after Zhou Yu he was considered the most able strategist at the table, well-versed in the ways of Sun Tzu. "As long as they harry us in the south, we cannot turn our full attention north to deal with greater threats."

"I agree," Ce said nodding. "I'm sendin' my sister south with her corps to deal with them once and for all. By the time she's done, they won't just be leavin' us alone, they'll be beggin' us to let them join our cause."

Sun Shang Xiang thumped her fist into her hand and nodded. "You have my word. Brother, do I have your permission to depart? All is ready."

Ce nodded and everyone rose and bowed low as the Bow-Hipped Princess exited the room. Though she was still young and, odder still, a female, she was without question one of the five deadliest warriors in the realm, exceeded only by her brother Ce and matched only by Taishi Ci, Lord Elryk, Zhou Yu and possibly her lover Fu Chin-Ran. The people and the entire army revered her for her fiery and passionate command style and her dedication to victory.

With Shang Xiang gone, the debate turned to the north again and how they would deal with any threats. They had naval superiority but fell short when it came to infantry and cavalry. Infantry could be trained to be better, but what of the simple lack of available and capable mounts?

"I have seen few examples of these horses you speak of, but they are different from those I remember back home." Elryk said slowly, waiting for Khun to translate. "These beasts you refer to sound like the war-ponies of the Scythians and Sarmatians that my people and I fought as we traversed the great steppe. But when we fought the Romans and as we passed through the deserts, we knew of great and majestic horses, tall and sturdy enough to carry even my people."

People whispered to one another as the massive German continued. "Though we cannot possibly have enough of them, perhaps we can somehow procure some, enough to train an elite regiment or two? It would be something of parity."

Ce nodded and sent messengers to get word to the trader Dayu-kah, who had become an invaluable ally to the Southlands, asking if there were any means for procuring such mounts as Elryk described. Any and all advantages would have to be exploited in order to defeat Cao Cao.

Sun Ce had instructed Lu Fan to subtly reach out to the other lords of the realm and discern their position concerning the Prime Minister and how willing they were to be put under his thumb. Cleary the Sun family had stood against him and it remained to be seen if this made them outcasts or heroes. The only other persons he was certain could be counted on to oppose Cao Cao were Liu Bei and what was left of the Yuan clan. He also clearly could not rely on the Imperial Court or the emperor.

Zhou directed more and more of the meeting as Sun Ce became quiet. He tried not to show it but clearly he was strained and paler than usual. Eventually the strategist told the assembly to gather back in the chamber after the evening meal. Once they were gone, he turned to his sworn brother and addressed him frankly.

"You do realize you're scaring everyone, correct?" he stated.

"Whaddya talkin' about?" Ce said dismissively.

"We're not idiots, Ce." Zhou Yu said levelly. "You haven't been yourself since the incident with Yu Ji and everyone can plainly see it. If you can't tell them, at least tell me so I can put their minds at ease."

"I dunno if you can, pal," Ce replied. "I wish I knew how to describe it. The pain just comes back suddenly sometimes and it feels like that mark is still on me."

"Maybe that will take some time to go away." Zhou Yu suggested.

"Maybe, but there's more to it," Ce said heavily. "It's gonna sound weird but... my waking dreams are gone."

Zhou Yu considered what his friend was telling him. This aspect of Sun Ce was perhaps the one thing that only three other people aside from himself knew of and none of them could truly understand it. What Ce referred to as a waking dream a state he entered that Zhou Yu could only describe as oneness with creation. Ce talked about having no body but being a part of everything- the trees, the grass, the running waters, the wind... it was being everything and being nothing. It was fulfillment.

Ce had lived with it his whole life, as easily as anyone else slept or breathed and now it had been taken from him. It was a loss that Zhou Yu could not even try to articulate. Sun Ce had lost an essential part of himself.

"For the first time ever, you feel like you are without the Tao," he said quietly. "You're seeing things the way the rest of us do and you have no idea whatsoever how we manage."

Ce nodded.

"Many would say that this was some form of judgement, but I do not believe that," Zhou Yu mused. "And to be honest, it changes nothing from anyone else's point of view, my friend. You are still the greatest of us. You are strongest of body and the most subtle of mind. Your people were fanatically devoted to you without knowing about your gift and they will continue to be."

"You think I'm overreacting, don't you?" Ce posited.

"Not that I blame you, but yes," Zhou Yu confirmed. "There were more advisors in this one council than you generally have conferring in an entire season. You want to make sure that you have everything covered because you're not certain you do anymore."

Sun Ce was silent.

"This may be as close to an order as I would ever dare give you, Ce, but I think that I am completely correct in my judgement here... you need to get away from Baifu and everything that it stands for. You need to go and find your focus. I do not want you to argue with me about this."

Ce raised an eyebrow. "Just up and leave."

"I believe it is what would be best for you."

"You make it sound like you know me better than I know myself."

"For once, maybe I do." Zhou Yu pointed out. "Like I said, nothing about you has changed for the rest of us. We have no idea what was different about you before, we just know something was because you described something we could not perceive. Now it isn't there and I'm taking your word for it. You're still Sun Ce to me."

"So you think Da an' I should-"

"No," Zhou Yu said flatly. "Not you and Da. Just you, Ce, because if you take your wife with you, you're going to be focusing on her and your unborn child and nothing will be accomplished; you need to concentrate on only you."

"And what about Baifu and the Southlands?" Ce challenged.

Now Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "I think I can handle things here while you're gone, oh mighty one. You're not going away for everyone else's sake; you're going away for yours. Go somewhere and be alone until you figure out what you need to do. Do not take your wife, do not go to Wuchang, do not go and sit in your father's crypt and try to commune with him. Find a remote valley, sit under a waterfall and just listen to see if you can hear what's been taken from you. It works for the rest of us."

Ce struggled to find a flaw in his friend's logic.

"Ce, you overcame a trial that would have claimed any other man's life and soul," Zhou Yu pressed. "Perhaps a little time away is just what you need. You immediately threw yourself back into administering the realm the day after Yu Ji was slain. It defies all logic for you not to time some time to yourself. Do you have so little faith in our ability to administer in your absence? What are you afraid of?"

Ce sighed. "Aright, alright, I'll consider it takin' a fortnight to myself or somethin'."

Zhou Yu nodded.

"But Da's gonna be pissed." Ce warned.

* * *

"You're going away to center yourself? It's about time, you lummox." Da Qiao declared as she prepared a bath, wrapped only in a linen towel. The chamber was dark and smelled of incense and jasmine. Braziers flickered warmly in the corners of the small room.

Ce was somewhat surprised by her reaction. "Yeah, but I can't take you with me."

"Of course not," Da replied, shaking her head. "What good would that do you? I know you, Ce, you'd spend all your time fussing over me. This is exactly what you need, my love."

Sun Ce made a wry face. "Did you guys have a meeting or something about me while I was sleeping or something?"

"No, it's just common sense," she said as she dropped the linen and walked over to him, her beautiful, pale body beckoning in the dim light. "You're completely dissatisfied with yourself right now because something is missing and you feel empty."

She took his hand and led him back to the elegant wooden tub. She stripped his clothes from him and assisted her husband into the scented, oily water before joining him. She washed him all over and massaged his weary body, often using her own until the desired effect had been achieved. She smiled wickedly as she settled down onto his lap and kept her eyes locked on his and her arms around his neck while she squirmed and undulated slowly. She used all her exquisite courtesan arts to keep him aroused and enthralled.

"My love, I can never claim to know the depth of your loss, but I am sorry it happened," she whispered in his ear. "That being said, the remedy is beyond any of us, this is a matter between you and the heavens and none of us would dare interfere or even know how."

She caressed the back of his neck with her nails, grazing them over the skin and just below the hairline as she began now to move up and down, their eyes still locked. Ce's hands flexed on her thighs gently as his ardour grew.

"I think you simply need time you have not given yourself, my darling," she continued. "I think you have thrown yourself back into the running of your realm because you are worried about facing this trial and not being able to reclaim what you have lost. It is not like you."

She began squeezing and contracting around him rhythmically, seeing that he was beginning to lose control. She pressed her point, squirming her slippery body and breasts against him now.

"Please, Ce. Do what needs to be done and find yourself; not for our sake, but for yours. It is time you thought of what is best for you."

Ce trembled as he tried to hold back but he could not- he shuddered as he clutched his wife fiercely to his body, releasing himself. Da shivered deliciously and kissed him lovingly as he held her. She caressed him for several silent minutes, waiting for the man she had dedicated herself to. He finally looked up and smiled gently.

"Alright, you little minx," he said. "You win. I'll go. Dunno what I'm gonna do, but it can't hurt to try, right?"

Da nodded and then stretched her arms over her head, jutting her breasts forward into his face. Ce took the hint and smothered them with kisses. She led him now out of the tub and dried him before putting a scarlet robe around his broad shoulders. She dressed herself in an elegant lavender robe that barely covered her thighs and then she went and stood on the balcony, looking over the menagerie. Ce came up behind her and hugged her close, kissing the top of her head.

"Thanks, Da," he said quietly. "I think I know I had to do this, but it's good to hear it from you, I guess."

She smiled and caressed his strong hand with hers, looking out at the silvery moon. "You spend all your time looking after me and looking after everyone else," she remarked. "Maybe it's time we got to look after you. Does that really sound so bad, my heart?"

Ce chuckled and held her to him. "Not at all, Da. So, that little treatment in the tub there... was that meant to de-stress me and gain my agreement about this plan?"

"Oh, that? No, not at all," Da said dismissively. "I was just horny and you happened to be available. Gods know you haven't been recently, cooping yourself up in those chambers all the time."

"So when does this excursion of mine start?" Ce asked.

* * *

They were standing on the steps of Baifu pavilion, where Ce was making his goodbyes. With him were Da Qiao, their daughter Kai-Ying, Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao. Da was preening him, making sure his travelling clothes fit him properly. She triple checked his horse to confirm he was not trying to take his tonfas with him and was pleased to see that all he was carrying was a short bow and arrows, a knife and a straight-bladed _jian _for protection.

He brought dried fruits and preserved meats to eat, also carrying a few strings of copper coins and a hidden purse of silver and gold, just in case a situation warranted. His horse was well-stocked and had been blessed by a priest of the Tao to carry its rider through all weather and adversity with utmost safety.

He wore rugged and practical pants and a shirt, promising his wife he had packed a few spares. His boots were sturdy and plain, the overall effect one of a peasant traveller who just happened to be extraordinarily well-built and rather noble-looking.

Zhou Yu had little to say but merely bowed low, wishing Ce a good trip. Xiao had hugged him tight and slipped a few pearls into his pocket, winking and telling him they were for any girl sprites or nymphs who offered to keep him company on cold nights.

Kai-Ying allowed her father to pick her up and wrapped her arms around his neck, frowning as she did so.

"You are too big, father," she declared. "How is a little girl supposed to hug you right when you are bigger than a war god?"

Ce laughed and hugged her, buzzing his lips against her neck and making her squeal and squirm. She escaped and ran over to stand behind her tiger.

"Are you sure you will not take him with you, father?" the girl asked. "He could protect you."

"Yeah, I heard about him protecting you an' Aengava," Ce said dryly, looking at the huge white cat. "Lotta help he was."

"That was different," Kai-Ying said as she tried to console her dejected pet. "Yu Ji was a sorcerer and a poor kitty can't do anything about that."

"I think I'll be fine, kid," Ce concluded. He let Da adjust a few more things on him and then smiled at her.

"Gonna miss me?" he asked.

"How can I miss you if you keep delaying your departure, great lord?" she said, smiling dazzlingly. "Yes, I will indeed miss you, husband, and while this is the right thing to do, I have no doubt I shall shed many lonely tears in your absence."

"Ah, you're just gonna miss the sex." Ce teased.

Da shrugged. "A courtesan is never at a loss for such issues, my lord. I have my methods and I have servant girls to keep me occupied. Get thee gone now, husband."

Ce nodded but then pulled her to him and kissed her deeply. It had been sudden and she was unprepared. After a moment of struggle she melted completely, giving in to him. Gently was he revenged for her actions in the tub the night before.

He released his wife and turned to take the reins of his horse. He smiled and waved at them and they all bowed low as he strode toward the city gates leading out of Baifu. The gates were open and he simply walked through, nodding to the guards, who all did a double-take and stared wide-eyed as he passed through.

"Hey, fellas..." he said cheerfully.

He was now on the green, open plain before the city, on the great Roman-style road that had been constructed. He looked to the west, then north and south, wondering where he wanted to go. He initially wondered about heading west, towards the distant mountains and the home of the gods, but he then decided against it, in case they were mad at him about something. To the north lay the Great River and the more populated lands of his realm, not to mention the turmoil of the lands beyond.

"South it is, then." Ce said out loud to no one in particular. He pulled his horse off the roads and began walking across the green swards, walking towards things he randomly set his eyes on until something else grabbed his attention. Baifu fell away and soon there was nothing to hold him back. Discovery, healing, answers... he knew not what he was looking for, but he knew he wouldn't stop until he was satisfied.

* * *

"_Atta unsar þu in himinam, weihnai namo þein. Qimai þiudinassus þeins, wairþai wilja þeins, swe in himina jah ana airþai. Hlaif unsarana þana sinteinan. Gif uns himma daga, jah aflet uns þatei skulans sijaima, swaswe jah weis afletam þaim skulam unsaraim. Jah ni briggais uns in fraistubnjai, ak lausei uns af þamma ubilin unte þeina ist þiudangardi Jah maths, jah wulþus in aiwins."_

"What did you just say, child?" Da asked as she rode along with Sun Kai-Ying. The road was taking them north to the steading of the _Bailangren,_ in the region of Erli-tou. Accompanied by her daughter's tiger, they were also escorted by a half-squad of each of the Valiant Cavaliers and the Iron Fists. As an extra measure, Taishi Ci had also sent a small troop of the fearsome Night Tigers along. He was determined to protect _someone, _since Sun Ce had refused all notions of escort. They had left a few days after her husband's departure when Da grew bored. Had there been work to do on the courtesan schools she might have kept herself occupied, but right now all that was happening were the drafting of plans and the proper arranging of buildings. So now she found herself on the road north, listening to her daughter droning on in strange tongues.

"Oh, it is a prayer, mother, in the language of Lord Elryk's people," the young girl responded as she rode on her elegantly appointed pony. "Hala taught it to me."

Da Qiao made a wry face. "Darling, while your father and I approve of open-mindedness, I am not sure I want you praying to foreign gods. It is not good to slight your own immortals, they will no doubt take exception."

"But I was not praying, mother." Kai-Ying stated. "It is not even a prayer to the gods of Hala's people, it is simply one she knows from her time as a hostage of the Romans."

"Oh," Da said, always amazed at what children retained and remembered so easily. She still found the language of the Germans cumbersome and wholly unlovely to listen to. "So what does it say?"

The girl thought for a couple of moments and then because to try and translate into her own native tongue.

"_Wo mên tsai t'iên shang ti fu,  
yüan jên tu tsun Ni ti ming__wei sheng,  
yüan Ni ti kuo chiang lin,  
yuan Ni ti chih yi hsin tsai ti shang,  
ju t'ung hsing tsai t'ien shang.  
Wo men jih yung ti yin shih,  
chin jih t'su yü wo mên,  
miên wo mên ti chai,  
ju t'ung wo mên mien jên ti chai.  
Pu chao wo mên yü chiên shih t'an,  
chiu wo mên t'o li hsiung__1__ ê,  
yin wei kuo tu c'hüan ping jung yüeh c'hüan__shih__ni ti  
shih shih wu c'hiung a mên."_

Da considered what her daughter had recited and it sounded like a fairly ordinary and straightforward prayer to a male deity. It did not surprise her that the dominant gods of the uttermost west were male.

"I was not aware that the people of the west were familiar with bread," she said finally. "Odd."

"What did you think they did with the wheat that they grow, mother?" Sun Kai-Ying asked.

"Got drunk with it." Da replied, thinking about the infernal concoction the Germans drank known as _beel_. Da had once promised Sun Ce she would try it and since he was not around to laugh at her, this seemed as good a time as any. She was a lousy drunk to begin with, but now she was pregnant and she intended to do no more than a single sip or draught if she could get away with it.

"So if it is not a prayer to their gods, then whose gods does the prayer address?" she queried.

Her daughter shrugged. "Hala said it was a new religion that was gaining popularity although many have tried to suppress it."

"I think Lap and Khun have mentioned it before when speaking of Roma." Da agreed, reasonably certain her daughter was referring to some group called 'Christians' or something. They apparently acknowledged only one god, a supreme creator being who was absolute and eternal, but also had two other aspects, including being his own son. It made little sense to her, but the ways of the gods never did, so who was she to judge?

"Hala says her own people are like ours in that they have many gods," Kai-Ying continued. "Their gods are not as organized as ours, they are sort of a family and then the gods have lesser gods or beings that sometimes serve them."

"I wonder if gods have families as strange as we mortals do," Da pondered, thinking upon what life would be like for anyone related to the god of night. "Do they have a supreme leader?"

"I think Hala said so," the girl answered, trying to remember. "The father of the gods is named either Wodanaz or Teiwaz, I cannot recall. They are every bit as fierce as the people of the White Wolves themselves."

"And do they have goddesses?"

"Oh, yes, mother," Kai-Ying said cheerfully, enjoying the chance to educate the wisest woman in the world. "The consort of the father of the gods is name Fryja or Frikko. She is a strong woman and a weaver. She has immortal warrior-maidens who wait upon her and it is these girls who choose the bravest men slain on the battlefield to come and live in the halls of glory."

"Sounds like something that would pique Shang Xiang's interest." Da mused. "So back where Elryk and his people come from, they are not Christian."

"No, I don't think so." Kai-Ying concluded. "The Christians, according to Hala, are peaceful and as a result are always getting picked on and persecuted and sacrificed. I am not too sure that a peaceful religion would suit Lord Elryk's people well."

"On that we agree, my love," Da said, laughing. They had been riding for several days now, once they were all certain that Sun Ce had embarked on his journey. She was not worried about her husband's safety, but she was concerned for his well-being, at least in an existential context.

They were camping for the night and the Night Tigers were standing guard. The Iron Fists squad protested, saying it was their turn to stand guard, but the man in charge of the Night Tigers made it plainly clear that there were not enough Valiant Cavaliers and Imperial Fists _combined_ to make him change his mind, so they might as well just get some rest. Da was very proud of her men's prowess, but she was relieved when they finally backed down, since everyone knew that the Night Tigers were unmatched warriors, held to be equal to the emperor's _Huben_, the Imperial Tiger Escort. Only Elryk's White Wolves, Zhou Yu's Swordwind and Shang Xiang's amazon warriors could hold their own against Sun Ce's personal guard.

Da Qiao lightened the evening by agreeing to play her _konghou _harp and sing for everyone. She sang about the legendary and lonely town of Er-hu, which was lost to legend but supposed to be an idyllic place now full of ghosts who wandered the streets, wailing of the glorious days of old. The men applauded as their princess entertained them. She also told humorous stories and spoke about their sacred duty to the Southlands and the mighty Sun family.

Some days later they reached the plains of Erli-tou and she was pleased to see progress had been made. The Han town looked the same as ever although it was now surrounded by an earthenwork wall that stood about eight spans tall and had sharpened wooden stakes spaced around the outer face. While not pretty, it obviously was a low-maintenance and effective way to defend the locale.

The village of the _Bailangren_, however, was a true study in the merging of cultures. It retained its barbaric splendour but also showed signs of the _feng shui_ and advanced technologies of the Han- the fields were irrigated and even terraced where necessary. The formerly haphazard clusters of huts and longhouses were now more orderly and displaying proper geomantic principals. There we even gardens spread throughout the town.

An earthen rampart similar to the one around Erli-tou had been erected, complete with sharpened stakes. The moat had been widened and evened out, fed by a channel whose source was the nearby Chiu River. The outer palisade of the village proper was punctuated with watchtowers that could see for many _li_. Though the defences were comparatively primitive, they provided a measure of complexity to protect the inhabitants from any enemy forces not equipped with siege weaponry.

In a field to the south, a large area had been designated for the communal feasts that the People of the White Wolf engaged in nightly. Though it was only the early afternoon, some people seemed to be gathered there already and were preparing for the evening's festivities. Several huts that were raised off the ground no doubt held their food supplies.

A horn sounded from one of the towers, apparently heralding Da Qiao's arrival. The people of the village rushed out and gathered in a mass in front of the main gate through the palisade, waiting for her. She took her time in approaching, taking in the sight of the village and the land- she was so very pleased that these people had found a home here, even if she did not understand them well yet.

Elryk stood before the assembly, along with Gailavira, his wife, his son Theoderic and his daughter Hala. Behind him stood his two personal bodyguards, the lithe and deadly raven-haired Theudis and the massive and terrifying berserker Glandyth. With them stood the _comitatus_, Elryk's hand-picked elite warriors, fearsome fighters that even the legions of Rome feared.

As Da approached and dismounted, Elryk drew his sword and drove the point into the soft earth in front of him. He then knelt on one knee, placed his hands on the pommel and bowed his head. The people of the _Bailangren_ all followed his example, kneeling and bowing.

"Lady Da Qiao, welcome once again to my humble abode," Glandyth said in heavily-accented Chinese. Clearly he had been practicing that phrase, because what he said next was next to incomprehensible. "Is to yes with come village us to. Pleasured me has."

Da got the gist of what the huge German chieftain was saying but she still blinked a little. Her courtesan training took over and she replied quickly enough that his gaffes were not apparent. She returned the favour by speaking the phrase she had learned in his native tongue.

"Thank, lordsome one, mine honour and wheat chaff."

There was silence for several seconds as Elryk and the people cast furtive glances at one another and then at Da Qiao, their faces betraying their confusion.

"What?" Elryk asked.

Glandyth began roaring with laughter, unable to contain himself. Several other followed suit and even Da Qiao giggled, knowing that she had said something unintentionally funny. Kai-Ying had dismounted her pony now and rushed up to give Hala a hug. The two girls began babbling to one another. Da Qiao approached Elryk's wife Gailavira, who bowed again. Everyone burst out laughing as Kai-Ying's tiger leapt without warning onto Glandyth, bowling him over onto his back and licking his face. The titan warrior spluttered and shouted at the great beast, but nobody made to help him.

At this point, Lap and Khun began to translate, since both Elryk and Da had officially taxed their vocabularies in one another's languages. Elryk asked once again for permission to show Da around the steading and Da replied she would be honoured, this time without mentioning winnowing.

"My lady, you do partake of meat, yes?" Elryk asked as he strode alongside her. "Your brother-in-law Quan passed through once before and we were initially hard-pressed to feed him since he eschews animal flesh."

Da smiled pleasantly. "I am not so ascetic as my dear husband's dear brother, I think you will find me easier to take care of from that perspective."

"That's a relief." Elryk muttered, something Lap and Khun declined to translate. "What has brought you to my village, great lady?"

"Boredom, to be honest, my lord," Da replied. "With Sun Ce gone for a fortnight or so, I found myself casting about for something useful to do and Kai-Ying mentioned she wanted to see Hala."

Elryk looked down at her as they watched. "Lord Sun Ce has gone somewhere?"

Da nodded. "He needs to be alone to reach deep within and find what he has lost since the encounter with the sorcerer Yu Ji."

"About god-rotting time," the massive Teuton declared. "He had us all worried."

They were passing through the village and Da observed some of the wondrous changes time had wrought- not far from one of the larger clusters of clan huts and halls stood two small houses, one belonging to an herbalist and the other to an acupuncturist. Both men were Han but they were teaching young girls their arts just outside their doors.

"They are teaching your girls their healing arts?" Da asked.

Elryk nodded. "There was some resistance on their part to teaching girls instead of boys, but there are so few of us that all my men need to be trained for war if possible. I offered some of my elderly men or those who are infirm due to sickness or wounds, but apparently they are unsuitable, so the compromise was the young and eager minds of our girls."

"And they live here in the village, I see." Da mused. "I am impressed, lord."

"They are but students of their teachers over in Erli-tou, but they agreed to do this for the sake of fellowship between our peoples and they are now valued by us highly. Even Glandyth agrees to be stuck with needles on occasion."

Da marvelled at the way silk and hemp had been incorporated into their daily lives, often in random and unpredictable ways- both commoners and the more lordly and noble seemed to wear it, frequently in some strange manner. The women especially loved the silk and were eager to learn to weave it, something their looms were unsuited for. The women of Erli-tou had brought several silk looms to the village and taught those most adept at how to use them.

At one point a very ripe odour reached her sensitive nose and she almost went green with the scent of it. She coughed for a moment and Elryk realized what was wrong and bowed apologetically.

"I am sorry, my lady, I should have warned you. This is where we brew our beer and I forgot we were downwind of it. I have been told by many locals it can take some getting used to."

Da smiled, although her eyes were tearing up a little. "It's alright, Lord Elryk. That is one of my goals for this visit in any event, to try _beel_. I was just taken off-guard, I shall be fine."

What greeted Da's eyes next stopped her in amazement- in a pretty little garden, one clearly cared for by Han locals, several women of both Erli-tou and the _Bailangren_ sat together around long tables, chatting and laughing while drinking, of all things, tea.

"That hot grass water you people drink so much of is quite popular with our women," Elryk said as they walked by the garden. The women all stood and bowed to Da Qiao, who nodded her head as she passed. "I doubt it will ever gain the approval of my warriors, but if they took to regular bathing, I guess anything is possible."

Da nodded. She had noticed that everyone looked clean, even if they retained their barbaric aspect. Nobody smelled bad, unless it was from beer. Even Glandyth looked well-groomed, after a fashion, although the fearsome glare in his eye made sure everyone knew better than to mention it. The only person, aside from Elryk, who seemed to have any control over the blond giant was a young Han maiden named Dian, who had taken quite a shine to him. She had even adopted a Germanic name for herself, Ranihilda, in an attempt to gain his favour. The girl came running up now and bowed low to Da Qiao before asking Elryk if she could borrow his bodyguard for a time. Elryk nodded his consent and she eagerly took Glandyth by the hand and led him off.

"We won't be seeing him for some time," Elryk chuckled as he strolled along toward the inner moat and palisade that separated his great hall from the rest of the village.

"Do I ever want to know what she will be doing with him?" Da asked.

"Doubtful," replied the chieftain. "We still haven't figured out how that would work, given how small she is. Be that as it may, she keeps him well-groomed, so nobody questions it."

"Fair enough." Da mused as they crossed the small bridge and proceeded up the hill on which sat Elryk's wolf hall. It was an impressive structure, despite its alien and primitive design. It was long, the length of the hill it sat on, and with a peaked roof punctuated with crossed beams. The beams ended in heads shaped like spears, covered in burnished iron, the overall effect being that it looked as if mighty spears held the hall up. The dark, strong wood was carved with the strange runes of Elryk's people and also the complex glyphs of Da's own. Round, brightly-painted shields adorned the walls or hung from the edge of the roof. Over the great double doors was a massive wolf's head made of beaten bronze, the mouth wide open in a fearsome snarl.

Within the hall, she found it dark and smelling of peat moss, but warm and strangely comforting. A central hearth housed a fire that roared invitingly. All around the hall were primitive statues of warriors or strange beasts, but also the endless battle trophies that the _Bailangren_ had taken in their wars with the enemies of the Sun family- Yuan Shu, Liu Biao and Huang Zu or even Cao Cao's forces during the attack on Xuchang. Armour, weapons, banners, saddles and harnesses or battle gear, it was all on display, a testament to the glory and tenacity of the warriors of this indomitable people.

Near the back of the main hall was a small dais and on it a rather ornate chair. Clearly this was Elryk's seat, but it seemed almost out of place in this hall, a rather unusual adaptation of the common Han nobility custom. Once they approached, he bowed low and gestured for Da Qiao to sit.

"Please, my lady," he said deferentially. "Though I do use this seat on occasion, I mostly had it put in here with you our Lord Sun Ce in mind when you grace us with your visits. I would be honoured."

Like any courtesan, Da knew how to accept such honours completely and graciously. She studied the large and sturdy chair as she approached it, gauging the best way for her to sit in it for maximum effect. It was meant to seat Elryk, who was far larger than her, so it was unlikely her feet would even touch the ground when she sat. She decided to not compete with the size of the chair but use it. She deftly clambered into the seat and sat cross-legged, assuming a serene and regal pose.

Elryk bowed again. "I know you came here out of boredom, my lady, but I feel compelled to ask- are you, as consort of Lord Sun Ce, able to issue edicts and such on his behalf?"

"As we deem necessary, yes," Da replied, nodding. "All members of the Sun family may do such things as the situation warrants, representing my husband."

"Would it please you then to sanction some rules and laws for the region during your stay? The elders of Erli-tou and I have some measures we want to implement and I know I am the lord of the region technically, but given my unusual status we agreed it might be best to have you approve them on your husband's behalf."

"If they fall within the values prescribed by my husband as beneficial to the people of the land, then most happily will I assist, Lord Elryk." Da said cheerfully. "I am very pleased with all the progress that has been made here."

"It will wait until tomorrow, of course, since you're no doubt tired, my lady." Elryk added. "There will be a feast tonight, involving my people and those of Erli-tou, celebrating your arrival. I hope you will be willing to attend."

"I would be most honoured, Elryk." Da said warmly. "But before any such event, I think I shall need a bath, for the road was long and dusty to get here."

"I will arrange for a bath for you immediately." Elryk offered.

"You will no such thing, you ox," Gailavira said sternly. "Lady Qiao shall be looked after by the women of your village, not you and your slobbering louts. Go and make sure her valiant men are looked after and I shall see to her needs."

Elryk paused for a moment, considering contesting his wife on the issue but ultimately decided it was not worth it. He grunted loudly and bowed to Da Qiao again before kissing his wife and making his exit from the great hall and returning to the village. Gailavira bowed to her guest and spoke to her, using a young Han girl to translate. There was no telling where Kai-Ying and Hala had gotten off to.

"My husband is a good man and a mighty warrior, my lady, but he might have arranged a rather poor bath for you. Come, please and you can use the private bath my ladies and I make use of. It was designed for us by the women of Erli-tou."

"Oh, a proper bath sounds magnificent, Gailavira." Da exclaimed in delight. "Please, lead the way."

The German woman led her back into the rooms behind the dais and throne, connected by a simple hall. One was the bedchambers for her and Elryk, another for her daughter. There was a small pantry and room used for private dining and a closet used as a privy. Aside from the bedchambers, the most detailed and elegant room was one that contained a large, wooden oval tub.

"Though I had to be instructed about the use of all the amenities in here, I do appreciate their utility." Gailavira said as she gestured for Da to enter. The western woman was considerably taller than her Han counterpart and the tub was meant for her frame, so Da would have plenty of room in it.

Gailavira had thoughtfully already had some servants change and begin heating the water and it was a lovely temperature soon after they entered the room. The German blushed and turned away as Da Qiao stripped off her travel clothes. Da was intrigued.

"Is there such modesty between even your women, my lady?" she asked.

"Oh, no, Lady Qiao," Gailavira said hastily, still looking away. "But I know nothing of your people's social protocols in such matters, especially with someone of higher rank. I thought it best to be cautious."

Da smiled. "I was a courtesan before I was Lord Sun Ce's wife, my dear, and my body is trained to be displayed for pleasing aesthetic effect. I think nothing of having women look upon me, not to mention this makes conversation awkward."

Gailavira nodded and turned to face her guest again. She smiled wryly.

"You women of the east are so tiny in frame and delicate, my own women feel like pregnant yaks around them."

"And my delicate ladies are silently envious of the lush bounties you women of the west have been endowed with. They all know how their men stare." Da replied, winking.

They giggled, knowing the truth of both statements. Very few women of the Han were as tall as the German women, excepting Shang Xiang and Fu-Chin Ran and one of Xiao's girls, Shin. Gailavira smiled slyly as she observed Da.

"But you, in spite of your small frame, have surprisingly large breasts. Lord Sun Ce has a keen eye."

"They have their uses," Da admitted, smirking. "Why should you German women have all the fun?"

"But come, we must prepare you for tonight," Gailavira stated, gesturing to the steaming water in the scented tub. "I assume you brought some dress or formal clothes for just such an occasion?"

Da nodded. "Of course, but I also brought some gifts for you with me and we must prepare you as well, my lady; my tailors back in Baifu have used silk and examples of your traditional garb to make some magnificent gowns as befit your station."

Gailavira's eyes widened. "My... my lady, there was no need."

"Nonsense, love, my husband honours yours as the lord of Erli-tou and it would certainly not do to have you looking less than regal when we dine together." Da stated amiably. "Your husband is not my only host and while I admire and respect him greatly, I am not leaving my royal needs in his rather rough and uncompromising hands."

Gailavira laughed and shed her clothes, assisting Da Qiao into the bath before stepping in herself. A German girl and a Han girl stood quiet attendance, waiting patiently for any requests. Da Qiao poured water over Gailavira's head and then washed it.

"Your hair is so thick and lovely, Gailavira," Da said softly, marvelling at its unreal gold colour and the sheer amount of it. "With the touch of a courtesan, it can be the wonder of the region. Please allow me to prove it so."

"As my lady desires." Gailavira murmured, not used to being treated so gently. Even though she was the most important woman in the region, her duties as Elryk's wife had always been comparatively active and menial, with little time or use for such pleasant trifles. But now, far, far away in a distant land, surrounded by people with a different culture, she had to try and make accommodations. Was it really so terrible for her to not be fussing and pestering the women of the _Bailangren_ all the time to make sure they were keeping the men clothed and fed?

"My poor husband," she mused. "He may not know it yet, but he will doubtless be sleeping with his retainers in the village tonight, since you must be properly cared for. I apologize for how base our accommodations are, but I insist you stay with me tonight, my lady. My chambers are the only ones available that come remotely close to befitting your station."

"I would be honoured, Gailavira." Da said cheerfully. "I leave myself in your capable hands."

* * *

Ce was sleeping fitfully beneath the tree he had chosen to spend the night under, though his missing dreams of the glorious city were the least of his worries- in spite of the fact that he was doubtless the only person for many _li_, he was definitely not alone.

A spirit had come to him and while Xiao had given him pretty baubles to entice them with, Ce had not felt so inclined. The problem was, said whimsical nymph clearly did not share his recalcitrance. Even while he lay in the grip of sleep, she haunted him sensually, using her exquisite and ethereal body to try and tantalize him, something he just could not explain.

"D'you mind?" he asked in annoyance as he looked down at her while she slowly slid her breasts up and down his form.

"Be at ease, beloved traveller," she whispered in a strangely compelling and yet non-existent voice. "I seek only to join with you for our mutual pleasure. There lands are so lonely."

"Yeah, I've kinda got a wife, thanks." Ce said dryly. At least he thought he said it. Was he still asleep?

The spirit giggled and continued doing nice things with her body. "Silly mortal, what does that matter? Since when do the confines and mere rules of your physical realm apply to our eternity? The strictures you apply to one another mean nothing to us."

"Yeah, I can see that," Ce answered. "But there's the whole matter of what I want too, y'know."

The spirit smiled in delight, obviously convinced they were playing a game. "Oh, of course, my love, you want to know what it is this free spirit offers..."

Ce could not really tell, but she seemed to become more real somehow as she glided up her form. Her body was lithe and willowy, with impossibly long hair as black as the night, trailing off into the breeze. Her eyes glittered like stars and her pale body was radiant in the darkness. She straddled him and caressed her hands over his brawny chest as she began to have her way with him. Ce bit his lip as she moaned but then he stood up suddenly and scowled at her.

"You outta your mind?" he demanded. "Immortal or no, you can't just force yourself on a guy, lady!"

The spirit looked shocked at first, but then confused and finally indignant. "You dare turn down the affections of an immortal? Would you spurn the attentions of Great Mother Xi Wang-Mu so?"

"Hell yes I would." Ce said firmly. "An' I don't give a damn how many peaches she brought."

The spirit almost trembled before whirling away and throwing herself against the tree he'd been sleeping under, hiding her face as she sobbed. Ce rolled his eyes and walked over to her.

"Nice try, but I'm not makin' love to you. How about this instead..."

He rummaged in the pocket of his tunic and found a pretty pearl Xiao had given him for just such an occasion. He held it out to the spirit, who sniffled and then examined it quizzically. She left her ethereal state once again long enough to take it out of his hand and hold it between two fingers.

"I have never seen such a beautiful pearl..." she murmured.

"You can have it," he said amiably.

She looked puzzled. "But I have not given you anything. You stopped me before I could-"

"Yeah, exactly." Ce replied. "An' you can keep it as a reward or payment for _not_ layin' your hands on me or anythin' else you had planned."

She stared at him. "You do not find me desirable?"

"That's got nothin' to do with it." Ce pointed out. Why was he forced to have these conversations? "I've got a wife an' just because you're an immortal doesn't mean I'm turnin' my back on my oaths to her."

"But mortals do not turn down the affections of the celestials, I have never heard of such a thing. No one has even refused me, be they man or woman. Besides, I am told that men with wives often have more than one or that they take other lovers. What of that?"

"They ain't me." Ce asserted. "Now I'm not sayin' it wouldn't be great, but it ain't my place to find out, alright? Besides, you've been seducing mortals for eternity, missin' one ain't gonna kill ya."

She looked down at the pearl again. "So beautiful. Would that there were others like it."

"There are, of course," Ce said, shrugging. "Y'just gotta be by the sea."

She made a wry face. "But... I am here."

"Are you tied to this tree or this region?" Ce asked.

She thought long and hard about the answer. "I... no, I guess not. But why would I leave?"

"Because then you can have more pearls, of course," he said. "They're not makin' their way up the river to you, so you'd best head to the shore and live there. There pearl divers'd love a girl like you."

Her face lit up and she spun ecstatically in the air, laughing in delight.

"Mortals are so intelligent and practical!" she declared to the night as she swept herself into Ce's arms and kissed him deeply before wrapping her ethereal form around him like a snake and then flying off into the night, heading east toward the sea.

"Farewell, my love!" she called in her enchanted voice. "Think of me when you see a pearl!"

Ce made sure she was well and truly gone before laying back down and breathing deeply, trying to go back to sleep. Had any of that really happened?

He pinched his thigh and grimaced.

Dammit...

* * *

The Germans were laughing, eating and drinking gaily as the sun had westered and the moon now came out. Before Elryk's table, two brawny warriors were wrestling in a contest of strength. The taller man lifted his foe into the air and tossed him to the ground. The roar of approval had barely begun before the thrown man was on his feet and leapt to tackle his opponent to the ground. The bout finished, they both returned to their spots at the long tables to drink their bruises away.

Elryk watched his people as the food was served and beer distributed- far away from their homes in this unreal and alien land, they finally seemed to have made peace and were willing to adapt. No one said they had to like it, but there was no point in living with eternal regret. Back in the forests of Germany, the other Gothic tribes were being slowly and methodically subjugated to the relentless legions of Emperor Septimus Severus, who was determined to enforce the _Pax Romana_ on the known world.

He was somewhat distressed that he and his people had to flee to the end of the very world to escape the Romans, but this was what the god of night had commanded of him and he'd marched willingly. They had overcome numberless and untold perils, passed through lands he had never dreamed existed and found new friends and allies in these strange people of the Han.

They had adopted some of the ways of the locals, most notably hygiene, but they were still themselves and this pleased him greatly. Here, in the land where the sun rose, his people, though small in numbers, were great and glorious, with a destiny that would be sung of for untold years.

They had already fought wars in their short time here, for although the Han was a single empire, it was torn by strife and the ambitions of ruthless warlords and nobles. His own liege, Sun Ce of the Southlands, was wholly different, though- true, he liked fighting, but his principal concern was that the Sun family protect the people of the realm and let them live their lives in peace.

The wars had led to plunder and booty for his people and although there was a great amount of it, he controlled it strictly, not because he desired it for himself, but because he did not intend to be lavish too quickly. If he rewarded his men with these riches too easily, what would he do for them when it became meaningless?

He was their ring-giver and gold-friend, their shepherd in times of peace and their mighty leader in times of war. He trained his warriors hard and his expectations of them were severe. His people were to do their jobs or chores thoroughly and efficiently. The smiths were to learn how to work iron as the Chinese did while those who farmed learned terracing and irrigation. Looms meant to weave silk were being copied and the women taught their use.

But they were still the people of the White Wolf and nothing would change that.

A large roasted boar was brought to his table and he used his great knife to cut deep through the crackle and bring away an entire haunch of the perfectly cooked meat. Though most of his people still eschewed the strange spices of the locals, he found that he actually enjoyed vegetables more with them and the succulent meat of the region's pheasants was almost made for them.

He looked around, wondering what was keeping his wife and Lady Qiao, but he had also been told by a servant girl to please proceed with the festivities and they would be along as time permitted. Ever practical and ever hungry, Elryk had acquiesced. Several frothing horns of beer later, he was thoroughly enjoying himself and consumed well over half of the boar at his table.

A servant came and whispered in his ear, announcing that Lady Qiao was arriving and he stood and shouted for everyone to stop what they were doing and stand respectfully. The cacophony ended and the assembly rose and waited in silence for their guest to arrive.

Elryk's eyes went wide- not only at Da Qiao's regal appearance, but that of his wife. Gailavira walked beside Lady Qiao, wearing a dress not unlike what the women of the White Wolf wore daily, but of magnificent blue silk with gold thread and patterns subtly weaved into it. Her long, golden hair fell to the middle of her back and had curls and tiny braids run through it.

The entire feasting area was silent as they approached. Kai-Ying leaned into next to Hala and whispered.

"Your mother is very pretty."

Hala made a face. "Are you sure that is my mother?"

Elryk gathered his wits and led the assembly in a bow as Da Qiao arrived, accompanied by Gailavira and the squad leader of the Night Tigers. He rose again after a timed pause.

"Welcome to our feast, Lady Qiao," he said humbly. "Please I have prepared a place for you at my table."

Da smiled genially while Elryk now gazed up on his wife. Gailavira blushed.

"Do I look so awkward to you, husband, that you do not recognize me?"

"Oh, no, my lady," he said hastily. "But you look... you look..."

"Go on, husband." Gailavira said in soft voice that was tinged with an iron warning.

"You look more radiant than I have ever seen you," he breathed. "Clearly being a noblewoman of the Han agrees with you."

It was a magnificent compliment, especially coming from a barbarian warlord like Elryk and Da was relieved to feel Gailavira melt beside her. She had been so self-conscious about the entire affair and had willingly trusted to Da Qiao's instinct.

"I appreciate the sentiment, lord, but could you at least _try_ to make eye contact when you say such lovely things?" Gailavira challenged.

Elryk blinked and stopped looking at the low-cut top of her dress to meet her eyes. He nodded.

"Every day you find some way to remind me of why only you could ever be my bride and the lady of the People of the Wolf. Please, both of you, come and sit."

Da Qiao allowed Gailavira to go sit with her husband and then let the Night Tigers commander help her out of the heavy and ornate robe she was wearing- mutters and whispers of surprise ensued, for beneath the robe, Da was wearing a drawstring tunic and breeches, along with heavy boots. She was wearing a tiger-skin around her waist and grey wolf fur around her shoulders. Her necklace was made of wolf and tiger teeth and she wore burnished iron rings over her tunic. She looked magnificently martial.

"Tonight, People of the White Wolf, we celebrate the union of our peoples, a gift of the heavens and a song of great destiny! Let us feast!"

The assembly shouted its approval and the merriment began again. The elders and prominent citizens of Erli-tou arrived and joined in the festivities. Everyone roared with laughter as Da Qiao finally tried _beel_ and nearly passed out from the strength of it. She dutifully sipped away at her small horn of the substance, but since she was pregnant would partake of no more than that, opting for tea instead. She did, on the other hand, eat heartily and then joined in the singing and dancing around the great fire.

Elryk and Gailavira disappeared for a while into the darkness but returned after some time, with her dress somewhat askew and her hair dishevelled. Several hours into the festivities, Da Qiao and Gailavira bade goodnight to the merrymakers and retired to the great wolf hall atop the hill. It had been a long day of riding and preparation and while Da was thoroughly pleased with the outcome, she was tired and needed rest. Gailavira lay next to her on the large bed and soon she was enjoying the embrace of slumber, dreaming of the realm to come.

* * *

Sun Ce had been travelling for many days and was growing somewhat frustrated. He didn't necessarily expect to find answers immediately or regain what he had lost, but he was irked that bearing this burden was not getting easier. He just was not getting used to it.

He had never really been able to imagine what it was like to live without his waking dreams or how anyone else dealt with it, but since they apparently did not know what he was referencing, they didn't feel it.

Was it really like this all the time?

Yes, he was still himself and he still felt everything that was as a man, but to not be in touch with what was around you... how did people manage? How did one go through life not hearing the words of the wind's song or being touched by the deep and sonorous, timeless voice of the sea? How did one not heed the words of the earth or the wisdom of the trees?

He had heard people say that there were times that they felt _something_ unusual, like a voice in a river or a gentle breeze was trying to speak to them and they understood for a brief moment, but then it was gone. Ce did not have these brief moments, they were simply how he lived, all the time. Until now.

He reflected on what he felt and remembered about how he had been and what was different know. He was keenly aware of how he had always felt and what it was that was missing and how, but with its absence he simply could not figure out how to get it back or even if getting it back was what he needed to do.

He rode slowly through a field and while he enjoyed the touch of the sun on his face, it felt more like a transient gift than a part of him, the way it had been. It was still gratifying, but it seemed like a privilege now and he was not happy with this.

He looked to the south and distantly espied a series of small mountains surrounding a vale, over which hung a strange fog. No, it was mist. The side of the mountains were covered in lush trees and grass.

Whatever it was he was looking for, if it could be found at all, was waiting for him there.

* * *

Da Qiao had been in the steading of the _Bailangren_ for over a week, overseeing matters at Elryk's request. They had discussed many things about the region, including the opening of trade and the building of a small academy, not of Confucian thought but dedicated to the collection of the lore of other lands and comparing them with that of the Han. It was a radical idea, doubtless to be proclaimed a heresy by the traditionally-minded, but Da did not care, just as she knew Ce would not. This academy would also ensure the preservation of such crafts as the Germans had brought with them, like their music and its instruments, their tools and their language, which Da Qiao considered essential.

Da's initial worry was that the exchange in ideas and technologies might feel one-sided, since there was so much the people of the Han could teach the relatively primitive Teutons, but she also came to realize that things about the Germans might in time appeal to many people- they were practical and straightforward, crude but honest, genial but not obsequious and guarded but not phobic.

They discussed the Romans and their relentless expansion. With Lap and Khun's help, Da came to understand the vast size of the western empire and it unsettled her. The city of Rome, according to their research, probably held over a million people and, east to west, stretched many months by horse ride. Innumerable cultures were conquered and contained within this empire, held together by the will of a single city-state and its imperial ideals.

She was relieved to learn that the empire was not without strife and was, for its size, under-populated. The legions of Rome, though well-trained, were stretched thin and at its current size, punitive expeditions to expand were difficult for the Romans. At least she didn't need to worry about them coming against the Middle Kingdom.

Elryk had described fighting the legions and how their rigid discipline made them very hard to beat, especially on open ground where their complex formations could be utilized. He described the defeats they had inflicted on his people and how the few victories the Goths had scored were near legendary because of the Romans' command of the art of war. They made extensive use of massed ranks of archers, protected by walls of stout infantry with large shields and terrible battlefield weapons like ballistae and catapults that were small enough to be disassembled, moved and reassembled within hours. The infantry threw short javelins by the thousands and they had a neck made of soft iron that bent upon impact with a shield and weighed the foe down, allowing the Romans to close in for the kill with their short but deadly thrusting swords.

Da asked if the Romans were as physically imposing as Elryk's own people and he replied that generally they were not, being shorter and more compact of build, with darker skin and hair. This made sense to Da, since the further one travelled south within her realm, the darker-skinned people tended to be. The Shanyue and the Nanman tribes could be described as downright swarthy.

"It was somewhat easier to fight the Romans if we could break open their formations and use brute force," Elryk pointed out. "But it was getting to that point that was difficult, enduring the hail of arrows and javelins, only to impale yourself upon the forest of spears that they presented form behind their tower shields."

"We have similar tactics here," Da observed. "So why did you and your men scythe through our armies so quickly?"

Elryk laughed. "The Romans are used to us and have fought my people for generations, they know of our battle frenzies and love of close combat. We do not surprise them anymore. I imagine that soon enough, there are Han generals who will adapt to our tactics and train their troops to not fear our berserkers."

Da smiled. "We will have to use that advantage for as long as we can, then."

Elryk considered. "Not to be blunt, my lady, but does your husband's recent reluctance worry you, then? He seemed uncertain of the need to take the fight to his enemies in the north."

"No, I am not worried that he has lost the will to fight," she replied. "I just am worried about him. He lost a gift, Elryk, that the rest of us cannot even fathom, a gift that he relied on to rule us without even realizing it. Now that it is gone, he has to find his way again and none of us can help him. When he comes back, he will be ready, I promise you."

"He carries the burden of rulership on his shoulders well; I can only hope he finds what he seeks." Elryk said grimly. "I could have done much worse in choosing a lord to serve."

"Not to correct you, my lord, but you couldn't have done better, I daresay." Da countered, smirking. Elryk laughed heartily in response. He called out loudly for another horn of beer when a German warrior burst into the hall, clearly in haste. He saluted Elryk and then knelt before Da Qiao, speaking rapidly, leaving Khun little time to translate.

"I have returned from beyond our northern borders and I have espied a foreign force heading south toward our lands! They fly the banner of the warlord you call Prime Minister Cao Cao!"

Da frowned and looked at Elryk, who nodded to the warrior. "How many of them are there?"

The man looked up at Elryk. "I am not certain, but several thousand at least. Maybe ten."

Da bit her lip, wondering what to do. She had not anticipated Cao Cao being so bold as to march a force south already. And why such a small army? Ten thousand might have seemed like a sizeable force to Elryk and his people, but it barely qualified as the vanguard of any royal army.

Still, ten thousand soldiers vastly outnumbered those forces Erli-tou could muster against them- Elryk and his four hundred Germans, maybe a few squads of militia from the Han village, and her own guard of Irons First, Valiant Cavaliers and the Night Tigers. She might have five hundred warriors... twenty to one odds.

"What is their disposition?" she asked, trying to decide how to proceed.

"They are loudly announcing their presence as they come," the scout said. "Horns and drums are playing constantly. My Han counterparts say their heralds are calling for Sun Ce to surrender himself and return north to submit to the judgement of heaven."

Da stood up from the throne, her eyes flashing angrily. "Is that so?" she said, her voice tinged with iron. Elryk's eyes widened in surprise, for although he knew Da Qiao to be a competent warrior, he had never seen her ire roused by so simple a matter. He understood why she had been incensed when they had tried to burn Sun Ce, thinking him dead...

Her head snapped over to look at Elryk. "This will not stand, lord of the White Wolf," she declared, her voice trembling with barely-restrained fury. "Had they come to parley I might have entertained the notion, but now I intend to see them destroyed. Prepare your men for war."

Elryk rose and bowed his head. "Of course, my lady. We shall leave their bones to bleach in the sun and the carrion birds shall grow fat on their flesh. None shall survive."

The mighty warrior strode out of the great hall, bellowing orders in his people's harsh tongue. Da summoned the commanders of her escort squads, who wondered what had riled their mistress so.

"That filth Cao Cao has sent an army into our lands to apprehend my husband and bring him to the emperor's justice," she said icily. "Maybe ten thousand warriors, a pittance, a self-righteous annoyance. I want scouts watching them constantly and I want your men ready to sell their lives dearly for this insult shown to our lord!"

She stormed out of the hall, leaving her commanders to deliberate what to do next.

"I have never seen her so infuriated," commented the commander of the Valiant Cavaliers. "I mean, yes, it is a staggeringly arrogant move on the Prime Minister's part, but one would think Cao Cao had defecated on our lord's grave by her reaction."

The commander of the Night Tigers shook his head. "Lady Qiao is completely and utterly devoted to her husband, his ideals and the righteousness of his cause. For Cao Cao to contest this is an affront that she cannot abide by. It is incomprehensible to her, one might as well blaspheme the will of the heavens. The Night Tigers are trained to have the same unwavering belief in Lord Sun Ce and brook no thought to the contrary."

"I certainly do not mean to blaspheme, nor invalidate our lord's intent," commented the commander of the Iron Fists. "But perhaps the mandate he carries forward is not quite so evident to others as we believe?"

The Night Tiger commander, renowned even amongst the warriors of his own battalion, smiled darkly. "Ask me that again after the battle, if you survive. Let me show you what the power of dedication and proper thought can do..."

* * *

The mountains had concealed a glorious vale, dominated by a waterfall that fed a lake. Trees bearing blossoms and fruit filled the vale and although he could not see it readily, Ce was aware of ethereal and merry laughter, the merriment of spirits blessed enough to call this wonderment home.

He had climbed his way through the thick, jungle-like tangle of trees as he made his way up the slopes of the low mountains, finding his way through a pass. As the vista filled his sight he could not help but laugh, the first time he had felt like doing so in days.

Leaving his horse to graze on grass so green that emeralds would turn away in shame, he shed his shirt and lay back on the soft loam that surrounded the lake, feeling the fine spray of the tall, mystical waterfall settle on his skin, cooling him. Birds of countless, jewel-like colours fluttered and cavorted overhead, calling gaily, as if welcoming the traveller.

He could not explain it, but he was somehow acutely aware that he was the first mortal to set foot in this sacred vale for years untold, if ever. He was _meant_ to be here. The grass under him was soft and almost caressed his skin, its playful touch unfamiliar to him now. The song of the gentle breeze was also unknown to his ears. He had heard it so many times before, understanding it and accepting it, but now it was new and intriguing to him. He missed the fulfillment of becoming one with everyone, but this...

He sort of enjoyed it. Everything was new again.

He laughed loudly and stood, throwing himself into the lake. The crystalline water was cold and refreshing, its deep voice joining him in merriment. He thrashed about, splashing like a child delighting in a new experience. Was this what it was like for everyone else, if they simply took the time to listen? Understanding was replaced by wonderment, the thrill of the unknown.

He chased the fish about beneath the surface, their slippery silver forms eluding his grasp. Eventually he stood in the shallows and let the sun touch his body, glistening with the pure and untainted water, blood of the earth. He was observing his bronze skin when he noticed the faint but somehow unsettling mark of the curse Yu Ji had left on him- almost a scar or blemish on his flanked, shaped like a human skull but somehow profane and whispering of dark heresies no mortal should be privy to.

He sighed as he left his euphoria, remembering why he had left Baifu and his lovely wife. He looked around, still rapt by the glories that surrounded him, but tempered by the knowledge that he still didn't know what he was here to do or accomplish.

He lay back on the grass, staring up at the distant sky, looking for things he remembered or had at one point understood, the natural order of things. No matter how readily he lost himself in the joy of the moment, he was still bereft of something that made him who he was and he couldn't begin to guess if he could ever get it back or was even supposed to.

Was this the judgement of the heavens for his sins? True, he had been allowed to live, but for all the blood he spilled and the lives he had taken, was he to live out his days devoid of his golden city and the embrace of the Tao?

Did he dare question if this was fair?

He regretted nothing he had done, he would certainly do it all again for his wife, his family and the people of the Southlands. Surely their safety and happiness was worth his own, but could he still lead them if he was broken in a way they could not even begin to understand?

_You seek your serenity, but you seem to expect it to just present itself to you. Where is the challenge in that and when have you ever backed down from a challenge?_

There was no arguing that simple logic and the fact that it had taken him this long to remember so basic a fact irked him, he had been travelling for nearly a fortnight. He looked around again, examining his hidden paradise. How on earth was he supposed to challenge himself here?

Not far away, the waterfall roared.

He stood, stripped down to his skin and headed toward it, ready to test himself, body and soul.

* * *

Da Qiao watched as the northern force approached, trumpets blaring, cymbals crashing and drums thumping loudly. Great banners of dark blue with gold-embroidered symbols announcing the Prime Minister's office fluttered over the companies that marched toward her. At the head of the army rode a proud officer, his gaze haughty and disdainful of anything he laid his eyes on. She disliked him instantly.

She waited at the head of her squads, accompanied by Elryk and the four companies of his warriors. They stood tall and silent, grim and fell in their manner. Fully armed and girded for war, they were a menacing sight, albeit clearly outnumbered by the intruders.

"_How is it they crossed the Great River without our knowing?" _she wondered to herself as the northerners drew closer, the ground ringing beneath their ordered march. _"Clearly there are still gaps in our defences and they must be addressed quickly. Elryk's lands may be in our north, but Baifu and our other major centers are not that far away..."_

The northerner brought his troops so close that Da was beginning to wonder if he intended to ignore them and just march right through their lines. He finally raised his hand and the expeditionary force came to a halt and stood silent. Da felt a cold sweat on her neck she fought to ignore. The scout had been right, they probably numbered close to ten thousand, a balanced force of spearmen, archers, swordsmen and cavalry. What raised her ire finally was when she espied an iron cage somewhere in the train behind the officer, a cage clearly meant for a prisoner.

The man casually inspected the force that blocked his progress and if he was at all intimidated he did a very good job of concealing his concerns from her. If anything, he seemed to sneer.

"I had been wondering where Sun Ce had deposited-"

"_Lord_ Sun Ce to you, northerner." Da Qiao said levelly. "If you seek to enter our lands, you might at least attempt to abide by simple etiquette."

The man shrugged indifferently. "When one answers to the Son of Heaven, such minor details are of little import. And who might you be?"

Da checked her fury, holding her chin high. She was clad in her raiment from the night of the feast, Han silks blended with the furs of animals and a sturdy shirt of mail. Realizing that her armour inhibited her ability to fight with her fans, she stood now girt with a single-edged sword about her waist. Her dainty hand rested on the pommel, trying to get a feel for it in case this matter came to pitched battle.

"I am Lady Da Qiao, consort and wife of the Lord of the Southlands," she said in as imperious a voice as she could manage. "By tradition I speak on his behalf if you have anything to say to the Sun family."

"No, that will not do," the officer said, shaking his head and not even offering his own name in return. "I am come for Sun Ce and see no need to brook any delay or interference. My orders are clear and quite concise- he is to surrender himself to me and to return to face the judgement of the emperor, against whom he has lifted his hand. If you and your little band of savages wish to act as my escort and lead us to your toy capital of Baifu, I can allow this, provided it does not delay me in my errand to fetch him."

Da's grip on the haft of her sword tightened and her teeth clenched. She felt Elryk bristling with barely restrained fury. Their timing had to be precise...

"I hate to disappoint you, oh messenger of the Son of Heaven," she intoned. "But we will not be accompanying you to our capital and I am afraid your journey south ends here- you have come unbidden to our lands and such an offence is not one we of the Wu territory will let go lightly. You must either turn back, returning to the Prime Minister empty-handed or we shall have the remains of you and your men sent back to him, such as might still be transportable."

The officer's eyes flashed with wrath. Was this courtesan actually contesting him? The arrogance of these Southlanders was not to be believed!

"Foolish woman!" he snarled, making a harsh striking gesture with his riding crop. He glared at Da Qiao venomously. If word ever returned to the north that he was insulted and contested by some wisp of a girl he would _never_ live it down, even if his mission was a success. "Do you actually think that you and these misbegotten and rancid-smelling barbarians can contest me? Have you no wits or is simple mathematics not a priority in the South? My men number ten thousands, you stand before me with barely a twentieth of that strength. What hope do you think you have of even delaying me?"

"It is you who are the fool," Elryk growled, leaving time for Lap to translate to the officer. "You think we show you our full strength? I do not recognize your banners, meaning that you have not tasted our wrath. You see before you my vanguard, a mere hint of what peril you are in if you choose to contest Lady Qiao's will."

The officer's eyes darkened and he continued to show no outward sign of intimidation, but already could see a shadow of doubt now come over his eyes.

"We have been aware of your approach for some time now, northerner," Da said levelly, folding her arms and doing her best to sound confident. "Lord Elryk's men have been dispersed into the countryside of Erli-tou and have come to surround you. Listen..."

In the deadly silence that followed, they could all hear the rhythmic thumping of weapons on stout wooden shields, growing until the land was ringing with it. Elryk's men began to pound their weapons in response, adding to the din. The soldiers of the northern army began to glance around furtively, clearly discomfited by this turn of even.

"My people are strong," Elryk boomed over the din, his unreal ice-blue eyes flashing with defiance. "We number in the thousands, my warriors shaking the earth with their tread. Listen to your ears if you are too foolish to heed what your eyes see."

The officer scowled and steadied his horse, clearly put off by Elryk's threat, even if he didn't want to believe it. Behind him he could hear his men pressing closer together for protection as the noise grew closer. Anger flared in him as he mastered himself- his duty was clear and he had the mandate of Heaven. This rabble was nothing.

"Kill them!" he said as he draw his sword, but the words died in his throat as a hairpin from Da Qiao's head buried itself in his neck. He swayed drunkenly for a moment, his eyes wide before slumping forward against his mount and then dropping to the ground in a heap, his eyes still open, staring sightlessly at the sky.

"Leave none of them alive!" Da cried out as she drew her sword and leapt toward the enemy. Elryk roared and surged in after her, followed by his warriors. Da's guard units charged up behind their mistress, frantic to keep her from harm.

A furious melee developed as the northern army tried to fend off not only their foes but the shock of their leader's sudden death and the panic that they were surrounded by a brutal and alien foe. Those not engaged were looking about, seeking their hordes of giant yellow-haired warriors Elryk had threatened them with. To their confusion, they saw only a handful of warriors approaching from their rear, but these twenty were terrifying- led by Glandyth and Theudis, the _comitatus _ploughed deep into the back of the embattled northern host. Over the cacophony of battle, the towering berserker Glandyth could be heard roaring like some bull-demon from the pits of hell, while Theudis weaved through his opponents, striking with the speed of a serpent, a wicked knife in one hand and a smouldering, smoking torch in the other. The _comitatus_ warriors drove into the foe without regard for their own safety, their eyes wild with a murderous battle lust, their massive bodies taut with the joy of combat.

Officers shouted for order and forced the Prime Minister's troops to rally, standing their ground and beginning to use the sheer weight of their numbers to find an advantage. Elryk has spread his troops out to try and encompass the invaders, but there were simply too many for him to actually ring them in. He had the advantage of surprise and momentum, but once these were spent, the enemy would try to overwhelm them.

The cavalry proved troublesome, at least those units that had not been upfront where the fray had been thickest- those horsemen had died quickly, pressed together and back against their foot soldier comrades while the savage Germans drove into them mercilessly. Deprived of the benefit of speed and mobility, they were oversized targets ripe for the slaughter. Da Qiao had leapt in and slain a cavalry commander quickly, driving her sword through his helmet and throwing him to the ground. The commander of the Night Tigers slew the officer of a company of swordsmen, giving no quarter as he pressed deep into their midst, accompanied by his fellow warriors.

Da focused on one foe at a time, determined not to think about the disparity in numbers. Clearly it was not in the forefront of the mind of her fellow warriors and she would follow their example, as long as that example didn't end in their death...

* * *

Ce stood beneath the waterfall, where the cascade was heaviest, feeling its oppressive weight on its shoulders, trying to crush him into the rocks beneath his feet. His eyes were squeezed shut and his hands knotted in meditation as he resisted the will of physics, contesting the constant barrage and knowing his frame should be no match for it but determined to prove nature wrong.

There were simple lessons to be learned from one's surroundings, like following the path of least resistance in order to achieve harmony or what goes up must come down and Ce had spent his whole life accepting these simple principles. He may have fought other men in battle, but rarely did he see any point in contesting the Tao and the obvious will of the universe.

Here and now, though, he thought he was beginning to understand why people acted in what he considered so irrational and contrary a manner with the mandate of the heavens- deprived of his harmony, Ce could feel almost anything around him as an imposition, some test or grievance beshat upon him as part of some dark joke that the uncaring and intangible gods contrived to amuse themselves.

The illogic of it, of course, was also plainly obvious, but he doubted few people actually dared to think the matter through that deeply, lest they suddenly find they were _not_ the center of creation and the stars did not revolve around them. Even if one's lot in this existence was far less than pleasant, one could still bemoan their fate because of some grudge the gods obviously held against them, _provided_ you convinced yourself that the gods and the world had nothing better to do.

Locked deep within his mind, Ce seemed only vaguely aware of the crushing surge he had stepped into. He was keenly aware of the effect it should be having on his body and that a man of lesser will and constitution would have been killed, but it was too late now. He had committed himself and he would live or he would perish with this choice, and since Da would never forgive him if he died, clearly his only option was to survive.

He touched accidentally on a darkness inside him and cried out in pain, a remnant of Yu Ji's devilry. His heart pounded and then seized up, churning within his chest like a thrashing snake that could not control itself. The agony collapsed his concentration and he found himself thrown to the hard floor of the waterfall and submerged beneath its power. Unable to breathe but unwilling to panic, he mastered the pain, growling as he forced himself up, only to be thrown to his face again. He could hardly breathe.

_Failure lies not in falling down but in not getting back up. _

Gritting his teeth and commanding his body to do his will, Ce defied nature and pushed himself up again. The sheer violence of the waterfall's assault and the tumultuous roar in his ears was enough to drive him mad. What had he been thinking, putting himself in this position?

No, he had been brought here to this vale for a reason- the gods had summoned him to this wondrous place, either to be his tomb or to awaken him and make him whole again. Either way, the will of heaven was to done, because he had willingly walked into this valley, seeking their judgement and resolution.

Standing tall again, Ce stretched out his frame and flexed his muscles, bracing himself. He shouted defiantly, daring the waterfall to do its worst, for he would not submit. If he were to die beneath its weight, he would die standing...

* * *

The officer who had plainly stepped into the leadership role after the demise of the commander was standing tall and barking orders at his men, rallying them with more effectiveness than Da might have wished- keeping the enemy off-balance was her only hope, because she certainly did not have numbers on her side and even Elryk's endurance would not last forever.

Horns blared and two companies of light horsemen leapt away, speeding toward the village of the Germans, clearly with orders to slaughter the inhabitants and raze it if possible, removing it from the earth as an offense against the heavens and Han sensibilities. Behind the earthen walls stood Theoderic, is face defiant and grim, along with the elderly and women of the village, holding weapons and daring the cavalry to come closer. Alongside him stood Gailavira, his mother, looking every bit the spear maiden of legend.

Not far from the walls, the cavalry perished suddenly and horribly as the ground gave way, revealing long rows of pits filled with sharpened stakes. Those lucky enough to pass the treacherous barricade unscathed were brought low by a hail of spears and arrows from the villagers. Theoderic resisted the urge to charge and join the fray, reminding himself that he had been charged with defending the village and its children.

Glandyth bellowed in rage as a keen spearhead lanced across his arm, leaving a red gash on the fair skin. He grabbed the man who had wounded him and threw him bodily into a squad of archers. The man-turned-missile died on impact, his bones shattered from the sheer brutality of Glandyth's abuse.

Da ducked a sword thrust and swiped her blade across her foe's throat, trying to shut out the gurgling noises he made as he collapsed and died. Though she fought with the fury of one possessed, she found herself tiring in the cumbersome and unfamiliar armour. She could appreciate its utility, however, in these close quarters, since the mail had already turned aside several strikes that would normally have crippled or even slain her. How could it be that she had been wounded so few times on the battlefield if she was crazed enough to rampage around without armour?

In spite of their skill, tenacity and ferocity, slowly the momentum swung in favour of the defenders. They had tightened their ranked and were beginning to turn the tide against the warriors of the south. Though the cavalry had mostly been dealt with, the sword and spearmen had formed an armoured shell around the archers, who were now picking their targets and firing, forcing the Germans to keep their shields raised to defend themselves and blunting their offensive. Only the _comitatus_ remained uncontrolled, wreaking havoc to the rear of the army's formation and those units were beginning to rally as well.

Da and Elryk pressed in, refusing to relent or give up their hard-won advantage. The mighty German chieftain was a horrific sight as he became covered in gore, whirling about in a bloody battle-frenzy. No armour was too stout for his sword or axe, no foe too skilled to resist his onslaught. To be caught within reach of his weapons was a death sentence.

"_There are still too many," _Da thought in despair as she twirled around a strike and dispatched another foe. _"For all our valour and ferocity, their numbers will overtake us. Each of us must somehow account for twenty of the enemy and not even my Night Tiger Commander can readily do that in this maelstrom. What can I do? I have given everything I have and played every tile in my hand. Is this the end?"_

The sky seemed to grow cold in response and a whipping wind brought grey and black clouds to cover the scene. The Teutons shouted savagely and pressed their attack with renewed vigour. Da spared a glance back at the village and saw Elryk's younger brother, high priest and shaman of the White Wolves, chanting and gesturing almost drunkenly with his brass-studded rowan staff. His penetrating and disturbing violet eyes were glazed over as he called forth the wrath of the god of night, deity of Elryk's people, their mighty and terrible defender. Da knew from previous experience that overhead, the clouds were coalescing into a hideous visage, the mask of an angry god, as wide as the sky and with eyes of lightning and a voice of thunder.

"Dammit!" she heard Elryk roar as he clove a man in two with his axe. "Nobody asked you to do that!" he shouted, apparently at his brother. Perhaps the succour of the god of night came at some price Elryk clearly did not believe was warranted under these circumstances?

As much as foreign gods worried her, she couldn't really think of a better time than now to implore the aid of a deity who lived to fight. The god of night was no good to them if they were dead, something she still considered a distinct possibility.

Distantly horns sounded and at first she was worried that the enemy had a rearguard unit that was finally catching up to reinforce, but as she listened she recognized the ululating clarion as a Wu signal, coming from the east. Not too far away, several light ships were pulling out of the river and running aground near the village, forming a beachhead. The ramps dropped and she cried out in relief to see the muscular figure of Gan Ning, leading the charge of his sailors, marines and corsairs into the flank of the embattled northerners.

Though the new arrivals numbered no more than two hundred, their timely appearance, along with the transcendent rage of the god of night served to tip the scales once again in favour of the Southlanders. Gan Ning drove deep into the enemy host, making short work of any who dared face him by cutting them down with his short, broad-bladed _dadao_. His corsairs and sailors displayed the same dreadful eagerness to engage their foe, although they gave the rampaging Germans a wide berth.

This was too much for the northerners and their ranks finally broke, with men scattering in every direction, looking for safety and finding only death. Leaping up onto a horse, Da now stood up as tall as she could and called in the loudest voice she could muster:

"No prisoners and no mercy! Let the gods judge their folly for invading our lands!"

Her little army fell to the grim task with a will, routing the foe and slaughtering any within reach. As their princess commanded, so would they obey. The grass of the plains was slick with blood and gore. Already the carrion birds were closing in overhead, knowing what awaited them.

Da spurred the horse into a knot of fleeing soldiers, happy once again to be mobile. She struck repeatedly with her sword, making them pay for their arrogance in challenging her husband...

* * *

Ce lay on his back on the shore once again, breathing heavily as he stared at the sky- true, he had survived that ridiculous test he had undertaken, but now what? His skin was battered and severely bruised and he felt like he had been run over by a succession of royal chariots. What purpose did contesting and besting nature serve if one was too weary to revel in the gratification?

But this was how people lived.

He thumped a clenched fist against the soft turf, frustrated and then feeling ashamed for bringing his turmoil to this place. Clearly it was hallowed, for he had never seen or even heard of so wondrous a locale in the mortal world- it was alive and sang of undeniable design, but it seemed somehow remote and unavailable at certain moments, like he was not meant to be here or even aware of such things except in fanciful dreams. Maybe this place was just a dream?

There were scholars who espoused theories about the unreality of reality and that everything was illusion. They pointed to lucid dreaming as evidence, saying that the body clearly could not differentiate between the two, reacting to what we called dreams much as it would any other situation.

Ce had always rejected this notion because of his waking dreams where he became one with creation- he still had a physical body and was aware of being rooted to it in some way. His form never disappeared or wavered and while dreams were variable and fickle things, reality was reality. Could countless millions perceive the same illusion on one hand and then have such disparate dreams on the other?

Xiao, when she had been exposed to this school of thought had frowned and pointed out the obvious, citing that if reality was an illusion and simply her mind at work, why wasn't everything around her made of dumplings?

There was no contesting that logic and Ce had to admit, if his mind created its own reality, certainly there would have been people that would not be so prevalent in it.

He turned his head to gaze around at his surroundings, knowing it was but a little vale in a vast world, but thinking that just maybe it would have been enough, to live here. He could feel it- the oneness, the serenity and the fulfillment; it was all here, waiting for him to rediscover it. All he had to do was never leave...

Ce laughed again. The gods _did _have a sense of humour after all.

Da surveyed the scene with weary eyes, acutely aware that none of the enemy had survived, even though she sent out hunting parties to make certain. Gan Ning had sent his fleet ships north to make sure the river crossings were secured and that no soldier of the north would return to tell Cao Cao what had transpired. The Prime Minister would simply have to guess.

"Helluva fight, eh?" the pirate drawled as he sauntered up to her, his _dadao_ slung in a cavalier manner over his shoulder and a cocky grin on his face. "Guess you guys owe me now."

She bowed politely. "Thank you, good sir, for your assistance; I am indebted to you and your men."

"Ah, don't worry about it, I am sure we can find some way for you to repay me..." he said in his gravelly voice.

Da refused to look up, determined to not let him see her blush at his innuendo, nor acknowledge his rather imposing and rough masculinity.

"You're tough in a battle," he commented. "Girl like you who can move like that, you've gotta be good at a lot of things, right?

While it would have been well within the bounds of protocol for her to kill the impudent men based on what he was saying to her and what he was suggesting, Da also knew that he was a good officer and that the South needed all the capable warriors it could get, so she handled the delicate situation in a manner only the most illustrious courtesan possibly could...

She gave him a little of his own.

"Oh, my dear warrior," she purred, standing straight now and looking into his eyes. "There are so many things a woman such as I am renowned for. I am a garden of delights, but such a treasure is meant for only the greatest of men and frankly..."

She paused for a moment to observe his pants and then looked back up at him, her eyes glinting.

"Only my husband has ever had a shed big enough to house all the tools that I require. I suggest you _not _compare gardening equipment with him, it is unseemly for a grown man cry."

Gan Ning threw his head back and laughed heartily. "Yeah, I figured there was a lot more to you than your looks," he said cheerfully. "That was a good fight, my kinda odds. What do we do now?"

Da looked grim. "We need to identify where they crossed and make sure it cannot happen again. Clearly there is at least one gap in our defensive line and it needs to be addressed. As for the enemy, the vast majority of the equipment can be used to help defend Erli-tou and the surviving horses put to good use.

"_Assuming the Germans don't eat them..." _she thought to herself.

The bodies were being piled in an unused field to the northwest, the useable equipment to the celebration grounds. Such injuries as had been sustained were being seen to as quickly as possible. Elryk announced to her that three of his men had been slain and scores wounded, a few of them grievously. Amongst her guard, one Valiant Cavalier and two Iron Fists had died and another three injured. She had several minor nicks and scratches, but nothing to worry about. Both villages remained inviolate, which had been her primary concern.

The region's healers were busy tending to the wounded and Da sent messengers on the fastest horses available to Changsha to request further aid. She had dearly wished the mystic healer and apothecary Ren Neng was available, but he was back in Baifu, which was many days away, even at the most relentless pace on horseback. She tended those in pain and when Elryk insisted that he would see to the cleanup, she headed back to the steading and comforted the women who had lost husbands, brothers or sons. It was no easy thing to do, somehow succouring these foreign women, who had travelled thousands of _li_ to an unknown land, searching for safety and finding only intolerance and violence. The younger ones wept while the elder ones held their heads up proudly, their lips trembling, knowing that this was a mighty victory and their men had not died in vain.

Indeed it was a stunning victory, for some hundreds to have bested an organized force well over ten times its size. She never ceased to be amazed at the sheer savagery of the Germans, something that she had seen only the demon minions of Ou Xing match. Their berserk war cries, guttural chants and thunderous shouts chilled her- she would hate to face such a foe, knowing that they were heedless of damage and their only thought was her immediate death, no matter what the cost.

They may have slaughtered Cao Cao's army utterly, but she also determined that this was too splendid a victory to not be proudly announced to all of the Southlands and beyond. She would send heralds throughout the realm, declaring the triumph of the mighty White Wolves over the Prime Minister's vaunted soldiery.

A thought then occurred to her.

"Lap," she asked quietly of the Uyghur, not wanting to be heard by the Germans, even though she was speaking Chinese. "The women of the fallen, they're not going to... burn them with their husbands, are they?"

The scribe pondered the matter and shrugged. Da just sighed. "Well, try as I might to be tolerant of Elryk and his culture's quirks, we cannot have him going around burning live people so the dead ones have companionship, can we? If they are not to be spared, then I will insist they come back to Baifu with me, no doubt I have use for yellow-haired maidens..."

The sky was blue once more as she pondered the return to Baifu. The god of night was not to be seen and Da couldn't have been more pleased.

* * *

"You sure you wanna do this, guys?" Ce asked, smirking as he stared down the brigands who confronted him now. He had left the sacred vale the day before and was making his way casually back to Baifu, enjoying the scenery and the newness of his perceptions and surroundings. His keen senses had seen the ambushers long before they sprang their so-called trap and he was rather pleased for the exercise.

There were twelve of them, wearing the remnants of uniforms of the Southlands, armed with whatever weapons they took with them when they abandoned their posts. They glared at the traveller, trying to look fierce and intimidating, but clearly he was having none of it and even enjoying their posturing.

"Your valuables!" snarled the leader, an ape-bodied brute holding an iron-bound club and brandishing it at their intended target. "Give them to me now or you die. Painfully!"

"Yeah, I don't think so," Ce said casually, cricking his neck and rotating his shoulders and wrists as he warmed up. "Tell you what, though... I'll go easy on you, okay? I won't even use my weapons."

He casually unhooked his short sword from his belt and dropped it to the ground, depositing his bow and arrows beside them moments later. The brigands watched in astonishment as he did this. Did the traveller have a death wish?

"Hot today, ain't it?" Ce drawled as he removed his tunic, exposing his muscular chest, shoulders and arms to his potential foes. A few of them took an involuntary step back.

"Because you guys're from the Southlands, I'm gonna go easy on ya at first, but if you're stupid enough to keep fightin' then I'm gonna get mad because you're traitors." Ce declared as he cracked his knuckles. "So if that doesn't sound like fun, throw down your weapons and return to your posts."

The men said nothing but the leader's eye twitched in fury at the lone traveller's taunting.

"Personally, though, I'm kinda hopin' you'll test your luck, I could use a workout" Ce added, taking up an aggressive posture from the Shadow Tiger school of fighting, his forearms crossed in front of him, hands tensed into claws, his weight on his forward foot.

"What's it gonna be, boys?" he asked quietly, smiling genially.

The leader could take no more and waved his men forward. "Kill him!" he shouted angrily, before he joined the charge. The brigands rushed in bodily, determined to give the stranger no chance to recover.

Ce felt the fire coursing through his veins, his mighty battle aura whirling around him, his eyes shining like those of the Celestial Tiger, leader of Heaven's armies. His body rejoiced in the release, exulting in its strength and the chance to prove itself master of all.

The battle didn't last long, but he let them all live.

* * *

The little tea room in Baifu was quiet as Xiao served the four of them, a light tea flavoured with peaches that she took great delight in. The kiss of the summer breeze though the large balcony brought the scent of blossoms and the call of songbirds. Perfect moments like this were a joy forever.

"So why then, Da, did you let Elryk take all the credit for the victory?" Zhou Yu asked, his tone informal since they were alone. He sipped at his tea and regarded her with interest.

Da considered and shrugged. "To be honest, I was more of a figurehead than a commander. It was Elryk and my Night tiger commander who planned the tactics and made them work. I just played my part."

Ce chuckled. "And Elryk swears it could not have been accomplished without you."

"Only because he has no Chinese to speak of, husband." Da pointed out. "I aspire to be the warrior-queen we need, but I cannot become such a person overnight and I know to ask for assistance when required."

"It is the talk of the Southlands," Zhou Yu added, smiling. "Elryk and his people are heroes and the deed is becoming almost legendary. The tale has exaggerated to say that they annihilated an army of tens of thousands and that wolves fought at their side."

"The victory is no less for the truth, but it will be interesting to hear what is said of it beyond our borders." Da mused as she drank from her tiny cup, admiring the delicate scripting that scrolled about the ceramic treasure. "But this is for another time. What of you, my love? I have hardly seen you since our mutual arrival and I would know if you have returned to me, whole and well, at least by your own impeccable standards."

Ce sighed lightly and lowered his cup. "I'm fine, Da. I think a lot of what I lost is out there somewhere, maybe waitin' to be rediscovered, but that ain't happenin' right now, so I just gotta make due. My wakin' dreams are gone and so is my city, no matter how clearly I remember it."

Zhou Yu nodded. "I sympathise, Ce, even if I cannot really understand."

"Yeah, well I'm still hell on wheels in a fight," Ce commented. "I feel quite like myself when I'm kickin' someone's ass."

"Oh, splendid," Da muttered over her cup. "Nice to know some things never change."

"Did you find any frisky spirits?" Xiao queried. "Did my pearls I gave you come in handy on those lonely nights?"

"Yes, Ce, did they?" Da asked, looking at him levelly.

"Nope," Ce said without concern. "Gave 'em all away and no action to show for it."

"Clever man." Zhou Yu observed.

"Turns out the unreal is no substitute for reality," the warlord explained, causing Xiao to sigh as she sensed a discourse on esoteric subjects approaching. To her delight the topic strayed to the vale Ce had found and she begged him to show it to her and her sister one day.

Ce was never happier to make a promise.

* * *

She lay snuggled against her husband, intrigued by how he felt the same as ever but also different in some way she could not readily elucidate, even to herself. It was as if his new perception of things was somehow evident in everything he did or tried. He seemed to want to familiarize himself with things he had done countless times before, including her. His hands on her familiar curves, her softness and her tenderness, it was not awkward to him but he took delight in rediscovering it all.

"Will you be alright, my lord?" she asked softly, not wishing to rouse him but also wanting some form of an answer.

"Oh, yeah, I'll be fine," he replied, his strong arm pulling her closer to him as he kissed the top of her head. "Y'don't need to worry. I'm adjustin' just fine."

"I see a faint hint of that awful mark Yu Ji left on you, my love. Does it still pain you?"

"Not often, but when it does, yeah, I won't lie, it hurts like hell. Feels like some giant serpent's coiled around my heart an' tryin' to squeeze my life outta me."

She snuggled closer, holding him tight and trying to identify with his pain. All she could remember was the agony of Sun Jian's loss and how bleak and empty she had felt at that time. Could what Ce lost possibly feel worse? She dearly hoped not, for she could never wish that on anyone.

"I love you, Ce," she whispered to him. "You are my everything. Never leave me."

"Not plannin' on it, Da," he answered softly but in a tone that left no doubt his words. "Nothin' will ever separate us."

They both slept peacefully for the first time in weeks. Eternity could wait, the moment was all they needed.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Thankfully, both this and the next chapter are uploaded to now. Following their publication, I am leaving the recently prevalent arcs of esoterica for a while and concentrating on a more button-mashing and body-counting aspect of the storyline, starting with Sun Shang Xiang heading south to contest the Shanyue.

I freely admit that I feel an obligation to somehow build her up and make her amazing because of the travesty that is now her character in DW6. I swear to you, there were times where I was watching the in-game movies and waiting for her to twirl her hair around her finger and blow a bubble while she watched things she didn't understand happen. "Who says a woman has to be weak"? Koei does, apparently. I'm not denying that she kicks much ass with her bow, don't get me wrong, but let me be quite frank and perhaps unusually blunt and uncouth for a moment- playing with Sun Shang Xiang in DW6 is like masturbating with a cheese grater... slightly amusing but mostly just painful.

I hope the Fall finds you all well and ready for more TYC, because I have missed it and plan to keep publishing. If my estimates are correct, this entire saga should run around 2 million + words by story's end. Hope to see you all there with me.

Peace!

Management


	53. Chapter 53

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 50- Against The Shanyue**

Sun Shang Xiang was considering her new command as she rode south atop her tall, white horse. Her chakrams were strapped to her back while her bow rested in its quiver on her leather-bound saddle. Behind her came her corps, nearly twenty-thousand troops and auxiliaries.

"Our assignment with present some new challenges, _shi_?" Fu Chin Ran commented casually as she rode beside her commanding officer and lover. "I understand that the troops currently occupying our southern borders have had quite a time of it, suffering mightily both at the hands of the Shanyue and the heat."

Shang Xiang nodded. "They are from Jiang Dong and obviously not used to such intense humidity. Our corps, composed mainly of Southlanders, should bear the heat a little more easily."

She was proud of her new position as corps commander and her new title, "General Who Suppresses Barbarians". The wars in the farthest south would require an unconventional frame of mind, and Shang Xiang was convinced she was just the person to do it. This would no longer be a backward territory or minor theatre.

There were five military theatres to the realm ruled by the Sun family, as laid out by Zhou Yu- the Northern Theatre, centered on Changsha and commanded by Lu Meng. These troops guarded the crossings of the great river, looking out over the central plains, controlled by mighty warlords such as Yuan Shao and Cao Cao.

The Western Theatre was centered on Han Shou, which sat on the shores of Lake Dong Ting, and commanded by General Ling Tong, who had inherited the commandery form his father, Cao. The wide Riverlands, just over the great bridge were sparsely populated, but they still required a watchful eye. After all, Lord Elryk and the _Bailangren_ had appeared out of the mountains in the farthest west, so anything was possible.

The Eastern or Seaboard Theatre was commanded by Sun Quan and centered out of Wuchang. Under the crumbling Han dynasty, the shores of China had been plagued by pirates for decades, except the lands of Jiang Dong. Now, strong flotillas of Wu ships patrolled the waters of the south, led by men such as Zhou Tai and Gan Ning, former corsairs themselves, and the pirates were forced to find different victims in other waters.

The Central Theatre was centered on Baifu and Huang Gai was the commander. The Central Theatre was, of course, pretty much free from strife, which suited the old general just fine. It gave him time to make sure the new troops that were raised were tough as nails and ready for their new posts, especially those being sent to the north under Lu Meng.

The Southern Theatre had been entrusted to Shang Xiang. The borders were contested by the Shanyue and the Nanman, savage tribes that presented unique tactical challenges, both in terms of their style of warfare and the terrain from which they hailed- steaming, endless jungles that were going to be difficult to defend and even more difficult to penetrate.

Until now the Southern Theatre had been a somewhat haphazard operation, not due to disorganization but because activity in other theatres had demanded the resources available and more troops; when the Wu territory had been splintered amongst the various petty warlords and thugs, the Shanyue had mostly confined themselves to minor raiding, since there was little of value to be found in the local, impoverished settlements. But with the arrival of Sun Ce, the Shanyue chieftains sensed a grave shift in the power balance and were making concerted efforts to drive the Southlands forces back by whatever means necessary.

The general in charge of the ersatz Southern Theatre, a young man named Zhu Ran, had made the most of what he was given, namely a hodgepodge of companies, battalions and regiments that formed an understrength corps charged with fending off the Shanyue.

Shang Xiang intended to show the barbarians what it meant to challenge the Sun family.

* * *

The weather grew more humid the farther south they traveled, until even the Wu natives were sweating and finding the heat uncomfortable. Shang Xiang resolutely wore her standard campaigning gear and if she looked a little more flushed and sweaty than normal, no one dared to say anything, except maybe Fu Chin Ran.

The amazon regiment's commander herself was also obviously bothered by the heat- her long, glossy black hair, normally worn in a braid down her back, was tied up in a messy ponytail atop her head to keep it off her neck. Sweat glistened around her hairline as she wiped her brow.

"Cursed humidity," she muttered. "It's unladylike to sweat."

"Like that's ever been a concern of yours," Shang Xiang pointed out. "Besides, you're just annoyed that something aside form me is making you sweat."

To this, Fu had no answer.

"Anyway, there are advantages to being sent to the south." Shang Xiang added. "We will be removed from the constant scrutiny of Baifu. We can form our own strategies and plan for victory over these barbarians. I am looking forward to the challenge."

To the south, the main Wu camp could now be seen. The palisade that surrounded the camp was shoddy and poorly maintained. Indeed, it showed signs of breaching at certain points. Fu Chin Ran kissed her teeth as she assessed the site and realized exactly how much work they had ahead of them. She was thankful that Shang Xiang was the most tenacious of the Sun children.

Horns sounded as Shang Xiang's forward units and command company were sighted. The garrison units began to assemble hastily on the lush, emerald grass that surrounded the makeshift fort. General Zhu Ran bowed low as Shang Xiang rode up and dismounted.

"Welcome, Lady Sun," he intoned. "We are most glad for reinforcements, because the enemy is strange and fearsome."

"Yes, that is my understanding," Shang Xiang commented as she returned the bow with a nod. "You will be pleased to know that I have brought some twenty-thousand fresh troops with me to see to the Shanyue once and for all."

The garrison troops cheered as more and more battalions marched onto the wide, verdant plain. Zhu Ran looked delighted. "This is most excellent news, Lady Sun!"

"I like to think so," Shang Xiang agreed as she looked around, her hands on her hips. "How many troops are you waging this campaign with, general?"

The general bowed again. "We began with some seventy-five hundred troops, my lady."

"And now?"

"Maybe five-thousand, slightly less, I believe." Zhu Ran said.

Shang Xiang raised an eyebrow. "A full third of your men have perished at the hands of the Shanyue, general?"

"Oh, no, my lady," Zhu Ran said hastily. "Just over a thousand have fallen to these savages. The rest have been claimed by the merciless heat and sickness. These climes are deadly and disease can run unchecked."

Shang Xiang sighed. "Very well, general. The Lord of the Southlands is aware of the challenges you have faced and he is pleased with the efforts you have made in his name. Once you have assisted me in getting my corps acclimated, you and your men will be redeployed to Baifu."

Zhu Ran faltered slightly. "Recalled, my lady? Do I do something to displease your brother?"

"Not at all, general," she said in an assuring tone. "We all know that the Southern Theatre was undermanned, underequipped and underfunded for this operation. You and your men are being pulled back for a rest and refitting. The east, west and north know peace, at least for now, whereas you and your corps have known constant conflict. After you have been rested and your corps rebuilt, you will be reassigned to the Northern Theatre under the command of General Lu Meng."

Zhu Ran bowed gratefully.

"Now then," Shang Xiang said. "Escort me to your office and we shall begin this transition."

* * *

Zhu Ran's 'office' was simply three large tents pinned together with the resulting inner walls mostly removed. While no doubt inexpensive to maintain and easy to break down, it could hardly have been called stately or efficient, especially for a corps commander. Zhu Ran slept in one corner of the chamber, ate in another and the vast majority of the tent was devoted to a large, rickety table, spread across which were maps, troop dispersions and medical documentation. One other corner had weapons, armour and equipment piled in it, apparently trophies from engagements with the Shanyue. The general tried not to blush as he noticed Shang Xiang's assessment of his quarters.

"Not a lick of vermilion or gold to be seen," she muttered. "Well, that'll be changing. Now, general, the Grand Strategist and I have gone over your reports and I have a plan I intend to put into effect as soon as I am able. I require all the information you can give me first, though."

"Of course, my lady." Zhu Ran replied.

"Tell me of your operations. I have no intention of assigning blame and I do not need excuses. Just give me a frank and detailed description of the campaign to this date, if you will."

Zhu Ran drew a deep breath. "Once we had arrived, I decided to establish this as my primary base of operations. Though the Shanyue were further south, I deemed this to be the most logical place to campaign from."

"Reasonable enough," Shang Xiang said. "Continue."

"I established some forward bases in the jungle, trying to use them to penetrate into Shanyue territory and see if we could push them back."

Shang Xiang nodded. "Risky and daring, general. What came of your plan?"

"I have rotated my troops from the forward bases every month if at all possible, since most of the fighting takes place in the jungle and I wanted all my troops to have such experience. But logistically it has become difficult for several reasons. First, the enemy knows how to fight in the jungle, whereas we are just learning. Second, our men fall victim to the excessive heat and also to disease. The Shanyue will take our wounded and slain and then keep the bodies for days before launching them back into our camps, to spread illness."

Shang Xiang listened quietly.

"They have also begun to skirt around the forward bases and attack us here on the plains. The locals barely have enough food to feed themselves, so what little gold we still have left is of little enticement to them. The Shanyue, who are growing more daring, are now ravaging settlements that trade with us, so the people are understandably reticent to deal with my troops. We have begun growing our own rice, pulling troops to do so, but these vital crops must be every bit as vigorously defended as our military installations or we will starve."

"Have you lost men to starvation yet, general?" Shang Xiang asked.

"Thankfully, no." Zhu Ran said heavily. "Our prayers to Shen Nong have sustained us, certainly. Huang Di, however, does not appear to have been so responsive- the Shanyue have even grown so bold as to attack this, our principal base, less than three weeks ago. We repulsed the savages, but not before they breached our palisade briefly. As you can see, the camp is still a mess."

"And the disease you have encountered?"

"In and of itself, nothing terrible, my lady," Zhu Ran said encouragingly. "We are just ill-equipped to deal with its ravages. What healers we did have assigned to us have all be claimed by death, either in battle or by the disease itself. I have lost more troops in the past three months than I have in the entire campaign prior to this."

Shang Xiang folded her arms and nodded. "Very well, general. We will be altering our methods because our strategic objective is officially changing. "You are to dismantle your forward bases and bring your remaining troops back here forthwith, understood?"

Zhu Ran seemed to want to protest, but only for a moment. He bowed dutifully. "As you say, my lady. It shall be done."

Shang Xiang gazed down at a large regional map that was spread across the table. She tapped a certain marking with her finger.

"Here are the ruins of the ancient town of Fujian, long ago abandoned by our ancestors."

Zhu Ran nodded. "It lays maybe one hundred and fifty _li_ to the east of our current position."

"Excellent," Shang Xiang declared. "We intend to make Fujian the center of the Southern Theatre. Three months from now, over a quarter of a million people from the Baifu region will be migrating to this area- farmers, healers, artisans, entertainers, priests, traders… they shall bring civilization to these parts."

The general's eyes widened. "But Fujian… would become a target of constant attack."

"That is why my corps and I have come, general." Shang Xiang replied simply. "We will guard the citizens and force the Shanyue to submit, if they will not leave."

She pointed again at the map. "We shall no longer set bases in the jungles. I shall be placing battalions at various strategic points, cutting off Shanyue access into the plains. We shall be building fortifications atop hills and encouraging what people do live in the region to come live within its walls. They can farm and help provide a staging base for our operations."

"That will probably discourage the Shanyue from further raids," Zhu Ran agreed. "But what will you do about fighting them in the jungles?"

Shang Xiang's eyes flashed. "I do not intend to contest them for the jungles, but I do plan to give them a little of their own medicine. My corps will operate in a normal manner, making exceptions for the rather fearsome climate, but one regiment, that led by Fu Chin Ran, shall be trained to fight and raid in the jungles. She and her girls will conduct lightning raids into Shanyue strongholds and make their lives so miserable that they'll be suing for peace in no time."

Zhu Ran nodded. "I too have wished to be able to do so, but I lacked the resources and manpower necessary to do anything of the sort."

Shang Xiang thumped her fist into her palm. "I will harry them until they grow enraged and commit to a big battle. You and your men have proven that they can be bested in pitched combat, and I shall inflict such a defeat on them that they shall be cowed. Then, when they see what benefits we bring with our artisans and tradesmen, they shall think twice about their policies and begin asking for trade rights instead."

The scope of the campaign down on Zhu Ran and his eyes were wide with wonder. This war would be won culturally. It was a brilliant stroke.

"Fear not, general, we are committed to winning this fight," Shang Xiang said, her eyes leaving no room for doubt. "The Southern Theatre is our principal focus now that Jing is subdued. The east, north and west are stable, only the south remains. I have brought an entire army, my coffers are very full and we are bringing our culture with us. The question isn't _if_ we can win this war, but how quickly. The sooner we turn it into a non-war, the sooner the Shanyue will have nothing. They will either sue for peace or slip into the jungles, never to bother us again."

Fu Chin Ran entered the tent and bowed. "Forgive the intrusion, my lady. The troops have all arrived and the camps are being set up. What are your orders?"

Shang Xiang pondered the question. "General Zhu Ran's camp is to be strengthened and rebuilt immediately, since I still have need of him. Bring tents worthy of a corps commander of the Southlands."

Fu Chin Ran bowed and left. Shang Xiang turned to Zhu Ran.

"Your corps is to be broken up into companies, each of which shall be assigned to one of my regiments. Your commanders will make sure mine are well-versed in the geography of this land and how to deal with this treacherous heat. Bring all your sick men to my healers at once. That is our first order of business."

Zhu Ran did so happily, relieved that he could now look after his men properly. He sent the orders and then returned his attentions to the Bow-Hipped Princess, who was nearly a legend amongst his men, renowned for her beauty, tenacity and skill in battle.

"I want your men to immediately relinquish all duties to my corps and begin resting, I shall have need of them soon enough. My men already know they'll be taking over as soon as possible to allow this. Pits are currently being dug to allow for the healing wells."

She looked around. "General, while I obviously will not continue to use this makeshift shelter of yours as my residence, it has no doubt been the site of much effort and spirit and I would honour it as such if you chose to keep using it for the duration of your stay."

Zhu Ran bowed. "This tent has been renovated and rebuilt many times, my lady, it is of no particular value to us. To be honest, I look forward to merely sleeping in a smaller tent like my troops and following your orders, temporarily free of these monumental decisions."

Shang Xiang nodded and led him out of the tent while Zhu Ran gave orders to have his notes, maps and battle trophies removed to another locale. Shang Xiang scaled a ladder of the makeshift palisade and gazed around, surveying the land.

"There," she said, pointing just to the south and east. "That rise over there shall be the site of our new fortress. My command tent shall stand at the summit. The walls shall be strong and imposing. We shall improve the defenses here and use this camp to tend our sick. It is close enough to the new site to be ably defended. Fu Chin-Ran shall over see the new construction, general; aid her and see to it that your men are ready."

Zhu Ran bowed low and hurried off.

Shang Xiang leapt down from the wall and began striding around, issuing orders and assessing the camp and what needed to be done. She found out where the diseased corpses the Shanyue had been throwing into the camp were buried and ordered the spot covered in lime. She would worry about having priests bless the deceased later- she had to protect the living for now.

It was truly remarkable what Zhu Ran had accomplished, given the limitations of his resources and command. He was clever, persistent and resourceful and she would make sure he was put to good use when he returned to the north. Such generals were invaluable and worth their weight in gems.

Various battalions were setting up camps in a complex and in-depth formation around her position, akin to a sacred _bagua_, incorporating both hard and soft elements. Those new arrivals not immediately put to work on the defences were aiding the established garrison, treating them like heroes and praising them highly for their efforts. They offered them fresh food and delicacies, even heated wine.

The corps was arriving swiftly and moving out to encompass a larger area around the princess and make their strength known. Messengers were sent to all nearby settlements, letting them know that Sun Shang Xiang had arrived and her protection was open to all who desired it, but they would need to come to her and leave their ramshackle huts behind. She expected many to respond eagerly.

Swift cavalry had come with her, an entire regiment whose purpose would be to expedite communications between the fortresses and eventually Fujian, which would be her capital once it was ready. Battalions of archers she had also brought, armed with bows, crossbows and repeating crossbows. Experts with their weapons, they would blacken the sky with their missiles and rain death on the enemy.

She had also brought a unit borrowed from General Huang Gai, a platoon of his much-feared Thunderbombers- these men were trained in the use of the fuse bombs the old warrior seemed so fond of and they could hurl them with lethal efficiency. No matter what the Shanyue brought to the field, Shang Xiang was certain they would have no counter to this threat.

The last unit of the corps had arrived and it was the one that drew the most attention from the extant garrison. Lord Elryk of the _Bailangren_ had graciously agreed to allow twenty of his ferocious Teutonic warriors to accompany her to the south, where they would learn to fight in the sweltering heat and bring this valuable knowledge back to him, since these eastern lands were now their home.

Shang Xiang made sure she was present when the Germans arrived, since they more than anyone were unused to the heat and she had no doubt the barbarian warriors would be irritable and not in the mood to be stared at. They were led by a warrior named Valamir, one of Elryk's dreaded _comitatus _bodyguards but an able commander in his own right who had the respect of all his men. He was accompanied by doughty warriors named Theodahad, Athanaric, Witiges, Tulga, Suinthila, Eraric, Athaulf, Sigeric, Totila, Aligern, Euric, Liuvigild, Scipuar, Widin, Illdibad, Baduela, Wallia, Thorismund, Theudisgisel and Gibal, all of whom wore many golden gifts from their great chieftain for their acts of heroism; they were indeed a sight to behold as they trudged into the camp. They were accompanied by a young girl named Amalasuntha and a boy named Teiam, who had proven adept in learning the language of the Han, speaking it fluently and would act as their translators. Amalasuntha would report to Shang Xiang while Teiam would assist Valamir with making himself understood. Both the Germans and the warriors of the Middle Kingdom understood that if either child were ever in danger or even remotely abused, the offender would answer to Shang Xiang with their life, no questions asked.

"Valamir, I want you to secure the rise to our southeast," Shang Xiang instructed through Teiam. "It is there that I shall make my first fortress and if the Shanyue are spying on us, I would like them to contend with the notion of you and your men as their first enemies. In spite of the heat, stay as active as you can, please."

The hulking blond warrior saluted after the manner of his kindred and then bowed, just to be thorough. "Is shall be as you command, my lady. The savages will flee in fear at the sight of us, I assure you."

Shang Xiang smirked at the notion of the German referring to the Shanyue as 'savages', since the Shanyue were merely uncivilized whereas the People of the White Wolf fit the profile of barbarians no matter where they lived.

She had to admit, though, that the _Bailangren_ had made remarkable strides in adapting to the ways of the Middle Kingdom where necessary. Many of them knew key words or even sentences so they could convey simple thoughts or desires. They had taken to cleansing themselves daily and even grooming, though they artfully retained their barbaric splendour with the assistance of aestheticians of the region granted to them. They even wore silk when available, though they went through it quickly, due to their rather rough lifestyle.

She watched as the supply train arrived, hundreds of oxen and horses hauling their goods, foodstuff and munitions, not to mention the money she would use to establish stability in the region, nearly three million strings of newly-minted copper coins. They had also bought all the tools they would need to begin irrigation and terracing, allowing for the production of bean curd and rice in plentiful supply, enough to feed their armies and the civilians who would be arriving.

She stopped and closed her eyes, picturing in her head what they were here to accomplish and what priority the various elements would need to be accomplished in. Her men were already setting up a small shrine to the god of fire, patron deity of the Sun family and also the god of war. This venture would be properly blessed and consecrated since she had brought priests of both the Tao and the Great Wheel of the Buddha.

"The men are eager to begin, I have never seen them so eagerly set to tasks as menial as setting up camps before." Fu Chin-Ran observed as she strolled up beside Shang Xiang. "The girls have agreed to scout the region, especially to the east where Valamir and his men are headed."

Shang Xiang smiled. "There is no small wonder in the rather strange relationship between our ladies and those yellow-haired horrors. Do the girls feel the _Bailangren_ need protection or is it something else?"

"Well, they claim it is for the protection of the White Wolves in these hostile climes, but I believe there is more to it than that," the amazon admitted. "Not all our girls eschew the notion of marriage and many are dangerously open-minded."

"And the White Wolves are certainly representative of new ideas." Shang Xiang agreed. "How would you rate yourself against them in battle or a duel?"

Fu Chin-Ran thought about the question for several moments before answering. "I could best the vast majority of them, excepting maybe Valamir and I have no wish to test myself against Theudis or Glandyth."

"And Elryk?" Shang Xiang queried.

"I doubt even your brother or Taishi Ci would treat that task lightly."

Shang Xiang nodded. "We have seen them fight and they are terrifying because of that berserk fury they go into. They are almost impossible to stop once they get going and they care not for wounds until their bodies simply shut down. They are large and powerful and can literally burst a formation open with sheer force, but a disciplined army could match them if they kept their nerve, for the Westerners know little of tactics beyond an immediate scale. They rely on speed, strength and their battle-frenzies to carry the day. I am sure that when they triumph the victory is immense, but when they are defeated then their losses are grave indeed. Surely they can afford next to none since their numbers here are so few to begin with."

I remember sparring with one of them, Valaric," Fu Chin-Ran recalled. "They get themselves so worked up that they seem to not feel pain. I almost had to cripple him before he finally submitted and it was too close for my liking since the blows he managed to land on me were terrible."

"Due to our training with the arts, we learn the use of our bodies a certain way and how not to over-extend ourselves," Shang Xiang mused. "But if a strike or a counter misses, we are sometimes at a loss, whereas the Wolves simply keep swinging until they hit. There is little science to it, but there is no denying its effectiveness if you do not know what to expect from them."

Fu Chin-Ran looked to the south, to see if she could espy the jungles from which the enemy would emerge.

"These lands are unsuited for the sort of warfare we typically engage in. Our infantry is too heavily armoured and the cavalry would be at a severe disadvantage in the trees."

"That is why you, the girls and I will be learning to fight them on their own terms," Shang Xiang said grimly. "We will conduct punitive raids against their bases and settlements before melting back into the jungle. We will hit them until they are enraged and commit to a decisive battle here on the open plains."

"Do you think they will bring the _xiang_ again?" the amazon commander asked, referring to the war elephants prevalent amongst the southern tribes.

"And tigers, I would surmise." Shang Xiang concluded, nodding. "We must defeat them utterly when they use these weapons so that they despair of such tactics. I want our strategists working on it."

"My lady," a brigade commander said as he walked up and bowed low. "We have discovered several rivers within fifty _li_ of this position and they all flow south, through the jungles. It has been suggested that this campaign could be ended quickly if we were to poison the waters, depopulating the Shanyue regions rapidly and forcing their capitulation."

Shang Xiang considered the information and its impact on their goals- possibly thousands of her soldiers' lives could be saved easily if she followed this advice. The results would be devastating and rapidly conclude the campaign.

What would her father or Ce do?

"No," she said finally. "I will not allow this."

"But, my lady," the man protested. "We are here to subdue the Shanyue and we have heard from your brother himself that we should always take the necessary steps to minimize our own casualties."

"And this would certainly do it, I agree." Shang Xiang replied. "But in our service to our nation and my brother we have as soldiers agreed to fight and die if necessary and I hold you to that. What you propose will not only slay the men we stand to fight, but the women and children as well, who are innocent in all of this. I will not stand before the Celestials and be judged for their murder."

"But they are only savages, general," the man insisted. "They are not worthy of-"

Shang Xiang struck him across the face so hard she sent the man sprawling. She glared at him, her eyes blazing wrathfully.

"How dare you take so cavalier a tone with me?" she shouted. "If you _ever_ address me as a mere general again I will have you head mounted on a pike in my tent! I am the daughter of Sun Jian, cur! Do not seek to account to me of the worth of another's life, just because they happen to not be one of us! Perhaps you would care to take the matter of with Valimar?"

The man was laying on his side, looking up at her in pale-faced terror.

"Get this man out of here!" she barked loudly. "I want him lashed and sent back to Sun Ce in Baifu immediately! Tell my brother I am requesting an annual stipend for his family for having the misfortune of being led by such a fool!"

The man was led away by two of Fu Chin-Ran's amazons to receive his punishment. Everyone else in the vicinity watched silently, knowing better than to move without their fiery princess' permission.

"Now then," Shang Xiang growled. "There is to be no further talk of such strategies. We would accuse men such as Dong Zhuo or Cao Cao of resorting to these measures and I will not have our name tarnished by such an association. We will fight if necessary, but when my ancestor Sunzi said to win without fighting was the greatest victory I am pretty damned sure he did not mean cowardice and murder. Now get back to work!"

Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran watched as everyone scurried about their tasks and the Sun daughter sighed heavily.

"I wish that tactic didn't make so much practical sense," she muttered. "It is reasonable, it is logical and it is justifiable."

"True, but that doesn't make it right, my love," Fu replied. "You were right about the judgement of the Heavens in this case. We all remember the horrors Dong Zhuo inflicted on the capital when he razed it and pillaged the citizens mercilessly."

"This is why the common folk need the guidance of the superior man," Shang Xiang concluded. "Left to their own devices, they will stray from the path. Had I not quashed this, they might have done it before asking and then the gods would surely be angry with us. Fighting the enemy is supposed to be the hard part of war."

Fu raised an eyebrow and smirked. "Clearly you have never commanded the women of your battalion."

Shang Xiang laughed. It would be good to take to the field again and meet the foe with steel.

* * *

The stout wooden fortress was going up quickly, a rather unusual but impressive mixture of soft and pliant local woods along with the strong and dense lumber brought from farther north. Centered around a tall hill, the fortress actually was modelled on the concept of the steading used by Elryk and the _Bailangren_. Concentric rings of defence would make the locale next to impossible to take as long as the garrison manned the walls.

The first layer of defence was a moat, fifty spans wide and nearly thirty deep- only a _xiang_ could cross it readily and even that great beast would be easy prey for arrows and rocks hurled from the walls. Against the moat's inside edge stood a stout palisade, seventy spans tall and with a reinforced platform running around its length, allowing archers a commanding view of any foe assaulting the stronghold. The diameter of the outer palisade was nearly a full _li_ and a full regiment each of archers and swordsmen, their barracks wooden buildings rather than tents.

The inner fortress was defended by a strong palisade, twice the thickness of the outer wall. The tall hill was crowned by Shang Xiang's hall, which had a commanding view of the fortress and the plains beyond. Compared to the fortresses of the north it was very small, but here in the sparsely populated far south, it was impressive enough.

She was not satisfied, though, until the settlements and fortresses of the south were a match for anything the north could boast, she had no intention of letting these lands remain a poor and underpopulated cousin to other districts. She was no scientist but she eagerly awaited news of Zhou Yu's research and findings about the uses of the Roman substance called 'concrete', an ersatz liquid concoction made of lime, volcanic ash and small stones that could be hardened and moulded into structures of extraordinary strength. It did not need to be painstakingly carved and transported as stones did, it could be created 'on-site', wherever a structure was to be erected, one just needed the raw materials. True, the closest volcano that could provide the ash was Honggeertushan, but transporting ash south via the new canals was certainly infinitely easier than a comparable amount of stone.

She envisioned massive wooden molds and frames that would be filled with tamped concrete and allowed to harden and form walls of incredible strength and just about any shape or length. Fortresses, buildings or linings for canals, anything might be possible with this tool.

That day would come, but for now she would make do with what these wild southern hinterlands offered her. Her enemies certainly had no knowledge of concrete and were prone to using stone weapons, so he still held a technological edge.

She returned to a large table on which was laid out the schematics of her great hall- an armoury for the garrison, several storage rooms dug into the hill itself, a tactical room, a shrine to the sun god and her personal quarters, complete with reading chambers, a bedchamber and a bath. The lands may have been savage but she had no intention of emulating its personality. She was bringing civilization south with her and it would begin in her private quarters.

Already fields were being set aside and prepared for irrigation and terracing, allowing the growth of rice and soybeans. Rivers were being diverted to accommodate this ambitious plan and scouts and surveyors sent forth to find the land's natural resources, seeking out gold, silver, jade or gem deposits, anything that could enhance trade and bring economic viability.

One resource was already abundantly certain, that being tea- infinite varieties of trees and bushes were everywhere and she would make these lands the center of trade for this precious commodity. Green and white teas were abundant from here to the coast and the locals had a delightful culture of using monkeys to pick the most tender leaves from the very tops of the trees, resulting in teas of exquisite quality.

She was sitting in her tent and drinking a white tea when Fu Chin Ran entered the tent, accompanied by a scout. Shang Xiang looked up from her deliberations, knowing that the general would not interrupt without news she considered important.

"My apologies for intruding, princess," the amazon warrior began, using the formality they had agreed to when their troops were around. "The Shanyue have been spotted, observing us from the edges of their jungle. Clearly they are concerned but they have yet to make any move. Do you have any orders for us?"

Shang Xiang nodded. "I see no point in making them wait, nor letting them prepare. I want your women ready to stage the first raids tonight. Zhu Ran has provided us with the locales of their closest bases and settlements, so have your commanders study the maps and pick their targets."

Fu Chin Ran nodded. "I assume you will be joining us?" she asked with a sly smile.

Shang Xiang grinned. "Would you have it any other way?"

* * *

Through the blackness they sprinted, penetrating deep into the dense and dreadful barrier of the steaming jungle. They numbered some five hundreds but they were swift and silent, intent on their targets. Lightly armed and armoured so speed and stealth, the amazon warriors made their way far into the frightful rainforest, bypassing some smaller enemy camps in favour of striking them at locales that would make a resounding statement.

Shang Xiang had divided the battalion up into five groups of one hundred and made their objectives abundantly clear- hit the enemy fast and hard and then retreat. These strikes were meant to shock the enemy and let them know that they were not safe, no matter how far back into the jungle they hid.

"_Slay the men and women who oppose you,"_ she had declared. _"Harm no children under any circumstances and do not slay those women or elderly who raise no hand against you. With their men dead, they will need to look elsewhere for support and succour. And our towns and cities will be waiting."_

Shang Xiang, ever the acrobat and grand performer, had leapt into the trees and now sprinted through the canopy, moving from branch to branch effortlessly and without sound. Only the most nimble warriors of her strike group could keep up with her, the rest keeping pace below, making their way through the dense undergrowth. She had split off from the main body of her troops, taking her hundred warriors slightly east, where there was supposed to be an encampment, possibly guarded by _xiang_ and their riders. As she was the only warrior known to have defeated these dreadful beasts in direct combat, she was taking no chances with the lives of her women. Fu Chin Ran would see to the rest.

When she was within two _li_ of the enemy position she halted her troops and gathered them close. She stood on the remains of some ancient, crumbling column and addressed them quietly.

"Remember, they use poisoned weapons, so guard yourself well since we must withdraw quickly. Kill quickly, do not get into protracted and lengthly duels, that will only hinder our objectives. Avoid the _xiang_ if possible, do what you can to terrify them if necessary. Squads One through Four will move forward now and assume their positions in the trees, ready to shoot. Five through Ten will remain with me and be ready to strike on my order. Glory to the Sun family. Go!"

The squads designated as archers moved out swiftly and silently, melting into the blackness of the night. Shang Xiang addressed the remaining troops briefly.

"Those of you who did not fight the southern savages at Hu Lao Gate during the campaign against Dong Zhuo will need to understand that these warriors have some mystical form of protection. They wear ornate tattoos that they believe make them invulnerable. It may be true, but the strength of their belief in this absurd principle seems to be the source of it. Shock them and hurt them, make them doubt and make them fear."

One girl laughed. "We shall, my lady. I doubt even your mighty brother could scare these barbarians as badly as we will."

Shang Xiang raised an eyebrow. "Just keep in mind that while we fought the Nanman mercenaries and their war-elephants, my brother was single-handedly taking on Lu Bu, something I never could have done. We are more than enough, there is no need to resort to overkill by having Sun Ce fight these savages."

Chastised, the girl nodded humbly.

Without another word, Sun Shang Xiang knelt and folded her hands in prayer, seeking the blessing of the god of fire and the Celestial Tiger, commander of the armies of Heaven. Her warriors silently did the same, knowing that battle was close and the time for talk was over. All that remained was duty, orders and death.

Shang Xiang rose and looked south, knowing that the girls she had sent forward would be in position and waiting patiently. She nodded and broke into a run, heading towards the camp. Like herself, her warriors ran on the balls of their feet, minimizing the noise they made as they closed with the enemy- the heavy footfalls of the massive German warriors could be heard for many _li_, but this mission required a stealth only the amazon warriors of the Bow-Hipped Princess could claim mastery of.

The light of campfires was now evident not far ahead and the area grew thick with ruins. This area had once been a temple to some alien god at one time. A sentry stood lazily on top of a small dais and his eyes widened for only a moment before Shang Xiang had raced by him, striking him across the throat with her knife and silencing him. His tattoos had been no shield for him, killed in the night by a foe he had never seen.

Troops were evident now, along with at least three of the massive _xiang_, their massive grey forms dwarfing everything except the largest of the ruins. Her eyes flashed with deadly intent as she raced forward, her chakrams now drawn. Not more than two seconds before she burst into the temple clearing, dozens of arrows streaked into the unsuspecting foe from the boughs of the trees. Men cried out in pain and panic at this unsuspected assault, but they were quite shocked when Shang Xiang and her warriors leapt into the encampment, like demons from some nightmare.

The elephants trumpeted in alarm, trying to move but bound to mighty stakes that kept them from running amok. Strong cages held almost a dozen tigers that roared and snarled at the intrusion. The tattooed barbarians were caught completely off-guard and ran about, trying to organize a defence, but the women warriors had overrun the encampment before any coherent action was possible.

Shang Xiang leapt on one large warrior, bearing him to the ground. He was dead before he had hit the stone of the dais and she had sprung onto another man instantly. Her chakram cleaved the haft of his spear in two half a second before the other one sent his head spinning into the air. She spun low and swept the legs out from beneath another Shanyue warrior and the dull thud of his landing with punctuated by the loud cracking of his sternum as she stamped her heel onto his chest.

Arrows continued to rain into the encampment, causing endless panic among the defenders. Shang Xiang kicked over a huge bronze pot of boiling liquid onto the main fire, extinguishing it and plunging the camp into a darkness that the smaller fires could not banish. Her warriors slew in the dark, knowing that any advantage they could give themselves was welcome.

One of the _xiang_ pulled free of its restraints and began rampaging about, trumpeting loudly and sending the other beasts into a panic. Shang Xiang pulled out her horn and blew three sharp and short blasts on it, signifying the retreat. Her warriors immediately broke off from whatever they were doing and sprinted back into the jungle from whence they came, leaving pandemonium reigning inside the enemy camp.

As her warriors fell into line with her, Shang Xiang laughed- the strike had gone off without a hitch, exactly as planned. Not all future ones would, but they had an excellent start to their endeavour. She ran them hard, all the way back to the edge of the jungle, never stopping in case they were pursued. The safety of the open plains and their fortifications awaited them.

One hell of a good start.

* * *

Over the next two weeks, the wide lands were fortified and secured, with areas demarcated for use in agriculture and future industry. Shang Xiang had sent forth parts of her force to announce her presence to the local villages and let them now that they would enjoy her protection and that of the Lord of the Southlands if they would come to her. And they did, in their thousands. Entire settlements were abandoned but Shang Xiang promised the people that if they so chose, they would be returned to their homes as soon as the Shanyue were dealt with and the lands were safe.

The raids against the barbarians continued, wreaking havoc and causing confusion. Shang Xiang began targeting chieftains and capable leaders in order to weaken what command structure there might be amongst the enemy. She had personally engaged in a savage battle with and slain with a chieftain who had a formidable reputation amongst the Shanyue tribes, throwing him from his battle-elephant and crushing him beneath its mighty feet.

When possible, she absconded with their war beasts, elephants, tigers and so on. To her regret she had been forced to kill a salamander during one raid, not unlike Xiao's. It had been trained as a war beast and she had nearly perished when she entered a pen that enclosed it, for it belched great gouts of roiling, stinking flame at her. She severed its head and the caustic blood flowed forth, scorching the earth and causing the water the salamander was lying in to smoke and bubble wildly.

The Wu army had no particular use for the animals they captured, but they served as battle trophies and a reminder to the Shanyue that Sun Shang Xiang was now the ruler of these lands and she took what she wanted if they would not submit.

Some Shanyue forces had made punitive raids into the plains, attacking positions that were not so prepared but they were repulsed with little loss to the Wu army. They seemed to be testing the resolve of the invaders. One time they attacked a small fort and they had brought five elephants and after fierce fighting they retreated because of archers using fire arrows.

Settlements that had not come to Shang Xiang or refused her entreaties began to be raided and several were razed, the villages and townspeople slaughtered, often gruesomely. Some of her commanders suggested that they spare some of their troops and move to protect the remaining settlements, but Shang Xiang refused, though it pained her to do so. She was not willing to endanger her strategic vision for the sake of stubborn villagers who refused to assist her with making their lands safe.

Those who had come to her were given shelter and put into compounds behind the network of fortresses, their lodgings protected by strong palisades. They were employed quickly, creating the agricultural fields and providing the unskilled labour that would help build the wide Roman-style roads that would allow for commerce and the swift movement of people and armies.

Surveyors began to draw plans and designs for two canals that would flow south from the Baifu region and allow for bulk transport to reach the region quickly and efficiently. Foodstuffs, building supplies, weapons, barges could efficiently carry ten times the cargo of a baggage train at greater speed.

It would not be long before the momentum of the war had turned against the Shanyue and the Sun family would prevail.

* * *

Fu Chin Ran reached up and caressed her lover's face as she felt the firm but gentle touch of Shang Xiang's hands on her body. Only the princess was a match for her strength but she also embodied a feminine quality that the general was enthralled by and revelled in.

The soft light of flickering oil braziers played over the two of them as they moved and undulated against one another, moaning and whispering each other's names. Trembling as they fought to maintain control but make the other climax, Shang Xiang knotted her fingers into Fu's and pinned her hands beside her head. The general's eyes flashed and she smiled hungrily, thrilled by the princess' vigour. They had been lovers for many years now and it never ceased to be divine.

The room was dark except for the soft light of the braziers, the women's tangled shadows playing over the wall. Shang Xiang had brought much of her furniture and decorations from Baifu and the room they now made love in was an exquisite approximation of her bedchambers in the capital.

"Not tonight, my love..." Fu purred, pushing back against Shang Xiang. "You will not win tonight's contest. You have been resting from combat these past few days, whereas I am just back from a raid and am stirred to great heights of desire."

"That didn't save you last time, did it?" Shang Xiang replied the princess as she arched her back, hooked her ankles beneath Fu's knees and pressed down, squirming rhythmically. "I may not have been fighting but my body is rested and ready for your challenge."

Fu Chin Ran flexed her powerful shoulders, moving her hands off the bed, wrestling Shang Xiang for control of their loveplay. Gripping one another's hands, they vied for leverage. Shang Xiang, smiled wickedly, lowered her torso until her breasts were grazing gently over Fu's. The general shivered and hissed in delight.

"Not fair..." she moaned.

They wrestled, groaned and writhed but in the end, neither could overcome the other and their climax was mutually blissful. They lay wrapped in one another's arms, smothering one another in kisses before silence crept over them, just content to be together. Shang Xiang sighed and traced a fingernail over her general's cheek.

"Not long now..." she murmured, loving the feel of Fu's strong body against hers. Fu Chin Ran was shorter than her, but more muscular of frame. She was not stronger than the princess, but perhaps more physically imposing.

"Do you suspect that the Shanyue are readying to attack?" Fu asked.

"They will need to before long," Shang Xiang confirmed, nodding. "They cannot allow us to continue to humiliate them like this. You have lost seven of our girls to injury and only three have been slain, whereas their losses must number in the hundreds. If they leave us alone much longer, we will be too well-prepared for them and beyond their ability to assault."

"I will welcome pitched battle," the general murmured, stroking Shang Xiang's waist. "We need to force a large, pitched battle in order to establish our superiority. We can bring the full force of our corps against them and show them that they cannot defy us."

They were silent for some time before Shang Xiang pulled herself up to rest on her side, her head propped up on her hand. "That still may take time, though. I have heard rumours that they are bringing forward a renowned warrior and general from farther south where they face the savage Nanman tribes. Apparently we are a bigger threat now."

"They are dangerous when roused," Fu added. "And I suspect that we have yet to see anything resembling their true strength."

"My thought as well." Shang Xiang agreed. "I wish to force their hand, inflict a heavy defeat on them here on the plains, perhaps anger them to attacking rashly."

"I know that look," Fu said slyly, examining her lover's eyes. "You have a plan already, don't you?"

"A dangerous one," Shang Xiang admitted. "One that would take nerves of steel."

"I volunteer, then." General Fu Chin Ran said readily.

* * *

The village she now stood in was a study of barbaric splendour, built on the ruins of earlier civilizations, overgrown with jungle vegetation but the buildings were strangely ornate, made of tumbled stones and exotic woods. The large, round building was an audience hall and had a convex roof, the smoke of the great central hearth billowing up through a hole in the apex.

Fu Chin Ran stood proudly, flanked by two of her amazon warriors, who stood with their hands on the slender swords they kept on their hips. On a wood and wicker throne, encrusted with rare gems, sat a dark-skinned and imposing warrior, wearing the skins of many animals and the feathers of bright birds. His tattoos covered him from head to toe and his eyes were a vivid yellow. In his hand he held a great club made of some black stone. He regarded the women levelly.

"I welcome you, but unless your envoy is one of capitulation, I am afraid you mission will be in vain," the warrior said in a thick accent that made his Han Chinese almost impossible to understand. "The lands you and your people now occupy to not belong to you and most certainly the jungles are to have remained inviolate. You are not welcome here, northerners."

Fu Chin Ran stood her ground. "Our people have lived on the plains for generations untold; I somehow doubt that Lord Sun Ce feels your claims of suzerainty are valid."

The warrior laughed. "Yes, Lord Sun Ce, I have heard of this man. If these lands are so valuable, why does he not come fight me for them himself?"

"I am not sure I would wish that on you," Fu replied. "Lord Sun Ce entrusted this mission to his sister and she intends to see it done. She is offering the chance for you to make peace with us and begin to engage in trade. The other choice is for us to defeat you utterly until your survivors must sue for peace."

Many of the warriors around the hallway muttered in shock and outrage at the warrior-woman's bold statement. The man on the throne thumped his hand against the wicker arm and glared at her.

"You dare?" he shouted. "You dare come into my lands, my very palace and try to dictate terms to me? I should have you killed and impaled on stakes for this impudence, your corpse left to fester and rot in the sun!"

"You could do that," Fu said evenly. "But if I do not return, then Lady Sun will know that you have refused her more-than-generous offer, slain me and she will come against you with the full might of her army and destroy everything your people have ever accomplished. She will slay your men, bring your women back to the north in chains to serve us and she will see to it that your children are raised to forget who they are and despise your name."

The warrior-chieftain roared angrily, stood and smashed his club against a pillar, causing it to tremble perilously. His guards levelled their spears, ready to slay the arrogant envoys at his command. Fu Chin Ran was not fazed.

"I would have you know that there were tacticians amongst us who proposed poisoning the rivers that flowed south, exterminating every man, women and child in these jungles, but Lady Shang Xiang fight men, she does not murder innocents. If you will not capitulate, then you will face us in open battle, if you dare." she continued. "I assure you, these jungles will not hide you forever. My warriors and I have already proven that we can face and defeat you on equal terms in these surroundings, I do not envy your chances against us in the open plains, no matter how many war beasts you bring."

The warrior began to step down from the dais, brandishing his club and making to kill Fu Chin Ran himself when two explosions shook the building from outside. Without a moment's pause, the amazon general and her guards sprinted past the surprised guards at the door, Fu Chin Ran literally shoulder-blocking through one and sending him flying backward as they exited the hall.

Outside, warriors were running around in a panic as a third explosion went off. Fu leapt onto the back of her horse, followed by her two guards and the warriors who had planted the thunderbombs as a distraction. They used the confusion to fly headlong for the gates of the great village, slaying any who stood in their way. The wooden and bamboo palisade was already open when they reached it and they shot out into the forest, heading north.

"Well, if that doesn't provoke them into a rash assault, nothing will." Fu announced to her cohorts as they sped back to the plains. Behind them they could hear the blare of horns and the rattle of drums. Elephants called and tigers snarled. Clearly the chase was on. There was no time to rest now, to slow down even a little would mean certain and gruesome death. When they had been escorted into the village, they had passed several huts where the mystical tattoos of these superstitious folk were created and Fu was more than a little certain she smelled human flesh being rendered as some of the pigments...

Without looking back they fled north, exhorting their mounts until the animals were foaming at the mouths and sweat streamed from their flanks. One girl's horse began to bleed from its nose because of the exertion and it stumbled and fell. Luckily, Fu Chin Ran swept her out of the air as the animal fell and deposited her safely onto the back of her own saddle, making sure her horse did not slow. They could afford no delays but she was determined that none of her girls would be left behind.

They seemed to have finally outpaced their pursuers but Fu did not let them slow down- far behind, the wail of horns and the rolling of drums could still be heard. She heard calls she would normally associate with exotic wild birds, but these were different, ordered and precise. These were calls to war, not the banter of jungle avians.

The thick tangle of trees and vines began to give way, clearing out slowly until the lush green plains could be seen. Distantly, the watchtowers of the fortresses and outposts they had been building could be seen. They burst forth from the jungle, rejoicing for the open air and escaping the oppressive wetness and heat of the rain forest. They sped onward toward a small relay station where fresh mounts awaited them. Wasting no time, Fu sprang from her horse and leapt into the saddle of the next, her girls doing the same.

"Looks like you've made an enemy for yourself, general," commented one man, handling her fresh horse.

"Why should Gan Ning have all the fun?" she countered before slapping her horse's flank and sending it galloping off toward the main fortress. Less than half an hour later, she had arrived. She dismounted before her horse had even stopped and strode toward Shang Xiang's audience hall. She bowed as she approached the dais, the Bow-hipped Princess awaiting her report.

"I think it is safe to say I angered them, my lady," Fu said before rising. "We heard their war drums and clarion calls as we were leaving the jungle."

"So did we." Shang Xiang confirmed. "You might have done your job a little too well, in fact..."

She led her general outside and up the ladder of the loftiest watchtower in the fortress, one attached to her hall. From here, nearly a hundred feet above the crown of the hill, they had a majestic view of the wide plains and could survey whatever an enemy might bring.

They were still distant, but somehow that was not comforting- the massive Shanyue host could be seen even at this range, crawling forward toward the network of fortresses and outposts that now opposed them. Their horns, drums and elephants could be heard.

"There's a lot of them," Fu Chin Ran said quietly. "Much larger than our corps."

"I agree," Shang Xiang murmured, nodding. "Our scouts are not getting too close but they are estimating as many as seventy-thousand soldiers and up to fifty _xiang. _We must stay focused and fight hard."

Fu Chin Ran took her lover's hand and gave it a squeeze. She never felt more alive than when they fought side by side.

* * *

Shang Xiang had taken her army out to meet the Shanyue on ground she had previously chosen for several advantages it gave her- first, it sat on rolling hills, allowing her to utilize height in her defensive formations while making movement difficult for the enemy's _xiang; _second, it was close to the series of forts in case they suffered a setback and she had to retreat to a more guarded location; third but not least, the ground had been prepared for pits, traps and other surprises, so she was very pleased when the barbarians were so enraged that they used their superior numbers to march boldly into the plain.

She stood now on a high hill, watching the enemy's approach, the westering sun glinting on the gold and brass fastening of her ornate armature and turning the vermillion of her outfit to the colour of blood. Her hair flowed gently in the breeze while her green eyes glinted like emerald stars.

"This will be over by nightfall," she said quietly. "No mercy."

Beside her, Fu Chin Ran drew her sword and held it aloft. "No mercy!" she shouted loudly.

"No mercy!" roared the thousands of voices in the assembled corps.

The center of the formation was held by line troops, seasoned veterans who had been exposed to the _xiang _that had been captured and their officers devising ways to defeat them. Spearmen formed the front rank, protected by their shields and rows of sharpened stakes that even the war elephants could not easily surmount, forcing them into narrow gaps between. Behind the spears were ranks of fleet archers ready with flaming arrows, along with the crossbows. Companies of swordsmen strengthened the line, ready for counterattacks.

The right flank was anchored by Shang Xiang's cavalry, brave warriors atop swift horses, armed with lances, short swords and bows. They were deployed opposite hordes of infantry armed with spears or clubs and poisoned javelins. They would harry the foe before closing, their charge bursting open the enemy flank and turning it. They did not carry shields but their strong scale armour was bright and could turn all but the heaviest blow. Faster than any of the Shanyue troops, she was relying on them to keep the enemy from outflanking her army, no small task, given the foe's numerical advantage.

The left flank was held by Fu Chin Ran's amazons and Valamir's ferocious Teutonic warriors. Shang Xiang was relying on them to lead a savage counter-charge when the moment was right. The timing of this stroke had to be perfect if they were to prevail. Even now, the Germans were bashing their shields with their weapons and chanting in their guttural alien tones while the ululating war cry of Fu Chin Ran's women was like the whooping of cranes. Opposed by this strange sight, the Shanyue right flank had slowed its advance, falling slightly behind the main force as it rushed on.

Shang Xiang observed the enemy's approach impassively. They came on in a titanic mob, no particular order to their assault evident. The war elephants and battle tigers rushed forward, eager to close with the Southlander forces, while the hordes of infantry ran behind, trying to keep up. Shang Xiang was pleased to see that the _xiang _riders were grouped together in the center, their ranks close as they thundered onward. They were an unstoppable force on their own but had they been spread out, they might have been more difficult to manage.

She calmly drew her bow from her back, knocking her favoured arrow, a wicked missile more than three spans long, the iron head a dull black and with blood-red feathers. She had fired this dart countless time and had always recovered it, blessed as it was by the god of fire. Her eyes swept over the field, taking no note of the overwhelming size of the enemy force but looking for the target she desired most...

There he was.

The Shanyue chieftain, that massive and fearsome warrior, was riding atop a great tiger, a terrible beast wearing scale armour and a brazen face mask made to look like a demon of ancient legend. The warrior carried his dreaded club and magnificent plumes trailed from his helm.

Horns sounded across the Shanyue line and the great battle cat sprang forward, its rider now leading the barbarian charge. The tigers roared and the _xiang _bellowed as the closed in.

Shang Xiang released the arrow, watching the dart as it make its way toward the target, already knowing what was going to happen.

The arrow struck the huge tiger in the right eye and it screamed as it tumbled to the earth, throwing its rider from his saddle and harness. The warrior scrambled to his feet to avoid being trampled by the onrushing troops, bellowing in rage at his disgrace. He joined in the charge, determined to attack, even if he must submit to fighting on foot.

"You might just as easily have shot the chieftain, my lady," observed one of her heralds. "Why does he yet live when you are the deadliest archer in the Southlands?"

"I'm not letting him off that easily." Shang Xiang replied, drawing another arrow from her quiver. She watched as the man blew a loud note on a horn and hundreds of archers released their missiles into the air, a rain of steel death on the enemy.

"He is incensed and enraged, prone to rash actions and mistakes now, why would I deprive myself of such an advantage?" she pointed out. "If I killed him, another commander of more level and clear-headed disposition might take over and this battle could become protracted. The death of their chieftain will not break these warriors, only resounding defeat can."

She knocked the arrow, aimed at another target and fired- this time the arrow buried itself in the chest of a man guiding one of the charging _xiang_ and the beast screeched in pain as the rider fell to one side, pulling on the hooks that were piercing the beast's ear and being used to guide it. It began staggering sideways and smashed into the rear legs of another elephant before stomping through a panicked throng of infantry.

The hilly terrain she had chosen for her line now slowed the advance of the Shanyue war beasts, even as the infantry struggled to catch up. They found themselves now hampered by sharpened stakes, concealed pits and flaming tar pools. A tiger screamed as it and its handler were engulfed in flames, wreaking havoc amongst their allies as they turned and bolted back the way they had come.

They came yet closer and noticed concealed Southland scouts scurrying away from concealed positions, moments before the dreaded thunderbombs went off, frightening the animals, even as flaming arrows began to pelt them.

Eighteen of the fifty _xiang _would contact the Southlander center while less than two dozen tigers survived the traps and deadly arrow fire. For all their causalties, though, their assault was terrible- the smashed through the first lines of spearmen, heedless of injury and caused untold carnage. Men scattered before them if they could not hold, but they made the Shanyue pay dearly. The archers retreated quickly, peppering their foes with arrows, aiming for the beast's eyes or the men guiding them from the wooden platforms atop their back. Lithe and fearless swordsmen dashed about them, slashing at their exposed skin while the spearmen shouted, pushing hard with their deadly lances.

The tigers flanked the war elephants and wear no less deadly in their assault. Men fell to their hideous claws and teeth, the earth running red with blood, both man and animal. Men brandishing torches harried the tigers, keeping them at bay while the troops rallied, knowing that the Shanyue infantry was close behind and the line needed to be held. Officers bellowed for men to be brave, letting them now that safety and salvation did not await those who fled, only certain and ignominious death.

The Bow-Hipped Princess watch calmly from her hill behind the center line; she gave no orders, simply watching the flow of the battle. Everyone already knew their part, all she could do now was wait and pray.

The center was collapsing inward, pushed back by the sheer weight of numbers as the Shanyue infantry joined the assault. The warrior-chieftain leading the barbarians was exhorting them to feats of valour and reckless bravery, hewing men down with every swing of his club. The mystic tattoos they wore seemed to allow them to shrug off the most fearsome strike without injury.

The Southland troops pulled back, fighting bravely for every bit of ground, making the enemy pay in blood, but they could not stop their advance. Shanyue soldiers advanced relentlessly over the bodies of their foe and their own men, no matter how entangled the ground became with corpses.

Shang Xiang dropped her bow and pulled her chakrams from their sheathes on her back. At this silent signal, her final surprise rolled over the crest of the hill that her reserve troops waited on- ten ballistae trundled into position and selected their targets, the giant grey beasts tearing holes in their line.

"Fire." Shang Xiang said in a voice soft as silk but hard and merciless as iron.

Great bolts each the length of a man lanced through the air and buried themselves with deadly accuracy into the targeted _xiang. _Even the thick hides of these monsters could not resist the keen iron heads and they roared terribly as they fell, or began to rampage amongst their own troops, mortally wounded and blinded by pain and rage.

Her center had suffered terribly for it, but the Shanyue commander had made a fatal mistake- eager to press his advantage and unschooled in the true art of war, his entire army had begun to press into the middle, following in the wake of the war beasts. The spearhead never resulted in a breach of Shang Xiang's line and in spite of the weight of his troops, the warrior-chieftain's numerical superiority counted for less now that they were all pressed together. Fighting as they were in the hills now, with prepared defensive positions to retreat to, Shang Xiang's troops now stood their ground and faced the enemy, determined to hold the line.

The flanks of the Southlands army now pulled around and closed in on the Shanyue from the rear, cutting off all avenues of retreat. Even though they were still outnumbered, the Wu troops now had the advantage of striking the enemy from the rear. The fleet cavalry spread out to ensure none would escape while Fu Chin Ran and Valamir's troops drove into the Shanyue from behind.

The Shanyue warriors were stunned by the unearthly savagery of the Germans and the fluid, merciless grace of the amazons. Both groups seemed to take no note of the tattoos their gods protected them with. Even if the strike of a wild yellow-haired warrior's axe did not draw blood, the sheer force of the blow could throw a man to the earth, leaving him vulnerable to further assault. Fu Chin Ran's women-warriors rarely contested strength with their foe but would overrun them or would seek to destroy their weapons, shearing the head off a spear or the haft of an axe, leaving a warrior defenceless.

It was in this chaos that Sun Shang Xiang, warrior-maiden of the Sun family and champion of the Southlands, finally uttered her piercing war cry and lunged into battle, heading straight for the enemy general...

* * *

Side by side now, Fu Chin Ran and Valamir fought fiercely to secure the rear, knowing that if the enemy gained their balance and turned to attack, not only would they escape, but all of the Germans and amazons would perish in the process. Blood flew from Valamir's axe while Fu Chin Ran's sword ran crimson. She ducked the swipe of a club, flicked blood from her blade into her foe's eyes to distract them and then liberated his head from his body with a clean blow across the neck. In the moment where she was clear of targets she turned to observe Valamir roar with a terrible fury and cleave a foe in half from head to toe with his bearded axe. Men ran from him in terror. Panting as the battle frenzy left him, his cold blue eyes turned to look at her.

"You fight well," she said, struggling to use the German's cumbersome and unlovely tongue. "For a man."

Valamir laughed. "If my louts fought like your women, we would have the Han empire pacified for Lord Sun Ce within a month, and about god-rotting time, too."

Fu nodded in response, mostly clear on what the massive barbarian had said and then led another charge into the enemy. She would not stop until she met her beloved Shang Xiang in the middle of the field...

* * *

Shang Xiang ducked a deadly blow, spun about in a lithe counterattack and then locked her weapons with her opponent's the two of them straining at the battle raged on around them. The chieftain fought with a savage abandon, heedless of injury because of his belief in the power of his mystical armours. He fought as if no force could harm him and she was hard-pressed to change his mind. Though she considered herself the superior warrior, there was something to be said for his unconquerable faith and reckless offense.

They wrestled for leverage, each determined to get the better of the other. Infuriated and baffled by his female foe's brawn, the chieftain broke the deadlock and swung at her again, his wide strike leaving him open. Shang Xiang slashed both her blades across his middle but was dismayed when he simply laughed, remaining unharmed. Her eyes darkened as she considered another tactic but he was on her again, determined to crush the upstart woman for her impunity.

She twirled around a strike and slashed across the back of his headdress, the colourful plumes flying away from their resting place. He roared in indignation, infuriated at the violation of his badge of rank amongst his people. He attacked again and again, growing frustrated with the way she eluded his blows and simply refused to die. Shang Xiang pursed her lips, her mind racing to find a way to triumph over her foe.

"_You have beat these savages before, have you not?" _asked a kindly but stern and wise voice inside her mind.

"_Yes, father, but this one is so strong,"_ she replied. _"His belief in these stupid tattoos is unwavering and it keeps him safe from all harm."_

"_Maybe, maybe not," _Sun Jian allowed. _"But how is that any different from when I faced Hua Xiong, your brother facing Lu Bu or even Ou Xing, the Demon Prince?"_

"_By the time you two were done with them, they did not believe in themselves, you had dispelled their myths they had come to believe about themselves."_

"_Like you with Zhang Liao,"_ the patriarch pointed out. _"Seems pretty simply how you need to resolve this situation. You are my peerless daughter, the most beautiful and fiery blossom of the Sun family. Our might is not so easily subdued or quenched. Remind the world now of what it means to contest the will of our clan, daughter."_

"_Yes, father!" _she said, her eyes flashing with resolve. She realized now that as long as her foe was convinced that he was invincible, he would take longer to defeat than was warranted. She would break his faith and then she would break his body and his army.

Her foe lunged in, swinging his club in a deadly but cumbersome arc. Shang Xiang dodged it easily enough and thrust out a powerful side kick, driving the bottom of her foot straight into his face. His nose held but blood spurted everywhere. The warrior-chieftain laughed loudly and with contempt at her efforts, his features slicked ruby red.

Shang Xiang warded off his next attack and slammed her fist across his nose, feeling the bones and cartilage bend sickeningly under the blow. Her opponent roared in annoyance at her persistence, but he could not seem to hit the princess any more than she could harm him significantly. She dodged again and another blow from her foot tagged him across the bridge of the nose. This time he winced slightly and she was aware of a vague look of apprehension entering his gaze. She fought the urge to go in for the kill, determined to make sure he was finished before she committed herself.

She remained on the defensive, using his anger to her advantage, redirecting his blows before landing her own, always to his nose. Although he had not slowed down, his face had almost dissolved in a welter of blood and ruined flesh. The bone at the bridge of his nose was visible through the mess and his eyes were watering and beginning to squeeze shut from the swelling.

The chieftain bellowed in rage and began swinging wildly; Shang Xiang's men had retreated before his fury, letting their beloved princess handle the beast. The Shanyue warrior's men, however, were not so lucky and several were crippled or killed inadvertently by his savage attacks. Even blinded, he was still extraordinarily dangerous, so Shang Xiang began to concentrate on some other target- she spun low and slashed her chakrams across his forward knee. Against all odds, she did not sever the joint or even draw blood, but she heard him grunt in pain form the impact. Unwilling to retreat, the Shanyue warrior advanced on her again, slamming his club down at her head; Shang Xiang moved deftly to one side and kicked across the knee she had targeted, causing her foe to stumble a little. She dodged once more and hammered on the knee again, giving the man no time to recover.

Enraged by her refusal to die, the chieftain bulled forward suddenly, almost knocking Shang Xiang to the ground in his frenzy. Raining blow after blow at the infuriating woman, he sought to destroy his foe utterly, to pound her into the earth and let his elephants trample her bones.

Shang Xiang, however, had had enough. Her chakrams flashed through the air and sheared the mighty club into three pieces. The chieftain gaped in shock at the destruction of his weapon and then staggered backward as her keen blades swiped across his throat. He gurgled and thrashed as the crimson blood spurted from the gaping wound. She took no chances as she severed one arm at the elbow, then the other just below the shoulder. With a low spin and an upward sweep, she removed his leg and he fell to the ground, thrashing in desperation. The triumphant princess glared down at him before raising her circular blades to each side above her head and then slashing them in a sweep across her foe...

The chieftain's head tumbled across the trampled and tortured earth, his sightless eyes still wide in disbelief.

Shang Xiang had only a moment to breathe before she threw herself aside, evading a rampaging elephant which trampled the Shanyue chieftain's headless body into the ground. Before the rider could react, she had grabbed onto the beast's harness and scaled nimbly up its side, attacking the barbarian warriors riding in the housing above furiously. Caught unawares by this unexpected move, they were no match for her in such close quarters and they died quickly. Shang Xiang took hold of the reins and with an ululating war cry, turned the beast around, somehow managing to wheel it back into its own formation. The beast keened in pain as she pulled roughly on its ears, sending it surging into the Shanyue, who scattered in panic, knowing full well that even the most elaborate tattoos would not save them from death if the monster stepped on them.

From her new position atop the _xiang,_ she took a moment to survey the scene- the battle still raged back and forth, but the enemy was hemmed in and surrounded. They still had the advantage of superior numbers and were trying to organize an impromptu defence, but Shang Xiang could feel it in her soul- the day was hers.

She let out another war cry and her troops surged forward, determined to make the foe pay for their impunity and for raising their hand against the Sun family.

* * *

By nightfall, the battle was ended. Though the moans and wails of the dying and wounded could still be heard, Shang Xiang had turned her mind to other matters, allowing the healers to see to those in need of aid. She stood now atop the elephant she had commandeered, the beast waiting placidly for its new mistress to direct it- through the twilight she gazed south, watching as her swiftest troops pursued the remains of the Shanyue army. She would not know the tally for several days, but she was given good reason to believe that not more than ten thousand of the enemy had survived the clash. Fu Chin Ran was leading the effort to sweep the foe from the plains, accompanied by the cavalry and the Germans, whose great, loping strides and tireless bodies carried them great distances swiftly.

As she climbed down from the back of the elephant, a healer approached her and bowed.

"Please, my lady," he said quietly. "I would have you come with me now."

Shang Xiang nodded and followed the man to a wide tent and stepped inside. Lit by braziers and kept warm, a series of pillows were arrayed atop a palanquin in the middle of the space. Laying in the pillows was Valamir, his skin pale as alabaster and his body shivering and covered in sweat. Great and terrible wounds adorned his body, not the least of which was the goring of a bronze-tusked _xiang, _whose attack has finally felled the German, tearing away a great deal of his side.

His eyelids fluttered as Shang Xiang approached and he nodded wearily to her, a gesture she returned. She spoke quietly but her admiration was evident.

"I have been told you acquitted yourself well, Valamir," she began, her words being translated by the boy Teiam while Amalasuntha waited nearby. "You apparently slew seven tigers, even though they mauled you, and when the _xiang _attacked, you drove it off, heedless of the terrible injuries it inflicted upon you. Though you lie stricken, I must admit I wish I had seen it. Surely the gods themselves would have been awed."

In spite of his pain, Valamir tried to laugh but ended up coughing and sputtering, blood-flecked spittle coming from his mouth. Her forced back the pain and addressed the princess.

"These Shanyue... are just lucky... that Glandyth was not come. They had only to deal... with me..."

"Doubtless a shock to them, I daresay," Shang Xiang agreed, keeping him occupied while the healers worked frantically to save the valiant officer of the _comitatus_. They did not seem to hold out much hope, though, as they kept muttering and shaking their heads, praying that he not be judged harshly for the colour of his skin or reeking of beer.

"I know you are in pain, Valamir, and that you long for release," Shang Xiang said softly but sternly. "But this boon I do not grant you, not yet. I still have need of you and four of your men lie dead already. I will not have you adding to that tally just because you're feeling a little tired."

Valamir squeezed his eyes shut and took a breath, trying to compose himself. "My men... I could not save them. I had not the strength."

"That is war, foreigner," Shang Xiang said simply. "Fight for glory, fight for plunder, fight in my brother's name, whatever pleases you. But you are not done fighting and I have every expectation of you to recover. Do not contest me on this, for if you disobey me then you will invoke my wrath, and even your god of night will not be able to save you from me."

The German nodded and slowly turned his head to look back at the ceiling, trying to rest. Shang Xiang left the tent and went to find a quiet, secluded spot in the darkness. Once there, she rested her forehead on her knees and just let it all fall away. The battle was over, but in many ways the hardest part was still to come...

* * *

Four days had passed and Shang Xiang sat now in her audience hall, flanked by Fu Chin Ran and Valamir, who had apparently decided that the afterlife was not worth risking the princess' displeasure. He looked weary and feeble, but he was standing. Kneeling before the throne, scribes and messengers were bowed, waiting for permission to begin their reports.

"We have suffered much in this conflict and we can only hope that the sacrifice of those who perished in the name of our realm and the Sun family died not in vain," she began. "We were victorious, but even now I am not certain if this was enough. What news have you of the casualties?"

One man stood and read from a scroll. "Concerning the enemy and their disposition after the battle, we have counted some sixty-two thousand dead, not including war beasts, such as the tigers, salamanders and _xiang_, none of which survived, except for the one you captured, my lady."

Shang Xiang nodded. "Proceed."

"Our own forces paid a significant price in terms of both dead and wounded," the man continued. "We count just over seven thousands dead, mostly from the spear and sword companies charged with holding the line against the Shanyue war beasts and nearly ten thousands injured to various degrees not considered mortal."

Shang Xiang's heart was heavy and she weighed the costs of this battle. Men always died in war, she understood this, but this battle would become the stuff of legend, where her severely outnumbered forces triumphed against a terrible foe, decimating their army. She was in no mood to consider the songs that would be sung or the poems written. They would wait.

There were casualties that were dear to her heart as well- some twenty eight of Fu Chin Ran's amazons, women who had been under Shang Xiang's command before she took control of her own corps, were slain and another eighty wounded. Four of the German had perished and nearly all the rest were injured to one degree or another, their reckless fighting style carrying them deep into the enemy host and getting them surrounded. Only their alien berserker rages, sheer ferocity and the fear they instilled allowed them to not be slain to a man, something that would have happened to any other unit.

Shang Xiang listened absently to the tally that the scribes iterated, her mind already wondering what their next move was. The healers and apothecaries would be busy for weeks, mending those who could still fight, making them whole and ensuring that they would be ready to take on the enemy, should the Shanyue still not be convinced of her hegemony.

"_My corps is greatly reduced in strength, what will I do if the enemy comes again? Can I possibly fend them off?"_

She looked over at the head of the Shanyue chieftain, propped on a spear, the magical herbs and salves of the healers preserving it as a grisly trophy for her. His dreadful club had been mended and now adorned one of the walls, another prize to honour her victory.

"_Over sixty thousand of the Shanyue perished, they must be crippled. If they are not, I would need another corps along with my own to wage this war and achieve victory. In spite of my glorious victory, I would have failed."_

The litany continued, but she was paying little attention, she would read it all later. The night before, she had dreamt of dark-skinned women with daemonic yellow eyes, wild and murderous, carrying yellow silk scarves with which they strangled and murdered, extinguishing the people of the world. Invincible in battle, terrible to look upon and without mercy, the image of them touched on something deep inside that she did not like and she locked it away. There were enemies to confront, not fears.

* * *

Leading five thousand troops, mostly cavalry, Shang Xiang rode south now, investigating news of strange activities on the plains just beyond the borders of the jungle. No reports of fighting, but the Shanyue were behaving in a most unusual fashion, or so the report went.

Accompanied by some locals, she came within a _li_ of the deadly, foreboding canopy of trees and observed what she had been told about. Clear of the jungle but close enough to duck into the lush barrier if necessary, hundreds of Shanyue warriors were making bizarre, almost ritual dancers and motions, all the while chanting in their strange tongue. Shang Xiang looked at her local guide quizzically.

"They are chanting in a traditional style," he elaborated. "They are calling out about their admiration for their foe, who bested them and fought with a valour that even their gods cannot readily fathom."

Shang Xiang watched intently, fascinated by the ritual.

"They are saying that they will keep to themselves and no longer will they contest you for these plains," continued the guide. They retreat now to their jungle and will no longer come in force against you. You have won and they will keep their word, my lady. As far as I am concerned, they will trouble you no more."

"I am relieved to hear it," Shang Xiang murmured. She stood now in her saddle and held one of her chakrams aloft, the keen steel glinting brightly in the midday sun, like a silvery star. Upon seeing this acknowledgement, the Shanyue melted back into the jungle, leaving the little army alone on the plains.

"Let's go home..." she said finally.

* * *

Three months had passed and no further incidents had occurred with the Shanyue. Oddly and perhaps somewhat worryingly, there had been no contact with them at all. The troops remained vigilant, but Shang Xiang was beginning to believe that the unusual barbarians were beings of their word.

As had been promised, over a quarter of a million citizens from the Baifu region had come south, ready to make new lives and face new challenges in these lands. Accompanied by another ten thousand troops, they were dispersed across the plains, occupying villages and towns that were constructed near resources, while the largest portion moved onward to Fujian on the coast, to erect a new center for trade, culture and commerce. Shang Xiang led this contingent east, looking forward to restoring the ancient and glorious city of legend. Masons and engineers had already identified the remains of the royal palace and were quickly reconstructing it for the princess' use. The military host charged with guarding the city was under the command of Fu Chin Ran, Shang Xiang's most able commander.

The work continued ahead of schedule, the city being masterfully laid out and requiring little alteration or overhaul, except for the actual buildings. The palace was reconstructed within two weeks of her arrival and was ablaze in vermillion and gold banners, the unmistakeable mark of the Sun family's suzerainty. She sat now in the wide hall, marvelling on how quickly and exquisitely the engineers and craftsmen had completed this grand task.

She was authorizing the building of a Buddhist temple when heralds announced unexpected visitors- she put aside her wax seal and her eyes went wide as the guests entered, none other than emissaries from the Shanyue, wearing the full ceremonial regalia of their people, covered in magnificent plumes of birds Shang Xiang had only ever considered a myth.

"Great lady," began the chief emissary humbly, bowing low. "We come now not as enemies but as friends, seeking the establishment of mutually beneficial trade between our peoples. You have much we desire, such as paper, ceramics, agriculture and bright iron, while we have resources you consider exotic and seem to desire..."

He gestured to some porters who brought up two chests of dark wood, which he opened and even the most self-possessed people in the room gasped in awe- the boxes were filled with rubies, emeralds and pearls of a quality she had rarely seen.

"This is our gift to you, great lady, and a token of our intent to trade fairly and without dissembly," continued the emissary. Though the details of trade remain, along with a fair rate of exchange, barter and allowable traffic, would you agree on your mighty brother's behalf to allow this endeavour to continue?"

Shang Xiang smiled and nodded, sighing in satisfaction. The Southlands were now safe, east to west and north to south.

The great dream was starting to come true.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Another long chapter, not just painted red with gore but hopefully character and plot development. I ultimately decided to allow Valamir to live, if for no other reason than tragic deaths are plentiful in this type of fanfiction and I might have use for him down the road, an unusual tool to work with if the situation warranted.

Yes, Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran had sex in this chapter, just like Da and Ce did just two chapters ago. Per the request of many people, some through private message and others in their reviews, I have added a little more spice to the fic, although I have no intention whatsoever of lemonizing it. If you want lemons, you can go read my work on , that should keep you going.

Shang Xiang continues to be a fascinating character to develop, because she can kick so much butt and yet I never have to worry about her being too strong, like Ce was starting to be. In many senses she is much more manageable, without requiring the effort of making her interesting, like Quan.

And while I did hint at Fu Chin Ran's girls being somewhat taken with their yellow-haired barbarian counterparts, I have no real intention of pursuing that particular avenue; I have enough plots going on as it is. I am just this side of a Gore Verbinsky film for plots, minus the computer effects and sexually ambiguous pirates.

Well, the next chapter won't write itself, so I must away. Have yourselves a pleasant day.

I'm a poet and I don't know it.

Management


	54. Chapter 54

** The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW6 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

** The Young Conqueror, Chapter 51- The Intimate Confessions of a Chinese Courtesan**

Sun Ce hugged Da and kissed the top of her head as she met him in the entranceway of the pavilion. She hugged him back lovingly, grateful to be back in his strong arms. She had immensely enjoyed her sojourn, but it was always wonderful to come back to the one you love.

She directed the servants to take her lacquered clothing travel trunks upstairs to her quarters. She in the meantime, declared that she was quite fatigued, dusty from the journey and would be taking a bath. She then took Ce by the hand and led him off toward the bathing chambers.

Some minutes later, she was standing on the slightly slanted wooden floor of the bathing chamber, scrubbing at her skin with a coarse cloth. Ce stood nearby with a bucket of cool water, waiting cheerfully as she cleansed her smooth, alabaster body. Eventually she was ready and Ce poured several buckets of water over her, which drained down the slanted floor and into a vent that emptied outside.

"So, how was your visit?" Ce asked.

"Patience, husband mine," Da said lazily as she dried her skin with a large piece of linen. "I only just returned, I would relax before submitting to interrogation."

"I'm not interrogating you, I just wanna know." Ce said as she turned away to walk over to a dresser area on which sat her effects. She let the linen fall away and stood in front of the dresser, pinning up her hair. Her pale skin gleamed in the daylight that cascaded in through the balcony over the menagerie. Ce grinned as he stared at her pert, perfect behind.

"I'm just curious," he continued. "What did you and Diao Chan do during your visit with her?"

Da shrugged, still facing away from him. "I don't know, consensual courtesan stuff- nothing of note or out of the ordinary for two women of the willow world."

"Sounds interesting," Ce said teasingly. "So lemme ask again… what did you and Diao Chan get up to during your time alone together?"

"Oh, I don't know…" Da said, turning around, still naked and looking at him pointedly. "What did _you_ and Diao Chan get up to during your time alone together?"

Ce's eyes widened in shock and his jaw went slack.

* * *

Da Qiao had ridden southwest from Baifu, accompanied only by three of her most trusted servant girls and two five-man squads, one of the Valiant Cavaliers and one of the Iron Fists. She would have preferred to take this trip with no guard, but Zhou Yu was insistent, and because his chief strategist and advisor was, Sun Ce had also been firm on the matter.

Since the campaign against Lu Bu in Xia Pi and her subsequent relocation to the Southlands, Diao Chan had been given all the treatment due to a renowned and celebrated courtesan and stayed briefly in Baifu. But when it became clear that she was just wanting to shut away and the world and pine for what she had lost, Da Qiao had ordered that a small but lovely home be built for Diao Chan, close enough to Baifu to be accessible but isolated enough to give Diao Chan the privacy she so desired.

It had been over a full year since Lu Bu had fallen at Xia Pi and in that time very little had been heard of from Diao Chan. Da Qiao corresponded with her, sending messages back and forth on a monthly basis. Diao Chan had been given a generous stipend to live on but she seemed to keep to herself. The only person she communicated with was Da Qiao and they had formed something of an intimate bond over their letters. Da knew Diao Chan had no one and she knew the courtesan had come to rely on their friendship.

One day Da had received a message inviting her to Diao Chan's manor for a visit. Da's heart warmed that the beautiful, sad girl was finally starting to reach out. Diao Chan had also invited Xiao Qiao and even Sun Shang Xiang, but Xiao was taking part in maneuvers in the north near Changsha and Shang Xiang was deploying her corps in the south against the Shanyue tribes, and therefore both girls were unavailable. So Da Qiao rode forth alone now, on the three day journey to Diao Chan's manor in Lijiang, looking forward to the time away from the bustle of Baifu.

The village of Lijiang was a small and drowsy one, tiny but prosperous. The region was known for its lacquerware and Lijiang was the center of this industry. The lacquer goods the town's artisans produced were coveted as far away as Wuchang and even north of the Wei River. Such goods were usually not affordable to common folk, and those wares from Lijiang commanded an exceptional price. Those who made the lacquer goods were well-paid and they in turn made the other members of the tiny village wealthy.

Da's two squads unfurled her banners, declaring her the commander of their companies but also as consort of the Lord of the Southlands, the great Lady Da Qiao. The sound of gongs from inside the village could be heard as Da crested the hill and came down into the vale. The villagers, led by their elder and the region's assigned Confucian scholar, all came out of Lijiang and awaited her patiently. They all kow-towed when she arrived and dismounted.

"Lady Qiao, beloved consort of our Lord Sun Ce, welcome to our unworthy village," intoned the elder. "We had only just this morning received word from the manor on the hill to our south that you would be arriving and we are ill-prepared. Forgive us."

Da bowed politely. "There is nothing to forgive, elder, I might have done a better job of announcing myself if I had been expecting any reception. Indeed I do have business with the lady who lives on the hill. As you are no doubt aware, she is a courtesan, like myself."

"The Lady Diao Chan in nearly as renowned as yourself and your worthy sister, Lady Qiao," the elder continued. "Though she and her people mostly keep to themselves, they do come to Lijiang to get their provisions. Knowing of her station and what rumours will tell of her tale, we deal with them fairly and generously, since we ourselves prosper enough to meet our needs."

Da nodded. "Her life and story are suitably grand and tragic. I expect you of Lijiang to look out for her and her people. She is a lady of greatness almost never seen in these times, and blessed is the land she chooses to call home."

Da indicated that they should all rise and they led her into the village. Da walked with the elder and the scholar. She was impressed with the village, it was a model of pristine efficiency and pleasing aesthetic. Gardens flourished, ornamental trees lined the roads and pretty gazebos gave shelter from the southern sun. The market was walled off from the residences and also contained the industry of the village. It was nice to see that the learning the Sun family had brought from Jiang Dong was having a profound impact on the lives of these people.

Da entertained the entreaties of the elder and scholar to inspect the village and examine their wares, the pride of Lijiang. She even agreed graciously to take back several examples to Baifu as gifts, neglecting to mention that the royal palace was full of such wares from this very town. She knew it was an honour to be gifted such extraordinary vessels.

They showed her the stream that was supposed to be the source of such incredible wares, for the water was blessedly pure, the gift of a local river goddess whose shrine was always favoured with peaches and silk. They revered her and she in turn made the waters of her river so pure that the lacquer mixes of Lijiang could not be matched. Da had to admit, the water was delightfully refreshing and she made sure to fill her party's skins with it. She also left a personal offering at the shrine, praying reverently and leaving a beautiful pearl for the goddess for sharing such bounty.

Eventually, though, Da Qiao declared that she had to continue on her way. She asked that her two squads and her servant girls be given lodgings while she stayed on the hill. The elder and scholar readily agreed, eager to accommodate the members of companies as prestigious as the Valiant Cavaliers and the Iron Fists.

Da Qiao then set out alone for the last _li_of the journey, up the low but long hill leading to the manor that was her destination. As the sun reached the middle of the sky, she saw a graceful figure standing outside the stately but quiet shiheyuan, waiting for her…

* * *

Da slipped off her horse gracefully and walked toward her host. Diao Chan smiled warmly and bowed low.

"Great lady of the Southlands, welcome to my modest abode." Diao Chan said in her lyrical voice. "I am your humble and devoted servant."

Da Qiao returned the bow. "And I yours, Diao Chan. Between us let there be no boundaries of title or rank, for we are both sisters of the willow world and that status transcends all else. Please, I insist you call me by my given name."

"If you will honour me with the same courtesy, then of course I shall." Diao Chan replied. She offered her arm to Da Qiao and they walked back into the manor together, arm-in-arm. Despite the fact that they had once fought a grueling duel, Da Qiao had found herself instantly liking Diao Chan. She had always pitied the poor girl and felt somehow drawn to her, but now she knew that they could also be fast and devoted friends.

"You honour me by accepting my invite, Da," Diao Chan said, leading her guest into the reception hall. "I know that I have remained a complete recluse from the world while I mourned my circumstances, but I find now that I have need for a friend and a kind word. And in you I sense that same desire."

Da nodded. "It is indeed my great wish for us to be friends and as sisters, my dear. I was thrilled to receive your invite. My only regret is that my sister and my sister-in-law could not join me."

Diao Chan smiled prettily. "To be honest I was somewhat apprehensive about inviting Lady Shang Xiang. I swear I still have a couple of bruises from when she knocked me around."

Da sighed. "Darling, I have to spar with her, I know what you mean. I can assure you, though, that she likes you, for if she had not you would surely be dead."

"Strangely comforting," Diao Chan said, sitting Da down on a wide bench covered in plush pillows. They sat in to face one another and Diao Chan gestured for a servant to get tea. "What is your pleasure for tea, Da?" she asked.

"As long as it is not Smoky Black Dragon, I shall be fine." Da replied. "Zhou Yu contends that it increases brain function but it tastes like death wrapped in fungus. I do not need to be that smart."

Both girls giggled and Diao Chan sent for a white tea. A low table was sat next to them and they partook of some dainty sweets while they waited for the tea.

"I was relieved to hear of Lord Sun Ce's recovery," Diao Chan said. "I love the Southlands and its valiant people, but I dread to think what would have happened had he perished."

"As do I, Diao Chan, and it is lucky that I was right, for all others had given up hope." Da replied, knowing that her relief was shared by all.

"I said many silent prayers for his deliverance and ours. I hope the goddess heard my entreaties." Diao Chan explained. Da bowed as a gesture of thanks.

"I just want you to know, Diao Chan, that although we fought on opposite sides, my heart breaks for your loss." Da said gently. "I have known your agony, albeit briefly, and I very nearly took my own life for it. But I cannot readily identify with your position, as my husband is beloved by all within our lands and I fear that you alone in all the Han miss Lu Bu."

Diao Chan was silent for several seconds with her eyes closed. Finally she opened her eyes and she nodded. "I do indeed miss my lord, Da Qiao, but I have come to accept that the judgment of the Heavens, while often cruel, is fair. Lord Lu Bu lived to prove his own might and for that he had to be in a state of constant conflict with lesser men, the likes of Yuan Shao or Dong Zhuo."

"You at one time were tied to Dong Zhuo, were you not?" Da asked.

"I was, yes," Diao Chan admitted, her countenance darkening a little. "I was a pawn in a terrible and dangerous game being played in Chang'an, married to Dong Zhuo, but also meant to cause a rift between he and his adopted son, Lu Bu."

"And you, against all good reasoning and with woman's folly, fell in love with Lu Bu." Da reasoned. "I do not understand your passion, Diao Chan, but I accept it, for passion and love often deny all common sense."

"Yours does not," Diao Chan said gently. "Yours may very well be the greatest love story of our age, and I hope one day that my heart is mended enough to sing of it."

Da blushed. "I am a lucky courtesan, nothing more."

Diao Chan smiled wickedly. "Nonsense, darling, and you know it. You and I are the two greatest courtesans in the land, rivaled only by your sister and possibly Lady Zhen of the Yuans who is now tied to the house of Cao. But Lord Sun Ce is too discerning a man to fall for just a pretty face. There is so much more to you than you claim, just like there is more to myself."

Da could not deny the logic, although she had a hard time admitting to the truth of it. She and Diao Chan _were_ the two most splendid and celebrated ladies in the Middle Kingdom, matched only by Xiao and maybe one or two others. They were who they were because of the years of training and sacrifice, the dedication and desire. To be a courtesan was no easy life, although one had to be so divine as to intimate that it was such.

Their thoughts trailed back through the years, to different but equally prestigious schools- the Amethyst Cloud School in Chang'an and the Jade Butterfly School in Wuchang. These schools were meant to raise the ladies to be more than mere concubines, whom they held in disdain, but to be the most revered women in the land. The days were severe and the instructors merciless- if a girl were not performing up to expectations, she could expect to be punished harshly.

Da had been sent by her father Qiao Xuan along with her sister to the Jade Butterfly, where they learned to read, dance, recite and write poetry, sing, play many instruments, serve food, wine and tea, and, finally, to pleasure their designated lover in all manners.

The school was especially hard and Da and Xiao, since their mother, Mai, had graduated from the school and was almost immediately married off to the scholar Qiao Xuan. They were given no special treatment and were criticized and punished for even the tiniest mistakes, things other girls might be gently chided for.

Both girls had excelled in all of the aesthetic disciplines and when they were a little more mature were taught the sexual arts that would make them the consummate wives they were intended to be. Since they were to remain virgins throughout their tenure at the school, they were given phalluses to use and practice with and encouraged to experiment and roleplay with one another and the other students.

Da and Xiao could make love to both men and women with equal ease, although it was the dream of both girls to be married off to a hero. Some girls preferred to be given to great ladies of the realm, to act as their companion and lover. Da and Xiao both accepted this possibility, as any such arrangements would be made by their father based on the dowry that could be paid for them.

Da had often reflected on how love or at least physical pleasure was accepted between women, even if they were already married, but Confucian thought required fidelity to one man. More than that, men of great position often had dozens of concubines or wives and also had male lovers. These artificial constraints upon women irked her somewhat, even as a young lady, but she kept this to herself, not wishing a thrashing.

Da had been especially fond of another girl in the school, a year her senior named Bi Xing. Although she was not as pretty as Da, she was charming and intelligent and if Da were not in her sister's presence, she was almost constantly with Bi. Though they had never quite been in love, they were very dear to one another and Da wept for days when Bi was whisked away from the school to be married to a wealthy noble in Hanzhong.

Xiao too had been fond of a girl, a certain An Zhang and they were inseparable. The four girls together almost formed a gang and by their last years in the academy were mildly feared even by the instructors. They shared their beds, their hearts and their dreams. Alas, An Zhang had been beaten to death by a drunken visitor who was looking to acquire a girl. When An Zhang had refused to allow him to pillow her and then began to cry, the ugly brute flew into a rage and pummeled her to unconsciousness. She died three days later, never having awoken.

And through all this hardship, the girls were to give an air of serenity and otherworldly pleasure, to provide an escape from the toils of the world and a glimpse of paradise. Everything they did was precise, measured and calculated. Even the simplest gesture was to bear a grace beyond mortal ken and courtesans were to cast a spell that left the beholder rapt and ever wanting more.

The willow world was a glove of steel laced with silk.

Night after night, Da and Xiao would hold one another and cry, promising to get through this ordeal together, to emerge the greatest courtesans the land had ever known. They caressed and kissed one another's bruises, defiant and unconquerable, as long as they had one another. She had helped Xiao compose the poem that mourned An Zhang's cruel passing:

_I have closed the double doors.  
In what corner of the heavens is she?  
A horizontal flute  
Beyond the red walls  
Blown as gently as the breeze  
Blows the willow floss.  
In the lingering glow of the sunset  
The roosting crows ignore my melancholy.  
Once again I languidly get out of bed.  
After I have burned incense,  
I loiter on the jeweled staircase.  
I regret the wasted years,  
Sick, afraid of the cold, afraid of the heat,  
While the beautiful days went by.  
Suddenly it is the Autumn Feast of the Dead.  
Constantly disturbed by the changing weather,  
I lose track of the flowing light  
That washes us away.  
Who moved the turning bridges  
On my inlaid ghuzhang?  
I realize-  
Of the twenty six strings  
Twenty one are gone._

Da Qiao had been bade to write the poem that would celebrate Bi Xing's achievement within those sacred walls and her composition had been suitably selfish:

_On your slender body  
Your jade and coral girdle ornaments chime  
Like those of a celestial companion  
Come from the Green Jade City of Heaven.  
One smile from you when we meet,  
And I become speechless and forget every word.  
For too long you have gathered flowers,  
And leaned against the bamboos,  
Your green sleeves growing cold,  
In your deserted valley:  
I can visualize you all alone,  
A girl harboring her cryptic thoughts. _

_You glow like a perfumed lamp  
In the gathering shadows.  
We play wine games  
And recite each other's poems.  
Then you sing `Remembering South of the River'  
With its heart breaking verses. Then  
We paint each other's beautiful eyebrows.  
I want to possess you completely -  
Your jade body  
And your promised heart.  
It is Spring.  
Vast mists cover the Five Lakes.  
My dear, let me buy a red painted boat  
And carry you away. _

The poetry had been masterful, although the instructors secretly seethed at the lament. Deprived of their lovers by cruel fortune and circumstance, the Qiao sisters' bond grew greater still. Even now, all these years later and married to the two greatest men in the Southlands, Da and Xiao were still almost of one body and soul, a bond nothing could break.

Da opened her eyes from her reverie and saw that Diao Chan too had been lost to the mists of days gone by. Though of different schools, their experiences must have been nearly identical and between all courtesans there was a bond of sisterhood, borne of both pain and desire.

"Perhaps we are the greatest women in our realm," Da agreed. "Although surely an exception must be made for the Sun sister, yes?"

Diao Chan smiled gently. "Lady Shang Xiang is in a class all of her own. Oh, darling, how I would love to avenge myself upon the horrible headmistress I suffered through by making your sister-in-law her student."

They tittered daintily at the thought of Shang Xiang as a courtesan. Tea was served and their conversation drifted to innocuous matters such as the region in which Diao Chan now lived and how she passed her days. Diao Chan asked after the matters of the court in Baifu and also the turmoil that seethed throughout the land.

"I weep for the land, Diao Chan," Da said sadly. "So much war and death awaits us still, before the greedy lords of the Middle Kingdom settle this conflict between them."

"I pray that your husband Lord Sun Ce indeed does pacify the land and make it his own," Diao Chan replied. "For I believe that he is our best hope for peace and prosperity."

Da Qiao could not put her finger on it, but something in the way Diao Chan had said Ce's name made her wonder.

* * *

They spoke of the sleepy town of Lijiang down the hill and her interactions with the people. They both giggled about the reverent and yet gossipy nature in which they spoke of the lady Diao Chan. As courtesans, the two girls were used to such scrutiny and amused by it.

Diao Chan requested that she be allowed to play and sing for Da Qiao, who readily acquiesced. She had fought Diao Chan, but she much desired rather to hear her play. Diao Chang settled in and played a serene tune on a _banhu_, a two-stringed instrument common in China's north. Her lovely voice carried through the shiheyuan like gentle incense.

Da Qiao begged to be allowed to return the favour and a servant retrieved her _konghou_, a harp native to the region of Jiang Dong. Da played and sang of yearning, for a lover, for the blue sea and for the eternal peace of the Heavens. Diao Chan's eyes glistened and she kow-towed to Da Qiao as the song ended, her graceful forehead to the floor.

"Thank you, Lady Qiao, for bringing such beauty back into my life. By my own volition I have missed such things and yet you have awakened in me such desire again."

Da nodded, mostly to herself. This was exactly what she had wanted.

The day was waning and they were sitting in a simple but elegant room and having a light evening meal together. Delightful little quails had been served, for Da's sake, and Diao Chan ate dutifully, although it was clear that she was relying on her courtesan training and forcing herself to do so. Like Da's brother-in-law, Quan, she obviously eschewed meat. Da was polite enough to not notice her hostess' struggle and liked her all the more for her efforts.

"That was a very naughty and cruel thing you did today, Da, darling." Diao Chan said casually as she ate a piece of persimmon.

"To what do you refer, Diao Chan?" Da asked.

Diao Chan smiled slyly. "That song, dear… with it you have opened my heart to the world again and this clearly was your design in singing such a tune. Even with a sister, we courtesans are the most dangerous of tools."

Da nodded. "It is as you say; this was indeed my desire, though it not so perfunctory an agenda as you make it sound. I hoped indeed to bring you back to the world, not only for the world's sake, but your own. I remember seeing you in Xia Pi and how lost you were. My heart went out to you, Diao Chan. I admit that through this past year, with the arrival of the _Bailangren_, the war with Yuan Shu, the attack on Cao Cao, Ce's illness, not to mention my own duties, my thoughts have often been with you."

"I am indeed flattered, my friend." Diao Chan said. "I do not mean to sound pompous, but you have reminded me of a courtesan's duty to the world and what we mean."

"I am glad to hear that, for I fear I may lose it," Da admitted. "With every passing month, I seem more and more destined to be a warrior-queen and I am finding less and less room for the courtesan and girl I used to be. I do not want to lose her."

"Then you must make the world in whatever image you choose, Da." Diao Chan said. "There is too much of the courtesan and not enough of your husband in you."

"On that point we both agree, at least of late." Da muttered.

Diao Chan giggled at her guest's double-entendre. "At least we know that becoming a warrior-queen and general has done nothing to quell your pithy wit, my dear. That is one trait a courtesan should never lose, for in our old age, it may be all we have left."

"May the goddess take me if I ever become that old crone," Da said cheerfully. "And that, as well, is something else I meant to discuss with you. Have you given any thought at all to perhaps finding a husband, or at least a lover?"

"No, to be honest," Diao Chan sighed. "Although I am thinking that this is simply willful stupidity on my part. Surely it would be a crime against the Heavens for sisters such as you or I to wither and not have our blossoms tended and watered."

Da smirked. "There is only so long I am willing to let my mighty husband campaign before I insist he come home to wage a different war. There are fertile hills and valleys to be pillaged that do _not_ lay beyond our borders…"

The girls both giggled again and wine was served. Da prayed that Diao Chan was as lousy a drinker as herself.

"Tell me then, sister, of how you like to be pegged." Diao Chan teased. "Does the man heralded as the 'Young Conqueror' live up to his name?"

Normally Da would blush and refuse to hold such a conversation, except in the presence of her sister or Shang Xiang, but Diao Chan was another exception she would gladly make. She discussed in great detail about how she and Ce made love and every last bit of him. Diao Chan nodded and asked questions, fascinated with Da's account. Da even blushingly recounted how she attempted to ambush Ce in a hallway and fight him, an event that saw her pinned and unceremoniously defiled.

Evening gave way to a warm night and they strolled along the crest of the hill unshod, hand in hand and looking up at the stars. The moon was bright and the scent of flowers was on the wind's breath. In spite of this blissful serenity, Da's heart was heavy. When she could take it no more, she turned to Diao Chan and looked into her eyes.

"Diao Chan," she said softly, taking her friend's hands in hers. "Please, I need you to be forthright with me… what has passed between you and my husband?"

Diao Chan stared at Da Qiao for several moments, saying nothing. Da placed the girl's hands against her heart.

"By the friendship between us and as a token of gratitude for saving your life from the Prime Minister, I beg you… what has transpired between you and my lord Sun Ce?"

Diao Chan's eyes glistened. "Da Qiao, on my father's grave and that of my lord Lu Bu, and not least on our friendship that I have come to cherish so quickly, I tell you that nothing transpired, though not for my not having tried."

"What do you mean, Diao Chan?" Da asked, somehow stunned, even though she had asked in anticipation of such a revelation. "Please tell me."

"First of all, know that your husband is completely blameless in all I tell you," Diao Chan said reassuringly. "When Lord Sun Jian came to Yong'an with your husband at his side, I had been ordered to sway the heir of to my lord Dong Zhuo's side by whatever means necessary. I found myself torn, because he was at once both noble and somehow unassailable. I crept into his quarters, lay naked with him and used all my arts to seduce him."

Da's heart pounded as she listened, Diao Chan's words like stinging ice in her ears. Though she had suspected, to hear this was almost too much.

"Any other man or woman would surely have succumbed," Diao Chan said quietly. "But not your husband; he threw off my sorceries and gently but firmly rejected me. His only thoughts were of you. The gentleness in his voice nearly destroyed me."

Da Qiao said nothing.

"My world was torn apart that day," Diao Chan said, her voice trembling with sadness. "Not because I loved him, nor because I had failed in my so-called duty, but because my duty had called upon me to subvert the man who could unite the realm and save us all from this hateful turmoil. It was your husband's rejection of me that cleared the darkness in my heart and reminded me of what a courtesan was to be. From that day forward, I devoted myself to my Lord Lu Bu, who I considered the only other worthy man in the realm."

The magnitude of her offenses overwhelmed Diao Chan suddenly and bursting into tears she turned and fled back to the manor. Silent as a stone statue, Da Qiao watched her go.

The warm wind could not reach her heart.

* * *

Diao Chan lay in the darkness of her room, hugging her pillow and weeping bitterly, feeling utterly wretched. The self-loathing that was the trap and downfall of so many courtesans threatened to consume her. What right had she to live amongst such noble and generous people as the Sun family of the Southlands?

The dark, cold pain of her loneliness washed over her, singing of misery and a hateful fate she alone deserved. Her eyes stung and her body was wracked by sobs. She hated herself for everything she had ever done. What had her love ever brought except pain and suffering to others?

Even her Lord Lu Bu had eventually fought in her name and for it he paid the ultimate price. Mayhap if she had never joined herself to him he might have just been a menace that was subdued and forced to serve a mighty lord. But her love seemed to warp and corrupt everything she touched, except the mighty lord of the Southlands, and even he had been done a disservice since she had obviously driven a wedge between he and his wife, a woman Diao Chan had come to revere.

What nonsense! _'Courtesans such as you and I must not be lost to the world, for we are the beauty within it that all desire.' _Diao Chan's beauty caused nothing but strife, her love poisoned hearts and minds and destroyed lives! What use had the Middle Kingdom for love and beauty such as that?

Dimly she became aware of another presence in her room. Icy fear and remorse tingled up her spine as she understood who it was.

"_No… please… not this…"_

"Diao Chan…" Da Qiao said into the darkness, her voice trembling faintly.

Diao Chan trembled as Da Qiao padded over and slipped into the covers beside her. She could feel Da's body, tense with anxiety.

"Diao Chan, I wish before all that was holy that I could hate you, but I cannot. My heart knows a type of rage I have never felt before, a possessive, jealous fury, and I do not like it. For my own sake my must reject it…"

"_No…"_

Diao Chan could feel Da Qiao fighting to hold on to her emotions, to say what she needed to say. She knew now how Da must have felt, listening to her confession earlier, and this was every bit as torturous in its own way.

Da now gently took hold of Diao Chan and turned her around. No matter how much she wanted to resist, Diao Chan knew she could not. She had no right to do so.

"Diao Chan…" Da whispered, taking her cheeks gently in hand and staring deep into the other courtesan's eyes. "I know neither of us wants to hear this… I forgive you…"

Diao Chan burst into tears again, not even attempting to control her weeping. The dreaded forgiveness she did not deserve had been given, and more than ever she was now in someone else's debt for her life. Da Qiao was, despite her young years, wise and cruel in her kindness.

Da could not restrain herself and she too wept openly. She held the other girl close and they cried bitter tears of reconciliation. The darkness blanketed the pain and betrayal was lost to the night. Their worlds had changed forever and they had to accept that.

* * *

Morning came and the day was warm and pleasant. Da and Diao Chan sat quietly at the table in the sitting room, eating sweetened fruits and drinking the nectar of persimmon blossoms. They blushed as they caught one another's eye, remembering what had transpired the night before, knowing that neither of them was ready to say anything quite yet.

The servants had made themselves scarce, heading into the town to check on Da's servants and also to pick up food and other items for the manor. By silent consent, the two courtesans now went outside and they sat quietly under a beautiful blossoming cherry tree. Words seemed so meaningless at this very moment…

Diao Chan sat and looked out toward the west, her thoughts on the Heavens and wondering if the Jade Mother, Xi Wang Mu, could possibly be as forgiving as the remarkable young girl sitting next to her. What had ever given Da Qiao such strength?

Da Qiao was looking up through the boughs of the tree to the cerulean blue sky, her own thoughts tinged by endless questions. A single cherry blossom petal floated lazily down and she held out a graceful hand. The petal settled on the back of her index finger, as if it wished to alight upon her. Da yearned for simple truths and less questions. Was that so much to ask?

She finally sighed. "Why do you suppose he never told me?" she asked.

Slowly Diao Chan turned her head, and where Da expected to see regret and sadness in her companion's eyes, she was greeted by disbelief.

Diao Chan just stared at her. "Are you serious?"

Da made a wry face. "Well, yes," she reasoned. "Ce may have resisted your temptations and for that I am grateful, but I am not letting him off the hook completely. After all, he's had a long time to tell me about- Diao Chan, why are you giggling?"

Diao Chan was, in fact, giggling so hard behind her hand that tears were beginning to run down her cheeks. She finally composed herself, mostly, and knelt in front of Da Qiao, turning the girl in to face her. She took one of Da's hands and kissed it.

"By all the gods, my lady," she said almost reverently. "Though I shall, as a dutiful subject, admire and revere your husband, I think it is you I shall love and who will capture my shattered heart…"

She smiled and caressed Da's cheek. "Darling, Lord Sun Ce has not told you because he could _not _tell you. He simply couldn't."

Da's eyes went wide. "Diao Chan, you didn't…"

Diao Chan was fighting back her mirth and she nodded. "I am afraid so, my dearest Da."

Da Qiao sighed and closed her eyes. "Well this stinks. I was really going to give him what for, too. And now you reveal that he couldn't tell me even if he tried?"

Diao Chan nodded, still trying not to giggle.

"I swear, Diao Chan, I wish I didn't like you so much so that I could knock you into the next calendar year." Da muttered. "Exactly how far does this web of yours extend?"

Diao Chan considered. "I hate to say it, but possibly as far as the conflict with Liu Biao, whom I was also ordered to ensnare, the difference being that I was partially successful there, whereas your husband broke my spell outright."

Da scrunched her eyes shut and shook her head as if this was all too much. "You realize, of course, that it could be construed, then, that you are responsible for the death of Lord Sun Jian."

"Well, let's not get too carried away with the list of crimes and misdemeanors, please," Diao Chan said, holding up an imploring hand. "I think I have enough to answer for without derivative conjecture."

Da stood and sighed again. "Well, fortunately, the Jade Butterfly school has an antidote to your little potion. Did he drink it or did you kiss him?"

"I kissed him." Diao Chan said simply.

"Figures," Da grumped. "The one time I should get to be mad at him and it is completely not his fault. Worse, the person whose fault it is I completely adore. It's not fair."

"No, it really isn't," Diao Chan said, rising and looking into Da's eyes, her own tinged with sadness. "You were innocent, your husband was innocent, and yet you were both dragged through the intrigues and treacheries of the imperial court. I had only heard later that the eunuchs had sent that awful assassin Fang Yu to murder you and I was horrified. I said many secret prayers for your safety."

Da considered. "Remembering that makes me less mad at you, sort of. I understand you were also a pawn in all of this, but Fang Yu… she was just a merciless devil, bent on agony and ruin."

She pulled Diao Chan to her and hugged her. The courtesan stiffened and first but then returned the hug, letting Da speak her mind.

"I do not want to be mad about any of this, Diao Chan…" Da whispered. "Whatever has transpired, I forgive. Now you must forgive yourself and help me release my husband from this bondage."

Diao Chan nodded as she held Da tight. "Nothing would make me happier, Da."

Da smiled at her friend and wiped a tear away from her eye. Diao Chan blinked away some more tears and smiled. "Do you suppose he will have me executed for what I have done?"

Da smiled back. "Not a chance."

"Damn…" Diao Chan whispered in feigned frustration.

Both girls giggled.

* * *

Though Da Qiao did want to return to Baifu and fix matters with Ce, she had planned to spend a full week with Diao Chan and this was what she had decided to do. Sun Ce not being able to speak to her about the issue with Diao Chan could certainly wait, since it posed no threat to anyone.

They had spent the rest of the morning beneath the cherry tree, lying side-by-side, holding hands and looking up at the blue sky. They had put the matter of Ce behind them and if it did come up, it was strictly a private joke between them now. They were both relieved.

They discussed their time in their respective academies, disciplines they had studied, girls they had loved and what they missed or did not miss. Naturally the curriculum for both girls had been similar, but due to the difference in location, the progression had been different. Diao Chan, living in Chang'an, had been cooped up inside the buildings during the cold winter months whereas Da, residing in Wuchang, had temperate or humid weather all year round and many classes were held outdoors. Diao Chan giggled as Da related about chasing boys away in outrage when the little brats had spied on the girls, who usually studied naked.

They talked about dancing and singing, intrigued by how different their knowledge of songs was, based on the instruments available. The songs of the northern school relied on northern instruments, with their often strident harmonics, influenced by the nearby nomadic tribes, whereas the students of the Jade Butterfly School emphasized complimentary chords that harmonized with the rich materials instruments in the south were made of. Diao Chan sang higher in her throat and used more vibrato than Da traditionally did and Da sang more from her diaphragm.

Diao Chan giggled, "Well, that would explain why your breasts are bigger than mine," she commented slyly. Da blushed.

"Maybe…" she murmured. "I always just assumed it was because I have had a child."

"Nonsense, darling," Diao Chan said. "I have had one as well, though Lu Bu's first wife kept the boy and I have almost never seen him. And my breasts were always large, even prior to child birth. You are a small girl with big breasts. Lord Sun Ce knows what he likes and he is a genius."

Da giggled. "Considering my sister's size, what does that say of Lord Zhou Yu?"

They talked of matters across the realm, both large and of no consequence. They discussed the Sun family's plans for the protection of the Wu territory and Da was intrigued (and secretly delighted) to see that Diao Chan was a strong proponent of Lord Sun Ce eventually ruling the realm.

"I always had you figured for a Han loyalist, Dial Chan." Da said.

Diao Chan shrugged. "At one time, maybe, but I must admit that the Han is dead, a rotting corpse that refused to accept its fate. And now, I believe the future lies with you and your husband. It will be an era of peace, prosperity and glory for us all."

Diao Chan now put a tender, almost loving hand on Da's cheek and caressed it. "My time of mourning has passed… please allow me to play a part in this realm, my lady…"

Da nodded. "I do have something I wish to discuss with you, then. Lord Sun Ce has charged Xiao and I with developing and running the courtesan schools he intends to build here in the Southlands. While we are both thrilled by the idea, we are both busy leading troops. I had come here to ask if you would be willing to join us in this effort, Diao Chan."

The courtesan's eyes widened. "Of course, Da, I would be honoured, but surely the position falls to you to head this entire operation. I am not fit."

"You most certainly are, darling," Da said, taking Diao Chan's hand in her own. She lay on her side to face her friend and stared into her eyes. "I am too busy, Xiao is too busy, and even if she were not, her head would surely explode…"

They both giggled, knowing the truth of it.

"You will be a perfect person for this, Diao Chan. Of course, the three of us will form a triumvirate that will make all the important decisions, and we shall have a dedicated staff to administer for us, but I would like for you to be the primary face on the matter."

"Oh? A titular figurehead?" Diao Chan asked, smirking.

"Like enough," Da agreed. "A great and famous courtesan, teaching the young beauties of our realm how to be the noblest ladies of the Middle Kingdom? I think it is a splendid idea."

"But you and your sister will make all decisions with me, correct?" Diao Chan asked, wanting assurance. "I will be your figurehead, but I mostly want to teach, if possible."

Da smiled gently and nodded. "As do I, Diao Chan. You have my word."

Diao Chan's heart beat warmly, for the first time in nearly a year. The winter had finally left her soul.

* * *

Da Qiao was wearing a loose, thin silk robe and sat in a chair, facing a large, almost body-height piece of thin, highly-polished metal that rested within a wooden frame. The metal had such a finish to it that Da could see her reflection almost perfectly, without any distortion at all. Diao Chan stood behind her, also wearing a short, loose-fitting silk robe. She was caressing Da's neck while brushing through her long, luxurious raven hair. It was midday and they would be visiting nearby orchards and then relaxing in a scented, oiled bath together before the afternoon meal.

Da closed her eyes and hummed as she felt the gentle kiss of the brush through her hair. Diao Chan smiled, enjoying the reaction she was getting.

"You miss the artistic touch of a woman, darling?" she cooed.

Da nodded. "Ce often brushes my hair for me, which feels magnificent but is different, as we both know, and Xiao rarely has the time. I have servant girls whom I have attempted to teach the proper technique to, but sometimes nothing can replace the years of courtesan training."

"Agreed," Diao Chan said readily, knowing the truth in Da's words. "Just as a great warrior was a peerless fighter, courtesans of the best schools know exactly how to touch and caress and pleasure a body in a manner no one else can match. Your touch is a private heaven I will always cherish."

They brushed one another's hair, barely saying anything and just enjoying one another's company. Da realized that around Diao Chan she did not feel like a wife, a commander or even a courtesan- she felt like a young girl, living a carefree and luxurious life where all that mattered was their pleasure and happiness. Though she daydreamed of Ce, her daydreams were of the young and dashing warrior who would sweep her off her feet, someone she hardly knew and would become instantly enamoured of, the right and privilege of every girl's heart.

The fragrant orchards they visited were laden with fruits or blossoms. In attempting to pick some fruit, they accidentally knocked over a fence and ran, giggling, when the cranky old farmer came out to see what all the noise was. He was carrying a wood-chopping axe and their hearts pounded as they held their breath and hid in an old irrigation ditch, holding one another while he searched in vain for the unwelcome interlopers.

The 'danger' had passed and they lay silently, holding one another close. Da stared into Diao Chan's eyes for several moments before they both blushed and rose. Diao Chan looked at herself in dissatisfaction.

"Oh dear," she sighed. "I am a total mess now. Old Bai is going to be so angry with me for soiling this robe, it was her favourite on me."

Da giggled and winked. "Mine is a mess too. Muddy ditches will do that, after all. So now what?"

"What else?" Diao Chan replied, shrugging. "We steal some peaches from the old man's orchard and go back to take a bath, silly."

They gathered each as many peaches as they could hold and were getting ready to leave when the old man burst out of his hut, yelling at them and waving a walking stick around. Both girls dashed out of the orchard, heading back for the manor, but not before Da undid the knot on Diao Chan's robe and let it fall away while the northern girl was trying to run with armfuls of fruit. Naked, Diao Chan shrieked and chased after Da, who was laughing hysterically while running as hard as she could.

Da lost her robe in flight but managed to keep the peaches.

* * *

It was mid-afternoon and the sun was beginning its westward descent. Da hummed as she sat in the large basin that was filled with scented, oiled water. Diao Chan sat opposite her and their feet rested in a casual embrace.

"I cannot believe you stripped me of my robe in mid-flight," Diao Chan said, trying to sound indignant. "What if I had stopped to retrieve my robe? That awful old man might have caught me and had his way with me?"

Da smirked. "You've been voluntarily celibate for over a year, how bad could it possibly end up being?"

Diao Chan shivered. "Ew. No thank you. Celibacy or girls will do fine if those are my choices."

"Besides, you managed to strip me as well, may I point out." Da remarked.

"Yes, but you made it back with your peaches, so at least we have something to eat."

Da Qiao giggled again. "Now I know why they call you Diao Chan… never have I heard such a high-pitched sound in my life as when your robe came off."

Diao Chan (translated: 'Black Cicada') blushed and splashed some water at Da.

They gently and slowly bathed and oiled one another and had dressed into different robes by the time the servants returned. Old Bai raised an eyebrow when she noticed the girls' morning robes were missing but said nothing. The servants began preparing the evening meal while Da and Diao Chan drank tea.

"Do we dare try to get our robes back?" Da asked.

Diao Chan made a wry face and shook her head. "That old man has no doubt found them and Heavens only know what he's doing with the pretty silken things of two beautiful young girls such as ourselves. I shudder to think of it."

"Besides," Da said, sipping her tea casually. "If he figures out it was us, he won't have much to say if he comes up here and finds out I am the Lady of the Southlands. I may just make him go steal his own peaches for us; less work for me."

Diao Chan smiled. "Wouldn't that technically be an abuse of your privilege as wife of the ruler of the realm?"

"You're no fun at all unless you're naked, Diao Chan." Da quipped cheerfully.

* * *

The rest of the week almost flew by for Da Qiao. The girls did almost nothing but relax, entertain one another and do what they could to make life troublesome for the local farmers. Old Bai eventually threatened to dress them both in hemp if they insisted on losing their clothing so regularly.

By night they discussed the courtesan's guild they intended to form and what their own functions would be. They slept in the same bed and held one another while they shared girlhood dreams and shed warm tears. Da knew that she had forgiven Diao Chan completely, not only because she didn't want to be jealous or angry but because she adored the northern girl and still pitied her for her folly and role in the machinations of an imperial court too cruel to deserve her.

The day came when Da Qiao was to leave and she spent several minutes in private saying goodbye to her friend before coming out of the manor to bid farewell to the servants that had been so kind to her. She rode down the hill on her horse and she looked back to see Diao Chan standing at the top, watching her quietly as her eyes glistened. Da Qiao's heart too was heavy as she made her way back to Lijiang.

Her attendants and guardian squads awaited her and the village once again came out to greet her. Da spent the remainder of the day partaking in the quaint sights of the town, being treated to the local cuisine and finally retiring to an inn to rest before the ride back to Baifu.

Her thoughts were still back on that lonely hill.

* * *

Sun Ce looked like he was trying to say something, but no words came out. His eyes were wide and he seemed strangely paralyzed by inaction, something Da Qiao was not at all accustomed to with her normally blithe husband. Obviously he really _was _incapable of speech on the subject.

During the ride home, she had reflected on the entire situation with herself, Ce and Diao Chan. Clearly all three of them had been subverted to the machinations of an ancient, jaded bureaucracy, dedicated to its own survival and heedless of what it destroyed. Her heart burned at the callous manipulations they had been forced to endure, and even though Diao Chan had taken part willingly, Da knew it had been done with the heart of a young girl who could not fathom the cruelty of the Han.

She also reflected on what her own responses might have been in such a situation. She knew that Ce would never order her or ask her to seduce or subvert another person for his own personal or political gain, but if Da Qiao were in such a situation, would she willingly use her courtesan and seductress ways to subvert an enemy of the Wu realm?

All those years ago, when she first married Ce, she never would have done so.

But now, immersed as she was in the wars and survival of her people, she knew she would do such a thing if that's what it took. And that is why she needed to forgive Diao Chan, because she wasn't that much different.

"Nothing to say, oh great lord?" she asked as she advanced on her husband. Ce seemed rooted to the spot. She knew Ce was innocent, but moments like this happened so very rarely and she intended to allow herself a little cruel fun and enjoy it.

"You'll be happy to know that I have already been told everything, then," she said quietly, now standing in front of him. "Did you think I wouldn't find out? I spent a whole week with her, after all…"

Ce tried to speak but nothing came forth and he appeared to be getting frustrated with not being able to articulate his thoughts.

"Oh, very well…" Da said, slipping a small bottle off the table top and unstopping it. Within was a thick, orange concoction that was unusually warm to the touch. She trickled some onto her finger and then smeared it across her lips.

"Now come down here…" she said firmly.

Ce leaned down and Da pulled him to her and kissed him, hard. His eyes went wide as she practiced the sacred art of kissing a boy, kissing him so well that he would never look at another. Ce had initially tensed up but now held her to him and returned the kiss eagerly. Da's heart pounded in her chest. She had missed her husband so much.

The kiss ended and Ce grinned down at her. "Alright, what just happened?"

"As I said," Da purred. "Diao Chan confessed to everything. She also told me that she had used an ancient potion on you when she kissed you, to rob you of the ability to converse with me on the subject. An old courtesan trick, for sure, but easily remedied with an equally old courtesan antidote."

Ce made a wry face. "But I could tell Zhou Yu. I don't know why that would-"

Da stopped his blathering with a finger to his lips. "The potion is an arcane and subtle sorcery, my love, and when you wanted to tell me, or even thought of trying to find a way to tell me, your mind became addled and distracted. Think back. Could you ever really think of Diao Chan and I simultaneously? Could you ever discuss you, Diao Chan and I with Zhou Yu, or was it merely a relation of facts?"

Ce pondered. "Now that you mention it… wow, I'm sorry, Da. All this time and I-"

"It is nothing, Ce." Da said gently, smiling at him lovingly. "I know exactly how Diao Chan's potion worked and I have no expectations that even you could break its effects."

Ce scowled. "So why didn't Zhou Yu or someone else tell you?"

"It was none of their concern, I suppose." Da said, shrugging. "Ce, you are probably the only lord in China with only one wife. Other lords have many wives and keep concubines as well. Marriage elsewhere is about social status and lineage."

She pulled him down to a kneeling position and caressed her hand across his cheek. "But you married me because you love me alone. That is something I will always keep in my heart and never forget."

Ce smiled. "I know I was your first. I wish you had been mine."

Da smiled gently. "As we ladies are trained to pleasure men, so are young lords like you and Zhou Yu trained to pleasure girls. But we women are lucky in that we have toys to practice with, whereas a man must rely on laying with a woman to learn his art. And to be honest, I am glad that you came to me as well trained as you did, for I would not really care to train some great, slobbering virgin of your size and stature."

Ce threw back his head and laughed. "It's no wonder I love you, Da, you're one in a million."

She blushed prettily. "Thank you, I worked hard to become so."

"Well, now that _that's_ out of the way," he said, leaning in and smiling. "How about you tell me what happened between you and Diao Chan? What exactly does 'consensual courtesan stuff' mean, anyway?"

"Well, I would more than happily tell you, my lord," Da said. "But I am afraid that Diao Chan and I both used some of that inhibiting potion so that what passed between us would never be spoken."

Ce stared at her, trying to decide if she was lying. She stared back at him innocently.

"So… you can't discuss your week with Diao Chan and what you two got up to?"

"No, my lord."

Ce sighed. "Well, I hope you at least got some work done on your courtesan's guild concept. Did she agree to be your figurehead guild mistress?"

"Yes, my lord, she eventually-"

"A-ha!" Ce said triumphantly, leaping to his feet and looking down at her triumphantly. "You just finished telling me that you could not discuss your week with her."

Da blushed, thinking quickly. "I- I meant that matters of the heart or passion could not be-"

"Ohhhhh, so something _did_ happen between you two, Ce said, grinning evilly. "It may not work, but it can't hurt to try. Brace yourself, Da, because I intend to coax the entire visit's details out of you…"

With that he scooped her up and threw her over his broad shoulder. Da squeaked in panic and struggled to escape as he swaggered back to the bedchamber, tossing aside her robe.

"_Why can't I seem to keep my clothes on this week?"_ she thought to herself as she was carried into the darkness.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Yes, Huey, I stole the chapter title from the 1974 Shaw Brothers movie.

This was a chapter of nothing but exposition, I know, but it's one I needed to do for myself so that the story and background made sense to me. If the Southlands are to flourish and become a center of brilliant culture, then they need courtesans. Da is too busy, Xiao's head would explode from trying to run such an endeavour and I really didn't feel like inventing another brilliant courtesan to tackle the operation. Having said that, Diao Chan was the perfect choice, so I needed to clear the air between she, Da and Ce.

I did rather extensive research on the Chinese courtesan schools, which actually started back around the time of the Early Han. The emperors of the dynasty provided these trained girls, known as _'xi sang'_ girls or _'ge ji'_ ('singing beauty'), to entertain the troops; as time progressed, the girls found their role becoming more specialized, since powerful men could hire or claim them exclusively. Schools were begun and they were now trained to be wives, although they were still bought and sold, a more severe form of a dowry or bride-price, such as they had in Europe.

Concerning their sexuality, they were trained to be lovers of both men and women- men, because men ran the world and needed their services, and women mostly by default. There were no Confucian or Chinese laws against homosexuality, bisexuality or even incest when it came to simple physical pleasure. Incest was not to produce a child that could compromise a genealogy, but aside from that, it was not taboo. Girls in courtesan schools had only each other to practice and become proficient with, so lesbianism was the norm and indeed for Chinese women in general bisexuality was accepted, since they were just women and men didn't care what the women did with one another. As long as she had one husband she served faithfully, her body was her own to do with as she pleased.

No, I do not intend to make Da or Xiao flagrantly bisexual, nor incestuous. They have a history, that's it. They have their husbands and that is the norm. Shang Xiang is the lesbian (no, really?). Yes, Da spends a lot of time kissing girls, but it is a running joke for me more than anything.

I had considered giving Quan a male lover as well as introducing his wife, but there was not much point in doing this with Zhang He being around, giving how flaming he is. There will be some more exposition into that with later chapters. And his name will make you laugh in you pronounce it 'Zhang Heyyyyyyyy!' in a really soft, counter-tenor voice…

I thought about giving Kuang a male companion, but he shows up so infrequently in the fic that it'd just make him look like the quiet, weird gay brother. So, more for expediency than anything else, none of the Sun boys are bisexual.

Yes, you drooling yaoi fangirls, that means that Ce and Zhou Yu never have and never will have had super-happy bum fun. There are plenty of fics like that, go find 'em.

And take your yaoi paddles with you.

- Management


	55. Chapter 55

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 52- Battle Lines Are Drawn**

Sun Ce sat on his throne, pondering the reports that had come to him from around the realm, most of it not to his liking- Cao Cao Mengde, the Prime Minister of the Han, was continuing to make great strides forward with unifying the northern reaches of the empire under his banner, including the populous central plains. Most lords had dutifully capitulated to him while those who resisted were being inexorably ground into nothing under his iron boot. Even the sage Kong Rong had submitted to him while what was left of Yuan Shao's lands and armies were being swallowed up relentlessly.

Yuan Shao, though Ce had not liked the man or agreed with his policy for rule, had been the north's last and best chance to stand against the Prime Minister; and amongst the scrolls he had just read, Ce now knew that the eldest Yuan was dying, devoid of the will to live because of his humiliating defeats at the hands of the upstart usurper Cao Cao. Nothing now could stand against the man who was touted as the 'Hero of Chaos'.

Many warriors and generals of renown were flocking to Cao Cao's banner, men such as Xu Huang and Zhang He, to name but two. Additionally, he was supported by his kinsmen- the ruthless Xiahou Dun, cunning Xiahou Yuan, the steadfast Cao Ren and his own son, Pi, who was famed as a man of arrogance but also brilliant and ambitious, like his father, the Prime Minister.

About the only good news Ce had read from the north was that Guan Yu, who he personally held to be one of the five mightiest warriors in the entire realm, had left Cao Cao's service after the Guan Du campaign and was now searching for his sworn brothers, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei. Guan Yu had slain several of Cao Cao's generals in his bid to flee the north and the Prime Minister did not take the loss of these men lightly. He pursued Liu Bei now, hunting him like a wild animal. He clearly perceived a threat in the Scion of the Han, who was beloved by the common people anywhere he went.

True, Cao Cao also saw the threat of Sun Ce, but was not ready or able to take on the Southlands just yet, not without horrendous casualties he could not readily recover from if anyone else chose to rise against him. Liu Bei was an easier target, fleeing from place to place, to whichever lord would shelter him.

Ce saw in Liu Bei an ally, someone who opposed Cao Cao and could be relied upon to fight against any odds in the name of his beliefs. Liu Bei lacked the means to accomplish this, however, since he could never stay in one place long enough to plant himself and let his armies and ideals flourish. But the man called Xuande was not without hope, for men were even now flocking to him in spite of the increasing odds, men of virtue and valour, renowned for their skill in arms. Alongside Guan Yu and Zhang Fei stood now men such as Zhao Yun, a fearless warrior called the 'Dragon of Changshan'; a wizened commander and general named Huang Zhong, who skill with a bow and tenacity in battle was legendary, and another named Wei Yan, a terrifying berserker whose ferocity could fell even the stoutest enemy.

There was also rumour of another entering Liu Bei's service, though it was only rumour- conjecture about a sage who had come from his recluse in the remotest of hilly lands, drawn to Liu Bei with his clarion call to virtue. This sage was said to know great truths, to be so subtle of intellect and hand that immortals envied him and lauded his actions. His name was Zhuge Liang.

Sun Ce hoped it would be enough.

Zhou Yu the other commanders examined the vast map that lay before them now, examining the various icons arranged around the image of the Middle Kingdom, representing army groups, centers of industry and farming, fortifications and academies. They pondered the disparity in the icons designated as Cao Cao's forces, which were blue, compared to their own, shaded red, along with various other lords, who were imperial yellow or white.

There were so many blue icons.

Huang Gai sighed. "At least we maintain clear naval superiority," he said, tapping on the map's coast, which clearly indicated more red than blue pieces. "Even if, Heavens forbid, Cao Cao began to build up a massive fleet and outnumbered us, we would still triumph because of our superlative skill."

"We cannot rely on that to be a defensive edge forever, though," Zhou Yu said softly, still pondering the map. "If our fleets are to mean anything, we must use them aggressively, doing everything we can to upset Cao Cao's stranglehold on the north and its industry."

"What worries me is the Southwest, my lord," Ling Tong said, pointing to the lands beyond the river that delineated his own. "If Cao Cao somehow manages to seize the Riverlands around Chengdu and Sichuan, he will have access to the enormous foodstuffs the region is capable of producing, not to mention he will have us hemmed in from the north and west."

"I know," Zhou Yu murmured, acutely aware of the dangers presented by the Riverlands. "I do not think we can yet take or hold them, we are still spread too thin. Maybe in a few years were could, assuming that our plans for production and growth move forward unhindered, but not now."

"Fortunately Cao Cao does not yet have the military strength to hold it either," Lu Xun noted. "He is wasting his time chasing Liu Bei, finishing off the Yuans and any other lords who oppose him and the Xiongnu continue their incursions across the Great Wall, forcing him to turn some of his forces to his northern borders."

"Lu Xun is correct in his assessment," Lu Meng said, nodding. "We may feel cornered, but the truth of the matter is that Cao Cao is surrounded by enemies, even if his forces are the largest. We have secured all our borders, including the south, where Lady Shang Xiang has forced the capitulation of the Shanyue and even persuaded them to trade with us."

Zhou Yu agreed. "We must not think in terms of defending ourselves but taking the fight to Cao Cao, besieging him from all sides. If we can bring these disparate elements together, with the common goal of the Prime Minister's obliteration, we can do this. But we must not shirk from our resolve to see this through. It will not be easy and it will come at great cost of lives and materiel."

Huang Gai snorted and scowled at the map. "Since when does a warrior of the Southlands shirk from the spectre of death or the promise of combat? We are the mightiest warriors in the land, Cao Cao's numbers be damned."

The assembly bowed as Sun Ce entered the room. He stood at the table they were gathered around and he examined it, taking in all the details swiftly and with an understanding that only Zhou Yu could as yet match. In spite of the odds he grinned at them all.

"Looks like we've got our work cut out for us, eh?" he quipped and they all chuckled, heartened by his cheerful acceptance of the challenge that lay before them now. He set his hands on his hips and nodded.

"Alright," he began, getting down to business. "Zhou Yu, how are our plans coming along for increasing production of food, weapons and warships?"

Zhou Yu bowed his head. "Not as quickly as I would like, but we are ahead of the schedule you and I set. I am expecting an overall increase in foodstuffs of just over thirteen percent by year's end, along with a quadrupling of iron production, leading to a doubling in steel output. Concerning ships, we have thirty-eight capital ships slated for completion by the end of this season, approximately three hundred and sixty escort vessels, most of which have a shallow enough draft to make their way along the inland rivers and canals."

"That's a good start, we'd better get to usin' 'em," Ce said, pleased with the report. "What about the iron and steel?"

"With the new steel we can outfit another heavy cavalry regiment, two infantry regiments, seven archer brigades and six chariot companies." Lu Meng reported. "The intent, of course, is to deploy the new troops along the north in the new fortifications we are reinforcing our borders with. We still have three corps in reserve, my lord, those being General Huang Gai's, Lord Zhou Yu's and your own."

"We can hold our borders but we're not attackin' yet..." Ce muttered, examining the map. Zhou Yu saw his lord's eyes stray to the Riverlands before he looked up at Elryk and grinned.

"Think you could hold that territory on your own, big guy?"

The giant Teutonic warrior grimaced and refused to answer, staring instead at the tiny dot that represented his home of Erli-tou.

Taishi Ci folded his arms and scowled. "If we intend to diminish the Prime Minister, we have to start taking his lands from him. What can we realistically do about that?"

Ce and Zhou Yu both saw the answer immediately and pointed to it.

"He Fei," the strategist said in his soft tenor. "We must take it from Cao Cao before long, since he has just wrested control of it from the Yuans. If we were to conquer it, we could use it as a stable staging area for our campaigns into the north, since the people who live there are related to the Southlands by virtue of culture and dialect. They even speak a branch of the Wu tongue. They will no doubt see Sun Ce as a liberator and kinsman."

"Yeah, now all we need is to figure out how to take Hanzhong from Cao Cao," Ce observed, looking at the map's western regions, bordering the Barrier Mountains. "If He Fei and Hanzhong were held against him, we could pincer him from his east _and _west."

"But Hanzhong is too far away for us to take," Ling Tong pointed out. "We cannot adequately hold the Riverlands, so Hanzhong is certainly outside our reach at this moment."

"Isn't the Imperial Family originally from Hanzhong?" Elryk asked.

Everyone looked at the German chieftain in astonishment. He coughed and blushed a little.

"Lap and Khun have been teaching me about the history of your realm."

Ce laughed. "Zhou Yu, do we know anyone whose family might have come from Hanzhong?"

Zhou Yu smiled. "Oddly enough, I just might have someone in mind..."

They rode through the night as quickly as they could, word having been sent ahead to the farthest borders of the Southlands realm that fresh horses would be necessary on a moment's notice. They were not many but the urgency of the mission would brook no delay. Three hundred fleet steeds carried the warriors into the night, carrying banners that clearly indicated they were not to be stopped under any circumstances.

"Ce, I really think you should not have come along," Zhou Yu called out as he kept pace with his sworn brother. "Do you consider your presence necessary?"

"Hell yes!" Ce said emphatically, snapping the reins of the horse. "If we're gonna convince Liu Bei to act with our plan, I'm willin' to bet that I'm the only person who can do it. Assumin' he really _is_ related to the Imperial Ancestor, I should be the one to spring this on him!"

"And if he is not?" Zhou Yu queried.

"Then it wouldn't be the first time I've had tea with a sandal weaver!" Ce replied. "This has gotta work, no matter what!"

"On that we both agree." Zhou Yu concurred.

They were racing northwest as quickly as their horses could carry them, changing off at relay posts interspersed along the highway system they had developed. Sun Ce had received intelligence that Liu Bei was fleeing for his life, followed by an army of no less than a million of Cao Cao's troops. The Prime Minister was determined to finish the Scion of the Han off once and for all, before he slipped through his grasp again. The problem was that Liu Bei kept gathering people to his banner, tens of thousands of peasants who revered him and would not leave his side. They slowed his flight down immensely and he would not abandon them to their fate at the hands of the Prime Minister's merciless troops.

More than that, Cao Cao himself was apparently heading the effort to apprehend Liu Bei as he fled south. If Ce could help Liu Bei escape against those odds, it also stood to reason that he might be able to defeat and kill the Prime Minister, ending the threat of Cao Cao once and for all.

He just had to get there on time.

Sun Ce rode now with Zhou Yu, Lu Xun and a few squads each of the Night Tigers, Swordwind and Warhawks. There was no need for many of them, just enough to assist Liu Bei in his escape and convince him to join their cause and plan of action. They had been riding almost non-stop for days now, desperate to reach Lord Liu before Cao Cao did.

"Word is that Liu Bei has entered Fancheng and is catching his breath there before continuing on his road," Zhou Yu said loud enough for Ce to hear him. "He is being followed by nearly a hundred thousand common folk and they are hindering him rather severely. If my calculations are correct, Cao Cao should catch him by the time Liu Bei has crossed to Xiangyang."

"He's heading for Jiangling from the sounds of it!" Ce replied, urging his mount to ride harder. "Close enough to our holdings in Jing that maybe we can convince him to stay there and help us against Mengde."

"I must admit I still share Lord Zhou Yu's ambivalence about this possibility, sire," Lu Xun said respectfully, somehow finding the time to clasp his fist and bow while at a full gallop. "Assuming he agrees to join us at all, he is not exactly a stellar general, yes? True, he has men such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei at his side, but even with all their assembled troops they would form little more than another corps."

"I know," Ce agreed, pursing his lips and considering alternatives. "Liu Bei's strength is his vision and nurturing habit. He could grow a realm very quickly if he were to have a place to stay in peace."

"But therein is the quandary, sire," Lu Xun continued. "We do not necessarily want yet another powerful lord to contend with once Cao Cao is defeated, even one as benevolent as Liu Bei."

"It ain't an issue if Cao Cao catches his and puts his head in a box," Ce pointed out. "Whatever else we may decide on, he's gotta survive to see the next moon and that ain't gonna happen if we don't hurry!"

"On that we agree," Zhou Yu said. "I have ordered Lu Meng to move across the Great River and threaten Cao Cao's forces in He Fei while your brother Quan has agreed to use our naval forces on the coast to also divide his attention."

"Tell them not to get too greedy," Ce called. "The idea is to distract Cao Cao while we find Liu Bei, not to cost ourselves men in a pitched fight, not yet! Who is holding He Fei?"

"Our sources say it is Cao Ren." Lu Xun declared, confident of his information.

"He won't commit to a battle if Lu Meng is just skirting him," Ce reckoned. "He's too cautious and prefers to fight defensively. Send word to Lu Meng to try and cause enough of a fuss that Cao Ren feels the need to call for reinforcements, maybe we can draw some of Cao Cao's army off of Liu Bei."

Ce thought about the jeopardy they would find themselves in once they left Jing- true, Lu Meng had taken over twenty thousand men with him to harass the Prime Minister's forces in He Fei and Ce did not doubt that his most stalwart general could cause enough of a ruckus to make it seem like a hundred thousand men had come, but even if Cao Cao sent a like number away from his main force and marched them east to help Cao Ren, that still left possibly as many as nine hundred thousand men to contend with once they found Liu Bei. The odds wouldn't really have changed all that much.

They weren't here to fight, they were on a mission to assist Liu Bei in escaping from the clutches of the Prime Minister. Perhaps if disaster were not so close at hand and if he had been given the luxury of time to organize such an expedition, Ce might have been able to march in force and perhaps fight a pitched battle against the northern hordes, but this was not the case. He had maybe fifty thousand men in their territories in Jing, but he could not spare these troops to save Liu Bei. No, this would have to be accomplished through speed and the blessings of Heaven.

A outrider pulled in alongside the force, speaking with Zhou Yu before peeling off again into the night. Zhou Yu looked grim as he spoke.

"It sounds like Lord Liu Bei's forces are getting spread out," he commented. Apparently Zhang Fei and Zhou Yun are holding the rear of a rather long and ragged column, keeping Cao Cao at bay while Guan Yu had taken a fleet down the Han River and is planning to meet Liu Bei at Hanjin, allowing him to cross safely."

Ce considered the geography of the area the Scion of the Han was now negotiating and what their best course of action might be. The area was threaded with rivers, meaning that if Liu Bei could hold the bridges while his forces crossed...

"Changban!" he shouted triumphantly, anticipating what Liu Bei would do. "If he heads for Changban, there is only one major bridge that he needs to defend. After that, he can meet up with Guan Yu anywhere along the river and head for Hanjin!"

"Ce, I know where you're going with this, but do you really think we should divide our little force so readily?" Zhou Yu questioned.

"Not much of a choice, pal, this isn't about numbers." Ce concluded, playing out in his mind what needed to be done. "Lu Xun, you're gonna take the Thunderhawks and assist Liu Bei's rearguard however you can! We want to make sure the commoners following him are kept safe as possible! Zhou Yu, go to Hanjin and make sure they're waiting for him! I'm headin' to find Liu Bei! Go!"

No matter how much they might have wanted to protest, both Lu Xun and Zhou Yu knew there was no point in arguing, Sun Ce's mind was made up. They had trusted to his intuition before and he had never led them astray. They both bowed and lead their battle groups away, speeding toward their targets.

"It's now'r never!" Ce called out to the Night tigers following him. "Liu Bei needs our help an' the Sun family never lets down a friend! Let's go!"

His men shouted into the night and spurred their horses to keep up.

Despair tugged at his heart. When would all this running end? How many trials would he have to endure in order to prove the worthiness of his cause? Was virtue not self-evident? Should any who tried to maintain such a creed not be given the support of the Heavens?

He would not falter. Behind him, strung out for many _li, _ he could sense the common folk who were counting on him, who believed in him and his vision of a future that saw them all shaped by conscientious thought and a love of virtue. This dream of a land that worshipped the words of the Great Sage of All Time would only become reality if he endured all hardships and stuck to his path. He must not relent.

His muscles ached from the endless riding and fleeing, the constant skirmishing and counter-attacking against the troops that harried them. Less than a day ago he had been thrashed soundly at a salient he attempted to hold but found himself driven back by Xiahou Dun, Cao Cao cousin, a man rumoured to be without humour or mercy. Not only had Liu Bei lost over three hundred good soldiers, thousands of common people had died when they were overtaken by Xiahou Dun, who killed them for daring to support Liu Bei. Enraged but unable to help, Liu Bei had fled the battle, meeting up with his new advisor, Zhuge Liang, who had shown him little known paths through the countryside, allowing the Scion of the Han to once again evade capture.

He was reasonably certain they had shaken off immediate pursuit, at least for now, and he walked his weary mount at a casual pace, allowing those in his train to slacken their march somewhat and catch their breath. The murmur of hundreds, the sing-song accents of the peasantry, along with the groan and creak of countless rickety cards filled the air. He blocked the noise from his mind and breathed deeply, envisioning his perfect kingdom, bright and glorious as the sun. Surely all who embraced reason would see the reason and logic in his ambitions and support him once he had established himself?

The squalling of a cranky child dragged him back to reality and he sighed. He pulled forth one of the twin blades he wielded and noted with dissatisfaction that the blade was notched. If they reached Xiakou as planned, he would need to get that repaired.

He scowled as he considered the condition of his blade- it was made from the same great lump of iron and steel that Guan Yu's Green Dragon and Zhang Fei's Viper Spear were made from. So why was it that his brothers' weapons, which saw infinitely more combat than his swords, always emerged from battle with nary a scratch but his blades were always in need of attention? What was fair about that?

Horns sounded suddenly and people cried in fright. Though weary and hardly recovered from his last engagement, Liu Bei wheeled about and charged toward the clarion call, beckoning any available soldiers to come with him. He stampeded past peasants who were grabbing their belongings and surging forward, desperate to escape the troops that were poised to attack.

Cao Cao's cavaliers had barely broken from the tree line before Liu Bei and his men were on them, attacking savagely. The Scion of the Han's blades whirled and struck as he pressed into the fray, determined to give the peasants time to flee the scene. Surprised by his assault the northern troops were stayed momentarily, attempting to push out into the plains that the refugees were marching through. Their commander was at the back of the formation and had yet to engage.

Liu Bei's heart pounded as he heard the shouts of peasant men, charging into the battle with their pitchforks and wood-cutting axes, determined to help their lord and desperate to protect their families. However valiant the act, they would certainly be slaughtered if they stayed.

"No!" he shouted angrily as he fought with a spearman, his blades tangled up with the long lance of his foe. "You must get away! Run! Don't you understand that if you do not escape than everything I am fighting for is lost?"

The men did not heed his warning if they heard it and predictably they died in droves. Tears burned his eyes as he slew his foe and then set upon another. He was thrown as his mount was struck from beneath him but he surged up quickly and attacked again, knowing that Cao Cao would try to capture him and that he could not run as long as his foes remained mounted. He dodged a spear thrust and grabbed hold of the long lance shaft, throwing the rider from his steed before whirling about to plunge the spearhead through the breastplate of another foe. He yanked the weapon back violently and spun it about in a wide arc, making sure that the enemy trying to surround him kept their distance.

A horn sounded and the commander of the enemy force arrived, riding hard, bearing down on Liu Bei. The Han lord flung the spear as hard as he could, causing his intended target to duck wildly and giving him long enough to once again brandish his twin swords. He struck at the legs of the commander's horse as it passed, severing the right front limb just above the knee and sending the man hurtling out of his saddle to land in a crumpled heap, his neck snapped by the impact.

The enemy surged in again, now that Liu Bei was deprived of his long spear. He fought like a madman, ignoring the screaming of his muscles and the dreadful pounding of his heart as he fought to stay alive. He whirled the blades abut in a complex pattern before himself, tangling up the blades of several foes before shouting loudly and bursting through the ring, knocking several men back. He had opened a window of respite for himself and he knew to take it. Countless hours of sparring with Guan Yu had taught him that much.

He barely dodged the strike of a foe on horseback as the man galloped by, but the steed's great flank struck him and sent him sprawling. Stunned for a moment, he scrabbled for his weapons, his vision somewhat blurry and the noises around him indistinct. He resisted the urge to vomit...

"Lord Liu!" shouted a familiar voice and he turned his head to see who was calling to him- he was relieved to see that help had arrived, in the form of his god children, Guan Ping and Xing Xai, son of Guan Yu and daughter of Zhang Fei. Ping charged into the fray, swinging his huge Young Dragon blade in great, scything arcs, falling men and horses alike, anyone unfortunate enough to come within range of the massive blade. Xing Cai, holding her shield in front of herself and carrying her two-tined war fork, dashed in toward the closest foe and ducked, skidding beneath his strike and smashing into him, flipping the man over her shiled and dumping him on his skull. She then whirled gracefully and spear another foe through the throat with her keen-tipped pike.

The young warriors had brought troops with them, maybe fifty or so and the defenders, still mostly on horseback, found themselves hard-pressed by determined infantry and they had never managed to effectively clear the trees. Liu Bei lurched back to his feet, found his weapons and pressed the attack, heartened by the appearance of reinforcements. Horns sounded soon after and the remaining northerners retreated hastily back into the forest.

Liu Bei leant panting on his sword while Guan Ping and Xing Cai approached him, both bowing hastily and escorting him for the trees wilfully.

"Please sire, you must be more careful,' Ping chided. "Our hopes, prayers and dreams are all pinned on your continued survival!"

"What does it matter if I cannot defend my people?" Liu Bei said angrily. "Must I always rely on the puissance of others to make sure my ambitions are fulfilled?"

"Lord Liu Bei, you needn't be the greatest warrior in the land, that is not what the people desire," Xing Cai said in her lilting voice. "What they need is your vision and your leadership, your willingness to see the hard times through and bring about your land of virtue."

Liu Bei swatted at the grass with one of his blades, obviously frustrated. "How can the people look up to a men who cannot protect them?"

"Who says you did not?" Guan Ping pointed out. "You think they were not heartened and inspired to see you charge in to attack a numerically superior foe just now, with no thought to your own safety? Do you think they will judge you because you cannot rout Cao Cao's forces entirely on your own?"

Liu Bei sat down wearily and rubbed his temples, clearly needing a moment to compose himself. "It is always like this..." he sighed. "Always on the run, always disorganized. We never have time to rest and plan and regroup. Even now we are spread out in a ragged caravan, Heavens only knows how many_ li _long and I have no idea where my son Shan, my two daughters and my wife Lady Mi are. It is said that Cao Cao has already overtaken them and they are now his prisoners."

Guan Ping's eyes flashed and he knelt before Liu Bei, bowing his head. "Say the word, my lord, and I shall smash right through the Prime Minister's army and retrieve them for you. Nothing shall stay my blade!"

"Ping, do not be rash," Xing Cai said hastily. "We cannot-"

"What good is the life of a warrior and servant if he is of no use to his lord?" Ping replied, cutting her off. "Do you think these numbers would stay my father or yours from performing such a duty if it was assigned to them?"

"It would not," answered a soft voice coming up from the road. "But you, my dear boy, are not your father, any more than Xing Cai is Zhang Fei."

Liu Bei, Guan Ping and Xing Cai all looked as Zhuge Liang, the hidden scholar known as Kongming approached, holding his characteristic white-feathered fan in front of himself, his serene eyes betraying nothing. Ping and Cai both nodded in respect while Liu Bei rose, eager for counsel.

"It is true, maybe Lord Guan or General Zhang could pierce through such a mighty army and rescue lord Liu's wife and child, but they are not here. General Yide is already guarding the rear, holding off the Prime Minister while Yunchang is sailing the fleet to meet us. We must not lament about what cannot be."

He put a gentle hand on Liu Bei's shoulder and nodded slowly. "Trust to your servants to do what they can and trust to the Heavens for what is right. That being said, all that remains is for you, my lord, to do what comes naturally to you and lead us all on your path, for no one else can."

Liu Bei nodded in response and the glint of determination returned to his eyes.

"Fear not, Lord Liu," Kongming said in an assuring tone. "Help will arrive, aid we do not even look for. We move to Liu Biao's family in northern Jing and they have agreed to succour us against the tyranny of Cao Cao while we rest and regroup."

"But Jing and Liu Biao are hardly up to the challenge," Liu Bei muttered. "The war with the Sun family decimated their army and cut their lands by nearly two thirds. What hope do they have of staving off an army of a million?"

"They are your kin, descendants of the King of Hanzhong, like yourself." Kongming replied easily. "Blood is thicker than Cao Cao's treachery and deeper than the endless ranks of his army. The Great Sage taught us that filial piety is the greatest strength one can rely on... like you and your sworn brothers."

Liu Bei nodded and summoned a servant. The man approached hastily and bowed.

"There is a three thousand man detachment near the front of the army, good, sturdy men from Yan," he instructed. "I want them moved to the middle of the column to help protect the refugees while my five hundred men and I will move to the front to set the pace the army must move at. Go!"

The man ran off and Kongming nodded in approval. "The people cannot see you lead if you are not at the front."

"Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun hold the rear, that will keep Cao Cao busy," Liu Bei agreed. "I want Huang Zhong here in the center, he is gruff but kindly and afraid of nothing. Any further surprise attacks would not faze him. Ping and Xing Cai, you will come with Kongming and I to the front of the column. I will have need of you there."

"There is just one more thing, my lord," Kongming interjected, fluttering his fan. "It would appear that Zhao Yun is no longer at the rear of the column. He seems to have gone missing."

Liu Bei's eyes widened. "What? Zhao Yun is gone? Captured? Killed?"

"We know not," Kongming admitted. "He is simply not with us."

"Did he surrender? Is he a traitor to us?" Ping asked, his eyes blazing wrathfully.

"It is a possibility to consider, but it seems unlike the young general," Zhuge Liang postulated. "For now, he is just... missing."

"Well this is just a day for unexpected delights and happenings, isn't it?" Liu Bei said, scowling.

"Changban Bridge." Lu Xun said quietly, from his concealed position nearby on a hill covered in trees. He gestured for his men to remain hidden while they observed the area below. The road came to a single, sturdy stone bridge, which passed over a great gorge at the bottom of which was a tributary of the river Han. The bridge was wide enough for five chariots to cross side-by-side and strong enough to support the weight of an army. If it was true that Cao Cao's army was coming here, it would not take them long to cross, in spite of their dizzying numbers.

What _would_ hold them up, however, was the man waiting in the center of the span, a long figure who stood defiantly facing north, his eyes flashing and his huge Viper Spear held easily in one massive hand.

"That is General Zhang Fei, _shi_?" one of Lu Xun's soldiers whispered as they watched. The twenty man rearguard Yide seemed to command waited patiently on the southern side of the bridge. Apparently they knew better than to get in his way.

"That it is," Lu Xun replied, nodding. "And it would appear that he is preparing to deal with Cao Cao's army himself."

"That is suicide," the men said incredulously. "Who could hope to do such a thing?"

"Not you or I, perhaps," Lu Xun agreed. "But what of Lord Sun Ce?"

"That is different..." the man said somewhat humbly, cowed at the mention of the mighty warlord's name. "Could there possibly be men of the same mettle here in the world at the same time?"

"Lord Sun believes so," the young officer said almost absently, noticing the unmistakeable tremor in the ground of a large army approaching. "We are certainly about to find out."

"Should we not aid the general?" asked another. "He would make a formidable ally."

"Stay put for now, Lu Xun warned. "He might not appreciate the interference."

They watched and before long, Cao Cao's army had appeared. The land did not favour them, being all gorges, defiles, ravines and hills, meaning that the army's movement was hemmed along the road.

Be that as it may, there were still a lot of them. Countless soldiers and their banners were approaching. The forward officers in the army saw the bridge and blared their horns, ordering the charge. In order to catch Liu Bei, the bridge had to be taken intact. It would take too long to go around, Liu Bei would be long gone by then.

On charged the vanguard infantry, determined to run over the lone man standing in the middle of the bridge.

Lu Xun watched in fascination. Zhang Fei barely seemed to move but he could see the massive warrior's body tensing, his eyes flashing with an unreal ferocity, his knuckles whitening on the grip of his spear...

Zhang Fei let forth a terrible warcry, one that pierced Liu Xun to his core and echoed through the endless hills. So loud and frightening was the shout that an officer leading the charge turned pale and collapsed from off his horse, even as the creature carried him forward. He was dead before he touched the bridge.

Zhang Fei sprang forward and swiped his titanic spear in a great arc before himself, sending men flying backwards from the sheer force of the blow or bisecting them instantly. The general's eyes were wild as he leapt on the northerners like a predator, keen on his prey. Using his body's great mass, he bulled his way through the closest troops, whirling about, his spear cutting down any unfortunate enough to be within reach.

Restricted by the confines of the bridge, hundreds of men fell swiftly and Zhang Fei pressed forward, undeterred by their numbers. His inhuman strength was too much for them and they died in droves beneath his wide-bladed spear. He pinned one man to the end of his weapon with a vicious thrust and spun in a circle, holding the weapon out and battering away all within reach. With a savage fling he sent the skewered man sailing into his comrades, knocking down several more.

A spearman tried to race by him and gain the other side of the bridge. Zhang Fei punched him so hard that he sailed over the sides of the bridge and plummeted into the gorge below. His scream of terror echoed along the walls as the Han took him.

Standing now at the northern edge of the span, surrounded by endless corpses, Zhang Fei planted his feet and slammed the butt of his spear against the ground, his murderous glare sweeping over the massive army that opposed him. Those remaining dared not approach, seeing what had happened to the vanguard. They stood their ground, weapons levelled, but came no closer.

"Come on, if you're ready to meet your death!" Zhang Fei bellowed, spinning his spear about himself. Cao Cao's troops were terrified by what they saw- every muscle and tendon in the huge warrior's body was tensed, the veins in his neck bulging and his eyes shining with a dreadful battle lust. His spear and his armour were covered in blood. The bodies of those he had come to blows with left no doubt as to what would happen if any approached, for there were no wounded to be seen. Only the dead.

"Come on!" he raged, barely able to restrain himself. "Zhang Fei of Yan welcomes you to taste his blade!"

From a small hill somewhere back of the action, a small group of regally-dressed and armoured horsemen observed what transpired at the bridge. Cao Cao frowned as he considered what was happening.

"I understand, Prime minister, that it is General Zhang Fei," an officer protested. "But even so, he is just one man. Even someone such as he cannot stand forever against the strength of our entire army. And time is of the essence, we must take this bridge."

"Do not underestimate Zhang Fei," Cao Cao said in his grim tone. "He is a warrior with few equals and he has the strength of ten thousand. I would be hesitant to trust even my own bodyguard Xu Zhu to deal with him, and there are none stronger than that."

"Let us move our crossbowmen forward then," the officer urged. "Even Zhang Fei cannot survive the hail of darts we will pierce him with. We will darken the sky with our arrows. Please, sire!"

Cao Cao was silent as he surveyed the scene. His entire army was being held up by one man. Was this even possible? Could Zhang Fei be so absurdly overconfident as to try and hold the bridge alone against a million men?

_What is it that I am missing here?_

He grimaced as another regiment of his swordsmen surged forward, determined to overrun the lone warrior and capture the bridge. He turned away in disgust as they all died, their cries of pain and terror echoing loudly and sweeping fear through his army.

"We cannot gain this bridge," he announced firmly. "What we see here is just a ploy, to lure us into disaster. One man cannot hold a bridge and that means there are more troops here than we know of. We must find another way around. Keep a detachment here to watch the bridge but the rest of the army must move with all speed toward Hanjin. That is where Liu Bei will alter his course and make for now, to link up with Liu Biao. Go!"

"But sire!" protested the officer. "We must-"

Cao Cao's blade flashed through the air and the man's head flew from his body. The other officers all sat still on their mounts while Cao Cao glared at them. "Let us not have any disagreement, disagreement will only lead to disaster, understood? Now move out!"

There officers hastened to their posts without further demur.

"General Zhang Fei, I am Lu Xun, commander of the Warhawks regiment and officer of Lord Sun Ce of the Southlands," Lu Xun said, clasping his fist in his hand and bowing his head. "At Lord Sun's behest we are come to aid you."

"Aid _me_?" Zhang Fei asked, his eyebrow raised. "You only brought a hundred horsemen and you're a little late."

"Your stand against Cao Cao was magnificent, general, and it will no doubt be sung of for ages to come, but that is for another day to discuss." Lu Xun said deferentially. "This bridge must be destroyed."

Zhang Fei snorted. "Best of luck to you, because I have nothing with which to do that."

"Perhaps my Firehawks and I can help," suggested the commander. Next to Zhang Fei's great bulk, he looked like a stunted sapling, but he did not let this fact intimidate him. He gestured for ten of his warriors to come forward. They wore the standard uniform of any Warhawks company but their tunics were emblazoned with stylised flames and subtle prayers to the god of fire. With them they brought dozens of small crates or boxes, along with lengths of hemp rope.

Zhang Fei and his cavaliers watched in fascination as Lu Xun and his warriors prepared the incendiary devices, which he had learned to make from old general Huang Gai. They carefully attached the rice paper fuses to the satchels and made sure they explosive material was ready.

"There we go," Lu Xun said with satisfaction, examining their work. "Ten ought to do it."

"You made thirty." Zhang Fei pointed out.

"True, general, but some may fail and I need at least ten to disable the bridge in any meaningful capacity. This technology is from foreign lands, albeit the delivery method is known to use thanks to General Huang Gai."

Lu Xun directed his men to plant the charges along the underside of the bridge at various points, urging haste but not at the cost of diligence or accuracy. Zhang Fei, knowing they were still being observed, took up his position on the northern side of the bridge, daring anyone watching to come closer. His men were waiting wither their crossbows at the ready.

Less than an hour later, Lu Xun and the Firehawks came out from beneath the bridge and beckoned Zhang Fei back to the southern side of the span. The rest of the group stood back while Lu Xun affixed a long twine of flammable material to the linked bombs beneath the bridge. Once like, he scuttled away and mounted his horse, instructing everyone back another thirty paces.

"If the enemy charges the bridge now and those damn things don't go off, we'll have lost everything we fought for." Zhang Fei growled.

"They will go off, general," Lu Xun said simply. "And Cao Cao's army is already trying to head around to Hanjin, what remains of his army here is merely to observe us. Once the bridge is gone, they will leave too."

Seconds later there was a thunderous noise and the bridge disappeared in a great plume of fire. They men turned and raced backward as bits of masonry and even entire blocks of stone rained down in the vicinity. When the fire and smoke had cleared, the proud and beautiful bridge was no more. Zhang Fein grunted in satisfaction.

"Not bad, kid," he said, nodding. "Now I can catch up with brother Bei and tell him that the rear is secure. Can't believe I lost track of Zhao Yun, though. Wonder where that little twerp got off to."

"My men and I will search for General Zhao Yun, you return to Lord Liu Bei," Lu xun said. "Cao Cao's army is still a terrible threat and he will no doubt construct pontoon bridges to try and cross the Han, cutting off your lord. If General Guan's fleet does not get there on time, it-"

"How the hell do you know so much about what we're doing, kid?" Zhang Fei demanded, looking at Lu Xun pointedly.

"Sun Ce has kept a close eye on Lord Liu, general, and we do not know anything Cao Cao already doesn't." Lu Xun pointed out. "We are here to help, because only our two lords stand between Cao Cao and his domination of the entire realm. Please consider my words, general, time is of the essence."

Zhang Fei scowled but nodded. "Alright kid. Find Zhao Yun in one piece or you've got me to answer to. We'll see you in Hanjin!"

And with that, the mighty warrior galloped off. Lu Xun sighed and shook his head. "Come," he said finally. "We will rest and then head around west before moving toward Fancheng. If Zhao Yun has done what I think he has, he will be deep in the heart of the enemy army. Let us pray we are on time."

They rode off to the cover of trees, looking forward to some respite before another day's hard riding.

Zhou Yu's ride of Hanjin had been swift, with his heralds and outriders having barely enough time to approach the city and announce him before he arrived. Liu Cong, son of the ailing Liu Biao, welcomed the renowned southern strategist and diplomat hastily, knowing that they were all feeling the press of time with Cao Cao bearing down on Jing.

Zhou Yu remained unflappable and calm while the palace about him, if the place could really be called a palace, was abuzz with activity. Liu cong looked somewhat concerned at the appearance of Zhou Yu and his entourage.

"You come to speak of defending ourselves against the invaders from the north but you bring only a hundred men?" he queried. "I admire the martial spirit of the Wu territories, lord, but surely your soldiers are not so good that a hundred may fend off a million."

"If that were true, then Cao Cao's threat and even that of Dong Zhuo would never have come to the fore." Zhou Yu pointed out. "No, my lord, we are here as messengers and guides, not to repel the Prime Minister's armies by ourselves."

"You will pardon my brusqueness if I infer that my people would find keen spears brandished on their behalf more consoling than sweet words right now." Liu Cong said tersely.

"The Southlands already is moving against Cao Cao in the east, distracting his forces there and dividing his attention." Zhou Yu replied. "We must get Lord Liu to safety here in Jing, where you can succour him while he plans his next move. I know our people have been at war recently, but your own father called for peace and alliance between us. We of Baifu are honouring that pledge as quickly and best we may."

"Forgive my words, lord, I spoke too harshly," Liu Cong said, knowing it was hardly the time to antagonize the mighty nation to his south. "These are somewhat tense times for us, since it is well known that harbouring Liu Bei will make us a target of the Prime Minister."

"Doubtless, but whether you surrender now or later, you will still be his lapdogs unless you fight," Zhou Yu intoned in a conciliatory voice. "Those would wish to stand against him must unite, no other petty quarrels must divide us or we will all fall, one by one, and nothing will have been gained."

"But to stand against the Imperial Court..." the acting lord of Jing murmured.

"This is a stand against the tyranny of one of his offices, not the Imperial Liu family," Zhou Yu pointed out. "By virtue of that logic, Cao Cao should not raise his hand against Liu Bei, who is an official Scion of the house by decree of the Son of Heaven himself. No, this is a fight against Cao Cao, no whatever what seal or stamp he chooses to wield in the name of his ambitions. He _can_ be defeated, Lord Liu, but we must take courage and stand fast."

"And Sun Ce will, without question, stand beside us if we oppose Mengde?" Liu cong asked warily.

Zhou Yu smiled. "Have you ever heard of the man called the Young Conqueror to turn down a fight, no matter what the odds?"

"Fair enough." Liu cong said, slapping his thighs. "Then Jing will stand with you. What must we do?"

"I would see to your borders," the Grand Strategist suggested. "Strengthen them, put your garrisons on alert and wait for Liu Bei. Ready foodstocks and supplies for the refugees that follow him, show them good will. Once he is within Jing it will be much more difficult for Cao Cao to act as he would. With our threat in his east, he might ever be compelled to back off, at least for a while."

"Should we not head out to find him?" Liu Cong queried.

"No," Zhou Yu said, shaking his head. "Let him come to Jing. If Liu Bei is meant to survive, then he will make it here by the will of the Heavens. Do not risk your own men in a fight with Cao Cao's massive army, you cannot win under such conditions."

"But what chance does Liu Bei have, then?" asked the lord of Jing.

"Fear not, the Wu territories are already doing what they can to aid him in safe flight..." Zhou Yu said softly, his eyes distant as he guessed at what would be happening right now.

"Yet another ambush! Cao Cao's troops are endless!" Guan Ping snarled as he whirled his massive blade about and then rested it on his shoulder, crouched in a low stance while making the bridge sign with his free hand. Nearly two full squads of spearmen opposed him now and they were determined to break through and into the heart of Liu Bei's vanguard, where the target of all this carnage could be found.

"That is war, we must fight hard!" Xing Cai replied as she deftly skipped over the strike of a swordsman before piercing his breast with her war-fork and then retreating back several steps while a large man carrying a halberd surged in. He swung the weapon and she deflected the blow with her shield before felling him.

"I hate halberdiers," she hissed as she moved back toward Ping so they could cover one another.

"I'll trade with you, then..." Ping said as he spun around her and lunged at the men who had been facing her while she charged into the surprised spearmen. The savage battle lasted not more than a minute before Cao Cao's troops retreated in panic, shocked by the determination of two young warriors. They surveyed the scene carefully before they moved back toward the van, checking to see how Liu Bei was faring.

To their relief the fighting had not reached his position, but they found him alert and vigilant as he rode, surrounded by his guards and accompanied by Zhuge Liang. He smiled when he saw them return.

"I thought I had heard fighting up ahead. Foiled another ambush, did you?" he asked.

"At least two more squads, maybe as much as a company, although they're probably retreating by now." Ping grumbled. "We cannot let y]our guard down for even a moment."

"A pity, because then your hair might actually relax." Xing Cai said, smirking and poking at Ping's short, spiky hair. The young warrior scowled and ignored her.

"I am pleased, but make sure you are careful, I cannot afford to lose two such talented warriors as yourself." Liu Bei said firmly. "Do not get in over your head. We are making good time and Cao Cao's men cannot keep appearing ahead of us."

"Are we heading for Hanjin, sire?" Cai asked.

"Yes, and the protection of Liu Biao, my distant cousin." Liu Bei said confidently, nodding. "Despite Cao Cao's threats, I am certain that filial piety will compel him succour us in this hour of need. It is the right and honourable thing to do."

"Please remember, my lord, that not all men are as eager to respond to the clarion call of virtue as yourself," Kongming interjected softly, riding alongside his liege. "Liu Biao, or more to the point, his son Liu Cong, will do what they can, but most men will bow before matters of expedience and practicality before pursuing a road known for its difficulties and intangible rewards."

"Liu Biao was one of the Jian An Seven, a scholar renowned for his love of virtue," Liu Bei replied emphatically. "He would most certainly have distilled into his sons the same devotion to what is right and proper. If a man cannot place his trust in fellow followers of the Great Sage, then who can be trusted?"

Xing Cai remained silent as she rode, but she failed to mention that her thoughts had turned to the eunuchs of the Imperial Court, all of whom had been thoroughly trained in the ways of Confucius before causing the downfall of the Han for the sake of their own ambitions and greed. She was wondering if Zhuge Liang was thinking the same thing.

Drums boomed and a cry went up as more of Cao Cao's troops poured out of the woods. There we hundreds of them and they charged straight at Liu Bei. His guards drew up in a tight circle about them while Guan Ping and Xing Cai ordered the counter-attack to fend them off. On Kongming's orders, they kept pressing forward, even though they ended up getting cut off from the rest of their caravan. Predictably, the Prime minister's troops ignored those left behind in favour of attacking Liu Bei relentlessly. The little band of fifty warriors fought desperately as they marched, heeding the strategist's orders.

The reason for the strange instructions became clear as an almost feral cry filled the air and several squads of Liu Bei's troops burst out of hiding and savagely attacked Cao Cao's men. Led by a hulking man wearing armour that seemed to be made out of bone and wearing the skull of some fell beast as a helmet, they tore into the northerners with a fury that was frightening to watch. The berserker general at their head wielded a double-headed glaive and his warcries chilled all who heard it while he slew.

Wei Yan pressed deep into the enemy host, heedless of danger as he attacked his lord's enemies. His strange weapon was a blur of motion, ribbons of blood flying from it as he tore through any unfortunate enough to be in his way.

More enemy troops appeared, determined to reach Liu Bei. Led by a tall officer who exhorted them tirelessly from his mount, they pressed closer and closer. The attack faltered, though, when an arrow wedged itself in the commander's eye and threw him from his horse. His troops all gaped in the direction of the missile and espied a gruff and grim old warrior, hair white as snow and with skin as tough as saddle leather, glaring at them as he rode up at a full gallop, knocking yet another arrow.

"Huang Zhong..." Liu Bei breathed in relief.

The old warrior rode past a man and shot him point blank before whipping his venerable blade off his belt and laying into the troops nearby. His sword glinted balefully in the afternoon light as he cut down his foes and none could stay him. When his steed crashed into a solid wall of men and could go no further, the veteran leapt nimbly from its back and continued his assault on foot. Liu Bei watched in fascination as the old man fought- his sinews were as tough as ship's cables and his muscles knew the strength of heroes of a bygone age. Men turned to attacked him and soon the lone warrior found himself sorely pressed.

"There's still life in me yet!" Huang Zhong howled and he burst through the throng with savage blows, felling nearly a dozen. He was about to come to blows with a swordsman when his foe's head tumbled away from its body, sheared clean off courtesy of Wei Yan's glaive. The old warrior nodded to the berserker and they looked around to survey the scene...

Cao Cao's troops, what remained of them, had melted back into the woods and hills. The vast majority of those who had assaulted Liu Bei lay dead or dying. The attack had been determined and had even reached his position. Liu Bei's eyes flared and his blades dripped with blood. His troops formed a protective circle around him and they waited while the rest of the column caught up.

"Thank you, all of you," he said gratefully. "My vision is reliant on all of your skills and your strengths. Without you, I would accomplish nothing. You are all heroes without equal."

"I follow Liu Bei." Wei Yan growled, his eyes still scanning the area for foes. "No other."

"This old man welcomes your challenge to make a difference and thanks you, lord." Huang Zhong said in his gruff but caring voice. "A worthy cause and a chance to prove myself is all I ask."

"There will be many such chances ahead for everyone," Liu Bei said, nodding. "The road is fraught with peril and our enemies will be relentless."

"That is why you will be our shining beacon, lord," Kongming agreed. "There must be one to show the way through the darkness and the rest of us must strive to follow that example."

"Let us keep moving." Liu Bei declared once the army had caught up. "I wish to put more distance between myself and Cao Cao by nightfall, even if we intend to march on. Come."

They rode on, weary and worn, for they had been attacked at least three times in the past two days since the crushing defeat at Changban. His little army had been overwhelmed and he had retreated south in disarray. Originally aiming for Jiangling, Liu Bei realized he could not outrun Cao Cao for that distance and he had been turning east slowly, now that word had reached him of Zhang Fei's heroic stand and the destruction of Changban Bridge. What puzzled him, though, was reports he heard of troops assisting his sworn brother, troops that did not belong to him and that he had not called for...

Zhao Yun rode hard, holding the infant inside his breastplate while he galloped ahead of his pursuers. His heart ached at the loss of Lady Mi, knowing that Lord Liu Bei's wife had drowned herself so as to not be a burden to Zhao Yun while he escaped with Liu Shan, her husband's heir.

Arrows whipped and struck the ground around him and he kept his head low while he surveyed the land ahead- while going along the roads would have proven faster, they were also held in strength by Cao Cao's army, so he had pulled off from them and now galloped over the wide fields, relying on the cover of the tall grass, reeds and wheat to shield them from those behind.

Lady Gan rode alongside him now, determined to keep up. She was performing admirably for a lady of the court, keeping in mind that her life was in peril. Zhao Yun somehow doubted Cao Cao's troops would have mercy on her if they captured her a second time.

Liu Shan, named Ah-Dou, squalled and cried within the confines of Zhao Yun's armour, but the young general ignored the infant, remembering only his devotion to his liege. He still felt like he had failed Lord Liu, as Lady mi would not rejoin with them, nor could he locate and retrieve Liu Bei's daughters either. But his heir and principal wife were both with him and he would see that they arrived safely.

They had plunged into the tall grass and he could hear their pursuers getting farther behind as he jinked and altered his course, confusing them and throwing them off. He looked at Lady Gan and good see she was flagging and in need of a rest. The brought them to a large depression near a tributary and they waited silently while the enemy surged by. Even Ah-Dou was silent as they waited.

"We do not have long, my lady," he said quietly. "They know we cannot outrun them forever and they will double back to find us. We have maybe five minutes to rest and catch our breath before we must go on."

Lady Gan nodded and lay back against the earthen bank, closing her eyes and sighing wearily. She said nothing and just breathed deep, clearing her mind for the ride ahead. Zhao Yun allowed her fifteen minutes instead of five before helping her back into her saddle and leading her away. The sun was setting and soon it would be nightfall. Under cover of darkness they might find safety and a clear path.

They rode cautiously, avoiding any telltale signs of activity nearby. In need of water after nearly two hours of traversing the uneven terrain, Zhou Yun stopped and allowed her to drink, leaving Liu Shan with her while he scouted ahead. Not far away, he came across an enemy encampment, maybe fifty warriors, all bearing the banners of the Prime Minister's office, Cao Cao's personal troops. They were led by a young officer who bore a distinct family resemblance and on his hip he bore a most regal-looking sword.

_Qinggang_, the Blue Blade.

The banner the officer stood beneath indicated that Zhao Yun was facing none other than Xiahou En, one of Cao Cao's personal courtiers and a bearer of one of his swords. This encampment was almost too close for them to ride past and if Liu Shan made even a sound, it would be too late. Zhao Yun had to deal with this threat before it could hamper their journey, and quickly.

He was on them like a tiger, having crept up swiftly through the tall grass and felling one man with his spear before the rest even knew he was there. A confused melee broke out as they attempted to contain Zhao Yun but also were looking for the troops that surely had accompanied him. His silver armour flashing in the rising moonlight, the warrior styled the 'Dragon of Changshan' threw himself bodily into the fray, heedless of the enemy's numbers. Every one of his attacks led into another, every parry turned into a counter-attack. His keen spear whirled and danced in the moonlight.

Xiahou En gasped as the Dragon Spike pierced his heart and he collapsed to the earth, his eyes wide and sightless. Zhao Yun had swept up the _Qinggang_ and now wielded it along with his spear as he fought his way out of the camp. Less than ten foes remained and they fled before his wrath, convinced a demon had come to slay them.

As he sprinted back, he came across Lady Gan, holding Ah-Dou and leading the horses toward the sight of the battle. She looked relieved.

"I heard the ring of weapons and I thought I should make my way closer so that you might escape, general."

Zhao Yun nodded approvingly and mounted his horse, taking Liu Shan while she clambered onto her mount. "My apologies about the delay, Lady Gan, but I had to clear the path ahead for us. We must be swift now, for the battle is sure to attract others, but I am reasonably certain that what has befallen will give more than a few pause and we shall have a window in which to escape. Let us go!"

They rode on now through the night, avoiding the uneven land in favour of more flat terrain, even if this meant a greater risk of being spotted, for time was now off the essence. Liu Shan was quiet and they made their way for several _li _before Zhao Yun sensed something was amiss.

Dimly he became aware of distant silhouettes on either side of them, keeping pace and slowly closing in. They were being followed and flanked. Worse, the foe moved at great speed, meaning they were fresh.

Zhao Yun raised his spear suddenly and blocked a terribly blow while Lady Gan cried out in fright. Zhao Yun shoved back at his attacker, giving himself some space and then speeding forward to keep up with and protect Lady Gan.

"Yes, run, rebel!" called out a voice behind. "Run, though it will not help. I, Zhang He, enjoy a good hunt! I will make your death a thing of beauty!"

Zhang He had found them. He was widely believed to be one of the finest commanders in the land and certainly one of the best in Cao Cao's army. Even the mighty Xu Huang held him in awe. This was a test that Zhao Yun didn't need right now. One part of him desired nothing more than to turn around and test his mettle against this renowned warrior and commander, but Lady Gan needed him and there were other enemies close by to be dealt with.

He put his heels to his horse, urging it onward, knowing Zhang Liao was close behind. He caught sight of Lady Gan and dashed in, spearing a man off his horse when he got too close. He slashed with the _Qinggang_ and sheared the arm off another. He felt Zhang He close behind and parried almost blindly, barely deflecting a blow of his halberd.

Unwilling to take his prey from behind, Zhang He now pulled up alongside Zhao Yun and struck again. They tussled and traded blows, Zhao Yun knowing he was being slowed down and separated from the woman he had sworn to protect. With a ferocious push he knocked Zhang He away momentarily and dashed off again.

Zhao Yun looked backward over his shoulder and caught sight of Zhang He. His handsome features were accentuated by the radiant moonlight and his dark hair flowed behind him almost like a shroud. He laughed and he chased, a calculated gesture that took into account every aspect of the environment around him for an enchanting effect- the angle of the moon on his delicate features, the rush of the wind and the beating of the hooves... even Zhao Yun's own heartbeat seemed to be a part of the symphony.

All for the sake of a laugh.

He threw himself forward again and slew another foe who got too close to Lady Gan, but then he saw her try to stay her horse before sliding into a ditch they had not anticipated. She was thrown but collapsed safely and Zhao Yun leapt in after her, sliding off his horse to help her recover. He was acutely aware that his pursuers were now gathering about the ditch and they were surrounded.

He glared up at Zhang he, who smiled back down at him, seemingly composing an ode to the moment.

"Fear not, my brave and lovely rebel, I will make sure that all hear of the tragic beauty of your death. But for the crime of slaying Xiahou En and removing his grace from the world, I am afraid you must die..."

Bows were knocked and ready to be fired when a man cried out in sudden pain, a flaming arrow bursting through his chest. Others began to land around Zhang He's troops, felling dozens before they knew what was happening. Unprepared for this counter-assault, Zhang He wheeled about and called for his remaining men to retreat.

Zhao Yun made sure they were gone before leaping up from the ditch and assisting Lady Gan. He watched as warriors came out of the darkness, their commander leading two fresh horses. He was a diminutive man, short but wiry in frame and his eyes glinted with a keen intellect.

"General Zhao Yun, I am Lu Xun and I believe these fresh mounts are exactly what you need right now."

"I am grateful," Zhao Yun said. "But who are you?"

"I am an ally, sent by Lord Sun Ce of Wu, general. I am here to tell you than Lord Liu Bei is across the Changban and for now safe from Cao Cao. He seeks to meet general Guan at the Han River and to cross."

"Then I must go east," Zhao Yun declared.

"Be cautious, general," Lu Xun warned. "Between you and Liu Bei is still the greater part of Cao Cao's army. The Prime Minister has anticipated Lord Liu's move and will attempt to intercept him before he reaches the river. This mean s that he will be in your way. You must skirt his army and catch up from the south."

"We do not have that kind of time!" Zhao Yun insisted. "And I do not fear Cao Cao's army."

"That much is obvious, general, and I do not doubt your skill as it surpasses my own," Lu Xun said calmly. "But you were just now almost overwhelmed and outmatched by General Zhang He and a hundred of his men. What do you think of the half-million that still await you if you pursue your intended course?"

Zhao Yun relented, unable to deny the young warrior's logic. "As you say."

"Come," Lu Xun said, mounting his own horse. "My men and I can retrace the path we used to find you, Cao Cao's troops are few and we can guide you to safety and at speed. We have horses to spare and you have inspired us all with your valour. I daresay even my Lord Sun Ce would be impressed."

Zhao Yun looked at Lady Gan, who nodded, indicating that clearly she believed it would be best to follow Lu Xun's directions. With little more to say, they headed into the night. Liu Bei and freedom awaited them.

Liu Bei led the host, knowing they were all exhausted and weary. Two more battles had been fought, two more enemy forces repulsed, but at the cost of lives that made his heart ache. How many innocents would have to die before peace was achieved? How much blood was needed to pave the way to a land of virtue?

The sun was now up and people were somehow heartened by its appearance, even though they knew it meant that Cao Cao's forces would be attacking again. They had drawn up in tightly ordered companies, spread throughout the column to protect the peasants, with Liu Bei at the van, Huang Zhong in the middle and Wei Yan guarding the rear.

Liu Bei came to a halt as he stared down the road in front of him, looking at the summit of a hill. Atop the hill, a line of men on horses awaited, silhouetted by the sun. There was maybe a hundred of them and they waited silently. The banner over the one in the middle could not be read yet but indicated him as the commander.

They did not attack, they just waited. Were they taunting him?

His eyes flashed angrily but then he sensed something familiar about the commander. The hair, flowing in ponytail, the broad shoulders and casual, confident ease with which the warrior presented himself.

The commander held aloft his muscular arm, holding within it one of a pair of tonfas.

Sun Ce.

Heartened, Liu Bei snapped his reins and cantered forward towards the Lord of the Southlands, followed by his vanguard. He smiled and bowed his head as he approached.

"Out for a stroll, my lord?" he asked. "A little far from Baifu, aren't we?"

"You're a difficult man to find, pal," Ce said cheerfully. "You look like you've seen easier days."

"As you say, but the road worth travelling is by necessity not easy." Liu Bei replied. "I somehow doubt you come to obstruct my path at the Prime Minister's behest, so I will assume you are here to aid us?"

"Yep." Ce said simply. "There was about five thousand of Cao Cao's troops waiting for you about three _li_ south of here."

"Splendid, another battle," Liu Bei muttered. "And I am already weary."

"I said there _were_," Ce corrected. "My Night Tigers an' I handled 'em for you."

Liu Bei frowned and looked at Ce's host. "So, where are the rest of your troops with which you defeated them?"

Ce shrugged. "You're lookin' at 'em. To be fair, they weren't really ready for us."

Liu Bei sighed, not doubting Sun Ce's cocky statement one bit. "You Southlanders are a breed of warrior the likes of which I have never seen. Does this mean the road south is clear?"

"Yeah, it's clear, but I doubt you wanna head that way any further." Ce said, shrugging. "Guan's Yu's almost parallel with you on the Han, so now's as good a time as any to turn east. Ol' Cao Cao's creating pontoon bridges to try and cut you off, but if you hurry you can make it before he intercepts you. If you make it to Liu Biao in Hanjin, Cao Cao's gonna have to back off and probably just content himself with marching on Jiangling. Either way, he'll be off your ass, for now."

Liu Bei nodded. "I know Liu Biao will welcome us. Allow me, Lord of the Southlands, to introduce my comrades..."

Ce dismounted and walked with Liu Bei, meeting each person.

"This is Guan Ping, son of General Guan Yu." Liu Bei said, gesturing to the young warrior. Guan Ping stared for a moment before clasping his fist in his hand and bowing his head.

"I am honoured to meet one whom my father holds in such high esteem, not to mention the man who bested Lu Bu."

"Nice to meet you too, kid," Ce said easily. The stopped now in front of Xing Cai and she blushed furiously and looked away while Ce smiled at her.

"Xing Cai, daughter of Zhang Fei." Liu Bei said.

Ce raised an eyebrow. "What? Ol' Fuzzy is the father of _her_? Who did he marry, a river goddess?"

Ce stopped torturing the girl and moved on, greeting Zhuge Liang and then nodded to Huang Zhong and Wei Yan, both of whom observed him intently.

"You'll have to excuse Wei Yan, lord, he doesn't speak much and that usually for the best." Liu Bei said almost apologetically.

"Don't worry about it," Ce said dismissively. "It's probably easier than dealing with Elryk and his crew."

"Ah yes, the so-called _Bailangren_," Liu Bei agreed. "I am fascinated by your continued tolerance of them, but I must admit that it will have to wait, we seem to have more pressing issues at hand."

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly. I already sent Zhou Yu on ahead to meet with Liu Cong, he'll be waitin' for you." Ce said.

"One question, though, if I may, my lord." Liu Bei interjected. "How is your sister, Shang Xiang?"

"Same as ever, I guess," Ce said in a non-committal tone. She has defeated the Shanyue in our south and now controls the region for me, but I think I'm gonna need her back up north again to help against Cao Cao before long."

"She is not with you?" Liu Bei said, somewhat crestfallen.

Ce laughed. "I'm sure ol' Cao Cao's had a hard enough time of it recently without inflicting my sister on him. There's only so much a man can take, you know."

"True, true..." Liu Bei said absently, lost in thought about something. Ce gave Zhuge Liang a somewhat puzzled look and the strategist turned and addressed those assembled.

"We are thankful for the assistance of our allies, but the time now comes for our final push toward the safety of Jing. To guide the way, there shall be signals that none can mistake and we will follow closely. Stay on the course and we shall find freedom."

He turned and faced east, slowly holding his great white fan in the air. A series of flares or beacons began to light up, stretching out many _li_, showing the path that would lead them to Jing.

"Good choice," Ce commented, watching the beacons. "Secret and hard to find paths, it's the way my men an' I took to get here and meet you."

Zhuge Liang nodded but said nothing, though Ce sensed he was somewhat irked by the warlord's revelation. Whatever, Ce didn't have time for egos.

"My men'll spread out into groups on either flank and scout ahead," Ce declared. "If the enemy gets too close, we'll put 'em in their place. We'll see you at the fords of the Han River!"

And with that, he and the Night Tigers dashed off.

"A most remarkable young man," Kongming said quietly as he watched Sun Ce disappear. "Few of his like remain in the world."

"Is this a bad thing in your estimation?" Liu Bei asked, looking at his inscrutable strategist.

"It is hard to say," Zhuge Liang replied. "Such men are free of the bounds that constrain mortal men and they can do both much good or much evil, depending on their desires."

"Men such as Lu Bu." Liu Bei suggested.

"No, nothing as simple as that," Kongming said flatly. "Lu Bu's mind was infinitely inferior to his body and his ego and desires were common, though far-reaching in nature. The same is true of your brother, Yide- his might is astounding, but he will always need your direction to guide him, lest he become a raging bull that smashes everything it sees."

"What of Yunchang"? the Scion of the Han asked, testing his strategist's tact.

"Lord Guan is also of unparalleled physical prowess and his intellect is admirable. His sense of honour is so deep as to be dangerous to us one day. Yet he is utterly devoted to you and sublimates everything he might be to your vision and your will."

He looked at the sky, seeing traces of the stars behind the light of the sun. "The Lord of the Southlands, however, is beholden to no one and acts as he sees fit. We are blessed that he has the heart of a sage and means people no harm, but in him I sense an ever greater threat than the Prime Minister."

"Really? Why?" Liu Bei asked somewhat incredulously.

"Because when the land is divided into three kingdoms, as I promised you, Cao Cao will be conquered and his realm subjugated. But I do not know if we will ever be able to convince Sun Ce to bend his knee to you..."

The boats were loaded and merriment had ensued. Tens of thousands of peasants had been evacuated into Hanjin, with Liu Bei's army forming a rearguard, strengthened by ten thousand men brought by Guan Yu. Battles on the shores of the Han had raged and in spite of their overwhelming numbers, the northern troops were constantly repulsed.

Sun Ce had stood side by side with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, the three of them holding the line against swarms of troops while the boats were loaded and shuttling across the river. Swift and terrible were their counter-attacks, with the night Tigers reaping foes like demons with scythes. Cao Cao's troops would break in terror and it was eventually the appearance of the Prime Minister himself that rallied the troops and allowed then to make one final assault.

It was to no avail. Sheer terror of Zhang Fei kept them from approaching and all the troops were in awe of guan Yu, who had once been their mightiest general. Even Xiahou Dun and Zhang Liao could not compel them to approach the three legendary warriors. The final insult was when Zhao Yun burst through Cao Cao's lines from behind, accompanied by Lady Gan, Lu Xun and his Warhawks. Lady Gan and the Warhawks arrived first, making sure she was safely aboard. The last of the boats was just pulling away when Zhao Zilong and Lu Xun sped up onto the docks, fighting desperately with Cao Cao's elite cavaliers, the Wildcat Riders. They jumped from their horses and sped up onto the docks, still being pursued. Hundreds called for them to jump the distance between the docks and the boat, yelling words of encouragement.

They committed their souls to the Heavens and jumped...

Liu Bei, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei all grabbed onto Zhao Yun's arm as he slammed ungracefully face-first into the side of the boat and hauled him in. Lu Xun fared little better, smashing his ribs into the gunwale and winding himself before Ce pulled him into safety. He lay on the deck alongside Zhao Yun, catching their breath while those around cheered their valour.

Lady Gan was now brought before Liu Bei and she presented his heir Shan to him. Liu Bei's hands trembled as he took the child and stared down at him.

"For the sake of a suckling like you, I was nearly cost a valiant general..." he murmured. "You had best turn into a great man for what you have nearly cost us, little one..."

Lady Gan took her son back and went below to the quarters. The merriment continued, everyone exultant after their escape. Everyone praised Zhang Fei for his stand at the bridge while all were amazed at the trials undergone by Zhao Yun, who had charged through Cao Cao's army no less than seven times to rescue Lady Gan and then escape, not to mention bringing back one of Cao Cao's own personal swords.

Zhang Fei called for wine to be heated and the celebrations lasted until the far shore of the Han was reached. Sun Ce and his little army stayed apart, allowing the refugees time and space to rejoice in escaping yet again.

To be honest, Ce didn't feel much like celebrating, since they were still far from safe and another matter was growing in his mind, that being Liu Bei's rise to prominence and how he would be dealt with, if the matter ever arose...

"Are you sure you will not stay, lord?" Liu Cong asked as Ce and his party readied themselves to leave. Ce smiled genially but shook his head.

"Nah, you guys seem to have things under control here. Cao Cao's headed to Jiangling and then he's gonna go home to regroup. I gotta get back to Baifu and make sure that my diversionary attacks were successful, not to mention make sure my wife and her sister haven't blown the city up."

Ce, Zhou Yu and Lu Xun shared a final jar of wine with Liu Bei and his brothers and spoke solemn words.

"I'm glad you, safe, Lord Liu, but things're gonna get tougher from here," he said, his voice uncharacteristically grim. "Cao Cao's a sore loser and he ain't gonna let this slide. He'll be back, pressing harder than ever and with more men than ever, best believe it."

"Amidst our elation, I will admit that you are distressingly correct," Liu Bei said. "We can no longer have these close calls, it is not wise to test the Heavens. We must somehow take the fight to Cao Cao."

"We're gonna have to talk about an alliance, not just for our mutual benefit, but to show the other lords of the realm we mean business. Maybe a few of 'em will suddenly find the courage to stand up against the Prime minister if we take the initiative."

"That'd be nice," Zhang Fei groused, slurping his wine. "I'm tired of doing all the work while you lot sit on your asses all day."

He scowled at Liu Bei and Guan Yu. "While you two were either traipsing around the countryside or take a lazy cruise down a river, pool old Fei was fighting over a stupid bridge against Cao Cao's men."

Liu Bei and Guan Yu looked at one another, clearly used to Zhang Fei's semi-inebriated rants.

"And _you_ guys..." Zhang Fei slurred, pointing at Sun Ce and sloshing his cup. "You guys're sooooo content behind your river. You're such good marines, while poor ol' Fei has to get drunk for a river crossing because he gets seasick..."

"Well I think I've learned a little too much about the Zhang clan today..." Ce said, rising from the small fire they were sitting around. "Like I said, we gotta get back."

Zhang Fei let out a long, loud, rolling belch that sounded like it was torn from the depths of hell itself.

"Wow, remind me to never let him drink with Glandyth." Sun Ce mused as they mounted their horses. He clasped his hand and bowed his head to Liu Bei, a gesture the Scion of the Han returned. He then nodded respectfully to Guan Yu.

"Oh, and General Zhang..." he said, pausing his horse as he trotted off after the others. He waited for Zhang Fei, who was leaning on guan Yu, to look up at him quizzically, his eyes all blurry and unfocused.

"Yesh?"

Ce grinned evilly. "Your daughter, Cai?" He whistled. "Wow, just... wow..."

Zhang Fei's eyes, still glazed over, now blazed with unreal fury. "Why you! I'll... I'll..."

Ce laughed and rode away while Zhang Fei began looking for things to throw. He grabbed the wine jar and threw it in entirely the wrong direction. He took hold of one of the guards nearby and tossed the man into a tree. Roaring like a deranged bull, he then tried to uproot said tree, straining with all his might until he fell over, unconscious and snoring heavily.

"Was that really necessary?" Zhou Yu asked as they cantered down the road toward Fankou, the quickest road to Baifu. "He may never forgive you, even if you were teasing."

"He won't remember," Ce said cheerfully. "Yunchang told me earlier that his brother almost never remembers anything when he's that drunk. Besides, even if he did remember, he'd never let it show, because then he'd have to admit to being afraid of boats and getting seasick."

"A dangerous ploy at best." Zhou Yu chided. "Still, we must consider this alliance, i believe it is our best answer to the problem of Cao Cao, even if it presents its own difficulties later."

"Yeah," Ce agreed. "But for now, let's just get back to Baifu."

"Do you really think the girls could wreak that much havoc in our absence?" Zhou Yu asked.

"I dunno," Ce admitted. "They're both pregnant, which means they're crazy, so who knows what they're getting up to..."

Da Qiao lay on her back, looking at the ceiling silently. Xiao was laying snuggled to her, her head on the crux of Da's shoulder, also staring up at the ceiling. The two of them were saying nothing.

And then for no particular reason, Xiao turned her head and bit Da on the soft skin of the shoulder. The older girl cried out in shock and pain before falling off the narrow couch they were on, dragging Xiao off and beginning to pummel her.

"Why you little... ahhhh!"

Servants from all over the palace came running to the pavilion, wondering what all the shrieking was about. They all sincerely hoped that Sun Ce was having an easier time of it in Changban...

**Author's Notes: ** A somewhat unusual chapter in that I concentrated to a great degree on some of the Shu heroes, but you can probably all have guessed after fifty four chapters that I despise two-dimensional characters, even secondary ones. That being said, even peripherals like Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong are going to get some depth to them. The events related in this chapter are, to my mind, important enough to warrant detailing for the sake of background and context, but at the same time this is a fic about Sun Ce and Wu, so I felt the need to give them some contributions without detracting from the heroism and valour displayed by the Shu protagonists. It was a little strange to write, but I hope I kept it coherent and worthwhile. Your opinions are always welcome.

I plan to make Wei Yan's speech patterns not quite so ridiculous. Yes, you can still imagine him sounding like Cookie monster, but I am replacing his Cro-Magnon syllabus with a taciturn unwillingness to talk (let's face it, if you sounded like a muppet with an eating disorder, you'd be reticent about opening your mouth too).

Those of you who have a hate on for Lame Bei and the rest of the Crew of Shu (not to be confused with Disney's House of Mouse, although the mistake is understandable), please be tolerant, I need my 3D filler characters. Believe it or not, even Zhang He will be rounded out. The big battles are coming and Chi Bi is just around the corner, so I need to get everything ready.

I decided against any interactions between Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang just yet, because that would get very in depth and the damn chapter ended up being 15,000 words as is. I am worrying that I may be losing the ability to write short chapters. Guess I never have to worry about writing for NaNoReMo, eh?

The scene referencing Ce, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei fighting side by side on the beach almost had me tempted to write a quick omake about Liu Bei's Angels, but then I slammed my head against a pointy corner of my computer table until the blood infected by this idea had oozed out of my brain and erased it. Thank you notes are always welcome.

I have some side projects in the works, such as three Warhammer fanfics (two of which are crossovers, the other is canon Blood Angels), a retelling of the first season of the classic anime _Uchuu Senkan Yamato_, and a crossover of two of my silly favourite shows, Psych and Supernatural (no good can come of this). They will be getting posted under my profile and I encourage you to read them if you are into that sort of thing.

Fear not, TYC will be going forward as planned, now that we are into the nitty-gritty of the story. I am looking forward to the next few chapters and I hope you are as well.

PS- Dec 1st 2010 will see the release in Japan of the live-action version of the classic anime _Uchuu Senkan Yamato _(Space Battleship Yamato). The trailers on Youtube look rather interesting, although I admit I died a little inside to see that Susumu Kodai was being played by a member of the iconic J-pop boyband SMAP. I shall nonetheless dutifully pirate it and then buy it when it comes available on DVD. USY had a profound impact on me as a kid in the 70's, but then again, so did the Warner Bros cartoon 'The Solid Tin Coyote', so there may not be much more to say. I just felt like stating that I believe Yamato is the original space opera and I might point out it predates Star Wars by a few years. The animation is low-tech by today's standards and the sci-fi technobabble is goofy in a way even the Star Trek original series would admire, but it emotes better than anything we would tote today as meaningful. I am just saying give it a chance. Even the painful English dub 'Star Blazers' has its moments, even if it lacks the fanservice of the original.

Enough babbling and shilling. My best to all of you.

Management


	56. Chapter 56

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

* * *

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu sat in a small chamber, drinking tea and indulging in a strategic gaming exercise over a large map of the Middle Kingdom. The provinces and units of the empire's warlords were represented with as much accuracy as intelligence and scouting would allow. Zhou Yu controlled the units and armies of the Southlands while Ce manoeuvred the forces of the rest of China. The purpose was to see if the notoriously unconventional Sun Ce could punch holes in the tactics of his Grand Strategist, to make sure that all contingencies were accounted for, no matter how unlikely.

From the quelled threat of the Shanyue tribes in the south to the piracy of the eastern seas, from the very real and persistent danger of the Prime Minister's overwhelming armies north of the Great River to unexpected invaders from the west, all scenarios were examined and accounted for, the results recorded by scribes who sat nearby, taking meticulous notes.

"Lookin' pretty good, I think," Ce commented as they paused for a moment to stretch and examine the map with fresh eyes. "We've gone out for the next five years, even thinkin' of the worst-case scenario of Cao Cao ownin' everything except our territories and we might be able to fight him to a standstill if we're right."

"It is a long shot, but plausible if we remain vigilant and disrupt him at every opportunity between now and then," Zhou Yu said quietly, his eyes trailing over the map, searching for anything that he had missed. "Like yourself, though, the Prime Minister is rather unconventional if need be."

"Yeah, but mostly he goes with ruthless," Ce pointed out. "It's his ruthlessness that gets things done so quickly for him. He tries hard to be unstoppable and even when he is defeated, he's usually got another plan in motion, just in case."

Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes, looking at all the little markers that indicated centers of food, industry or storage. With Cao Cao controlling the northern plains and its population, he could in theory generate vast and well-supplied armies. If the Southlands were to maintain even a limited form of parity, then they would have to be superior in all logistical areas and nearly everything must be of superior quality.

As always, Wu's two advantages were its mastery of naval warfare and its traditional warrior culture, both of which Cao Cao was hard-pressed to match. The soldiers of the north were individually no match for a warrior from the south, but sheer numbers could very well-

"Sun Ce!"

"Zhou Yu!"

Both men paused and turned their heads slowly to look at the entrance to the chamber, where their wives now stood, holding their stomachs and looking very angry. They seemed ready to burst.

Had it been nine months already?

Ce and Zhou Yu looked at one another.

"This is all your fault..." they said in unison.

* * *

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 53- The Calm Before The Storm**

Baifu was celebrating, as indeed were all the Southlands, because both of the Ladies Qiao were giving birth again. The seers had predicted a boy for Da and twins once again for Xiao. Zhou Yu spent several hours in the temple of the goddess of fertility, thanking her for her bounty but also imploring her to slow down on the blessings a little, if it wasn't too much trouble.

As a testament to their eternal and unbreakable bond as sisters, Da and Xiao had somehow managed to go into labour together and decided to claim the White Tiger Pavilion as the birthing place of their children, due to the auspicious location of the structure and also because of its positioning over several natural pools, renowned for their minerals and soothing properties. Ce and Zhou Yu decided to sleep in small rooms in the main palace, close enough to be summoned but far enough away to avoid natal wrath.

Ce's sister Shang Xiang had ridden up from the southern region, not only to make her report about the development of Fujian, but also to be present for the birth of her nieces and nephews. She brought her amazon warriors with her to guard the pavilion and even the mighty barbarian warriors of the White Wolves would have thought twice about approaching the place.

Another person also rode into Baifu and Sun Ce greeted her warmly- Diao Chan had received an invite from Da and came immediately, accompanied by her small personal staff. There was a great love between the two courtesans, who had shared and suffered through so much on an emotional and spiritual level and Diao Chan was eternally grateful to Da Qiao for forgiving her part in the insidious ploys of the imperial court to ensnare the noble Sun Ce.

She walked gracefully into the audience hall of Baifu now, her face serene and not betraying her wonder at her surroundings- she had been a fixture on the imperial palaces of Chang'an as well as Luoyang, so she was used to splendour, but the elegant exultation of martial spirit that manifested itself throughout the palace of Baifu intrigued her. Crimson and gold tapestries and statues of great warriors lined the hall while the dark wood of the structure was cunningly designed with prayers to the gods of the Sun family carved into it. Prayers of victory, valour and ruin of the enemy abounded. As ominous as the threat of the Prime Minister was, she could not imagine these valiant people ever being humbled or destroyed.

Sun Ce sat now upon his throne, waiting patiently while the renowned courtesan approached. To his left stood Zhou Yu and his right Taishi Ci, his personal guard and commander of the Night Tigers. At the foot of the dais lay his daughter's great white tiger, who watched Diao Chan's approach lazily.

She reached the dais and kow-towed low, showing a humility that only the emperor or highest lords of the land could expect. The gesture was not lost on Ce and he thought once again about how lucky he was to have Da Qiao, who had made this possible.

"Welcome to Baifu, Diao Chan," he said cheerfully. "And as long as you stay you're my honoured guest and a member of the Sun family so I expect you to make yourself at home. Got it?"

"As you wish, Lord of the Southlands..." she said in her lilting voice, rising slowly and smiling at everyone in the room. She then moved gracefully over to the white tiger and sat lightly on his back, as if he was meant for this purpose. The huge beast snuffed but did not protest beyond that.

"I imagine you'll be staying in the pavilion with Da and Xiao, so I'll have my people take your goods there immediately. The girls are in labour but the birthing hasn't started just yet. I suggest you grab a bath and get ready for a long night."

"My thoughts exactly, Lord Sun. If you will excuse me..." Diao Chan replied, bowing gracefully and sauntering out of the room, followed by her little entourage. Ce chuckled as he noticed several of his guards staring at her behind on the way out.

"She sure knows how to make an entrance and an exit," Zhou Yu observed. "You might want to check your Night Tigers' loyalties after that little display."

"Hey, we all have a part to play, pal, and she's no different. She's one of the greatest people anywhere in the land, not just because of her position but also because of how blessed she is by the Heavens. We're lucky to have her on our side."

"Another divine courtesan..." the strategist muttered. "Do you worry that the three of them together might be trouble?"

"Well, hopefully Da an' Xiao'll be out of commission for a while an' that means Diao Chan an' my sis'll be lookin' after them. Let's use the time while we can, eh?"

Knowing that all male presence would be banned from Baifu until the time of birth at the very least, Ce and his oath-brother began to enact some of the strategies they had devised, most notably the beginnings of a campaign against He Fei. Located close to the eastern coast, this populous and wealthy region would be instrumental in hemming the Prime Minister to the central plains and allowing for decisive pincer attacks.

"The most logical starting point would be Wuchang," Zhou Yu mused, staring once again at the map. "Under your brother's command, we might be able to muster as many as a hundred thousand men to march north and take the province in a lightning campaign. We will need to stage diversionary attacks elsewhere, then."

"Yeah, but how soon can we be ready to stage an expedition like that?" Ce asked.

"It will be a few seasons at the very least, even if we increase production and our recruitment schedule," Zhou Yu admitted. "The only way to produce an army that large on such short notice would be to divert men away from the civilian jobs and tasks we have created and that would present its own problems for our logistical time table."

"So for now we've gotta keep him off balance," the warlord of the Southlands concluded. "It's all we and good to keep him from effectively attacking, but how're we gonna stunt _his _growth?"

They stared at the map for nearly half an hour without another word- nothing needed to be said, since they were pondering the same problems, arriving at the same conclusions, albeit often from different angles and anticipating one another's answers, extrapolating and drawing new conclusions.

"We could make incursions north, striking hard and then withdrawing," the Grand Strategist suggested. "We have many units that could operate in an independent capacity, wreaking havoc and then returning behind our defences."

Ce nodded. "The Night Tigers, your Swordwind, Lu Xun's Warhawks, sis an' her amazons, Elryk's guys. Gan Ning an' Zhou Tai can tear up the coast or transport small strike forces inland where they won't be expected."

"I am sure it is heresy to suggest it, but... what about an alliance with the Xiongnu?" Zhou Yu posited.

Ce considered, weighing the benefits against the consequences of such a proposal. "I dunno, the Xiongnu ain't exactly the honourable sort, at least by our reckoning. They'd require a princess in marriage an' then make claims to land south of the Wall. Remember what happened the last time the emperor granted the Khan a princess in marriage."

"True, but maybe we can find different negotiating points that do not involve marriage." Zhou Yu said. "Face it, Cao Cao is either going to force them to capitulate or destroy them and they must know this about the Prime Minister by now. They might agree to a military alliance if it means their own survival."

"Well, it's not like we wouldn't have to deal with them one way or another once we pacified the realm anyway." Ce concluded. "We know they thrive on plunder, maybe we can work out an alliance with offerings of goods they need, stuff we have plenty of."

"As long as they don't interpret this as weakness or tribute, that might just work." Zhou Yu agreed, nodding as he looked at the north of the map, beyond the demarcation of the mighty Great Wall, that impossibly long barrier that separated the Middle Kingdom from the barbarian nomads of the merciless steppe.

"We're gonna need more Uyghur scribes," Ce said. "Chinese scribes might make them mad and the Uyghur share some common ancestry with the nomads. See if Lap and Khun can get us some more."

"If you are going to have your sister and her forces attacking Cao Cao, who will you send south?" Zhou Yu asked.

"Cheng Pu, I guess," Ce replied. "I've kept him out of action long enough and it'd be a waste not to let him do what he's good at. He's a solid commander an' he can certainly handle the Shanyue if they get outta control. More than that, he won't interfere with the administrators and merchants, he'll concentrate on defending the region. The ol' guy has always had a crush on my sister, so he'll gladly act as regent in her name."

"Final question, and this one is serious... what about Liu Bei?"

Ce was silent for several moments, knowing what his friend meant. The Scion of the Han could be a potentially valuable and powerful ally against Cao Cao, but also a dangerous rival if he grew too powerful. Ce doubted he would ever pledge loyalty to the Sun family, for he knew loyalty only to the Imperial Liu family and the empire they had built.

"We have to sway him, Ce, we have no choice. He must join us." Zhou Yu said quietly.

"I know," Ce muttered. "I hate sayin' it, but he's got no other options. If he becomes a powerful lord, there'll be hell to pay in a few years."

"Did you watch him when we were in Jing?" Zhou Yu asked. "It was subtle, but he seemed almost envious of our splendour. True, he has warriors and people attending him, but he stared at how well-made our garb was, how keen and polished our blades were. The gold and silver thread of our banners."

"He was a poor mat and sandal weaver before he was a warlord and he's been on the run a long time, now." Ce added. "I'm not surprised if he seems a little jealous of what we've got."

"Should we invite him to Baifu?" Zhou Yu suggested. "Could it be that our splendour and martial glory will seduce him and possibly sway him to our cause?"

"It might be our best shot," Ce said somewhat heavily, not liking the notion of baiting Liu Bei, who was a honest man, but knowing that there was little choice. "Once he's settled and we're sure that Jing is defended, let's try to get him here for a visit."

They stared at the map for a while longer, inverting their perception, not seeing themselves as potentially overwhelmed and besieged by the north but picturing themselves chipping away at Cao Cao's forces, putting him on the defensive, surrounding him on all sides...

"Sun Quan into He Fei... Liu Bei into Hanzhong..." Zhou Yu said quietly, his eyes never leaving the map. "Naval raids on the coast, the Xiongnu from the north... you and I drive straight up the center... Ce, we can do this. Not yet, but we can indeed beat Cao Cao, as long as the timing is right."

Ce nodded. "Mobilize the Warhawks and the White Wolves. I want Gan Ning to take them to Guan Du and Wu Chao. Ol' Cao Cao is still usin' those places as supply depots after the war against Yuan Shao."

"The Prime Minister is nothing of not practical," Zhou Yu observed. "I will send out the orders immediately."

"Let's just hope it's enough." Ce muttered darkly.

* * *

He sat now in the Garden of Pure Presence, the place he considered to be the most serene and removed from the world in the entire complex. Sitting cross-legged on the famed Peony Rock, looking out over the Misty Pond, he sought clarity and singularity of purpose. He knew that both Zhou Yu and himself had been trying hard to distract themselves with grand strategy when in fact their minds were back in the White Tiger Pavilion, yearning to be near their wives as they were giving birth.

The moon was full and its silver light glittered through the mist that gave the pond its name, floating as it did above the surface of the water, regardless of the time of year or the weather. The water was obscured by the mist and it was said that anyone who could see clearly in the dappling surface had touched the Tao. Deprived of the Eternal City of his dreams, Ce yearned for such a revelation, but rarely had the peace of mind these days.

He had initially sought to pray in one of the myriad temples available, but every single structure was brimming with priests and priestesses, chanting and saying prayers for the Qiao sisters, beseeching the Heavens for safe and blessed births. Even the Temple of the Celestial Tiger General was too crowded for a proper visitation.

He watched a pond skimmer dart across the water, leaving the faintest of ripples in its wake, noticeable only to someone with as keen an eye as he had. Did the insect have any inkling of the mighty and tumultuous events that raged on around it? Did it care? Unlikely. Whatever the outcome of these dreadful wars, pond skimmers would still cross water and life would go on. The deeds of men meant nothing to them.

Ce sighed and got down from the great rock, strolling about the quiet garden for a few minutes before making his way to the Shrine of the Sun Family, the only holy structure not crowded with people, aside from the Shrine of the God of night, the terrible deity of Elryk's people. Two young Taoist initiates bowed their heads as Ce entered the shrine, leaving him to his contemplations.

The shrine was hallowed but also a testament to the martial glory of the clan. Statues of each patriarch stood proudly within the niches around the central chamber, wherein burned a steady fire that was never allowed to go out. Behind the flame, on a dais, stood an effigy of Sun Jian, Ce's father, mightiest of the lords of the Sun clan since the Great Martial Sage Sun Tzu himself. Sun Jian's hand rested on the hilt of his sword while his peaked helm stood on his noble brow. Two carefully crafted spheres of ebony represented the patriarch's eyes and they seemed now to gaze down upon Ce as he stripped to his loincloth, his tan skin taking on a ruddy hue in the flickering light of the blazing fire.

Kneeling before the flame and knotting his fingers into an intricate pattern promoting clarity of thought, Ce closed his eyes and pushed all else from his mind, concentrating on the spirit of his family, knowing that the accumulated wisdom and unequalled valour of his clan encompassed him.

"_Father, I feel like events are proceeding so fast. Your grandchildren are to be born and yet I have to concern myself with pacification of the realm. Am I really to be robbed of one of the simplest pleasures a man can ask for?"_

"_This isn't about you, Ce, it never was. Foolish boy, did you lose your wits when you lost your city of dreams? Your are a man, your purpose is to give your wife children. Your purpose is to create a realm where those children will live in peace and become who they may. You are an engine of war, but through that unmatched physical might you are to lay the foundations of what we seek to create."_

"_It seems a small favour to ask, to enjoy one's children."_

"_Irrelevant. Ce, you are greater than I was, and that is something indeed, for I was an unparalleled warlord in our time. For all my prowess and glory, though, I was killed by base treachery. Your complaint about not seeing your children is hardly objective."_

"_I am not complaining, father, I am just displeased with how quickly time is flying by. I lost something that you might now understand and without it I fear I might make mistakes that cost us all."_

"_So be it, boy. Success is not guaranteed to you, no matter how deserving you might actually be. You could be the only lord in the realm with clear thought and correct reasoning and still you might be bested and thrown down by lesser men. That is the way of things sometimes. The Heavens do not care for the complexities we create for ourselves, they care nothing for our purposes. It doesn't matter one whit to the sea of stars whether you or Cao Cao is triumphant. Both of you will die, your realms will fade away and you will be replaced."_

"_You make it all seem pointless."_

"_Only if you do not follow your principles for their own sake. The only reason to have principles is to make sure your are right in what you do. You do not force things so that whatever you happen to believe is right, you force yourself to accept right principle. It can't be about what you want."_

"_Am I really arguing objectivism and subjectivism with a dead guy?"_

"_And doing a poor job of it, I might add. In a universe of great truths, only the small spirit relies on subjectivism, claiming that his perception of things is a valid truth. The sage and the undying seek to realize what creation already knows and form their ideals and actions around what is sung to them."_

Ce reflected on what he was hearing. If people stopped seeing colours tomorrow, would there still be such a thing as red? If he changed the name of something, it was still that thing, no matter what he or Elryk called it. Truth defied perception and was always bigger than it.

He reflected on the old riddle 'If a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear, does it still make a sound?' They did every time he was near enough to hear it happen, he wasn't arrogant enough to assume that it stopped when he wasn't.

Ce had not been a petty subjectivist before he had lost his gift, he was not about to start now. There were larger truths than himself out there and he intended to find them.

"_The assurance of yourself is a good start, boy, but it cannot be that simple."_

"_But simplicity is the root of all things."_

"_And out of simplicity comes remarkable and magnificent workings the likes of which even the Celestials cannot fathom wholly, except maybe Shangti. When you rediscover that simplicity, Ce, what do you intend to do with it? Become a serene and detached sage?"_

Ce laughed, coming back to his body and feeling the glorious sweat from the heat of the fire on him. Clarity of purpose was so much easier when you had other people to live for.

He bowed low before the fire and the great effigy and strode back through the shrine, nodding deferentially to the patriarchs who had gone on before him. He stood before three unfinished ones, effigies he and Zhou Yu had been secretly working on- Quan, Kuang and Shang Xiang. Quan's was shaped of stone, which Ce felt was appropriate. Kuang's statue was made of marble, an expensive substance that was mined in the mountains. Traditionally it had not seen much use in artwork, but once the trader Dayu-kah had brought busts and statues from Rome, Ce had become enchanted with the medium. Shang Xiang's statues was made of wood and by far the most dynamic. Ce intended for his siblings to take their place in this hall, even if none of them ever ruled the Sun clan, for he was well aware that they represented the mightiest generation that the family had ever known. Even the Great Martial Sage would know the truth in this. It was under his leadership that the family's true purpose and calling would finally be realized.

He exited the shrine via a secret door in the farthest back and navigated a tunnel he had constructed soon after the shrine had been erected. When he exited, the roar of the Dragon Gate Waterfall greeted him and as he pushed through the deluge he came into the Dragon Singing Garden, the most lively of the gardens and menageries that punctuated the palace complex.

The wars were forgotten and Ce's heart pounded in exultation within his chest- he was going to be a father again and he had a family that he would fight the known world for. His wife was the most regal and beautiful woman in the realm, his children the most sacred. There was no universal truth he could not face for such a prize.

Standing atop the Crouching Dragon Bridge, he looked up at the stars and laughed joyfully. Throwing aside his loincloth, he vaulted over the railings and into the cool waters below with a splash. He came to the surface, thrashing around and acting like an idiot, hollering at the moon. Some cranes watched him in mild irritation as he disturbed their serenity. They whooped and flew away when he splashed water at them before diving below the surface. He chased the carp around for a bit before making his way to the shore. Still laughing, Ce lay on the soft turf and looked up at the night sky.

Distantly, echoing through the wooden structures of the palace complex, he heard a cry echo, a birthing pain. Part of him was sad that he could not be there for Da this time, but she was in good hands and he would see his child soon enough. He would be the father that they needed, but clearly that meant he would need to wage war and bring the Middle Kingdom to its knees, making the land safe for them and the other children to grow up in.

Nothing and no one would stop him.

* * *

Diao Chan sat in a small antechamber, reading a prayer scroll beseeching the gods for save delivery of children. She was ignoring the grunts, groans and cries of discomfort from the larger room beyond, the entrance obscured by thick, heavy tapestries that muffled some of the noise. Da and Xiao were certainly putting up a fuss; one would have thought they were new mothers the way they were carrying on together.

Perhaps it had been a mistake to let them give birth in the same room, but it was too late now and the sisters had been insistent. How they had managed to go into labour together was beyond everyone to begin with, but when Qiao girls were involved, clearly the common rules did not apply. Her respect for Sun Ce and Zhou Yu grew a little more.

Sitting across from her in another chair, stropping her knife along a belt of tough leather wrapped around her fist, was Fu Chin Ran, the commander of Sun Shang Xiang's amazon guard. Diao Chan had always been impressed and intimidated by the warrior-woman's physique and appearance in general. She was still womanly, but she had muscles, something people were not used to. Certainly Shang Xiang did as well and Diao Chan mused that a physical contest between the princess and her captain would be an epic (and more than a little arousing) match up.

Fu's shoulders had pronounced musculature to them, as did her biceps and her thighs. Her abdominal muscles were segemented and iron-hard, something she expected to see on male warriors like Sun Ce or Taishi Ci. Her tan skin accentuated her physique, drawing attention to it.

But then Fu looked up from the knife she was sharpening and noticed Diao Chan looking at her. She raised an eyebrow and spoke finally.

"See something you like?" she asked. Diao Chan blinked and then coughed, looking away. Her cheeks went red with embarrassment. Where was her composure?

"I... I am sorry, captain..." she said hastily.

"Don't worry about it, it's not like I don't think about it when I see you." Fu said easily, not at all concerned. She had dozens of lovers amongst the troops she commanded. "But Shang Xiang and I have both concluded that neither of us would be a match for you, my dear. Your superb courtesan training would be too much, as with Da or Xiao."

"I am flattered," Diao Chan said, meaning it. "I would be intrigued to feel the strength of your body."

"I doubt it is anything compared to that of Lu Bu," Fu answered. "And my apologies for such bluntness on the subject, but I am not exactly subtle with words."

"It is alright, captain, your candour is refreshing," Diao Chan said honestly. She realized she had not been bothered or made overly sad by the reference. She reminded herself to thank Da Qiao for that. "True, Lord Lu Bu would have greater physical strength that you, but you are still womanly and the combination of femininity and strength would be intriguing to me to feel and test."

"And I have never made love to a courtesan, so I would consider it a privilege." Fu said, nodding her head.

"Really?" Diao Chan queried, quite surprised. "Not even Da or Xiao?"

"Oh, no," Fu replied, blushing. "No, I... no. Yes, I have indeed thought fondly of such a union, however fleeting, but... no, Sun Ce's bride and Lord Zhou Yu, they have my utter devotion and respect. I could never."

"Oh..." Diao Chan said quietly, remembering back to Da's visit to her _shiheyuan_ earlier that year. Truly did women of the Willow World share an implicit bond, obviously.

"Then, captain, I humbly request your permission to visit your bed some time during my visit and practice my arts upon you," the courtesan said, moving off her chair and bowing before the renowned captain. "You are a mighty warrior and deserving of no less. I understand that you have turned down all titles and enfoeffments offered you, but your heart is noble and it is that which draws me to you."

Fu nodded. "I accept your offer and am honoured, Lady Diao Chan. I will be at your disposal."

Diao Chan smiled radiantly and sat back in her seat, returning her attention to the scroll she had been reading. There were some more cries from the other room and before long, Shang Xiang tromped into the room, looking decidedly pissed off. Her forearms were scratched and cut up, trickles of blood marring her beautiful skin and dripping off her fingers.

She stopped in front of Diao Chan, scowling and pressed a bloody fingertip against the courtesan's forehead.

"Tag. You're it, skinny."

Diao Chan nodded, choosing to ignore the gory fingerprint that no doubt was now her face's prominent feature and rose. She bowed humbly to Shang Xiang and exited to the big chamber, giving Fu Chin Ran a smile as she did so.

Shang Xiang looked at her lover, eyebrow raised. "Oh, you are _not_ keeping that all to yourself, missy. Either I get equal time or we tag-team her."

"I think we're both in trouble, then, love..." Fu breathed.

* * *

Diao Chan stepped into the chamber, drawing aside the diaphanous curtains that obscured the birthing beds from sight and just paused- the beds had been pushed together, head to head, forming one long surface. Da and Xiao both knelt on the beds on their knees and elbows, pressing their foreheads together and gripping one another's hands fiercely. Tears streamed down their beautiful faces as they dealt with the agony of birthing, giving one another strength. Over a dozen maids, wet-nurses and other women were scurrying around, making sure the two princesses were cared for.

"Well, there's something you don't see every day," Diao Chan observed before approaching. The two girls heard her voice and looked her way. She stood next to the tables and smiled serenely, laying her hands on top of theirs, still clamped together. "I am here now, ladies. Whatever awaits, we three shall be together for it."

Da nodded while Xiao burst into tears. Diao Chan walked around the tables, observing the unusual birthing position but instantly understanding how it would ease the actual process, even if there were physical strain involved with keeping themselves on all fours.

"You're both getting ready to crown, so hopefully it will not be long now. Listen to your nurses and if you need me I will be here with Lady Sun and Lady Qiao."

Diao Chan then went to a small sitting area off to the side, where Lady Sun sat with her granddaughter Kai-Ying in her lap. Next to her sat Lady Bi Qiao, mother to the remarkable young ladies on whom the entire Southlands now waited. She bowed low, acutely aware that these were two of the greatest women in the entire Middle Kingdom- Lady Sun, wife of the mighty patriarch Sun Jian and mother of Sun Ce, peerless warlord of the Southlands; Bi Qiao, a renowned courtesan herself, betrothed to Duke Qiao Xuan of Wu, her lovely daughters married to Sun Ce and his genius oath-brother Zhou Yu. She doubted that people of the Southlands realized exactly how much they owed these two women.

"My ladies, I am ever your humble servant. I am Diao Chan, unworthy vassal of Lord Sun Ce."

"It is we who are honoured, Lady Diao Chan," Bi Qiao replied, smiling. "Your fame precedes you, as does your devotion to my son-in-law and my daughters. Like a daughter will you be to me."

"And to myself as well," Lady Sun added. "I see much in your eyes, Lady Diao Chan, for only one who has experienced loss such as I have can recognize it in others. Whatever has cast such a darkness over your joy has been forgiven by my lovely Da, and therefore I accept you without reservation and love you as my own."

Tears glistened on Diao Chan's cheeks and she covered her mouth with a dainty hand for a moment before nodding and thanking the matriarch for her kindness. She resolved to forgive herself as well, or the magnanimity and charity of these people meant nothing.

Sun Kai-Ying now held out her hands, obviously expecting to be picked up. Diao Chan laughed and took the striking child into her arms, marvelling at her unreal silver hair and piercing grey eyes. Kai-Ying hugged her and then kissed her on the nose.

"You are so beautiful, Lady Diao Chan," the girl said. "I hope I am as beautiful as you one day."

Diao Chan smiled. "Oh, my love, you will be the most beautiful girl the realm has ever known when you grow up. Prettier by far than your mother, your aunt or I, I promise you. And your father will make this land so pretty that everyone will think that your beauty has blessed the ground you walk on."

"Why is my father not here?" the girl asked.

"Men are not allowed here right now, love." Diao Chan answered. "This is a holy place."

"But no men are allowed? Why?"

Da and Xiao both chose that moment to cry out as they contracted at virtually the same moment, causing all four women to look over at them. Diao Chan smiled.

"Because it is your father's fault that you mother is in such pain," she said finally. "And one day, some boy will do the same thing to you."

Kai-Ying thought about that and scowled. "Men should not be allowed in here. When I am ruler, I will make a law saying that men are not allowed to do to we girls whatever makes that happen. I may just outlaw men. That is what I will do, an empire with no men."

"No men, just lots of fat, happy women." Bi Qiao concluded. Lady Sun broke down giggling.

Diao Chan returned Kai-Ying to her grandmother's lap and went back to Da and Xiao, who were both panting and sweating, foreheads still pressed together, eyes closed as they whispered words of encouragement to one another. A nurse indicated that the contractions had ended for now and she was free to attend them.

She knelt next to them and kissed them both lovingly, knowing how strained and exhausted they must be, especially Xiao, who was smaller than her sister and giving birth to twins yet again. She caressed and massaged their necks, easing the strain with her courtesan touch and decided to distract them.

"So, ladies, do I want to know what got you into this mess?" she asked.

"Too... much... plum wine..." Xiao grunted through gritting teeth.

"Makes sense," Diao Chan replied soothingly. She looked now at Da.

"I... told Ce he was no match for my courtesan arts..." the older Qiao girl hissed.

Everyone in the room stopped and stared incredulously. Even Xiao seemed to pause in giving birth for a moment to look at her sister in amazement. Da blushed, remembering exactly how bad that particular boast had backfired on her.

"Oh, now I _really_ need to know." Diao Chan said, her eyes glinting with intrigue. "Tell us, darling."

Da shot her a look. "You can't be serious."

"Oh, very serious, I am afraid..." Diao Chan cooed, gently tracing and massaging her thumb and forefinger along Da's neck and just under hear ear, causing the courtesan to squirm.

"Honestly! I'm... a little busy..." Da panted. "Have you no pity or shame, woman?"

"Oh, shut up and tell us already sis!" Xiao growled, clearly interested in a distraction.

Da tried to best to ignore Diao Chan's merciless fingers and focused past the fact that she felt like she was going to burst, closed her eyes and related the tale.

"I was having a particularly good day..."

* * *

Da was squirming up and down, biting her lip and straining. Ce had her hands pinned to their thighs and she was wrestling to get away.

"Ce, no... not fair..." she pleaded through clenched teeth. "You can't... do that..."

"Says you," Ce quipped, smirking and knowing he had her. The two of them loved these contests, seeing who could make the other climax first. "Admit it, Da, you're gonna lose this one."

Da arched her back, straining to hold on. "I... can't... Ce... damn you..."

She shuddered and released herself. Ce, knowing he had beaten her, now allowed himself to climax as well, a hard-earned victory.

But wait... her aura wasn't dancing! The light about her that he always saw when she was climaxing was not there. She had been faking! Desperately he attempted to reign himself in, to pull back, but it was too late. Da Qiao was laughing as she pressed her hips down on him, applying exquisite pressure with the contractions she was an undisputed master of as Ce broke.

"You devil!" he shouted as he surrendered, know that she had outwitted him.

The days since the incident had gone by and they were in their private chambers within White Tiger Pavilion, having just finished a bath. Da was getting a light robe ready for herself while Ce was drying off.

"So have you forgiven me for my little ruse the other day?" she asked cheerfully.

"Hey, what's to forgive?" Ce replied. "If you had to resort to cheating, I don't really see the need for apologies on your end, so my forgiveness is not necessary."

"Oh, really?" Da queried, checking the colour of the robe against her skin, looking at it in a mirror. "I was just trying to spice things up, because winning the normal way becomes so pedestrian after a while."

"You make it sound like you win all the time."

"Well, I will admit to throwing you a few victories now and then," she said, smirking. "I don't want you feeling bad about the disparity in our abilities, after all."

"Izzat so," Ce said, coming over to her and turning her around by the shoulders to look down at her. "So you think your that far ahead of me, eh?"

"Come now, husband," Da reasoned. "I would never claim to be your equal on the battlefield, nor should you claim to be the equal of a courtesan in the bedchamber. You have trained your whole life for war whereas I have been trained to make love. It just stands to reason. I freely admit that I am glad that you came to me trained in the arts of pleasing a woman and you do indeed satisfy me completely, but nothing can compare to a courtesan's art or training."

"Oh, I see how it is," Ce said, his eyes now flashing at her challenge. "Well, Little Miss Everything, it might intrigue you to know that I have been taught _many _techniques and kept all the best ones in my pocket for just such a sassy occasion. And now seems as good a time as any to prove it. So!"

Without another word he took hold of his wife and flung her overhead, slamming her down into the (thankfully) deep mattresses and pillows of their sleeping frame. Shocked by the suddenness of the move, Da had no time to react before Ce's naked body was in front of her, his hips in her face as she lay on her back.

"First Secret Technique... A Carp Turning!" he announced as he thrust back and forth, not giving her the chance to counter him. She would have protested, but her mouth was rather full.

"Next Secret Technique... Horse Riding Across The Sea!" At this point, Ce scrambled behind her and pinned her behind to his hips, thrusting vigorously while he pulled one of her legs up straight alongside his body. Da moaned loudly, unable to counter and overpowered by his sheer brawn.

"And now, Beating A Mountain!" Ce said, adjusting the position so that he held her legs off the cushions and beside his torso, forcing her down and forward, changing the angle of his penetration. Da almost stopped breathing, managing only a shredded gasp.

"Half A Goose!" he said eagerly, staying in place but squatting now while he turned her on her side and kept her legs scissored. Da shuddered and tried to counter but found she could not, no matter what she did.

"And now, to make sure you don't forget, Thousands of Swords!" he hissed, using the index and middle fingers on each hand to press and massage into points and meridians along her shoulders, spine and finally her buttocks to invigorate her. Da shuddered and wailed, trembling and pressing back as hard as she could, surrendering to whatever mysticism he was inflicting on her.

"Please.. stop, husband..." she panted, sweat already streaming off her body.

"Not a chance, lady." Ce growled. "Toad Climbing A Stone!"

He squatted behind her again, thrusting eagerly while he pinned her hands to her back with one strong hand and with the other pulled her hair, craning her neck back and making her moan almost gutturally.

Da's eyes rolled into her head. How? How had he kept these secret all this time? When would this exquisite torture end?

"Begging Cooking!" he whispered in her ear as he sat and then turned her around in his lap to face away from him, using his powerful arms to make her ride him. Da tried to find her rhythm and fight back, but could not, he was so deep inside her and thrusting so hard...

"Ahhhhh! Damn you, Ce!"

"Frog Hopping Across A River!"

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhh!"

"Collecting Gold Nibbles!"

"Please, Ce.. I beg of you!"

"Lighting The Lamps At Beside!" he growled while he reached over his wife and flicked his fingers over her nipples, hard, creating a delicious sting. Da wailed in ecstasy, still churning on his lap, helpless.

"How do ya like me now, oh, expert? Tiger Walking Downhill!"

At this point, Ce leapt to his feet, still behind Da and pushed her down so she was supporting herself on her hands. Keeping firm hold of her thighs, he began walking her around the room, thrusting as he did so, almost treating and steering her like a wheelbarrow. Da's elbows almost buckled from the pleasure, but Ce's relentless momentum and strength kept her moving, regardless of how bad she wanted to collapse.

"And now... A Star Dies!" he said loudly, once again using his index and middle fingers, holding them aloft like a rigid symbol before driving them into the soft and plush curves of Da's apex meridian in her hips. Da shook violently as she screamed in pleasure and climaxed, unlike she ever had before. She felt like her conscious mind was splintering as waves of unreal colour washed over her. Everything tingled and she could not feel her limbs. What remained of her sensibilities was somehow worried that she might drown her husband, but at this stage there was nothing she could do about it.

She could barely feel herself being scooped up and carried to the bed, where she was deposited in a puddle of ignonimous defeat. Not that she really had the capacity to care, mind you...

Ce dusted off his hands as he looked down at her and exited the room with a casual wave.

"See you around, if you ever remember how to walk again or your own name..."

* * *

Everyone was still looking at her in astonishment, unable to believe she had done anything so idiotic as to challenge Sun Ce about _anything_, even if she was the most celebrated courtesan in the land.

"And they call me... the stupid one..." Xiao grunted as she squeezed her eyes shut for another set of contractions.

"Admittedly, darling, that was rather daft of you," Diao Chan admitted, stroking Da's hand soothingly. "More's the pity that you keep Lord Sun Ce to yourself, for surely I would like to try these blessed techniques that destroy women utterly."

"You had your chance and you let your conscience get in the way." Da panted, glad that the relating of the tale was over and resuming the task of birthing a child.

"I most certainly did not, it was all your husband's fault." Diao Chan said with mock indignation.

"Are you two... really arguing this?" Xiao keened, unable to believe she was privy to this ridiculous dispute at such a moment.

"Whatever helps, my love," Diao Chan replied, biting her lower lip as both Da and Xiao gripped and squeezed her hands ferociously. "A most unusual way to get pregnant, Da."

"I'll be lucky... if my children aren't born afraid of words like ducks, gold or toads..." Da said, feeling another contraction building, a big one. "Oh gods... I think this is it..."

"Please gather around now, ladies, the moment is upon us..." said the midwife in charge of the whole affair, while a servant ran off to retrieve Shang Xiang and Fu Chin Ran. Lady Sun and Bi Qiao now approached, joining Diao Chan and whispering words of encouragement to the two girls.

The priestesses and diviners around the room began chanting loudly, praying for a safe delivery, for the future of the realm.

Da and Xiao both cried out, wanting only for the pain to end or a husband to punch in the nose...

* * *

Ce and Zhou Yu looked at the plans for the vessel, without question the largest ever built within the history of the middle Kingdom. The principal of the _lou chuan _('tower ships') had been known for quite some time, but never truly implemented to its fullest scale because the ship was, for all practical purposes, useless in general naval warfare.

However, its utility as a flagship and floating fortress meant that to the true master of naval command, it had immense value. The design they were contemplating was vast beyond most people's conceptions, having at least five decks and over two hundred paces (one thousand feet) in length. So great was the vessel that it supported siege weaponry such as ballistae and traction catapults, weapons that could hurt walls and devastate infantry or simple fortifications. The ship actually housed not only an armoury but also smithing shops and poleturner's shops for making weaponry. The decks were protected by leather hides and hung shields, with countless apertures for crossbow men to shoot through.

This magnificent vessel, meant to be Sun Ce's castle at sea, was tentatively named _Fuhaiwang _the Tiger King of the Sea. It carried hundreds of troops in its quarters, along with the marines who manned it and could hold dozens of chariots and horses. A small, self-sufficient army could be housed within the floating castle if necessary. They were even spacious and comfortably-appointed apartments for the royal ladies, if they happened to be along.

"How much longer do you think we're gonna have to stare at this stupid thing or any other plans we have before we're called over?"

"I wish I could say," Zhou Yu replied quietly. "They're too well taken care of to justify worrying about it, which makes things worse in a sense, since I have nothing to concentrate on that seems worthwhile."

They left the ship design and now looked at a map of He Fei. Held by Cao Cao now that he had defeated Yuan Shao, the territory was occupied by could hardly be considered to be firmly in his possession. There were maybe twenty-five to thirty-thousand troops in the province. If they went with Zhou Yu's plan, then Sun Quan would lead nearly a hundred thousand troops into the region, giving them a good bridgehead for further incursions into the Prime minister's domain.

Beyond the invasion of He Fei, they also had to figure out how to take Hanzhong or get someone else to do it, presumably Liu Bei, but he was in no condition to do so. The attraction of the idea was that the imperial house originated from Han Zhong, so Liu Bei could, in theory, claim suzerainty there.

"Liu Bei needs to hold the lands beyond the Great River, if he is to ever take Hanzhong," Zhou Yu concluded for them both. "It is the only way he can build his own base of power and effectively help us against Cao Cao in a military capacity."

Ce nodded somewhat absently, looking at Dongting Lake. It the center of the great lake stood a solitary island. His mind was already working.

"That island in the middle of Dongting... that's Junshan, right?"

"Indeed it is," Zhou Yu confirmed. "I see the wheels turning in your head, Ce. What do you have in mind?"

"Well, if memory serves, there's an old Taoist retreat there, been abandoned for decades. The lands around Dongting are fertile when dredged, so if we can reclaim them from the flooding season, we'll have a huge food supply for the region. Better yet, Junshan can serve as a palace in the west, overlooking the region."

Zhou Yu nodded. "With wooden bridges strong enough for caravans but also easy to collapse, it would be easily defensible, especially if a strong fortress was built there and it could house endless supplies. Any army determined to take it would suffer dearly."

"An' if our mentors were right, there's a dragon-king at the bottom of the lake, too." Ce mused, gazing and imagining. The island of Junshan was formed from seventy-two peaks, and any fortress complex that it housed, while complicated and expensive to build, would be a nightmare to attack, _if_ the guardian of the lake could be bypassed. It was also a place of unreal natural beauty, one of the reasons that it was chosen by Taoist priests.

The island was named after the Xiang River Goddess and the name itself meant 'Princesses' Island'. The two warriors arrived at the same conclusion instantly without saying a word.

The palace built there, protected by a dragon-king and the river goddesses, would be built for their wives.

* * *

Da and Xiao lay side by side, looking exhausted. Around them on pillows sat Shang Xiang, Diao Chan, Bi Qiao and Lady Sun. They took turn helping the girls drink tea and water to regain their strength. Diao Chan smiled warmly and caressed Da's hand.

"A splendid job, both of you," she said gently. "You made it sound like there were a few times you were going to die, mind you."

"If being married to my brother and his best friend didn't kill them, then squeezing out a few cubs won't." Shang Xiang commented. "But still, there was more screeching than an amateur opera, I will agree with her on that."

"Thank you both for all the support, I'll keep it in mind..." Xiao groaned, her head throbbing. She waited while her mother rubbed a wedge of lime on her forehead, hoping to make the swelling stop. She couldn't effectively remember why she voluntarily did this, even for Zhou Yu. She still wanted to punch him in the nose.

The children had all been born without complication (at least from the nursemaid's point of view, if not the mothers), Da having given birth to a strong boy while Xiao bore a son and a daughter. As agreed with her husband, Da's new child was consecrated Shan while her younger sister had opted for the names Pai (the girl, older by six minutes) and Feng, whom Xiao named after the wind that had blown into the room and soothed her as he was born.

The newborns were asleep now in a side chamber, being watched dutifully by Da's eldest daughter Kai-Ying (who was assisted by nurses and servants, just in case 'she needed any help', so she claimed).

"The nurses say your recovery should be swift and total, daughters," Bi Qiao said cheerfully. "And once you are healed, I promise you, Lady Sun and I will take good care of them for you."

"You make it sound like we will never see our children, mother." Da said warily.

"Of course you shall, silly girl, but may I point out that you two will be needed elsewhere?" replied the eldest Qiao woman sensibly. "Your husbands and the realm you seek to create need you, there will be little time for motherly doting."

"Not to mention various civilian projects you coerced me into with promises of your constant assistance," Diao Chan chided, holding up a chiding finger. "You swore to me that you, Xiao and I would equally share the burden of creating the courtesan academies and the training of the girls and I will not let you renege on that vow, childbirth or no."

"So we will not be raising our own kids?" Xiao protested.

"Welcome to motherhood in the aristocracy, sweetheart." Bi Qiao said somewhat acerbically. "Your are princesses and courtesans to the two greatest men in the realm. Your duty is to bear heirs and stand by your husbands' sides, not suckle their offspring. I promise you that your children will know, love and revere you as all children should their mothers, but your calling is not a simple one."

Da sighed, knowing that everything she and her sister were being told made sense and was their destiny, one they had accepted a long time ago in their hearts, the first time they laid eyes on Sun Ce and Zhou Yu. Maybe it was just the receding pangs of birthing talking, but it all seemed like a cheat at this very moment.

"Your mother is right, my darlings," Lady Sun now added. "I knew what I was doing when I allowed myself to be married to Sun Jian, may the gods bless him."

Shang Xiang snorted. "Mother, that is complete and utter shit. Da and Xiao go to war constantly, you have barely ever held more than a ceremonial dagger."

"What need have I for such martial skills when I have three mighty sons like Ce, Quan and yourself to protect me?" the matriarch said pointedly. Shang Xiang blushed and stopped speaking, despairing of her mother ever acknowledging any femininity in her. Fu Chin Ran snickered, earning her a withering glare from her lover.

"It is my understanding that even the great lady Diao Chan has fought in a battle or two," Lady Sun continued. "I believe you tangled with Da at the fortress of Xia Pi, correct, my lady?"

"It is as you say," Diao Chan affirmed, the memory of the siege no longer so painful for her. "Da and I fought to a draw, she was a magnificent foe. Then your son arrived and, if I may be so vulgar, completely kicked my ass."

Lady Sun raised an eyebrow. "Ce hit you?"

"No, Shang Xiang did." Diao Chan said blithely.

This time, even Shang Xiang laughed.

* * *

_Warrior lodges... they will be composed of the greatest soldiers and warriors in our realm, regardless of assignment. They will answer to me and my chosen advisors alone. Their duty will be to inspire others within their regiments and corps to greater heights of bravery and martial valour. Though still subject to their commander, they will also have direct duty to me to let me know of the disposition of my armies. Within the ranks of the lodges, equality, where title means nothing, except for the Masters. _

_We will foster comradeship and cooperation, not to mention of new and different level of friendly rivalry, not just between regiments and corps, as now exist, but between the lodges themselves. Dedicated to martial excellence in all its forms, they will help me to break the traditions that stifle us while preserving that which makes us mighty. _

_But it must be structured and still subject to the Tao, as much as to the precepts of the Martial Sage... we shall number only one-hundred and eight at any time, divided into four lodges of twenty-seven. All may aspire, but only the transcendent and inspiration shall have my invitation._

_One-hundred and eight tigers, loyal not only to me but to an ideal. Like Zhou Yu's plans for Scholar Lodges to compete with the Eight Geniuses of Jiang-Sha or the Jian-An Seven, they will serve as agents to dispatch missions and duties beyond the scope of normal training._

_Their loyalty shall be to the dynasty I create. Their dedication will be legend. They belong to my people, not just to me. Their desire to protect my people will be foremost of their oaths. Humility shall be their shield and they will not display arrogance at having been chosen. _

_From among their number they pick their Master by vote, with rank meaning nothing. After all, treachery and betrayals within their own regiments must not be fostered by this membership. They are meant to serve the army, not subvert it. They are not parade units, marching separately from their parent companies, though they will be distinguished by a motif they may display throughout their membership. _

_So many to choose from, they must be selected with care and must be free of the hubris that so often accompanies mere might. I will need recommendations from my commanders. _

_Warrior lodges that preclude any army or corps rebelling and foster a sense of greater purpose amongst the troops. Exulting in our warrior tradition, it will make us all the stronger. _

_

* * *

_

Though a single night had passed since the births, Ce and Zhou Yu felt as if they had been kept away forever. The two men stood now in the chamber of White Tiger Pavilion, holding the children they had sired while their wives sat in comfortable chairs, looking on. Sun Ce was pleased to feel Shan's strong grip and see the way the boy looked around intently, curious about everything. He even had squirmed and twisted around quizzically when Sun Ce had entered the room and recognized his father's voice.

Quan and Kuang stood nearby, gazing on at their nephews. Lady Sun, Bi Qiao, Shang Xiang, Fu Chin Ran and Diao Chan waited dutifully next to Da and Xiao. It had been a long night for all the ladies and they were relieved to relinquish the sisters into the tender care of their spouses. Only Kai-Ying seemed to have boundless energy, still directing the nurses around the room and instructing her father and uncle to make sure that they did not get too much of their male scent on the babies.

Ce laughed. "Like I didn't have enough reasons to fight for a new dynasty..."

Xiao whined until Zhou Yu gave Pai back to her and she cooed at the girl, making funny noises. Zhou Yu gazed down at Feng, seeing the glint behind his dark eyes, knowing that this was an heir who would carry on his proud legacy as the most loyal vassal of the mighty Sun clan.

_This is but a moment of calm before the great storms that loom on our horizon. We must meet them resolutely and without dread, though we wish for peace. Only in carrying forth our convictions can we wrest the land from greedy and ruthless warlords, protect the common folk and show them a better way. Sun Ce knows no trepidation and moves forward with a confidence that even I do not feel. _

_There is no point in worrying or quailing in fear. We have made our stance known and we will be destroyed if we do not prevail. For the sake of my children and all those within our lands, I will not falter. I will not fail. The future is ours. _

_

* * *

_

Weeks would pass and both Da and Xiao were in fine fighting for again. Da had actually reverted to an old habit almost everyone had forgotten about and she ambushed Ling Tong in the hallways of the palace, determined to try her mettle against his.

Initially the general had panicked, wondering what was happening, but soon enough he had deduced her intent and took the fight to her- to his amazement, Da Qiao was pretty much as fast as he was, though her fans required wider arcs to fight with, whereas his flails were weapons for fighting in close.

At one point he had snared one of her wrists in the chain of his flail, forcing her to drop one of the fans; she had cried out in pain and he had paused in his assault, terrified that he had hurt her. This, however, turned out to be a ruse and she smiled wickedly as she slammed him across the side of his head with her remaining weapon. He reeled back and she pressed in to finish the young warrior off, but he recovered just in time to catch her attack and they wrestled for her fan.

Seconds later, he had slammed her against the wall, pinning her behind the closed fan, wrestling body to body with her as she struggled to escape. His face reddened as he felt the softness of her form pressed to his and he hoped she would think his blushing was just from his exertions.

There was a momentary pause as they became aware of someone watching them. They both slowly turned their heads to see Gan Ning leaning against the corridor wall, observing impassively.

"It's... it's not what you think." Ling Tong said after a very awkward pause.

"It couldn't be," Gan Ning sneered. "She turned me down, what's she gonna see in a skinny little girly-man like you?"

Ling Tong coloured furiously and leapt at the pirate in a rage, his flail aching to wrap itself around Gan Ning's neck. The tattooed warrior grinned wolfishly and his _dadao_ was already out, ready for action.

As the savage brawl receded down the hallway, Da Qiao stomped her foot and huffed.

"I wasn't through with you, Ling Tong! That's right, you'd better run! There's a lot more where that come from! Get back here!"

Men...

* * *

"What do you have there, Ce?" Zhou Yu asked as he joined his friend on the parapet of the castle wall. Sun Ce was looking north, his eyes blazing with an anger that Zhou Yu saw only very rarely and prayed no one else ever would.

Without saying anything or even looking away from the evening horizon, Ce held out his hand, in which he held a scroll. Zhou Yu took and unfurled the document, examining the contents. The first thing he noticed was the sigil of the Prime Minister's Office, meaning that it came directly from Cao Cao.

The poem inscribed on the delicate paper amounted to no less than a declaration of war:

_A pleasant promenade beside His Majesty:  
They mount the tiered tower, delight their spirits,  
And view the teeming richness of the realm,  
The sphere his sagely virtue rules.  
These gates he built pierce the mid-sky;  
The double pylons float to the crystalline.  
Splendid viewing rooms sit suspended there,  
Linked chambers seem to hang above the western wall.  
They peer down on the ever-flowing Zhang,  
Whose gardens give promise of teeming glory.  
Aloft on either side, twin towers—  
Left, Jade Dragon; right, Golden Phoenix—  
To hold his brides, the Southland daughters Qiao,  
With whom he will take his pleasure, morning, evening,  
Look down on the royal city's spacious elegance;  
Behold the shimmering tints of distant clouds.  
Rejoice in the confluence of many talents;  
Auspicious dreams of aid will be fulfilled.  
Look up! The gentle solemnity of spring;  
And hear! The lovelorn cries of every bird.  
May those proud towers stand till Heaven's end.  
Our house has gained a twin fulfillment.  
Our benevolent influence spreads across the realm,  
Winning universal homage for our capital.  
Even the splendor of Huan and Wu, ancient hegemons,  
Pales beside his sagely grace and wisdom.  
Most blessed! Most marvelous!  
His generous favor, extending far and wide.  
Lend the sovereign house your aid.  
That unto the four corners peace may reign.  
Our king is on a scale with Heaven and earth,  
Radiant as the light of sun or moon,  
Ever honored as the ultimate principle,  
Immortal as the sky's sovereign star.  
Driving the dragon banners round the royal circuit.  
Guiding the phoenix chariot round the realm:  
His clement influence bathes the kingdom's corners;  
Prize offerings to him heap high—the people prosper.  
May these towers stand firm for all time.  
For pleasure never failing and without end._

Zhou Yu rolled the scroll back up and gazed out at the nightfall with Ce. So that is why he had heard rumours that a massive army from the north was redeploying along the Great River. Cao Cao was coming to make Da and Xiao his wives.

The warlord could hear the wrath of his friend's soul, the rage that made the normally aloof strategist a merciless killer on the battlefield.

"Ce, I beg you," Zhou Yu said quietly, his fury barely contained. "Please, allow me to burn this abomination."

"Not a chance, pal," Ce said, his voice hard as iron. "Cao Cao wants to make this personal, eh? You can't burn it because I'm gonna use that poem as his death mask once I've killed him."

Angry as he was, Zhou Yu shuddered at the tone in his friend's voice. It was almost... murderous.

Ce turned to look at Zhou Yu now. His eyes flashed and his expression was so fell that the raven-haired warrior almost took a step back.

"So, Cao Cao wants our wives, is that it? He's willing to risk the lives of millions for the sake of two girls, eh? Well so am I."

_Alright, Cao Cao. You want Da that badly? Try and take her from me..._

And there was war under Heaven.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **As always, lots of ground covered, though I am pleased to see I managed to keep the chapter to around 11k words.

Sorry if I got a little meta or preachy on occasion in this chapter, I recently had a long and drawn out discussion with a philosophical and political rival about objectivism and subjectivism. 'Me and my perceptions first' attitudes that are key to subjectivism irk me and I took it out on the fic. The person I was discoursing with claimed that Ayn Rand was indeed objective, as she once attested. One need but read her works or listen to one of her vitriolic and hysterical tirades to know that she was nothing if not subjective, to a level that only spoiled brat children could reach.

I stepped back from the story , thinking about the whole objectivism\subjectivism controversy for a moment and realized that Sun Ce in the video games could very well qualify as a subjectivist and Zhou Yu would have been his cricket conscience. The Sun Ce that I have evolved and written, on the other hand, has progressed beyond such juvenile perceptions and knows the Tao, so there is no contradiction (outside of me writing Sun Ce as I choose to see him, a subjectivist failing).

Oddly enough, both Cao Cao and Liu Bei, of all people, would qualify as the objectivists. Go figure, eh?

I'm not saying subjectivism is a bad thing, but I put forth that subjectivism has no place in universal truth. Objectivism at its most macro scale simply accepts that the universe/God/the gods/whatever are not changing for us, no matter what spin we put on them and if we are wrong and can't admit it, they don't really care. Subjectivism states 'then why does that matter to me?' and insofar as the movement of the stars is unlikely to affect your personal life or decision that day, it is a tiny truth. We're just too infinitesimal for physics and universal truths to waste time on us.

Gah, changing subject.

Don't worry, I don't intend to have Sun Ce running to commune with his father whenever he is conflicted, I HATE that cliché in writing. I promise you, Sun Jian will _not_ be making regular disembodied appearances within the fic. He is not Obi-wan Kenobi, nor is he the Trash Heap from Fraggle Rock *clap clap*

I think I am done with Da having kids. I need her elsewhere and having her knocked up and inactive for nearly a year at a time is hard on the storyline. As you can see, great events approacheth and frankly I need her back.

The whole 'secret sex techniques' vignette was really fun to write without getting too graphic, once again. Trying to describe them while not violating the host's fiction ratings is always interesting and I may do it a little more for the sheer fun of it. I published some full-out lemons over on the sister site that allows for such material.

Concerning Junshan Island, there is actually a site called the 'Tomb of the Two Concubines' and it just suited me to start associating with Da and Xiao, given the lovely scenery of the place.

It seemed a little daft to recall Shang Xiang from the South so soon, but I also need her, one of my more daring commanders. She is about to have her own storyline (I can't _begin_ to tell you how close I came to starting a spinoff fic about her, I still might, meaning you'd need to read both to keep up). In any event, Cheng Pu heads south to Fujian and SSX will be around again. I know these are sudden changes and not necessarily thought out too far ahead, but I promise you, Gore Verbinsky is not co-writing for me, I did this on my own.

For you Shu loyalists, fear not- your boy scouts are going to be involved a lot more in the storyline now, I promise you.

The poem Cao Cao wrote about the Qiaos (supposedly, unless you give credence to the theory that Kongming did it to enrage Zhou Yu) has finally made its appearance. Ultimately I decided that it had to be genuine, so the Sun Ce and Zhou Yu I have written would never fall for such a ploy. Also, if it had been a forgery, this would create a dreadful moral dilemma for me, since Sun Ce clearly states that he will risk everything and everyone for Da, without blinking an eye, and therefore the threat had to be real. Ce and Zhou Yu now have a private war with Cao Cao and the lord of the Southlands wants the Prime Minister dead. I mean Clint Eastwood/Sylvester Stallone revenge movie dead. All bets are off now.

A friend of mine who has been reading the fic for a long time did me the disservice of comparing the three realms involved to different Marvel superhero teams- Wei was the Avengers (overwhelming and not to be messed with), Wu got to be the X-Men (dangerous and prone to doing their own thing) and poor ol' Shu was Alpha Flight (great potential but always underrated and at a disadvantage). Ow, said my wounded Canadian heart.

Enough for now, I have more writing to do. Best of the season to everyone!

Q: 'How many subjectivists does it take to change a light bulb?'

A: 'That's not the light bulb I want to change.'

Q: How many objectivists does it take to change a light bulb?'

A: 'Yes, that is indisputably the actual light bulb. Now what?'


	57. Chapter 57

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer: **I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy.

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 54- The Best Defence...**

Baifu's white stone walls shone in the moonlight. Sun Ce, along with his family, the lords and commanders of the Southlands and their personal guards now sat at long tables in the middle of a field under the stars, laughing and carousing, knowing that this might be the last time they would celebrate together. The sobering thought did not dim their mood, though, for they were all aware that any who fell would be remembered for their valour and their glory, forever immortalized.

Ce and Da were sitting at the ends of the long table, acting as hosts for the festivities. Beer and heated wine were served in profusion and everyone laughed and cheered as Da stood on the table and sang silly songs and poems for them while the food was prepared.

She had just finished a lewd poem and the resulting applause was interrupted by a roar of delight from Glandyth as a whole roasted boar was brought out and put squarely in front of him. If the Thunderhorse commander on his left noticed that his meal had been displaced, he made no sign of objection, since he was gaping at the titanic feast now set out for the berserker.

"Watch your arm, good sir," Theudis said blithely to the officer. "Glandyth might mistake your limb for a part of his meal and eat it by mistake."

Everyone laughed once the jibe was translated, except Glandyth, who scowled and tore a huge hunk of meat from a leg. "Lies and slander, set about by mine enemies to tarnish my good name. I have never eaten an ally's arm, not even by mistake."

"Should I be worried that he seems proud of the 'not even by mistake' part?" Da asked, the question eliciting gales of laughter.

"Besides," Glandyth grunted. "There's almost no meat on your skinny Han frames. Where is the satisfaction in that? Except for Taishi Ci or Huang Gai, you are hardly a mouthful individually."

"Hopefully it will not come to such a test," Da commented, sipping at her wine. "Lord Elryk, I know you said the Romans were your enemies, but was there ever a period where you sat and dined together, as we do now, despite how different our cultures are?"

Elryk pondered the question and finally shook his head. "Not really, their culture demanded our capitulation and we would not bend our knee to that slave-driver Severus in Rome. I suppose there was limited sanctioned trade and maybe there was some non-hostile interaction along the borders in the merchant taverns and inns that sprang up occasionally. Those were peaceful occasions."

"That's not true, Elryk," Theudis chimed in while gnawing on a shank of boar. "Remember the tavern in Mogontiacum?"

Elryk sighed. "Actually, I was trying to forget..."

"Inkeep!" bellowed the huge German warrior as he ducked to enter the establishment. "Beer, and keep it coming!"

Even in a tavern that saw as much cross-culture traffic as this one, Elryk and his two bodyguards were still getting stared at. All three were larger than most other men and Glandyth massed more than just about any two. They ignored the gawking of the other travellers and assumed their place at a large table in a corner of the common room, near the roaring hearth.

The three men were wearing long, ragged cloaks over their armour and wolf pelts adorned their attire. Gold and silver trophies such as torcs and armbands glittered on them, indicating their status amongst the Germanic tribes as warriors of renown. Elryk had just finished meeting with several other tribal leaders, concerning their response to continued Roman incursions. Frustrated with what he saw as weakness in the other chieftains, he had left the council early, determined to return to his people in the as-yet unconquered east and prepare for the inevitable fight. He had come to offer the embattled chieftains the assistance of the fearsome White Wolves but found them ready to sue for peace and offer hostages. He had simply walked away.

The common room was alive and bustling with activity- wenches hurried back and forth between tables, transporting beer, wine, roast boar, venison or lamb to hungry patrons. Not far from their table, some musicians played on a crude harp, a flute and a drum, adding to the general cacophony.

The proprietor approached them and nodded. Clearly was a Heveltian and not interested in trouble from three raucous Teutons. "My lords, I see you are men of great worth and must be hungry. But in these troubled times I fear that the influence of Rome compels us to make sure that any who would procure our services can pay. I cannot accept barter, so do you have coin?"

Elryk frowned and took a pouch off his belt. With a sneer of contempt at the inkeep's mercantile tone, he dumped the contents on the table, allowing dozens of gold coins to clink and clatter noisily about on the worn wood. The Heveltian's eyes went wide and he bowed hastily.

"Lords, my staff and I are at your service," he said hastily. "What can we get you?"

"Where is my damned beer already, man?" demanded Glandyth loudly. "And while you're at it, get all the food you can! Slaughtering the endless minions of Rome is hungry work!"

Beer arrived immediately and they began drinking in earnest. Glandyth made a wry face as he tasted the proffered beverage. "Not anywhere near as good as our own Wolf brew," he snorted. "But I guess it will do."

Before long, food began stream out to the table and Glandyth let it be known loudly that nobody had to die now that his tribute had arrived. An entire boar, along with a lamb, several local river fish and various breads and cheeses now caused the table to groan under their weight, but the warriors were determined to give all the food a good home. They attacked the meal as if it was their last.

Glandyth seemed oblivious to all else except his food and beer, punctuating his consumption with a steady intake of beer and wine, letting out the occasional thunderous belch that echoed around the common room, much to the annoyance of several patrons.

"We're not winning ourselves any friends or admirers," Theudis said quietly to Elryk as he subtly surveyed the room. Many people were glaring at the three of them with an uncivil amount of hostility. "What would you have us do, lord?"

"Eat, of course," Elryk said unconcernedly. "If they are fool enough to try something, then we will work off this meal before the night is out."

Elryk had been watching the room as well and he couldn't help but notice that many of the patrons were garbed in tunics as a Roman or a 'civilized' subject of Rome would be. True, the room had people of many cultures, such as Gauls, a few Britons, Heveltians, Belgae, Romans and even a few Teutons, but Elryk and his companions were clearly different from everyone else- they hailed from the east, as yet contested by the might of Rome's legions and the bore the marking and trappings of the fearsome Wolf tribes, implacable enemies of Septimus Severus.

In particular one rather wealthy-looking merchant glared at them balefully, clearly considering their very presence an affront to the natural order of things. His skin was tan, not ruddy from weathering but from spending a lifetime in the easy-living lands of the warm Italian peninsula. His garb was impractical for the climes he now was in but he seemed to wear such things as a mark of superiority. The merchant was carrying on a conversation with someone at his table when Glandyth snapped the thick, sturdy thigh of the huge boar he was consuming so he could get at the sweet marrow within. The bone broke with a resounding crack, a clearly disconcerting sound to several patrons who were not at home on the battlefield.

Elryk watched subtly as the merchant's conversation became more hushed and took on a tone of instructions being relayed rather than general discourse. He could not hear it, but clearly orders were being circulated around the room. Looking around the large room, Elryk also concluded that many of the patrons were in fact off-duty legionaries, as indicated by their uniformly short haircuts, well-made tunics and sandals. They were also watching the three barbarians, without the raw hostility evident in the merchant but still clearly unfriendly and far more likely to be trouble.

The chieftain was not at all surprised when several of them made their way as a group up to the long bar the proprietor stood behind and began ordering their drinks from there, not far from where Elryk and his companions were seated.

"There are at least thirty of the little bastards in here, lord," Theudis mused. "With numbers like that, they're bound to get brave sooner or later."

"Let them," Elryk growled softly. "But try not to kill anyone, there are innocent Germans in here."

"I somehow doubt kinship with rally them to our aid," the lithe but deadly bodyguard mused. "They look like Visigoths, one and all. Not worth a damn in a fight recently."

Glandyth, meanwhile, steadfastly refused to acknowledge the world around him as he focused on the never-ending mountain of food in front of him. Those people not glaring at the three were gazing in astonishment and money was beginning to change hands on exactly how much the giant man could out away before he exploded.

Elryk was taking a deep draught from his horn when one of the Roman soldiers stepped away from the bar, a tankard in his hand and walked behind Elryk. He seemed to lose his balance for a moment, lurched and bumped into the blonde barbarian before whirling to glare at him.

"Watch where you are going, German pig!" he snarled in a debased form of the local tongue.

"I'll try to sit more carefully next time." Elryk replied evenly, clearly not concerned.

The legionary was suddenly in his face, leaning in to glare. "I said... watch where you-"

He never finished his sentence as Elryk slammed his forehead into the smaller man's nose. The legionary reeled back for a moment before trying to retaliate and punch his foe. Something glinted on his hand and Elryk saw he was wearing a cestus.

He tilted his head to one side, causing the punch to miss and lifted the Roman off the floor with a mighty uppercut as he stood, sending his sailing backwards through the air and into an empty table. Cracking his knuckles, Elryk grinned fiercely as he noticed the man's comrades all around the room were suddenly converging on him to avenge his ignonimous defeat.

Not waiting for the party guests to arrive, Elryk surged into them, laying about with his mighty fists. A quick glance showed that Theudis was also in their midst, deftly dodging their blows while landing his own with unerring accuracy. The raven-haired man's speed belied his incredible brawn, for Theudis was muscular and stronger than just about anyone else in the warband, save Elryk, Valamir and of course Glandyth, who still ignored the proceedings, preferring to wage war on his meal. He sucked the pig grease noisily off his fingers while the whirlwind of violence raged around him.

Elryk grabbed another man and sent him through the air, landing with a crash on another patron's table. The Gaul at the table seemed irked about having his meal interrupted and smashed a small amphora over the intruder's head before standing and punching another random person in the face.

A Roman in turn swung the Gaul around and socked him across the jaw, sending him tumbling before jumping on the man and proceeding to rearrange his face. The Gaul responded by driving his knee into the assailant's groin and threw him off, only to be sent to the floor again when another Roman hit him with a chair.

The brawl became general, although the legionaries continued to concentrate on Elryk. All around the room, men pummelled one another, sucked into the churning melee. The mighty chieftain laughed, rather enjoying himself, although he knew he would have bruises and Gailavira would doubtless have choice words for him upon his return.

In another corner of the room, a group of Belgae tipped their tables over and hid behind them, occasionally emerging to throw something at anyone who got too close. Elryk was not completely certain but he was pretty sure he heard them laughing and drinking as they did so. Thankfully, they only seemed to be targeting the dog-soldiers of Rome. The laughing ended as he sent a man sailing through the air and crashing through the table. Apparently their mirth did not extend so far as to include their own bodily harm.

"I swear it, one day were will invade their lands and take it for our own..." muttered the German.

Something swung overhead and Elryk glanced up. Theudis had somehow leapt up onto a table and grabbed onto the dark iron lighting fixture in the ceiling, spreading endless candles everywhere as he swung back and forth, kicking Romans in the head.

"What the hell are you doing, you damned fool?" Elryk bellowed. "Flying around like an idiot, are you trying to get yourself killed?"

"Silence, ground dweller!" Theudis yelled back cheerfully, clearly enjoying himself. His great boot slammed into the skull of a Roman and sent him to the floor, where others proceeded to trample him while they continued the melee. Unfortunately for Theudis, the fixture was not as sound as it appeared and snapped out of the ceiling, sending him and the great iron wheel crashing to the floor and crushing several combatants beneath them. The _comitatus _warrior yelped as nearby Romans converged on him, determined to make the madman pay for his antics. He was only saved a severe beating when Elryk rushed into their midst, scattering them with wide and savage swings. He helped Theudis stand and scowled at him.

"Aren't you supposed to be my smart bodyguard?" he sneered. The raven-haired warrior just shrugged, smiling.

Then it happened. Glandyth had steadfastly ignored the carnage going on around him as he concentrated on stuffing his face. One of the legionaries landed on the table, scattering food, wine and beer everywhere. Glandyth stared at him for a moment as if he did not quite understand what had happened. A look of confusion passed over his face as he reached for food that was no longer there. Then his eyes narrowed and he let out an enormous roar.

With a sweep of his arm he cleared the table of the remains of food and the legionary. Glandyth surged to his feet, like a mammoth from a mud hole. He had the same mass and power as ever but he seemed even bigger somehow and more threatening. He picked up the table and slung it into an oncoming mass of foes, knocking them off their feet and pinning them beneath it with a horrific crash. He reached out and grabbed a man, proceeding to swing him around by his feet, battering his comrades senseless with him. Throwing the man aside, he raced through them like an out-of-control behemoth, as unstoppable as an enraged bull. Within seconds he had left a trail of maimed and battered foes behind him. Those who tried to rise were stamped on by his titanic boots, convincing them to stay down.

Elryk lashed out again, carefully targeting only the legionaries so as to not make any more enemies than he had to. Doubtless the rest of the patrons had seen who started the brawl and he wanted to preserve any sympathy they might feel. He was smashing a couple of heads together when he was confronted by another man who might present a problem in the wild melee.

He was dark-skinned and well-built, his head bald and adorned with strange tattoos. His ears were pierced several times, as was his nose. He had been sitting next to the merchant, wearing a cloak and looking unconcerned. Elryk understood now that the man was a gladiator and probably the merchant's personal bodyguard. A tattoo on his neck indicated he had once been a gladiator within the famed arenas of Rome itself and he had won his freedom. Indeed he would be a dire and worthy foe.

Elryk was ready and grinned, his ice-blue eyes flashing. "Show me, champion of Rome, what you are made of..."

The man lunged in- he was faster than Elryk had expected by he still managed to block the wicked kick the gladiator had intended for his abdomen. The man spun away as Elryk aimed a deadly punch at his skull and when he had turned to face the German he now sported an evil-looking push-knife in his hand, decorated with spikes that no doubt were covered in poison.

Elryk ducked a vicious swipe and rammed his fist into the man's midsection. His foe wheezed but Elryk felt pain travel up his forearm as his punch encountered concealed armour. The strike was enough to knock his foe back, however, giving Elryk a moment to right himself and prepare for the next exchange.

The gladiator lunged in again, clearly not intimidated by Elryk's advantage in size and determined to get in close where the German's superior reach counted for nothing. Elryk blocked another strike but felt the man's knee ram into his side. He almost buckled but shoved the man away roughly, knocking him off his feet. Elryk glared at his foe as the warrior leapt back up almost instantly and darted in again like a snake. Gods above, he was nearly as fast as Theudis, something Elryk did not think was possible.

Elryk prevented the man from ramming his knee into his side again and decided that two could play at that game. He punched the man in the meat of his shoulder, dodged another swipe of the push-knife and punched him again in the same spot. The gladiator winced and his strikes were slowed. He tried another tack, this time trying to jam a needle hidden on a ring on his right hand into Elryk's neck, no doubt coated with more toxins.

Elryk dodged the punch, grabbed the arm and snapped the gladiator's elbow with a horrifying crack as he twisted it savagely. The man keened in pain before Elryk grabbed his knife hand, swung it behind the man's back and rammed the blade into his spine. Even has his foe stiffened, Elryk swept his feet out from under him and he landed on his back, driving the deadly blade deeper inside himself. He shuddered, his eyes went wide and then he was still.

The chieftain looked around to see that most of their foes were either limping to the door for safety or strewn unconscious around the room. Glandyth seemed to be fighting with about ten die-hards but otherwise the room had mostly become an evacuation effort. He found himself face-to face with Theudis, who seemed somewhat hurried.

"Though I love a good-natured brawl, lord, I believe that the Roman garrison is less than a league away and unless I heard wrong, there may be a century of Praetorians staying there right now."

Elryk grimaced. Though he did not fear the Praetorians individually, they were the most potent fighting force in the Roman legions, trained to incredible standards and often chosen for their size and strength. This tavern would not be a good place to make a stand against a hundred of them.

"Let us collect Glandyth and be on our way, then, yes?" he said as he strode over to where the huge berserker was still fighting and roaring like a madman. He had just finished battering away all his foes when Elryk and Theudis grabbed his arms, pinning them and dragging him backwards. Even his great might could not match the two of them in tandem.

"Let go!" he bellowed, struggling to free himself. "They have me right where I want them! Let go, curse you!"

Theudis shut Glandyth up by pulling a huge boar leg off a table as they dragged him past and presented it to his comrade. His bloodlust was forgotten as he gnawed on the offering with great relish. As the bodyguards exited, Elryk paused upon spying the fat merchant, cowering in his chair. He got even paler as the mighty barbarian chieftain approached and winced when Elryk reach out for him...

The German opened his robes and stripped several pouches off the man's belt. He held up one, jingling it and threw it onto the long bar, from behind which the proprietor now appeared, shaking with fear.

"The damages will be paid for by my fat friend here," Elryk said gruffly, taking the other four money pouches into his wide leather belts. He glared at the man and raised his fist as if to strike... the merchant's eyes rolled into his head and he toppled off his chair in a dead faint.

"Yes, clearly I can see the appeal and advantages of the _Pax Romana_ now..." muttered the mighty chieftain as he exited the inn. He found his bodyguards waiting for them with their mounts and they rode off into the night, thankful to have made their escape before reinforcements had arrived.

Everyone was laughing almost uncontrollably as Elryk finished relating the tale, which had been punctuated with additions form Theudis and the occasional resentful grunt or burp from Glandyth. The titan bodyguard shook his head, scowling at how he had been impugned and virtually ignored in the telling of this heroic tale.

"Truly my so-called friends seek to diminish my contributions to this saga with their wild and self-aggrandizing lies," he snorted, draining yet another great horn of beer. "Theudis speaks untruths in order to make himself look good. A suspect a beating is in order so that he may remember his place."

Theudis chuckled cheerfully and whispered to Shang Xiang, whom he was sitting next to. "Let him have moment," he said in very thick and broken Chinese. "Him hero own head but rocks make slow head. Him never beat my in fight, never."

"Not unless it's a duel to the bottom of a plate, maybe..." Shang Xiang muttered, watching in morbid fascination as Glandyth destroyed another boar. "The god of night didn't compel you to move east, it was a famine brought on by that oaf's stomach. You straw-heads came searching for more food."

More raucous laughter and the merriment continued, the night resounding with thunderous belches that threatened tear the heavens asunder.

The commanders stood before Sun Ce's throne, waiting quietly while he observed them. Shang Xiang, accompanied by Fu Chin Ran, stood in the center while on her left stood Lu Xun and on her right towered Elryk. These three commanders, along with Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers and Zhou Yu with his Swordwind, were to be transported deep into the heart of Cao Cao's territories, known as Wei, and wreak havoc as only they could. Zhou Tai and Gan Ning, the two greatest seafarers in the realm, would get them to these dangerous and remote locations and then retrieve them once the damage was done.

The assignments were dangerous but the destruction of these targets would help to hamper Wei's operational capabilities, possibly enraging the generals of the north into making errors and allowing further damage to be inflicted. Ce did not need many troops to do this, just highly skilled and very destructive ones.

He couldn't have asked for better.

"Alright, we've talked about your assignments and what you're supposed to do." Ce began, smiling cheerfully even though his heart was dark with the intent of destroying Cao Cao and everything he stood for- the Prime minister, in his arrogance, had declared that he would make Da and Xiao his wives, something that could only be accomplished if he invaded and conquered the Southlands, slaying both Ce and Zhou Yu. He would not let this stand.

"Sis, you're headed to the city of Wu Chao. Our scouts tell us that the Prime Minister has rebuilt and made use of the facilities there that he destroyed when he fought Yuan Shao and a huge pile of stores are waiting for your torches. Take your girls and make sure none of it remains."

Shang Xiang saluted smartly and strode off, determined to once again prove her worth. Her battalion of women-warriors would be more than enough.

"Lu Xun, I want your Seahawks to take your troops up the Xiang River and into the Nanling Mountains. We've identified a major iron mining operation near Chung Ni Pass south of Huashan. I want you and your men to bury that mining complex forever."

The young officer gestured humbly and exited, silently praising the spirits of his ancestors for allowing him the opportunity to serve such a great lord and restore his family's honour.

"That leaves you, big guy, I think I've got a unique assignment only you and your fellas could pull off." Ce said to Elryk, the titanic chieftain of the White Wolves. Though Elryk's command of the language of the Han was slowly improving, he still required the services of the Uyghur scribes Lap and Khun to translate concepts for him. Both Ce and Zhou Yu had gone to the trouble of beginning to learn Elryk's guttural native tongue, even if the pronunciation did leave their throats rather sore afterwards.

Elryk nodded and listened, giving his liege his full attention.

"In the far north of the territories Cao Cao controls, just in from the coast, our spies have found shipyards and we think he's tryin' to build a massive fleet to counter our naval superiority with. Zhou Tai's gonna take you up the coast an' then you and your men will head inland and put it to the torch. Word is he's already sent hundreds of ships down the river, probably so that he can force a crossing right down our center."

Elryk thought about what Ce was suggesting- the Prime Minister's forces could not effectively attack from the sea, since he could never assemble enough ships to transport the army required and risk a naval engagement. Wu's superior tactics and command of the sea made the option unappealing. But an overwhelming force crossing the river, where the swift manoeuvring of ships was limited, disgorging his huge army onto Southlands soil was a very real threat. The shipyards had to be dealt with.

"It's cold up there this time of year, I'm pretty sure that your White Wolves won't mind a little taste of home, right?" Ce asked, grinning.

"I promise you, my lord, those shipyards will never produce another enemy vessel once my men and I have reached them," the giant man boomed. His ice-blue eyes left no doubt of his sincerity. Without another word he put his fist over his heart, saluting after the manner of his people and went to assemble his warriors.

Zhou Yu stood beside Ce's throne, waiting until they had privacy before voicing his opinions.

"They'll need support, diversions, if you will. What shall the Swordwind and I do, Ce?"

Ce was silent for several seconds, considering the options he and his Grand Strategist had already discussed. "I want you to take not only your corps but also the _wujen_ and obliterate the garrison at Wang Cheng. Taishi Ci will take my corps and destroy the forward base at Mai Cheng."

Zhou Yu considered Ce's assignment for the Night Tigers. "That's awfully close to Chang Ban, Ce. Most of Cao Cao's army is not for from there, still putting pressure on Liu Biao's family to surrender Liu Bei."

Ce shrugged. "They won't do that, their adherence to filial piety won't let them, no matter what the cost. Liu Bei's got some decent troops and the passes into Jing are strongly held. If Taishi Ci attacks them there, they won't see it coming and he hits like a thunderbolt. He can handle it."

"And what of us, husband?" came a lilting voice from the entrance to the hall. Within the entrance stood the Qiao sisters, fully recovered from their pregnancies and apparently ready to take to the field. They were both wearing light armour and battle tunics, carrying small, straight swords on their belts as well as their habitual battle fans.

Da looked at her husband pointedly. "I have been informed that our children will be very well looked after in our absence and with that being said, Xiao and I desire to return to the field and keep ourselves busy. It will simply not do to let us sit this out."

Ce had, of course, considered telling Da and Xiao about the poem he and Zhou Yu had read, concerning the Prime Minister's intent for the two of them, but ultimately decided against it, at least for now. He considered this a personal matter and saw no point in worrying the girls, since Cao Cao gave them both the creeps.

Finally he just laughed. "Alright, alright, I guess it wouldn't be fair to leave you two outta the action. You'll both be attached to Lu Meng while he crosses the river and engages the enemy garrison at Zhang Ling. Xiao, get the _Feilong_ ready."

Xiao squealed in delight, waved to Zhou Yu and skipped off. The strategist bowed and exited, allowing Ce to talk alone with his wife. Da approached and kow-towed humbly before her mighty husband.

"Get up, silly, you know I don't need that sorta thing from-"

"Just shut up and let me do this, Ce." Da growled softly from her kneeling position. "I so very rarely get to pretend I'm a real commander."

"You are a real commander, Da" Ce replied, somewhat puzzled. "Why do you think you're not after all this time?"

"I'm only a commander because I'm your wife," she said, now rising and standing before him. "If it weren't for that fact-"

"You'd only be the most celebrated courtesan in the land. Terrible life." Ce quipped. "Da, you may never be as good a field commander as Lu Meng an' you may never be as good a strategist as Zhou Yu, but that doesn't mean you don't have talent."

He rose and stepped down from his throne, smiling as he took her hands in his. "D'you think I'd let you command men in the field if I thought all you were gonna do was get them killed an' destroy their families?"

Da thought about that point and blushed. Ce was _very_ unlikely to squander people's lives for a vanity as simple as that.

"I think you just need to find what it is you're good at in the field," he said simply. "What part of a battle plan suits you best?"

Da drew a deep breath and looked somewhat worried. "I have actually been considering that, Ce, and I think I have my answer, though some of the men might not like it..."

It was seven nights prior to when Lu Meng's corps was scheduled to cross the Great River and attack Cao Cao's garrison when Ce sauntered lazily into the encampment of the Valiant Cavaliers and the Iron Fists, both of whom were in the Baifu region for refitting. The troops all stopped what they were doing and bowed low at his approach.

"Alright, gather around, you lot!" Ce called out loud enough for everyone to hear him. The men all dropped whatever they were doing and assembled quickly, now lined up in ordered ranks. They waited to hear what he had to say.

"I want your two best fighters," Ce announced to the companies. "And I want 'em in front of me now."

There were some moments of deliberation before two soldiers stepped forward, one from each company- the man from the Valiant Cavaliers was strong and sinewy, with a whipcord-fast body. The Iron fists champion was more heavily built but without enough bulk to slow him down. The two men bowed before the warlord.

"You would have us engage in a trial of skill against one another, lord?" the Valiant Cavaliers man asked. "We stand ready."

"Nope," Ce said dismissively. "You're gonna engage in a trial of skill against me."

The two men looked at one another and then up at Ce in confusion. From the ranks of the companies came muttering.

"Why would we do this, lord?" asked the Iron Fist.

"Because I wanna see if you knuckleheads really are up to the task of guarding and worthy of being commanded by my wife."

"Have... have we given Lady Qiao cause to complain?" asked the Cavalier.

"No, but I think she's too soft on you guys still." Ce replied, his tone eliminating any chance that he was joking. "If you guys're gonna keep bein' her personal troops, you're gonna have to prove why I shouldn't assign her a company of the night Tigers, y'got it?"

Several of the men in the assembled ranks protested at Ce's suggestion, not only that they were not worthy but that only the vaunted Night Tigers could possibly carry out such a duty.

"Hell, maybe some of my sister's girls oughta do it." Ce said tauntingly.

He could tell that the men were bristling angrily at his words but still afraid to do anything about it. He _had _to make them understand.

"Or maybe it would be a job best left to the _Bailangren_," he sneered softly. "Think you can do better than that bunch of straw-heads?"

The Iron Fist surged to his feet, his eyes flashing angrily. "I accept this challenge, sire, on behalf of Lady Qiao, who has our utter devotion, just as you do!"

"No!" snapped the Valiant Cavalier. "I shall face Lord Sun Ce for the honour of Lady Qiao."

"You both will, right now." Ce growled. "Or should I just let you go back to your tents and summon Glandyth instead?"

Unable to contain their anger at his insults any longer, the two men rushed Sun Ce, determined to prove their company's worthiness to guard Da Qiao. Their spirit and determination made no difference as Ce simply ducked under their swings, hooked his elbows behind their knees and swept them both off their feet, landing unceremoniously on their necks and shoulders.

He whirled around and glared at the two companies, their champions disposed of with ridiculous ease.

"Is that it?" he snarled. "Really? This is the level of protection my wife counts on in the field?"

Another man cried out angrily and surged forward, his fist levelled at Ce's face. Ce caught the punch in his fist, stopping it cold. With contemptuous ease he flung the man aside, sending him face first into the dirt. He leaned backward slightly as another man tried to get lucky with a punch and dropped him with a simple knife-hand strike to the side of his neck.

Outraged, the two companies attacked, seeming to forget who it was that they were assaulting but unable to take any further slights to their honour. Ce stood his ground and met them head on...

"What I don't understand is _why _you felt the need to taunt them like that." Da said as she watched the healer Ren Neng tend to her husband's various bruises and injuries. "Gods, Ce, you're going to be covered in that green muck of his again and you'll smell for days. How can I sleep with you?"

By way of response, Ce took some of the slimy green ooze that Ren Neng used and smeared it across Da's face and neck before she could react. She squealed and glared at him.

"Now ya might as well sleep with me, because no one else is gonna want to be near you..." he said cheerfully. "As for your men, well, I just figured they needed a wake-up call, ya know? I didn't want them takin' their job for granted, because guardin' you is gonna get a lot tougher now, isn't it?"

"I guess so," Da admitted. "But really, Ce... did you have to beat up _all_ of them?"

"Didn't want anyone feelin' left out is all. What's so wrong with that?"

"You are atrocious, mister." Da grumbled. "Ren Neng says that some of them might only be ready the day before we are set to leave, thanks to your little stunt."

"I'd rather them have the crap kicked out of them now than in the field," Ce said sternly. "The garrison you guys're gonna fight is a tough one, commanded by some guy named Zhang He. Lu Xun tangled with him at Changban. He's supposed to be good, real good. I want them ready."

"Those who are well enough to ride are practicing as we speak, husband." Da cooed in a soothing tone, putting a hand on her husband's cheek. "They took the news of our new assignment better than I thought they would, especially the Iron Fists."

"And they're not objecting to you having a bunch of new companies to deal with?" he asked.

"I didn't get that impression," she replied. "If anything, they think me becoming a regimental commander is a good idea, and 'about damn time', as one of them put it."

"More'n anything I'm glad you feel you're ready for it." Ce mentioned cheerfully. "I know you've been studyin' when no one's lookin' and when you're not workin' on the courtesan academies. I'm proud of you, Da."

"Your ancestor's manuals have been of great assistance, since the tenets are just common sense." Da mused, thinking back on what had been imparted to her. "It teaches the reader not so much about how to win as how not to lose."

"I've heard as rumour you've been takin' a look at some of the foreign tactical manuals we've acquired as well," Ce said. "Looks like Zhou Yu has a readin' companion for that stuff. Anything interesting?"

Da raised an eyebrow. "Don't try that on me, mister. I happen to know you've already been through them all yourself and you probably have them all memorized. And yes, I find the way the legions of Roma fight very interesting, as well as the 'phalanx' formations used by the city states of Greece and then Iskander."

"Nothin' escapes you," Ce laughed, before wincing suddenly, a flash of pain through his side where an Iron Fist trooper had axe-handled him repeatedly. "Ow, yeah... okay, so maybe a fist fight with two hundred angry soldiers defending a girl's honour wasn't the smartest thing ever... but you oughta see the other guys."

"I have," Da muttered indignantly. "And I think you owe them an apology, Ce. They work very hard."

"They were gettin' soft, Da," Ce said, his tone now stern. "I wasn't punishing them, y'know, I take your safety seriously and if they can't take down one guy, they need to toughen up."

"Maybe any other man, up to and including Taishi Ci, husband mine, mayhap even Elryk, since I consider them the two deadliest warriors in the realm after you," Da allowed. "But has it occurred to you that two-hundred to one odds are not that big of a challenge for _you?_"

Ce considered what his wife was positing- in battle he always proved nigh invincible. During the battle outside the fortress occupied by Zhang Jiao during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Ce had personally accounted for over a thousand enemy soldiers, by himself. During the campaign against Dong Zhuo, when he was not fighting Lu Bu, he had torn through the enemy ranks like a scythe through wheat. Only truly mighty warriors seemed capable of contesting him and his seemingly boundless energy meant he could fight tirelessly against what others would consider absurd odds. No matter how tired he felt or how sore his muscles got, he always found the strength to continue, to persevere until he won.

Da understood what his wife was saying, but he was taking no chances with her safety if she was going to take the field, given his new feud with Cao Cao and the Prime Minister's intentions for Da and Xiao.

"Ce? Are you alright?"

Ce blinked and smiled up at his lovely consort. "Yeah, fine. Why?"

"I... I've never seen that look on your face before," Da said, obviously concerned and maybe a little frightened. "Not even when you fought Ou Xing. Your expression was... I cannot describe, but part of me found it terrifying."

"It's nothin', Da," he said dismissively. "I am determined to end these terrible wars once and for all. I know who's responsible and I'm gonna make the Han and Cao Cao pay for all they've done."

If it was a truth by omission, it was still the truth. Da didn't need to know everything.

"Let's go," Ce said, rising from the table he was sitting on. "We've got a lot to get ready." Ren Neng bowed respectfully as he moved aside, allowing the warlord to exit his house. Ce had built the renowned doctor and mystic healer a spacious dwelling nearby the palace. Ren Neng had initially protested the size of the domicile as wasteful and beyond his station, but Ce had made it clear that he could train select students there as well as keep entire rooms devoted to ingredients and his various practices. One room even housed a shrine to Zhang Guo and Shen Nong, the gods of healing and medicine.

Several rooms had neatly-categorized shelves containing common roots, herbs and concoctions that the healer used in everyday medicine. Another smaller, secret room, accessed through his personal chambers, was where he kept the rare ingredients that were so hard to come by- _Lei Gong Teng_ (Thunder God Vine), powdered gems, phoenix marrow, ape lips and substances from distant lands, brought to him by the caravans controlled by the trader-lord Dayu-kah.

Other rooms were dedicated to training his carefully selected students or to specific arts such as acupuncture, _qigong _or various _chi_ and meridian ailments. All were guarded by a small shrine or effigy of one deity or another.

Ren Neng had sworn himself to the service of Lord Sun Ce, not only because he believed that this remarkable young man would pacify and finally unite the land, but because he showed sympathy and support for various charitable hospitaller organizations such as the Five Pecks of Rice sect, of which Ren Neng was a part. Though the dogma of the organization deviated from standard Taoist and state-approved practices in some ways, it was a peaceful sect dedicated to aiding the poor and tending the sick. Originating in Hanzhong, the sect had almost been sucked into the frenzied violence of the Yellow Turban Rebellion but thankfully managed to avoid the issue and thus its own destruction.

"_Will there come a day when sects such as ours are no longer necessary?"_ he wondered. _"Could men such as Lord Sun Ce possibly bring about a realm where the sick and needy are seen to readily and without prejudice, based on wealth or social status? Maybe, but our ways must never be forgotten, for surely one day all the good works of men like Lord Sun will be undone and our teachings will be needed once more. Until then, he has my undying loyalty. And my prayers..."_

The army had stopped for the night at the point where they would split and go their separate ways, each destined for a different target. Lu Meng would take the largest force straight north, to provide a diversion in attacking across the Yangzi. Lu Xun and the Warhawks would be breaking off shortly after the crossing and speed toward their objective within the mountains. Shang Xiang and Elryk would continue east to the sea and board the ships waiting to transport them northward along the shore, striking deep behind enemy lines at vital targets.

The commanders pondered their assignments, knowing that the timing of all the strikes was critical to the overall success of the endeavour. Lu Meng's was corps headed north, ready to strike across the mighty river and take the garrison they had been assigned at unawares. They rode alongside Sun Ce's own corps, lead by the renowned Night Tigers. Da Qiao, though attached to Lu Meng's corps for this campaign, rode now with her husband, proud of her position as a regimental commander.

Her men were all cavalry-trained and now functioned as a cavalry force, mounted on swift steeds, meant to flank and harass the enemy, a type of fighting that seemed to agree with her personal style of combat and tactics. The Iron Fists, Valiant Cavaliers and eight more companies, including the famed Warhounds, the Fire Steeds and the Shining Spears now composed her battle force. They all flew the Sun family banner along with her personal insignia, a silver crane on a blue field with their individual company insignia below that. The additional companies newly assigned to her were from Lu Meng's corps and had willingly sworn loyalty to the Lady, who was beloved by all for her quiet tenacity and resolve.

Sun Ce's corps, headed by Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers, consisted of some of the most renowned regiments in the entire Southlands army. Many were veteran regiments from Jiang Dong, such as the Warblades, the Iron Scorpions and the Deathwing, while new regiments like the Dragon's Claws and the Bronze Tigers were composed of men recruited after the Wu territories had been conquered. Tactically flexible, strong on both offense and defence, the one trait they all shared was their love of a good fight, something Ce approved of in his men.

He thought about the various new and bold ideas he and Zhou Yu had implemented in the past few years, ideas that only now were coming to fruition... there was a company called the Amber Moon, composed entirely of strange men, touched in some mystic capacity by the gods and capable of using magic in both physical and ephemeral ways. Trained and moulded tightly under the auspices of Ce and Zhou Yu, their loyalty was unquestioned and their potential was terrifying. He waited eagerly to hear from his Grand Strategist about how they had done on their first mission.

Morning found the commanders consulting with Sun Ce and Zhou Yu around a map that designated their various targets around Wei and how they would be reached. Zhou Yu pointed at the coast, indicating a little dot had drawn.

"Zhou Tai and Gan Ning will meet Lady Shang Xiang and Lord Elryk on the coast, here at Hu Du. From there they will head up the coat to the mouth of the Wei and then be transported swiftly to their targets."

Xiao Qiao, though not designated for this particular assignment but having one of her own, still frowned and felt the need to interject. She inspected the map more closely and looked at her husband. "Zhou Yu, darling, that doesn't say Hu Du."

The strategist paused and blinked at his diminutive wife.

"It doesn't say Hu Du, it clearly says 'Shanghai,' darling," she pointed out.

Shang Xiang looked down. "No, Xiao, it says 'Shencheng'."

"Are you sure it doesn't say Song Hu?" Da queried, joining the other two in disputing Zhou Yu's translation of the characters of the settlement."

"Most assuredly, ladies, it is a fishing village and it is called Hu Du." Zhou Yu said patiently.

"What about Haishang?" Xiao added, wondering if her husband had accidentally reversed the characters that made up the place's name.

The strategist looked at Elryk pointedly. "Any disambiguations you would care to add, lord of the White Wolves, while we contest my scholarly abilities?"

"Enough, girls, leave Zhou Yu alone." Ce said finally, not really caring what the fishing village was called. History told him that place names were rarely constant or eternal in any event. Baifu, after all, had been built on the site of an ancient village called Banpo.

"Alright, we've all got a lot of ground to cover," Ce said, his voice taking on a serious quality. "None of these targets are easy, but that's because they're worth destroyin'. Once you've lost the element of surprise, Cao Cao's troops'll be all over you like a fat kid on a bean cake. So destroy everything you can an' get the hell out. Partial success is better'n nothin' and stayin' too long'll just cost us troops we don't have."

Zhou Yu nodded and took over. "You have all been provided with the most accurate information and maps we have on the targets, some of it as recent as three weeks ago. Shang Xiang will be transported by Gan Ning and his swift vessels down the Huang River while Elryk attacks the ship building yards at the mouth of the river. His attack will precede hers in order to distract Cao Cao from the dangers to Wu Chao, since he will doubtless send reinforcements to repel an incursion."

Shang Xiang observed the maps she was given. "I suspect that the Huang will be blocked off from us once Elryk and his men destroy the shipyards, so we will have to strike south from Wu Chao on foot."

"Correct, my lady." Zhou Yu confirmed. "You and Gan Ning's contingent will flee south to the tributaries of the Yin River, where we already have vessels waiting to spirit you south at speed. The river will convey you to Lake Zhong He and then Bai Ma. From there, they will not be able to catch you as the waters are too fast."

Ce watched as his sister studied her map intently and laughed. "Yeah, it's _real_ close to Xu Chang, sis, but don't even think of being a hero and attempting to storm it. You have your orders and you're gonna follow 'em, got it?"

Shang Xiang grimaced but nodded resignedly. She hated when Ce read her thoughts.

They discussed Lu Xun's penetration into the mountains and then his rapid escape down the river. The diversionary attacks by Lu Meng, Zhou Yu and himself required little attention during this last meeting since the point of them was to cause so much havoc that Cao Cao's attention was drawn away from the more remote and unlikely targets.

The commanders all shared cups of wine and said their goodbyes. Xiao and Da both wept tears as they parted from their husbands and even Shang Xiang's eyes glistened as she left her brother to board the vessels that would take her to the sea.

Standing on a hill, Ce watched as his family, friends and comrades all set off in different directions. He had fought alongside every one of them before and they had always triumphed, but as he reflected on what they now sought to accomplish, the scale of these wars was apparent to him and his heart was heavy, wondering if some of them might never come back...

Zhou Tai's fleet had taken Elryk and his warriors aboard and were now heading north swiftly, moving along the coast under the cover of night, hiding during the day, either in quiet, well-guarded coves or far out enough that they were not readily spotted. The journey was slower than it might normally have been due to their need to avoid being sighted, but the former pirate promised they would still reach their goal easily.

Though Zhou Tai had little interaction with Elryk and the White Wolves because he mostly stayed in Wuchang with Sun Quan or was patrolling the coast, he quickly found himself liking these barbarians- though their eyes were ridiculously large, they were a straightforward people, simple and unassuming. He admired such qualities since he despised the two-faced ways of the Han nobility.

True, they were uncultured and often crass but he harboured no doubt that many of his own customs horrified them and he resolved to be as open-minded as Lord Sun Ce, at least where these valiant foreigners were concerned.

They stood now at the bow of his personal ship, the _Red Dawn_, the largest and fastest of the ships that made up his fleet. A cold wind was coming out of the north and he watched as Elryk stood unconcerned on the prow, clearly not bothered by it. He marvelled at the obvious savagery of their way of life and combat- their weapons were large and brutally effective, not tools of finesse but meant to batter the enemy into submission. He wondered what type of foes the Romans must have been to withstand these terrifying warriors.

"Would that I could stay close and help you, Lord Elryk, for your flight south will be a difficult one."

Elryk grunted as he stared north, towering over the _Red Dawn's_ crew, even Zhou Tai, and few in the Southlands could claim to do so. The former pirate was as tall as either Taishi Ci or Huang Gai, albeit somewhat more spare of build. For all that though, neither could readily claim to equal his speed with a blade. He was a masterful warrior and a grim foe, Sun Quan's fell right hand.

"You are needed elsewhere, my friend," Elryk said in his rumbling base, allowing the Uyghur scribe Khun to translate for him. "My men and I shall be fine. Only Cao Cao's cavalry can outpace us and they are unlikely to suspect that we will be making our escape on foot, right through their territory."

"Like enough," Zhou Tai agreed, estimating how long it would take them to reach Cao Cao's dry docks. "But still, it will be dangerous and rather tiresome. Even for people with legs the length of yours, it will be a long march."

Elryk laughed. "As our Lord Sun Ce is fond of saying, anything worth doing is never easy. My warriors and I are used to hardship. Even if our lord subdues all his foes and becomes the ruler of the Middle Kingdom, I would never be able to live as your nobles do. I shall ever just be a barbarian warlord, I desire nothing else."

Zhou Tai nodded. "I too could never live as a noble. It is too easy a life for me and I have no inclination to endure the re-education that would be involved in making myself a person that was allowed to rule in Sun Ce's realm."

"He has, thankfully, excluded me from any of these damned exams I keep hearing about," Elryk muttered. "Were such an exception not made, my tribe would have to be ruled by my daughter Hala, since she is the only one of us who can read worth a damn or possibly understand all these damned laws you people live by."

A hint of a smile creased Zhou Tai's face as he thought of a realm ruled by Sun Ce's daughter Kai-Ying and her friend Hala. Could it possibly be any worse than the corruption of the Han?

"A day and a half remains before you will debark, my lord," he said finally, still scanning the horizon. "Will you and your men be ready?"

"Aye," Elryk replied, nodding. "My men are eager to feel dry land beneath them again, to feel their blades biting into their foe's necks. This will be a victory worthy of song and saga. I promise you and your crew will be sung of in our tale."

He had never been one for celebration, in the traditional Chinese sense, but Zhou Tai had to admit, being part of these strange foreigners' tales sounded gratifying. He looked forward to hearing it sung and he would do everything he could to make sure his name was remembered.

Shang Xiang urged her women off the boats quickly, knowing that the cover of clouds over the moon might be fleeting and remaining unspied was their greatest and most crucial advantage. They had, through the sublime and often baffling skill of Gan Ning's crews, managed to slip down the river to their target completely undetected. While it was true that Cao Cao's troops had no reason to believe that they would be attacked from this direction, she had every intention of making them rue the assumption.

Her women had formed up in their companies on the shore and she conferred now with Gan Ning. In some senses, the cocky pirate reminded her of her brother Ce, but he was crass and not above leering at girls. She assessed his physique and resolved herself to a trial of skill against him one day.

"So we will destroy Wuchao and then head south, where more of your ships are waiting," she said, confirming the plans with the pirate. "You, meanwhile, along with Zhou Tai, are going to be raiding the coast, destroying any ports you find and plundering any ships you capture."

"Yeah," Gan Ning agreed, watching her troops as they formed up in their ordered companies. He didn't want to admit it, but he was very impressed with their discipline and combat worthiness. "Believe me, we're gonna keep Cao Cao distracted for you."

Shang Xiang caught the look in his eye as he looked at her warriors. "Yes, lord of ships, they are amongst the toughest and most potent troops in my brother's arsenal. I say, with confidence, that only the Night Tigers and Elryk's White Wolves are more dangerous and with me at their head, my girls are their equals. You wish to test them?"

Gan Ning grinned wolfishly. "I'd be more interested in finding out how you'd stack up against me in a fight, but that'll have to wait for a while, eh?"

Shang Xiang nodded. "I would be honoured, but keep in mind that I am the sister of Sun Ce, whom we both know we are no match for. The only two men in the Southlands I cannot match in personal combat are he and Elryk."

"Yeah?" Gan Ning queried, intrigued by her confidence. "What about Taishi Ci or Zhou Yu?"

"_Lord_ Zhou Yu I am sure I could handle," Shang Xiang replied, correcting Gan Ning's slip in honourifics. "As for the captain of the Night Tigers, I would doubtless have to wear him down, but I am reasonably certain I could best him."

Gan Ning seemed to have more to say but Shang Xiang turned and signalled for her troops to move out. She turned as she loped off to join them and called back to the pirate.

"Doubt not in the honour you have been given in joining my brother's cause, Gan Ning, for you will never have another chance to gain such renown and make a difference!"

Gan Ning watched at the women-warriors melted into the night like phantoms. Her words stayed in his ears, challenging the notions he had trained himself to believe about what made him great. If someone as superior as Sun Ce was dedicated to such noble endeavours, was it not petty pride that would keep Gan Ning from doing so? Did he really care what people would say about him, as long as everyone remembered him?

Damn, yeah, he did.

Stupid Southlanders.

Lu Meng's drive across the river had caught the Prime Minister's troops at unawares and chaos now reigned wherever his forces were found. Under the cover of night, they had stormed the northern shores and razed any encampments they found, decimating the soldiers and their supplies.

Da Qiao and her cavalry companies thundered along the flanks of the battle lines, harrying the enemy from horseback. They stayed out of reach when necessary, punishing the enemy with barrages of arrows and then swooping in when their formations or lines faltered. If the enemy charged, she and her men simply melted away, out of range of their weapons. If they were pursued by cavalry, they kept their distance and whittled down their numbers with hails of missile fire and then scattered them with a savage counter-attack.

To her east she could see bright explosions erupting in the night and what look like streams of fire trailing through the night sky; she knew that her sister and the _Feilong_ were striking deep at supply dumps, destroying Cao Cao's ability to fight any sustained action, not to mention terrifying the troops with tales of dragons, come to destroy them in a sea of flame.

She thought about what Sun Ce and Lu Xun had told her about the general who commanded Cao Cao's forces, Zhang He. He was supposed to be rather eccentric and, well, flamboyant, but a formidable officer nonetheless. She surmised that Lu Meng would have to deal with this man rather than herself, but she would take no chances. Her role was to cause as much havoc as possible, affording time for Lu Xun, Elryk and Shang Xiang to achieve their goals and to keep Cao Cao from organizing any effective response to the raids.

She dug her heels into her mount's flanks, exhorting it to speed up. Ahead of her was a messenger, attempting to flee the scene and no doubt report what was happening and get reinforcements. True, it would be fairly obvious to anyone who looked into the night that a battle was underway, but the less detailed information the enemy had about what was happening the better- even if Cao Cao's forces overreacted and sent many more troops than necessary to deal with the incursion, this meant that fewer troops could be used against the commanders who were currently heading for the true objectives.

She could hear her steed panting as it raced to catch up with the messenger's horse. She realized that her mount was unlikely to get closer before it became exhausted and then she would be far from her own troops and surrounded by her foe. She whipped her bow off her back, knocked and arrow and said a prayer to the gods as she focused on the barely visible silhouette ahead of her and released the missile...

The messenger struck his riding crop against his horse's flank, desperate to escape the wild melee that had broken out and to inform Lord Zhang He about the surprise attack. He knew he was being followed, but his mount was fresh whereas his pursuer's horse was doubtless winded from the battle. He was quite certain he would be able to convey what he had seen to-

His horse screeched and then the world tumbled about him. He felt himself land heavily and heard his steed crash to the ground nearby. Ignoring any pain he felt, he sprang to his feet, determined to continue his flight. A pain flared in his leg as his head swam, but he gritted his teeth and tried to run.

He spun as he heard something thundering up behind him. The flash of a gleaming blade was the last thing he ever saw...

Lu Xun's eyes were closed as he pictured his target, below him in the vales of these mountains. He knew that Sun Ce's forces had surged across the Great River and were locked in combat with Cao Cao's army, giving him the chance he and his troops needed to destroy this mining complex.

More than that, he had also discovered a foundry, a series of forges dedicated to smithying a great horde of weapons for use in the campaigns Cao Cao meant to conduct against his homelands. He blessed Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's intuition about destroying this site, since it was an even greater threat than they had anticipated.

His Seahawks had transported the remaining companies swiftly though narrow vales along rivers and waterways less experienced or daring mariners would have considered unusable. The Nighthawks and Deathhawks had spread out into the hills and quietly dealt with the sentries and outposts, allowing his remaining companies to get close, supporting the Firehawks as they planted the dreaded incendiary charges that would destroy the complex, leaving it little more than flaming ruins and stinking slag.

Everything had to be perfectly timed, down to the moment, but he had faith in his men and his contingency plans were sound in case of unexpected complications. Along with Zhou Yu he had refined the incendiary bombs and charges, making them smaller and even more powerful, allowing greater ease of transport and yet more destructive power.

He looked out into the darkness of the hills surrounding the refinery, watching as the campfires of the outermost sentries were extinguished, the signal that the location was secured. They went out almost rhythmically, coming close to the target, as yet unnoticed by the defenders.

As the last sentry was dealt with and its flame extinguished, he drew his keen blade and held it aloft. The blade glinted into the moonlight and he knew that the eyes of every member of his Warhawks was upon that signal. Less than three seconds later, the valley echoed with the blasts of charges, strategically placed to cause maximum damage to the facilities. He knew men would be shouting and crying out in panic, but he could hear none of it because the explosions kept coming, followed by the rumbling thunder of stone avalanches as the charges bit deep into the tortured stone of the mountains.

His men were racing now for safety as yet another disaster came upon the foundry- the mountain wells and rivers that fed the forges, their source of water that made the smelting of iron possible, had been dammed and controlled until now, when Lu Xun's bombs had obliterated the wooden wall holding the waters back. The torrent rolled now down into the facility, adding to the chaos. Those men not caught in the myriad fires often found themselves swept into the dizzying depths of the mines or foundry by the swelling flood. Water met fire and molten metal, creating a stinking steam that obscured the valley and caused yet more deaths as men stumbled about in confusion and terror.

Lu Xun nodded and rose, knowing that his men would all be sprinting towards their next targets, the scattered camps about the region, who would respond to the incident if given the chance. He knew their numbers were not great, but he did not intend to allow them any opportunity to rob him of the initiative. He would converge on them and destroy them, all the while moving toward his principal objective, the escape route where the Seahawks were to be waiting.

He found a small encampment nearby, the enemy numbering roughly his own. Lu Xun and the Silverhawks dashed in and make quick work of the confused for, who had become aware of the chaos at the foundry but had yet to effectively respond. He struck down the commander before the man could give orders for defence. He did not doubt that much of the loot they would find in the camp might prove useful, since these locales were the initial transport points for the arms and armour created at the foundry, but his timetable brooked no such luxuries. His men had to be fleet and not burdened down with spoils, no matter how valuable they might seem. If he found the Imperial Seal itself, he would leave it where it sat, for fear it would slow him down.

His men _did_, however, find the time to place yet more charges in the stockpiles and blast the forge's wares into broken and molten heaps, never to be used by the enemy. Lu Xun considered that at least to be good use of the precious spare moments he had allowed himself. Within minutes he and his men were sprinting through the darkness, leaving the conflagration that had once been the enemy camp behind them.

So far everything had gone perfectly, but this was only true if he and his men returned to the Southlands safely. He remembered what Lord Sun Ce had said about expending lives in these operations- they were trying to disrupt Cao Cao and keep him from being able to effectively wage war, not contest his direct military might in pitched battle. That meant every single life lost on any front in this operation was squandered and he had vowed he would not be a part of that gruesome and unpalatable statistic.

The escape ships awaited.

Zhou Yu rode at the front of his Swordwind troops, stampeding through the center of the broken enemy line. True to his assessment, the foe had recovered quickly from the initial shock of the attacks across the river and had rallied to try and repulse the assaults. After the storm onto the bridgeheads created, Zhou Yu's troops had seemed to slow in their momentum, proceeding forward cautiously. The local commander used this lack of speed to launch a furious counter-attack and the Grand Strategist's screening troops seemed to melt away before the northern troops' onslaught.

What awaited Cao Cao's troops, however, was completely unexpected and the men who survived would speak of the following carnage only in trembling and hushed tones to their dying days...

As the northern army rolled forward, determined to push the southerners back into the river, the found themselves confronted by men wearing long, ornate robes and covered in mysterious glyphs and tattoos. Their eyes seemed to glow and they chanted in strange, almost drunken tones as they faced down the enemy.

One of the men pointed his gnarled and the soldiers and let out a shrill cry. Roiling flames belched forth from the rod and washed over the closest troops, immolating them and turning them into screaming, agonized torches. Another made several convoluted gestures and what looked like a great bird made of fire burst in a fury of sparks and heat from his outstretched hands. The bird swept through yet more of the ranks, causing panic and mayhem before exploding in a giant fireball that sent men hurtling in all directions.

To the left, a mage had conjured spears and darts of glittering ice, sending them towards the enemy in gales of death. Stunned by what they could not explain, the northerners initially milled about in confusion and panic until the unrelenting assaults became too much. The conjurors on the right flank had summoned terrible winds that stymied the cavalry opposing them. The gusts ripped through men and their horses like blades, so terrible was their bite and pushed them backwards, tumbling through the troops that had come behind.

Chaos reigned and now Zhou Yu and his troops surged forward out of the night, ploughing directly into the center of the enemy line while the _wujen_ advanced on the left and right, supported by light troops and causing panic and carnage wherever they went.

Zhou Yu struck left and right as the enemy fled before him, still stunned by the supernatural assault inflicted upon them by the sorcerers and now unready for the keen, cold steel of his ancient blade. He knew that there was no permanent victory here tonight and that the appearance of the _wujen_ would only compel Cao Cao to find his own such specialists, but this entire operation was simply meant to buy them badly-needed time. Be it hours, days, weeks or months, anything that could stall the Prime Minister and his massive armies was a boon to them while they prepared for the showdown they knew would come.

The Swordwind came to the enemy's main encampment and they were less than a single _li_ from the palisade gate when from overhead came the fiery shriek of dragons- Xiao Qiao and the _Feilong _arrived with exquisite timing and the firebombs released from the wings and jaws of their draconic flying machines made short of the camp's gate and much of the walls.

As the defensive works collapsed in a flaming heap, in leapt Zhou Yu, a look of nightfall on his face and murder in his heart; the fury of battle was upon him and he laid men low in the dust, sparing none in his frenzy. The camp itself was ablaze before long and the enemy's forces in full retreat. Rather than follow, the strategist ordered everything that could not be carried in one hand put to the torch and promised a swift death to any man who defied that order, no matter how valuable he thought the plunder was.

Zhou stood now atop a low hill, knowing that his own forces were pulling back, their objectives completed and that the enemy would be back in force. He would not contest their strength unless they were foolish enough to try and cross the river for revenge. He only prayed that he had bought his fellow commanders enough time to do what was required.

So much rested on their shoulders.

Shang Xiang crept forward, her eyes adjusting to the soft illumination of the distant campfire. She was careful not to close until her vision was completely adjusted, just she miss something in her rush to close with the foe. She crouched in some scrub bushes and waited silently, her mouth and jaws parted just a little to open up her ear canals and hear more acutely while she paused. She felt rather than saw or heard her battle sisters gathering beside her, knowing that a full fifty of them wear nearby. She had divided them into ten battle groups and they would converge on Wuchao from several directions and with great force, convincing the enemy that a much larger attack was underway. She sought only to destroy the facility, not to fight a pitched battle. Her ferocious instincts yearned for a good fight, to prove herself the superior warrior, but she knew that they could not spare the troops for such an endeavour, not yet. Therefore she calmed the tigress within and promised it a swift kill since she could not give it battle.

The sentries nearby were now in plain view, completely unaware of the presence of Shang Xiang and her warriors. With a subtle gesture, she sent one of her girl around the flank where she nestled into the soft turf, surrounded by bushes and began making soft cooing noises, like a female pheasant.

True to form, one of the guards' ears perked up upon hearing the sound and he went to investigate, cheerfully commenting that he would be back soon with a delicious dinner for the post.

Men... always thinking with their stomachs. He would not live to rue the deception.

He came within three paces of where the amazon warrior lay when a tiny, needle-like dark coated in a deadly toxin sped out of the darkness and embedded itself in the man's neck. He clapped at his neck as one might do when stung by a mosquito and then went rigid, his eyes wide and glazed. He was caught by the waiting warrior-woman before he crashed to the ground and disposed of silently. She cooed again to let her sisters know the foe was dead.

Shang Xiang nodded and pointed at another sentry of the nearby post, who was sitting on a small stool, leaning against their wooden structure and snoring as he dozed. The girl next to Shang Xiang inserted another dart into the blowpipe she carried and with an exhalation sent the deadly projectile into his neck. The guard never woke up but shuddered and went still.

The Bow-Hipped Princess now crept forward again, using the deep shadows to approach the post, knowing that another of her sisters was skirting silently and swiftly to do the same. Shang Xiang had her eyes on the post's commander, a burly and rough-looking man who seemed capable enough in a fight but was guaranteed to make a lot of noise if afforded the opportunity. His armour was well-made and thick, which meant she could not be certain that another poison needle would do the trick if shot from a distance. She intended to make sure it was done right.

The man was grunting as he finished relieving himself and walked back from the bushes he had been using. There was a snap of a twig behind him and he turned to look and see what had made the noise. Seeing nothing, he turned to make his way back but stopped when he saw Shang Xiang right in front of him. A look of confusion passed over his face as he wondered where she had come from.

The girl smiled evilly and placed her finger to her lips, indicating he should be silent. Still bewildered by her sudden appearance, he hesitated a split second too long before her hand glided up like a serpent and pushed the tiny needle into his neck. He barely had time to grunt before he lost control of his body and the world faded to a stifling darkness around him.

She heard the subtle call of a thrush nearby and then another, indicating that all the nearby guards had been neutralized and the post was now secured. Without another word, the amazons began their steady and silent advance again, moving still closer to the depot.

The walls of Wuchao may have been wood, but they were strong and the gates well-manned. She had no intention of fighting to force the gates so she would need to find other methods of entry. She knew that the other force commanders she had designated would also be searching for alternatives. She saw several watch towers in the east of the facility and knew that Fu Chin Ran would be silencing the lookouts in those towers and using them to scale the walls and then wreak havoc.

Shang Xiang was closest to the main gate and its supporting structures. She bit her lip as she ran options through her head about how to get to the wall without having to fight every step of the way there, to maintain her advantage of surprise.

If such a thing were possible, the night because even darker suddenly and a wind out of the north howled in, guttering the torches and lights of the defenders. Thunder that almost sounded like an angry roar echoed across the land and a dreadful chill stole over the princess. Almost dreading what she would find, Shang Xiang looked to the night sky and saw dark and terrible clouds stretching as far as she could see. The clouds almost formed a face, one of horrible aspect, with flashing lightning as eyes of rage.

The god of night, patron deity of the White Wolves and as close to a god on earth as Shang Xiang had ever seen.

The thought about what Elryk's brother Aengava might have done to conjure the deity crossed her mind for the briefest of moments before she banished it and leapt forward, knowing that Cao Cao's men inside Wuchao were all looking at the sky and wondering what dread abomination glared down upon them. Elryk may have been countless _li_ to her north and east, attacking the Prime minister's shipyards, but this did not mean that the god of night's presence could not spread and be felt elsewhere. She would take every advantage she could get, knowing the other battle groups would do the same.

As she expected, the guardians of Wuchao were all goggling up at the sky when the amazons assaulted the walls and burst into the depot. Cries of confusion and panic rose as the women slaughtered all within reach and began setting fire to the structures and endless piles of supplies. Shang Xiang drove straight into the center of the facility, wishing dearly to find Cao Cao there but knowing that he would not be. Instead, she found the commander barking orders and trying to raise the defence. He was a stout man, covered from head to toe in armour, his squat, powerful body speaking of unyielding defence, like a mountain of iron.

"Know, invaders, that you stand before Cao Ren!" he called out, brandishing a large shield that sported many wicked blades beneath it.

"I recognize you, kin of the soulless usurper!" she called back. "I am Sun Shang Xiang, sister of Sun Ce, lord of the Southlands and Wuchao is mine!"

She leapt at him, her chakrams flashing in the lightning while Cao Ren stepped into a defensive stance, his mighty shield between them. Their gazes locked and she saw his eyes narrow just before she reached him- with barely a split second to spare, she twisted through her charge, rolling at a blade darted out from beneath Cao Ren's shield, a projectile that most certainly would have punched a hole through her torso had she not reacted when she did.

Shang Xiang rolled and sprang to her feet, sensing that her foe was almost on top of her, determined to not give her time to recover. She leapt aside as the deadly, sharpened bottom edgee of his shield slammed down where she had been, biting deep into the earth. Shang Xiang's foot lashed out and impacted his shoulder but he was barely moved by the blow, in spite of her strength.

Up came the shield and another bladed missile shot forth toward her. She was amazed by his speed, considering the general's bulk. She spun low beneath the projectile and slashed with one of her chakrams, raking the edge along Cao Ren's thigh. Metal shrieked and sparks flew, but the grim iron held, preventing the certain loss of his leg. The general struck at her with his gauntleted fist and she bent backward, allowing the strike to pass over her. She kicked as she cartwheeled backward, discouraging pursuit. She heard the clack of metal and whine of a spring, followed by a hiss of air- instinctively she struck out with her chakrams and deflected yet another of Cao Ren's blades. Righting herself, she glared at him, ready to dodge yet another.

"How many of those damned things are you hiding in there, you squat little toad?" she hissed.

"Come closer and find out." Cao Ren growled.

Always one to oblige, Shang Xiang leapt in again, determined to make short work of her foe. She struck like a whirlwind, dancing around her opponent, never standing still long enough for him to draw a bead on her. She weaved and struck, dodging or parrying every blow, waiting for weaknesses or fatigue to show, looking for weak points in his armour.

She struck again at the leg armour she had already scored and let out a whoop of triumph and she felt the armour give way. Cao Ren grunted as the bright steel of her chakram bit into his thigh, crimson blood welling through the rent. The general staggered for a moment and she tried to press the attack, but not before several of Cao Ren's personal guards sprang on her, defending him ferociously. She fought back furiously, warding off their frenzied assaults while counter-attacking. Forced back from Cao Ren by his men, she felled several, trying to regain the ground she had lost.

Her back was to the general as they surrounded her. Memories of Sun Jian's death ringed by foes flooded her and she tore into the men, determined to not suffer the same fate. She ducked and one of the men died as Cao Ren's blade skimmed over her head and impaled him. She kicked the man, breaking through the ring to freedom. She slashed savagely, raking her circular blade across a man's throat and then attacking the others, never giving Cao Ren a clear shot at her.

Shang Xiang exchanged several blows with a swordsman before he fell, an iron spike speeding out of the darkness and burying itself in his neck. Fu Chin Ran was instantly by the princess' side, the two of them now facing down Cao Ren and his personal guard. The two women glared at their foes while the defenders drew up in a tight formation in front of the general, protecting him while he was wounded, daring them to attack.

Ululating cries echoed through the camp and the heat of fires finally reached Shang Xiang. The fury of battle coursed through her but she knew that Wuchao was now ablaze, their objective completed. Without another word, she and her beloved commander turned and dashed toward the walls, ready to fade back into the night and leave their foes in confusion. As she sprinted through the darkness she knew that their victory had been total and now all that remained was to traverse the length of Cao Cao's lands and return to Baifu.

Thunder shook the land, lightning illuminated the darkness and the god of night bellowed in rage overhead.

Elryk and his men approached from the north, loping toward the target, Cao Ca's dry docks. The lord of the White Wolves led the warriors, driving them on, his ice-blue eyes glinting as he thought about what lay ahead. Close by he heard his brother Aengava chanting quietly in a slurred, almost drunken tone. His vivid violet eyes almost glowed and he made gestures with his gnarled staff. He knew that his brother was making ready to summon their mighty god, who succoured their people in time of war, driving their enemies before them.

His men wore furs and pelts like they had back in their homelands, protecting them from the cold of these northern climes. The Prime Minister had built the facilities here thinking they were safe from attack, beyond the reach of any foe. Elryk had every intention of proving him wrong and making Cao Cao fear the _Bailangren_.

The wind roared in his ears, whipping his long, yellow hair around him as he led the Germans south. Distantly he became aware of the baying of wolves. He smiled grimly, for he has missed their call, these protectors of his tribe. Snow swirled around and he knew that Cao Cao's troops would be lax in guarding the passageways from the north.

"They have joined us, lord," Theudis said to Elryk. "They have been called by the god of night and they come to join us in battle."

"I know," Elryk replied as he kept running. "They are drawn to us and the scent of the blood we will spill."

Not far away two exceptionally large white wolves loped alongside the warband, howling to their kindred. Heartened by their presence, the barbarians ran even harder. War called and his men would answer. Cold steel would ring and blood would run before dawn.

"Those two brothers, they are sure sent to guide us." Glandyth remarked. "They will need names if they would be among us."

"Aye..." Elryk agreed. "And I do believe their names are already chosen for us."

_Stormbringer and Mournblade. _

Teng shivered as he wrapped his cloak around himself, trying to keep out the chill wind that had swept in from the north. Though these climes were supposed to be cool, this seemed rather unseasonably cold, even for this far north. The spirits of these lands were unforgiving.

"Damned weather," muttered Chen, his fellow sentinel as he held his hands over the small brazier that was supposed to provide warmth in this barren and wind-stripped hell. "They've had to stop work on the ships again due to the storm. If the snow kicks up any more, it might be another few days before the crews are back on track."

"Not like the ships will be able to go anywhere if the river freezes," Teng replied. "Gods above, what manner of people would readily and agreeably endure this environment?"

"It makes me homesick for Yan, that much is certain." Chen agreed as he gazed out from the watch tower that they now stood in, looking north. They had closed most of the shutters against the howling wind that battered the perimeter of the ship yards, allowing only a small aperture from which to look out. They did not see this as a major issue, since who in their right minds would be out in this icy gale anyway?

Both men had been assigned to the dry docks because they had shown little aptitude for active duty or fighting in the front lines. Destined to serve in the Prime Minister's forces, they were certainly disabused of the notion of comfy guard posts quickly enough and found themselves stationed in the north. Even the Jurchens and the Xiongnu were nowhere nearby, and while this meant that the ship construction yards were secure, this was little comfort to the stalwart duo, who had little to do but warm their hands, discuss soft women and watch for yaks on the flat plains that stretched out before them.

In the darkness, Chen heard the distant rumble of thunder and peals of lightning lit the far northern sky.

"Splendid," he grumped. "A winter storm. As if it wasn't cold and dreary enough."

He meant to continue his little tirade but Teng was not paying attention. He was gazing out of the shutters and frowning, as if what he saw was not agreeing with him. Chen protested as his comrade opened the shutters wide, allowing the icy gale into their little room but Teng pointed north and the two men stared dumbly.

The thunder and lightning rolled toward them at an alarming rate, but what rooted them to the stop was the fact that there seemed to be a face in the clouds, a titanic, glaring visage, as if the very heavens themselves were wroth with them. Eyes that blazed like too-bright stars pierced them and the rumble of the thunder and the howling of the wind were obviously the bellowing of the terrible being that came on relentlessly.

Teng caught the baying of wolves now and saw dozens of sleek, ferocious lupine forms, illuminated by the lightning. He then cried out an pointed in fear when he saw tall, fell men emerging from the darkness, dressed in furs, with unreal yellow hair and flashing blue eyes.

"Demons!" the sentry screamed, thinking that the hellish spirits of the frozen steppes had come for them. "They have come for our flesh!"

The warriors had not come for flesh but for blood and the outer perimeter was overrun by hundreds of the hulking white devils before a proper alarm could even be sounded. The flimsy northern gate was breached and Elryk leapt onto the ruins, exhorting his men to slay any they found and set fire to the ships that lay helpless.

The garrison had no chance and they fled before their strange and terrifying foe. Between the warriors assaulting them, the wolves that brought down the wounded and the raging deity that bellowed overhead, filling the sky, defence was nigh impossible. None could have guessed that such a thing was possible.

Valamir had been assigned the task of making sure the ship were set ablaze and his company plunged deep into the heart of the ship yard, driving all resistance before them, scattering or slaying anyone foolish enough to oppose his might. Torches and other oil-soaked tools of sabotage set scores of ships alight, the hulls in various stages of completion. Flames roared into the sky, a savage sacrifice to the god of night, who bellowed his approval in the whole-hearted bloodshed and destruction wrought in his name.

Heedless of the glowing conflagration around him, Elryk strode through the ship yard, shouting encouragement to his men, accompanied by Glandyth and Theudis. Nearby stood his new companions, Stormbringer and Mournblade, who would from that day forth never leave his side. If he needed any truer sign of his deity's favour, he did not know what it was.

"_And to think, this is only the beginning of the great deeds we shall do in our wars in Lord Sun Ce's name. Even the boundaries of the Middle Kingdom shall not be able to contain word of our deeds. May Septimus Severus in Rome hear of them and tremble in fear. One day, our lord may make his way west and I shall be at his side when the legions of the emperor must contest him..."_

Sun Ce and his men had broken into the fortress and now ran amok, destroying any supplies they came across and decimating the garrison. Led by Taishi Ci, the Night Tigers had proven far too ferocious an enemy for the ill-prepared troops that sought to stay their onslaught. While his men took control of the stronghold, Ce stood atop the walls, looking east, out towards Changban. Not many _li _from this very spot, Cao Cao's titanic army waited, an innumerable force that could not be contested. Not yet. But Sun Ce wanted the Prime Minister to know that he was not intimidated by the sheer numbers that opposed him and that Cao Cao was in for the fight of his life if he intended to contest Wu for control of the land.

A company of heavily-armoured swordsmen had flanked one of his Night Tiger companies and was driving into them, hell-bent on making the southlanders pay dearly for their impudence in attacking the Prime Minister. Determined to not let his troops have all the fun, Sun Ce leapt high into the air and plunged from the wall like a falling star, landing in the foe's midst with a thunderous crash and sending men flying in every direction. Rising from the crater he had created in the pavement, the warlord sprang on the enemy like a demon, his body blazing with his mighty battle aura. Striking left and right, he tore into what remained of their formation, every blow felling a victim and no armour was proof against his assault.

The tonfas reacted smoothly to his commands, whirling about as if they were part of him. Their mysterious construction would have meant they were totally unbalanced in the hands of a lesser warrior, but the quicksilver that flowed through the weapons gave them a touch and finesse that not even Zhou Yu could describe. They were not only made for Sun Ce but _meant _to be his alone. A touch of the divine was in them and it showed as their master rampaged across the field of battle, conquering any who opposed him.

He thrust a brutal side kick into a man's midriff, knocking him backward several spans, never to rise again. Without turning he slammed one of his tonfas backward into the face of another foe behind him and then spun low, sweeping the feet out from beneath two more swordsmen before he dispatched them.

Sun Ce had begun learning the various styles of unarmed combat at a young age, showing endless aptitude for them- Crane, Monkey, Dragon, Mantis, Serpent, Tiger... all were learned with little effort but he never rested or was content, he always drove himself to improve even when the monks who had imparted this knowledge could no longer match him. He had discovered that if he relaxed his leg during a sweeping roundhouse kick, the force behind the blow was increased exponentially. If one tensed the muscles of the leg, the blow was not only slowed but the impact considerably lessened. Being hit by a relaxed leg was light getting smashed by a tree trunk. It was the momentum and not the rigidity that counted.

Similarly, in spite of how fast his strikes were, Ce saved all his explosive power for the last split second up until contact- why waste muscle tension through the length of the entire strike when it could all be saved until it was needed at the end? Competent fighters had commented on how his blows seemed to almost glide effortlessly and then end with terrifying strength and destructive force with no waste of energy. His blows were almost impossible to deflect as a result.

In spite of his considerable musculature, Ce was also a very active fighter. Warriors usually reflected an element that best described their fighting style- air in the case of swift counters and striking, harrying stances, where one tried avoid contact, like Dao Qiao and her sister; earth represented the immovable, those mighty warriors against whom foes broke like a mountain and whose terrible blows crushed any enemy foolish enough to contest their will. Men such as Huang Gai best represented this mode of combat, forming the center of a battle line or anchoring the defences of a prized location; water was considered by many the greatest element for any style of combat, since it absorbed the enemy's impetus and used its own to overwhelm, just as nothing could stand against the sea, where even mountains eventually fell. Lu Meng was one such warrior, tireless and undefeated; Zhou Yu represented fire, most aggressive of the elements, relentless and merciless, dedicated to sheer destruction of the enemy and even if the foe attacked, they found themselves burned by their own overreaching eagerness.

Sun Ce saw the usefulness in all these forms and had transcended them all. He used what he liked of each as he deemed necessary to the situation. True, the tiger totem of his family was a fire sign and the god of fire their deity, but Ce would not limit himself to such arbitrary concepts. Did Elryk, by dint of his distant, cold birthplace and mastery of wolves represent wind or water? Were his warriors not the most aggressive and relentless in the Southlands army?

He laughed as he slew his foes, crushing their morale and scattering them like leaves before a hurricane. Companies broke and he leapt at another, ignoring those who fled, knowing that their fate was sealed when the Prime Minister heard of their cowardice. He was not here to kill, he was here to smash Cao Cao's ability to wage war. Flames roared into the sky as the supplies were set on fire.

A horn sounded and Ce fought down the urge to stay and battle the defenders further, to take the field directly against Cao Cao, facing down his huge army. Ce's responsibilities as Lord of the Southlands took precedence over his desire to dominate, no matter how much he may have wished otherwise. He disengaged the foe and sprinted out of the fortress, rallying his troops and heading for the river. He knew that the Prime Minister's forces would not be looking north, where the true objectives had been, but these diversionary assaults had hit hard enough to pose a real threat. The second part of the operation would now go into motion- making sure the enemy gave chase to Sun Ce, Zhou Yu and Lu Meng's troops, keeping their eyes off the strike forces which now needed to make their way home though enemy territory.

As his men boarded the swift craft that would bear them south across the Great River, Ce kept a watchful eye for the approach of enemy troops. His men would fight if the enemy reacted swiftly and they were prepared for the possibility, but he would rather incite them to irrational attacks across the river, where his defences were strong, immune to such assaults.

The sky overhead flared and lit up at the _Feilong_ streaked south- Xiao and her girls had apparently wreaked much havoc over their assigned targets and destroyed several key supply installations. He grinned as he thought of how much fun his sister in law must have been having.

He hoped Da was alright.

At the head of her cavalry regiment, Da Qiao thundered back towards the bridgehead they had established with Lu Meng's corps. While the Long fangs and other tough infantry units had set up a strong perimeter from which the corps could operate, Da's cavalry regiment and several other swift battlegroups had spread out along the flanks and devastated the Prime Minister's supply lines as far north as they could reach in one hour. In spite of their astonishing and heady success, Da had held her men to the timetable, nearly killing one commander who had questioned her orders to turn back when another tempting target was so close by.

"We will do as ordered, commander," she had said harshly, glaring at him. "If that supply base is more heavily defended that we anticipate, then all we have done is waste men's lives. A thousands sacks of rice burned or a thousand shields cracked is not worth the lives of one man that I could bring home alive instead! We have done enough! Go!"

They had indeed performed exceptionally, for by her own count they had destroyed seven supply depots and mauled as many as three enemy regiments. Da could account for twenty seven kills with her bow and another twelve with her fans when the fighting had become up close and personal. Her troops had obeyed her orders succinctly and the coordination between the various companies had been exceptional. There had been few casualties and none of name or significant rank. All that remained was to get back across the river and gloat about how Cao Cao's troops had withered away before them.

She knew also that enemy troops rode hard to catch them, hoping to exact revenge for what she and her troops had done, but it would be for naught- Lu Meng's infantry awaited them at the bridgehead and their pursuers would be repulsed by their keen spears and wicked defences.

Squad after squad from her companies now clambered aboard the swift vessels and these pushed off from shore as soon as they were full. She accounted for each unit meticulously as they arrived, noting with grim satisfaction that her wounded numbered less than a hundred and only nineteen were unaccounted for, presumed dead.

She waited until her men were all boarded and then rode up onto the deck of the ship, to the cheers of her jubilant men. They all knew that their strikes had been a resounding success and they had the battle banners of the enemy to prove it.

The southern shores were visible from the bow of the ship as the sun kissed the horizon in the east, heralding another dawn.

Sun Ce sat on his throne inside the war council hall, flanked by Zhou Yu on his right and Lu Fan on his left, his two most able counsellors for the trials ahead. Before him stood the commanders of the diversionary assaults, all giving their accounts of what had transpired. Lu Meng's drive through Cao Cao's center had severely disrupted the Prime Minister's current supply lines, and while Ce harboured no doubt that these wares and foodstuffs could be replaced, he had proven that the enemy was not immune to damage or hindrance. Great praise was given by all the commanders of Lu Meng's corps to Da and Xiao, who had demonstrated great skill in executing their duties and achieving their assigned goals. The sisters blushed at the accolades but accepted with a grace that only trained courtesans could possess.

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu's assaults had proven equally devastating in their own right, since fighting so close to the enemy's main army and stymieing all effective pursuit was no small achievement in itself. Sun Ce had loudly announced his presence and participation in the battle and seemingly few commanders had risen to his challenge, since the response from nearby Changban was minimal.

News had reached Baifu that Lu Xun's Seahawks had transported the young commander's forces back to the Southlands in safety while Zhou Tai and Gan Ning's fleets could account for both Shang Xiang's and Elryk's groups. While not back in Wu yet, there was little chance that Cao Cao's troops could catch the vessels bearing them home. Rumour had reached them of Shang Xiang nearly besting Cao Ren in personal combat, robbed at the last moment of her chance to claim victory by the pressing need to adhere to the timetable and retreat. Ce harboured no doubt he would be hearing about this from his feisty sister.

"I feel kinda bad, I have to admit," Xiao said finally, musing out loud. "I am pretty sure I nearly killed a tree sprite or a fairy during one of my firebombing raids."

Ce raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Well, I'm not exactly sure, it was dark, remember," Xiao admitted, "but I saw a tall, slender person wearing almost nothing except silks and a long dark ponytail fleeing from a camp I torched- I was convinced it was a fairy from a nearby tree because they had these silly little butterfly-like wings growing out of their back."

"Wings..." Ce stated flatly.

"Yeah, but what weirded me out was that the fairy had these long iron claws growing from their hands. I've never seen a fairy with claws. And the fairy was screaming in a high-pitched voice like a little girl. I'm afraid that I... what's so funny?"

Xiao Qiao glared at everyone while they whooped with laughter. Even the ever-dignified and composed Zhou Yu was leaning against Ce's chair, doubled over and tears rolling down his cheek as he tried to regain his breath. Da hugged her sister close, her chest almost hurting from laughing so hard.

"Guys, it's not funny," Xiao insisted. "I nearly killed a fairy."

"No one's disputin' that, Xiao," Ce wheezed, finally gaining control of his diaphragm. "You nearly killed the greatest fairy in Cao Cao's army and possibly all the Southlands, General Zhang He."

Xiao said nothing, letting what he brother in law said sink in. "That fairy was a general?" she finally managed.

Da Qiao nodded, wiping away a mirthful tear.

"Wow," Xiao mused. "If he's got generals like that for his army, imagine what his navy's like..."

The riotous laughter resumed.

Ce stood on the balcony of a chamber looking west, watching the sun set. The western sky was painted in glorious tones of orange, purple and pink while the veil of night stole in from over the eastern sea, accompanied by the caress of a gentle wind. His eyes were distant as he sought wisdom and clarity from the eternal vault of the heavens.

Zhou Yu stepped up beside him and quietly observed the descent of night, knowing what was on his liege's mind.

"Elryk got a few hundred ships, Ce," he finally remarked, his voice impassive. "It is a great blow that we have struck."

"Yeah," Ce said quietly, nodding but not taking his eyes off the sunset. "An' Cao Cao's punitive raids across the river to retaliate have been half-hearted at best, easily repulsed."

"Meaning that he has something in store and is trying to occupy and distract us." Zhou Yu observed. "I know the scouts we sent across the river again have reported back tonight but I have yet to meet with them. What have they found for you?"

"Ships," the young warlord muttered. "Lots of ships, Zhou Yu. Nearly a thousand of 'em."

"Where are they?"

"Some place called Chi Bi." Ce answered almost absently, still lost in thought.

The strategist considered what his sworn brother was inferring and his soft grey eyes hardened. "A thousand ships could transport his great army across the Yangtze in one night and we cannot yet oppose so great a force. We would fight hard but we could not defend all our territory and we would fall."

"We won a great victory but it was a test," Ce confirmed, nodding. "We wanted to hamper Cao Cao and perhaps we did, but it would appear it wasn't enough. He is more amply supplied than we anticipated."

Cao Cao was indeed a crafty man, with a mind of metal and wheels. Plans within plans, plots within plots. Every strategy had a contingency and every contingency an alternative. Had Cao Cao outmanoeuvred them with his rapid growth by sacrificing endless lives to his ambitions? Merciless and cruel as the Prime Minister might have proven, had he cornered them? Had Sun Ce and Zhou miscalculated by addressing the needs of the people of the Southlands too readily, at the expense of military superiority?

"We cannot fight that army, Ce, we cannot win. If it lands, even you will not be able to contest its might." Zhou Yu said quietly.

"We can't fight it," Ce murmured. "So we gotta destroy it."

Zhou Yu nodded but said nothing. They both bent their prodigious minds to the task of defeating an army whose numbers nearly rivalled the entire population of the Southlands. Stalwart as Sun Ce's troops might be, not even the White Wolves or the Night Tigers could stand against such strength.

The sun had set, twilight now covered the land. Sun Ce turned and walked back inside, lost in thought. Zhou Yu remained on the balcony, his eyes turned to the stars in the hope of answers. No cataclysm could be counted on to swallow the Prime Minister's army and the god of night was most certainly not at their beck and call.

The Garden of Six Qualities lay below his vantage point and he now espied his wife and her sister, along with Diao Chan and Sun Kai-Ying, walking the pathways, conversing quietly and giggling about whimsical subjects. He found himself watching intently, distracted from the crisis at hand, at least for a moment as the women for whom he was fight the world and the heavens themselves strolled serenely.

They came now to the pond that housed the Island of the Immortals and each of the women knelt and released little paper boats into the water, pushing them toward the sacred islet at the center. Each paper boat was scribed with a personal prayer, one the girls recited quietly as they floated away. Per the tradition of their people, they had also set them alight and the little vessels burned as they floated away, carrying the hopes and prayers of the petitioners with them.

Zhou Yu's eyes were fixed on the paper boats, the flames flickering, burning deep into his thoughts. A smile creased his handsome features and he threw his head back and laughed at the sky.

Simplicity really was the essence of all things.

**Author's Notes: ** So this chapter was sort of all over the place and I apologize for that. I finally managed to stop its rampage at 18,000 words, so let's count our blessings.

It should be fairly obvious what is coming up next and there's probably a chapter or so of prep work and set up before the main event. For you Shu fanatics out there, your boy scouts are coming back and will be involved once again in the storyline. Hang tight, I think you'll like it.

Yes, yes, I know I promised no more interruptions or months-long periods of no updates, but as soon as real life stops interfering with my ability to write fanfiction, I shall update next to daily. The pity is I meant to publish a Christmas Wumake but the damned thing mutated and morphed so many times it was looking like something from an Akira vignette. Maybe next year, right? I have a different Wumake planned for after this section anyway.

I'm going to bed, this stupid winter storm is gonna make the walk into work less than pleasant and I want all the sleep I can get. Happy reading and remember that your reviews and critiques are always welcome.

Keep your stick on the ice!

Management


	58. Chapter 58

**The Young Conqueror**

Disclaimer: I did not invent Sun Ce or any other major character in this fanfic. Koei is responsible for the general appearance and mannerisms of the characters contained herein. I drew on the game personae for the sake of variety. Please note that most characterizations contained herein are based on the of the Dynasty Warriors 5 personalities, with the occasional reference to DW7 or an earlier incarnation of the game.

Since this is a story about Sun Ce, I've changed a few events to focus more on him. After Guan Yu he's my favourite character in the game and a li'l gratuitous action for the oldest Sun boy can't be a bad thing, right?

Enjoy!

** The Young Conqueror, Chapter 55- An Alliance Of Hope**

Sun Ce stood in the lookout's post atop the mast of the tall ship, his keen eyes peering far out to the north, across the mighty river that formed the barrier to the Southlands, his realm. Distantly, he could make out the enemy's mighty armada, supposedly over a thousand ships strong. From this distance, he had no reason to dispute this estimate.

And aboard one of those endless vessels, the Prime Minister, foe of freedom and the so-called 'Hero of Chaos', Cao Cao, was waiting.

"_I know you're out there somewhere, you bastard. And yeah, you're army may be unbeatable, but only if we let you use it…"_

Cao Cao's fleet was larger than anything the Southlands could muster, but Sun Ce's ancestors had always been masters of naval warfare, be it in the narrows riverways that threaded the realm or out to sea. The problem was that even with smaller, faster vessels, Ce could not seriously threaten the armada simply because there were so many ships. They almost formed a solid wall for as far as the eye could see. He had to find a way to keep the enemy boats from launching.

That's when Zhou Yu had approached him with an audacious and ingenious plan- the enemy fleet would burn. The Grand Strategist had suggested setting fire to Cao Cao's titanic fleet, destroying the ships and the numberless troops aboard them before they ever headed south. What remained was how to make this happen.

Xiao Qiao had, of course, enthusiastically endorsed the use of the _Feilong_, the Flying Dragons, to simply swoop overhead and rain firebombs down on the enemy fleet, but both Ce and Zhou Yu had nixed the idea immediately as too dangerous to the strategist's wife, for surely she and her warriors would be shot down, not to mention there were simply too many ships for the ten _Feilong_ riders to attack. They would need dozens more of the contraptions at the very least and time did not allow for their construction. She protested but Ce had been firm with her and she eventually back down, rather than risk her brother-in-law's wrath. She attended all the following strategy sessions but pouted or sulked the whole time.

Gan Ning had suggested merely ramming small, swift ships filled with flammable materials into the larger vessels, but as with the limitations concerning the Flying Dragons, there was simply not enough time to build the number necessary to prove effective against the whole fleet. Their attack had to be rapid, unexpected and devastating, something that could not be countered before it was too late.

"So delivering fire to the ships is our solution, but the question remains how." Lu Xun had commented as they all observed the map that lay on the table before them. Cao Cao's mighty navy was centered on a locale known as Chi Bi, an overwhelming force spreading east to west along the northern shores and harbours of the Great River.

To Ce's disgust, many of his peripheral advisors had seemed to lose heart, intimidated by the sheer immensity of the enemy's armada and the army they knew it was meant to carry. Several had advocated surrender, saying the situation was hopeless. Rather than have these people beaten or even executed, Sun Ce had told them they were dismissed and could make their way north of the river if they desired. None of these fools had been deep in his counsel to begin with, or knew of the plan, so he considered them no loss.

"Cao Cao'll no doubt be overjoyed to know we have defectors within our midst," Zhou Yu had mused. "We should send a few agents under this guise, to see if we can get inside his inner circle or sway their beliefs about our disposition."

"That enemy strategist, Jia Xu, he is a clever one, though," Lu Meng muttered as he stared at the table. "He's the one who orchestrated Cao Cao's impossible victory over Yuan Shao at Guan Du. We now find ourselves in the same predicament the Prime minister was at that battle, so perhaps we can use their confidence to our advantage likewise?"

"What spies we do have in Cao Cao's camp have told us that Jia Xu has cautioned Cao Cao not to attack us yet, to instead turn his gaze to the west," Zhou Yu replied in his mellow tenor, his eyes surveying the map impassively. "However, our unexpected attacks on the Prime Minister's supply lines and bases had compelled him to ignore his strategist's advice and to turn his grand army towards our obliteration. It may indicate discord, but Cao Cao's army in none the less dangerous to us for it. If it launches, we are doomed."

Sun Shang Xiang had frowned. "Alright, even if we burn his fleet, what then? How do we follow up and take the fight to him, which has always been our design? Shouldn't we be gathering our army here to move across the river once we've destroyed his navy?"

"No," Ce said, shaking his head. "Our main army's gathering in Wuchang, to drive in Hefei once Cao Cao's forces opposing us at Chi Bi are destroyed. "We've already had to retreat from parts of Jing to shore up our defences, including Jiangling. He's still too strong in the center, we'll have to eat away at his flanks once we move."

Lu Meng nodded. "I have heard that Cao Ren moved into Jing and is threatening Liu Cong's flank. The young lord means well but he will eventually succumb to the pressure put upon him by the Prime Minister, it is inevitable."

"We'll need to strengthen our forces with whatever Liu Bei can offer, then," said Lu Fan, Sun Ce's silver-tongued ambassador. "My lord, I seek your permission to send envoys to invite him to join us for a council of mutual survival."

Ce nodded and the man had left quickly. People were silent as they stared at the map, pondering.

"Setting fire to the ships'll be easier if we have someone on the inside," Ce said. "Problem is, who the hell do we have that'll be able to get that close to Cao Cao?"

"The ruse would have to be very realistic indeed," boomed Huang Gai. "So realistic that it was almost too plausible."

"And therefore all the more believable because it should never have happened." Ce continued, nodding. "We've gotta put out the most unlikely but tempting bait, something he'll never suspect, and even if he does, he cannot turn up."

"My lord, I humbly beg your permission to undertake this mission," Huang Gai said immediately. "Surely none of us can argue that my loyalty is beyond reproach. If I were to defect, Cao Cao would certainly be given pause as to the state of our unity."

"No denyin' that, pal, but what the hell would we have to do to you to make him believe you actually defected from the Sun family?" Ce countered.

Huang Gai's voice was grave as he spoke. "My lord, many long years have passed in my service to your family and I cannot think of any punishment that could dissuade me from your side. But they need not know that, yes? Castigation might be our only option."

"Get real, Huang Gai," Ce snorted. "None of my guys're gonna beat you so badly that you _look _like you're ready to defect. Aside from that, I'm not sure anyone could except Elryk an' I'm pretty sure he'd tell me to go to hell if I asked him to do it."

"Then, my lord, that leaves only one person who could do this…" the mighty general concluded.

The entire room was silent as they considered what Huang Gai was suggesting and indeed asking of Ce, his liege. There was no denying it, if Sun Ce beat Huang Gai within an inch of his life, Cao Cao might be forced to take the bait for fear of never having another opportunity like this one again. The notion of Huang Gai defecting was utterly absurd, so for it to actually happen meant it _had_ to be true.

Could Sun Ce, even for the sake of his realm and his family, beat Huang Gai so badly that the most cautious and suspicious minds in the realm would believe such a ruse?

It was his only option. Barring flogging Zhou Yu, no one else's loyalty was so unquestionable.

Ce looked north, the sunset throwing a blanket of orange and reds over the sky, a ruddy glow that reminded him of the duty of blood and war. The enemy ships, barely on the edge of his vision, seemed to loom threateningly, as if they knew he was out there, looking at him.

"_When the time comes, I will not fail. Huang Gai and I will not fail. Now we just need Liu Bei…"_

* * *

Liu Bei rode now with his sworn bothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, also accompanied by his strategists Zhuge Liang, known as Kongming and Pang Tong. The Scion of the Han had always been somewhat disconcerted by the sage known as the 'Fledgling Phoenix', but he came with the highest recommendations of Kongming, so he accepted the strange little man's service. Thus far he had been most gratified in his decision to trust Zhuge Liang's judgement, for Pang Tong has a devious bent of mind that even the sleeping Dragon seemed to admire.

Pang Tong rode now alongside his contemporary Kongming, astride a pony that Zhang Fei had described as 'rickety'. The animal certainly did seem in the advanced stages of decrepitude and yet somehow it fit the rider perfectly- whereas Zhuge Liang exuded an air of almost divine wisdom that should not be questioned or challenged, Pant Tong's gift lay in making people underestimate him. He was short and had a gimp to his walk and he kept his head covered either with a wide-brimmed peasant hat or wrapped in a cowl. Liu Bei had heard people speak about the strategist's decidedly unpleasant features and even his younger brother had been known to comment on it.

"_Yeah, I've seen him with his hat off," _the mighty general had boomed. _"His face looks like someone tried to put out a forest fire with a seed drill."_

Liu Bei thought this might have been unnecessarily harsh, but if Pang Tong minded then he certainly didn't let it show. It probably worked to his advantage to let people think that way, especially lords and commanders of mighty armies, who were often so engrossed in aesthetics and superficial appearances that he was easy to discount and overlook until it was too late.

He was followed now by a small contingent of soldiers while he rode to Wu Ling, the city that demarcated the farthest west boundary of Sun Ce's realm. The Lord of the Southlands has requested a meeting to discuss an alliance against the Prime Minister, something they both considered absolutely necessary if they were to survive. Cao Cao's forces were too large and too powerful to contest alone.

Leaving Liu Cong in Jiangling had been hard, since his relative clearly needed aid, so he had instructed Zhao Yun and Huang Zhong to command his forces during the negotiations. He was certain that he had left his troops in good hands. If Cao Cao attacked, who Kongming thought unlikely, the two warriors would make him pay dearly for his audacity.

"Lord Liu Bei," said Guan Ping as he rode up alongside his liege. "Do you think an alliance with the Southlanders means we can defeat Mengde?" The young warrior had been allowed to accompany his father, as was Zhang Fei's daughter Xing Cai, who trotted alongside him now on an elegant white horse. Remaining behind in Jiangling to represent the generals were their remaining sons, Guan Xing and So, as well Zhang Bao, all capable warriors, even if people jokingly remarked that Guan Suo was just too pretty to fight.

"Mind your tongue, boy," Guan Yu said sharply as he towered over them all, riding the legendary steed Red Hare. "Though he is our enemy, the Prime Minister should still not be disrespected in that tone, if for no other reason than speaking in such terms is a sign of ill manners. You will call him the Prime Minister or Cao Cao. I know this man and even his kin do not readily call him by his style."

"Forgive my impudence, father," Guan Ping said humbly, his head bowed. "You are, as always, correct."

Guan Yu turned his eyes back to the road while Liu Bei smiled at his brother's adopted son. "I do not know if it means we can defeat Cao Cao, but it is our only chance to do so," he replied. "The people of the Wu territories are inheritors of an ancient warrior tradition and martial valour is as natural to them as breathing. Your own father considers Lord Sun Ce to be a man of peerless honour and I can attest to his might on the battlefield."

Zhang Fei grunted. "Yeah, that guy can fight, no doubt about it. He took down Zhang Jiao during the Yellow Turban Rebellion, in spite of the sorcery they used. He's the one who defeated Lu Bu at Xia Pi and even I had a hard time with that jerk."

Guan Yu nodded. "It is rumoured that he even fought and killed a mighty demon prince named Ou Xing. While we have nothing more than hearsay to go on, I somehow doubt his warrior's pride would allow such falsehoods to be spread. He is unfailingly honest."

Liu Bei laughed. "I've often thanked the Heavens that I found your father first, Ping, or Sun Ce may very well currently have Lord Guan's unyielding allegiance."

Guan Yu's eyes darkened. "He is a great man, my lord, but my loyalty will always be to you alone, and our noble cause. True, I do like him greatly as a man and I admire his indomitable warrior heart, but only you can bring about our vision of a land united in virtue."

"Sometimes I wonder," Liu Bei sighed. "I look around and I see other lords who have ambitions, perhaps not dissimilar to my own, and I think there might be other ways to a realm of peace and prosperity. What of Kong Rong? Is he not a worthy scholar who could show the realm Confucian wisdom and filial piety? Even Cao Cao seeks a land of order, though his vision is one that discards people and things that have no place or use in his world."

"It is your mercy and concern for the common man that binds you to them, lord, and no one else living these days can claim such benevolence." Zhuge Liang said softly. "And it is that same compassion that the Prime Minister hates so very much and why he is willing to sacrifice so many to destroy you."

"And that is why he must be stopped," Xing Cai chimed in, riding alongside Guan Ping. "All the people of the Middle Kingdom have a place and it is not for one man to decide whether they are worthy of living."

"And we do not yet have the strength to oppose him, may I point out," Pang Tong finally said. "The superiority of our vision and righteousness of our dreams is all well and good, but history is rife with examples of the virtuous falling before those who will stop at nothing to meet their goals. Simply put, Cao Cao is not the least bit enchanted with our world of virtue. He has no place in it and therefore he must be expunged."

The irony of the statement and resolution was not lost on any of them. Liu Bei's eyes hardened as he thought of the task that lay ahead- more fighting, more toil… and more deaths. Why must the march to a land of virtue be paved with the bones of countless dead?

"On to Wu Ling," he said, snapping his horse's reins and setting it into a canter. "The lord of the Southlands awaits us and Cao Cao will not wait. Time is precious. Forward!"

* * *

Wu Ling's white walls were hued red in the sunset as the small band approached. Though not a large city by imperial Han standards, it was spacious and elegant, with outlying farms, villages and industries such as ceramics studios, butchers and a small Confucian school. Arranged into sections divided by ornate walls, the city was a splendid example of proper _feng shui_, with the market and merchant's quarters far from the rest of the citizenry. Shrines dotted the quarters and beautiful parks for all to enjoy were prominent. There was even a small courtesan compound near to the royal pavilion.

Banners and flags fluttered proudly in the evening breeze, rich hues of scarlet and gold straining against the sky. Orchards of all kinds, both produce and ornamental, wafted their heady aromas toward the visitors as they approached. Xing Cai smiled as she smelled peaches and cherry blossoms.

"I am impressed," Pang Tong said as he gazed over the city. "This is supposed to be the city that is farthest from the center of Wu's culture and it has already progressed to this point? The industry of these Southlanders is something to behold."

"Aye, they are industrious and hard-working, with an eye for grace and beauty." Guan Yu rumbled as he stroked his beard. "I have been to Baifu and while it may not be the size of Chang'an or Luo Yang, it matches their splendour and it is ferociously proud in its martial bearing. I saw much of the city while I was with Cao Cao's entourage. They were building Confucian academies and courtesan compounds the likes of which anyone from the cultured north would envy."

Liu Bei said nothing, simply staring as they rode toward Wu Ling, lost in its rich vibrancy. Many years of wandering, moving from place to place and always staying one step ahead of his enemies and certain doom made sure he was always relieved to have access to even the most basic comforts, no matter how briefly. His vassals may have been impressed with the sight of the city, but it caused a pang in him, a yearning for an end to his wandering, the burden of leading people forward on a road that was so long and seemingly had no end…

Black and silver banners adorned the great gate as they approached; these were the battle standards of Sun Ce's renowned bodyguards, the Night Tigers; these were the most dangerous troops in the Southlands, undoubtedly the equal of anything even the Imperial House had to offer. Guan Yu had said that during the emperor's visit to Baifu, several trials of skill had been engaged in between the Yulin Royal Guard and even the dread _Huben_ against the Night Tigers and other warriors of the South, and the Wu warriors had always been most impressive. Even the mythic barbarian warriors that Sun Ce kept as vassals had proven most daunting.

A tall, proud warrior stood atop the gate. He was nearly as tall as Guan Yu and he carried two stout clubs in his powerful arms, a black horsehair crest adorning his gleaming help. This was no doubt the peerless Taishi Ci, captain of the Night Tigers and held to be nearly a match for Sun Ce himself, who once bested the man in personal combat. He held aloft one of his clubs in a symbol of recognition and bellowed loudly for the gates to be open. The reinforced wood defences opened almost silently, a testimony to the remarkable diligence and skill of these people.

By the time the party had approached, Taishi Ci had made his way down to the road and stood waiting for them, accompanied by five Night Tigers as his escort. None of them were mounted, ensuring that the visitors were looking down, a gesture of respect. Led by Liu Bei, the little band stopped just outside the gate while Taishi Ci clasped his hand in his fist and bowed his head.

"On behalf of Lord Sun Ce of Wu, please accept my welcome to Wu Ling. Forget your cares and be at ease inside these walls. We would treat you not only as allies or friends but as family, as is our custom."

"Talk about Southern hospitality…" Pang Tong quipped cheerfully.

"Thank you for your generosity and kindness, captain," Liu Bei said returning the bow. "Shall my entourage and I surrender our weapons here at the gate to you?"

"There will be no need, lord," Taishi Ci replied. "We are allies and war is upon us all. No warrior need surrender his arms when the need for them is so close. We are heartened by displays of martial strength in our comrades, it is our way here in the Southlands."

"As you wish," Liu Bei said, relieved that no one was going to try and take Zhang Fei's Viper Spear away from him. "Will you be conducting us to Lord Sun Ce directly?"

"While the lord of Baifu recognizes that time is of the essence for us all, he has engaged in some skirmishes and feints on our northern borders that will keep the Prime Minister occupied while we discuss matters. He knows it is late and he wants you and your people to be well-rested. Please, I shall escort you to the compound that has been prepared for you."

Liu Bei nodded and they dismounted and followed Taishi Ci. He, for one, was relieved that business would wait until the morning, for there was nothing he desired more than a bath and to sleep peacefully in a proper bed. It was a simple joy, but one he had come to cherish through his years of wandering.

Thought the shops were closing in the market, the city was still lovely as the sun set in the west- musicians and acrobats entertained passers-by and the citizens bowed low to Taishi Ci and his honoured guests. Liu Bei observed genuine respect in their gestures, not forced compliance and it made him wonder what it would take to make those who followed him as happy.

Through the market they came to a law and pretty wall of uniform grey stone into which were carved countless scenes of festivals, battles and divine occurrences. For all its splendour the work was somehow subtle and did not detract from the simple elegance of the wall. A moon gate allowed access to the quarter beyond, apparently where the patricians and nobility of the region lived. Lavish _siheyuans_, separated from one another by small and elegant gardens, stretched up the paved street, often surrounded by small red walls that allowed access to the individual compound or manor; peach, plum and cherry trees lined the road, their blossoms and petals drifting lazily in the breeze. Somewhere, a _konghou _harp played a serene melody and a lovely voice sang about childhood wonders.

"Your troops shall stay with our garrison, if that pleases you, lord," Taishi Ci stated as they strolled up the lane. "Their quarters are comparatively austere out of necessity, but they will sleep comfortably. As for you and your immediate entourage, we have three _siheyuans _at the end of this quarter which are intended to house our important guests. I am sure that you will be satisfied with their appointments."

"I have no doubt of that, captain," Liu Bei said, still staring at the opulence he perceived around him. The manors were elegant and lacked the gaudy and lurid displays of wealth so favoured by the aristocracy of the northern reaches of the Han.

"Your nobles live most elegantly, captain," Guan Yu observed. "Knowing Lord Sun Ce as I do, I somehow doubt that this extravagance comes at the expense of the commoners within these walls."

"It is as you say, my lord," Taishi Ci replied easily, diffusing the challenge with an assurance of common interest. "Only nobles who have graduated from Confucian schools may house their compounds outside of the walls and own villas. Within Wu Ling we are experimenting with teaching the aristocracy to look after the common folk as part of their duties. Each noble family is responsible for the well-being of several peasant groups within the Common Quarter and if those labour-caste families prosper, then the nobles receive tax breaks and also acceleration through the local Confucian school. Our nobles must give at least as much as they might take."

Liu Bei nodded at the simplicity of it. Anyone who passed the exams could potentially become a member of the upper class, but in doing so they were saddled with responsibilities to those below them and their well-being. One only thrived in proportion to those below. It was a marvellous means of keeping the patrician families from abusing their powers but also tied the peasants to their benefactors by virtue of common prosperity. It would be obvious which noble families were pulling their weight and which weren't.

The manors they would occupy for the duration of their visit now appeared and no member of Liu Bei's train could say they weren't impressed; the three _siheyuans_ were side-by-side at the end of the road, always ready to accept guests and reminding the local nobility of their station and duty. Larger than the other manors, but still not vulgar or ostentatious in their display of wealth, their grounds were punctuated by fountains and gardens, along with peacocks and other animals. Banners signifying the imperial house of Liu graced the doorways or fluttered on the walls, indicating the lineage of the guests.

"There are fewer of you than we anticipated, I must admit, so these manors may seem overlarge to your uses," Taishi Ci said almost apologetically. "If there are accommodations you would have us make in order to correct this, you need but tell me and we shall see it done forthwith."

"Your kindness and hospitality already exceed our needs and expectations, good captain," Liu Bei said cheerfully. "I shall take the center manor for myself, my brothers and their children shall take the manor upon my right while Pant Tong and Kongming shall make use of the _shiheyuan_ upon the left."

Guan Yu and Zhuge Liang shot each other a wary glance but said nothing in response to their lord's statement.

* * *

Liu Bei sighed as he relaxed in the sunken marble basin, filled with hot water, scented with flowers and oils that soothed his travel-weary skin. Kneeling behind him, a pretty young girl named Pai giggled as she massaged the knots out of his shoulders. Kneeling next to the Scion of the hand, the water barely covering her breasts, another girl who went by the name of Lin washed the length of his arm with her delicate hands. Both girls were naked as they allowed the tension to bleed out of his body.

"For someone who spends so much time on the road, your skin is remarkably soft, my lord," Lin cooed as she massaged between his fingers. "You have seen so many battles and yet you are blessed with skin as flawless and delicate as any painter's."

Liu Bei smiled at the compliment but kept his eyes closed. "I… I guess it is just the blessing of belonging to the lineage of House Liu…"

"And you are indeed related the Son of Heaven?" Pai asked almost incredulously, almost pausing in her massaging of his shoulders. "I heard that the emperor visited Baifu some time ago, inspecting Lord Sun Ce's realm, but I was here. How close are you to… to… him?"

Liu be let his neck roll forward as she pressed her thumbs gently up and down along the tendons, relaxing him. "I have been in his presence more than once and he did indeed name me an Imperial Uncle," he murmured, lost in the pleasure of her touch. "It is only right for the kindred of Imperial Liu to recognize one another."

"And it is so wrong that you have been forced to live as a pilgrim," Lin said sympathetically, massaging his palm and wrists, targeting various meridians and chi points, allowing his blood to flow to desired areas. "For someone like the Prime Minister to forget his place and act against a member of the Son of Heaven's household, it is… I have no words, lord."

"Do not worry, the time for words is past," he slurred almost drunkenly, his body almost melting but tingles beginning to occur in other areas. "The House of Liu, with the help of your Lord Sun Ce, will soon address this travesty and Cao Cao will be brought to justice. He shall pay for his audacity."

Lin giggled in delight and clapped her hands while Pai hugged Liu Bei gently from behind, pressing her breasts into his upper back.

"Oh, Lord Liu Bei," she whispered. "Would that I could see you do this, for I have heard tell of your valour and your prowess on the battlefield. Yet for all our gifts and art, we courtesans never see such things but only compose songs and sing them, a distant testimony to greatness."

"In the early days of the Qin empire, women such as yourselves often accompanied the troops to war, you know," he offered in response to their perceived plight. "Your presence was meant to keep the morale of the men up."

"And yet these days we have become experts at keeping other things on a man up aside from his morale," Lin said in a low, sly voice, leaning in and pressing her breasts to Liu Bei's chest, slowly sliding them up and down. His eyes fluttered open and met hers. "Would it be too much for Pai and I to service you, lord, and then let the realm know through our ardent song that you were not only a conqueror and hero on the field of battle but in the willow chamber as well?"

The two girls caressed his body silently, their soft eyes on him intently as they awaited his answer. Liu Bei paused for several seconds, unsure of what to say.

"Perhaps, my lord, you have taken only one lover already and are committed to her, as Lord Sun Ce is with his bride?" Pai asked gently, a note of concern in her voice. "We certainly would not want to break-"

"Oh, no, no," the noble said almost hastily, not wanting this opportunity to slip though his fingers. "It is not that at all, I would just feel bad if my friends were not-"

"Oh, you needn't worry about them, great lord of the Han," Lin breathed, rising out of the water and then pressing her breasts to Liu Bei's face while Pai joined her. "They too are being taken care of as befits the retainers to one of the most royal and divine names in the Middle Kingdom."

"I am… so glad to hear that…" Liu Bei murmured through a growing haze of lust. The girls massaged his body with their own while they kissed one another for several seconds before lowering themselves onto him…

* * *

Sun Ce waited patiently in the audience hall of the royal pavilion, accompanied by Zhou Yu and Lu Fan. Taishi Ci had been sent to retrieve their guests now that they were fully rested and their needs met, or so Zhou Yu had assured him.

The doors at the end of the hall opened and in strode the captain of the Night Tigers, followed by Liu Bei and his retainers. Ce rose from his ornate chair and stepped off the dais, clasping his fist in his hand and bowing his head as approached. Most lords within their own realm would have received their guests while remaining seated, a sign of local superiority, but this was not the Sun family's way, and certainly not when so much was at stake.

"Welcome, Lord Liu, to Wu Ling and my humble realm," he said. "I trust your night was restful after the journey?"

"I enjoyed my rest thoroughly, Lord Sun," Liu Bei said, seeming extra cheerful and full of vigour this particular morning. "Your reputation for munificence is well-deserved and yet you eschew the vulgar extravagance of our peers."

"No person's happiness should come at the wilful expense of another's my lord," Ce said honestly. "People should be able to forge their own destiny, not have it dictated to them by some guy who believes in order at any cost. I am glad you have come, for there is much we must discuss."

"Our alliance against Cao Cao is a given," Liu Bei added, knowing how badly both of them needed this partnership to work. "And I promise you that my people and I are ready to fight alongside you and end the threat that man represents to the Han."

"I am encouraged by your words, Lord Liu. Together, we might have a chance of stopping him. Let's make it happen, alright?"

Ce gestured and the group walked toward the council chambers, in which sat a large table dominated by a detailed map. It displayed the various forces of the region, including their numbers and type if possible. Ce gestured for Zhou Yu to open the discussion. The strategist nodded and began.

"As you can see and are no doubt already aware, Cao Cao has a vast fleet awaiting launch on the northern shores, centered on a place called Chi Bi. While our estimate of their numbers is not exact, we have every reason to believe that no fewer than one thousand capital ships and their escort vessels are waiting to head south. The army is carries is so great in number that we believe even our superior training will not be able to overcome the disparity. Both sides will sustain terrible casualties but the Southlands will ultimately fall."

"And if Baifu and the Sun family perish, then none remain with the effective strength to oppose him," Liu Bei muttered. "Even if the Prime Minister forgoes an attack on Jing for now, he will surely turn his attention to us next."

Zhuge Liang nodded. "Cao Ren has already made incursions and your kin Liu Cong will not be able to hold him off forever, my lord."

"We have concluded, therefore, that Cao Cao's navy must be obliterated before it can launch, and after as much of his army has boarded as possible, to maximize his casualties and his ability to retaliate." Zhou Yu continued. "With that being said, we have decided that the armada must burn."

Zhang Fei made a wry face. "How're we gonna burn an entire fleet all at once? Sure, maybe we can get the drop on a few ships, maybe even a lot of them, but if there's over a thousand and we have to somehow set fire to them all, I don't see how it can be done."

"Lord Zhou Yu is correct in his assessment of Cao Cao's forces and also our best chances for dealing with them," Kongming said, nodding his head as his fan waved slowly in front of him. "This effort, while improbable, is not impossible and therefore our best hope. It is daring and yet sublime in its simplicity."

Zhou Yu nodded in recognition of Zhuge Liang's compliment but only Sun noticed his eyes darken ever so slightly, as if what he had heard was not to his liking.

Pang Tong, dressed today in voluminous white robes and wearing a cowl from which sprung two small feathery antennae, leaned in and gazed down at the map. He reminded Sun Ce of an overgrown moth. Within those eyes, though, he could see wheels turning and he knew this was not a man to trifle with.

"General Zhang Fei's right about there being too many boats, but maybe we can do something about that…"

"What have you in mind, Master Pang?" Liu Bei queried.

"A variation on the classic chain Strategy," the man said simply. "Linked by a chain, men will drag one another to their doom."

"I see what you're gettin' at," Ce replied, nodding. "Cao Cao is invading when the river's rough because of the storms an' his men'll be suffering for it until they launch. But if they got it in their head that chaining the ship together would help stabilize the ships, then all those men can board even sooner."

"And one thousand ships essentially become one big ship," Guan Yu observed. "Setting fire to one ship means we have at least a chance to set fire to all of them because they cannot get away from one another."

Everyone looked at the map, seeing the potential for the plan and their hearts lifted. Zhou Yu, however, needed to add one proviso.

"Our only complication is nature itself," he said in his mellow tenor. "For the flames to spread, there must be a wind and the winds this time of year come from the north, meaning that they will not aid in spreading our proposed conflagration."

"Perhaps I can do something about that, Lord Zhou Yu." Kongming offered. "My family has always had the favour of the gods of the sky and wind. I propose that you allow me to worry about which direction the wind blows, for admittedly our actual military might is sparse in comparison to your own and the brunt of the fighting will probably fall to your valiant warriors."

Sun Ce was aware of Zhou Yu bristling at Kongming's fair-seeming words, suggesting that he would address the divine part of their plan while more ephemeral matters were handled by the mighty Southlanders. His sworn brother showed no outward sign of his discontent, but Ce knew the strategist too well to know notice. Zhuge Liang really got under the normally unflappable Zhou Yu's skin, obviously.

Ce nodded. "There's plenty more to do, but obviously we have the beginnings of a really good plan. Pang Tong'll work on how to get Cao Cao to chain his ships together. Kongming's gonna figure out how to summon the wind while Zhou Yu's planning the fire attack and our counter-offensive."

"Lord Sun, how would you have my forces used in this endeavour?" Liu Bei asked.

Sun Ce nodded, anticipating the question. "Ambush…"

* * *

"I know it's necessary, that doesn't mean I have to like it." Ce said, scowling as he and Zhou Yu drank tea in a small antechamber. He wished Da were here with him.

"Mayhap, Ce, but we both know that Liu Bei is susceptible to displays of luxury and wealth," Zhou Yu replied, ever calm and reasonable. "I would rather enslave him now than fight him for the land later."

"Enslavin' anybody rubs me the wrong way," Ce grumbled, waiting while Zhou Yu filled his cup.

"I see little alternative aside from more bloodshed," said the strategist. "If he can be seduced by luxury and easy living, then I say we use it to our advantage. We need him for the battle to come, but if we do not control him now then we will no doubt have to face him once Cao Cao is defeated. I would rather harmlessly subvert an ally than have to destroy them."

"An' that'll be easier said than done with that crew he's got surroundin' him," muttered the warlord. Kongming an' Pang Tong're both too clever by a half, they'll be a handful."

Zhou Yu nodded thoughtfully. "Do you think their strategies and abilities superior to our own?"

Ce smiled. "Nah, you an' Lu Xun an' Lu Meng're certainly every bit as good an' to be honest, you're all warriors, which makes you even more valuable. Neither of them're any use in a fight whereas your sword is one of the deadliest in the realm. How could I turn that up?"

Zhou Yu did not respond, seemingly lost in thought or at least unwilling to comment.

Ce chuckled. "Look, is it really all that bad havin' to share strategic genius with someone else? Your life ain't over just because somebody out there _might _be as good as you, y'know."

Zhou Yu shot his friend a look, daring him to continue. Ce just shrugged.

"Did you think any less of me because Lu Bu was probably as good as I am in a fight? Bastard's dead, we'll never know for sure. And in the fight I took him down in, I had help. It wasn't one on one like our first encounter, and I sure as hell didn't defeat him there."

"That is true. You were at least his equal." Zhou Yu said in a measured tone.

"An' Kongming might be yours. What's the big deal? He sits there an' everyone assumes he is a sage because he acts the part. Everyone _knows _you're a brilliant strategist and a superb warrior. You've formulated strategies that have built our realm and defended us from strong foes. What's Kongming ever done aside from manage to stave off disaster every time Liu Bei gets himself in over his head? Where are his real accomplishments?"

"His compliments of my skill rankle," Zhou Yu muttered. "I would rather have the insults of Jia Xu than the accolades of Zhuge Liang."

Ce laughed, throwing his head back. "Oh, cruel heavens! If thou hast created Zhuge Liang, why then Zhou Yu?"

The strategist glowered for several seconds at his friend's jibe but then began to laugh along with him. Cao Cao awaited their retribution, the time for dealing with Kongming but a whisper in the back of Zhou Yu's mind.

* * *

Dinner was enjoyed by all, a sumptuous banquet complete with music and song. Servants and courtesans danced and told many tales of valour from years past. Though most were entertaining, the final one was a sombre ballad about the final battle of Lord Sun Jian, patriarch of the Sun family and Ce's father. Everyone listened respectfully, knowing that great deeds and heroism were the realm and bastion of those who had everything to lose when they fought. Sun Jian had slain hundreds in his last battle, all for the sake of his children and his people, always the lord but also the shepherd of his people.

When the song was over, Liu Bei raised his wine cup in a toast. "To Sun Jian, quite possibly the noblest man I have ever met and father of the most illustrious family in the realm."

Everyone drank to the toast and the servants began clearing away the feast while Ce and his guests retired to an antechamber for tea. A courtesan played the _konghou _in the corner while the men talked, her melody meant to promote calm but clear thought in the listener.

Ce put down his tea cup. "So, Zhuge Liang, I gotta know… how exactly are you planning on turning the wind in our favour?"

Zhuge Liang bowed his head slightly to acknowledge the question. "Just as your family is bound to Chu-Jung, the god of fire, so is mine tied to the spirits of the wind. Long have we worshipped them for their superlative wisdom and generosity and they have always heeded our supplications. If you would burn Cao Cao's fleet with fire, of which you are masters, I then would use the sky itself against our common foe."

"Summoning the wind," Liu Bei mused. "It seems fanciful, if not capricious."

"If we are to survive the Prime Minister's murderous and relentless ambition then the heavens themselves must be our allies," Guan Yu said, his deep voice grave with concern. "For not even Zhang Fei, Lord Sun Ce and I fighting side by side could stand against so mighty an army and hope to buy us more than fleeting moments. If the gods aid us, then they are also censuring Cao Cao, so their involvement is two-fold. We must all do everything we can to achieve this victory, possibly the greatest ever told if we succeed."

Zhang Fei snorted. "Just put some of his troops within reach and I'll handle the rest. I know our brother expects us to respect him because of his office, but that bastard Cao Cao needs to be taken down and I don't care who hears me say it."

"On that point we all agree," Zhou Yu said softly. "For surely none of us wish to live in a world where might makes right and Cao Cao has the mandate of Heaven and manifest destiny. We must all play our part and fight as Lord Sun Jian would have done- without holding back and with no regard for our own safety. Millions of lives depend on us."

"Huang Gai, one of my generals and by far the most loyal, has agreed to pretend to defect," Ce continued. "In order to make the ruse believable, I am going to beat him very badly, which is the only way Cao Cao'd take the bait."

"The general's loyalty to you is renowned, lord," Liu Bei commented, nodding. "I shudder to think what you will have to put him through in order to convince someone as wary and distrusting as the Prime Minister, for surely he will almost die."

"Yeah, but aside from Elryk, he's the only person I can count on to endure that kinda punishment, and Cao Cao would just kill a barbarian if he showed up in his camp." Ce pointed out. "Aside from that, he's really good with incendiaries and those firebombs he likes to throw around on the battlefield are hell to deal with. He's the perfect person to conduct the attack."

"And if Pang Tong also pretends to defect and convinces Cao Cao to chain the ships together for stability, our gambit becomes that much easier," Zhou Yu concluded. "Pang Tong, I sense in you a touch of the mystic, so I assume you can fool those around you long enough to gain their confidence and befuddle them?"

The strange little sage nodded. "It wouldn't be the first time. You don't get to be as pretty as me without a lot of beatings from people who misunderstand you and when you can't defend yourself physically then you have to find alternative methods of redress the balance."

"Well said, my friend," Kongming said, nodding. "Insofar as we are helpless before the Prime Minister's might, we must use other means to contest him. Lord Zhou Yu, we have concluded he has as many as one thousand capital ships and as many as one million troops to invade the Southlands with if he launches this armada?"

"Yes," Zhou Yu confirmed. Even if the Southlands gathers its entire army to this one point, we would still be outnumbered nearly five to one and the fighting would cost us men we cannot spare for a pitched battle. Our troops are being allocated to Wuchang in order to drive into Hefei once Cao Cao's army in the center is obliterated. Defeating this one force, though it is vast, will not break his power and we must take the fight to him elsewhere and erode his power base if we are to achieve victory."

Zhuge Liang nodded. "Your vision is far-reaching. Most men see only their immediate needs, but you have already deduced that the battle of Chi Bi will not resolve this war. The conflict will go on, possibly for some years and the Prime Minister will certainly not go down without a fight. All we can do is build our momentum and blunt his until the Heavens decree that he is no more."

Everyone pondered Kongming's words. Even if they somehow won this impossible victory here, years of toil, fighting and blood remained ahead of them. Untold lives would continue to be lost, all because of discrepancies in philosophy. It was unconscionable, but nonetheless necessary.

Sun Ce brought fire and valour to the table. Liu Bei brought the wind and sorcery. Could these factors possibly defeat the overwhelming military might of Cao Cao?

They had to. Or there would be nothing left.

* * *

Pai and Lin both snuggled against Liu Bei in the large bed he slept in. The Scion of the Han looked at the dark ceiling as he pondered. The night was clear and the only sounds were the music of crickets and the croaking of frogs. The three of them had made love several times that night and while his body was deliciously exhausted, his mind was awash with questions.

To his surprise, they were not questions about the peril he now faced with Cao Cao, whose triumph would mean utter obliteration for them all, but rather about his surroundings and how one's worthiness for such trappings and privileges was determined.

Certainly he did not dispute the worthiness of his host in such things, for the Sun family was not only an ancient patrician name that predated the Han itself, but their nobility and magnanimity and munificence were beyond reproach. They did not keep such treasures for themselves and Sun Ce had instituted a merit-based system for advancing in class if one chose to embark on such a journey. It was not much different from Cao Cao's policy except that Cao Cao discarded those he deemed of no use whereas Sun Ce valued even the lowest and most base man.

Certainly his own name of Liu was worthy of such appointments as he now found himself in and while he had occasionally partaken of them before, he had never really noticed how much he had missed them until now. His brief experiences in Luo'yang seemed so very distant now and also so decadent and false. This was different, somehow. He yearned for what surrounded him, an end to the running and a chance to enjoy the life his station as a lord of the realm offered.

Pai now purred as she crawled on top of him, her delicate hands caressing his chest as she looked down into his eyes.

"You seem troubled, my lord," she whispered. "Have we not satisfied you?"

"Oh, no, it's not that…" he said, feeling his body respond to her squirming. "I… fear I shall miss this when the time has come to take up arms again."

"Oh, but my lord, there is no need for this to be denied you," Lin cooed, snuggling up behind Pai and holding the other girl, playing with her breasts as she smiled wickedly down at their charge. "Your victory will make it clear to all that you are indeed worthy of such blessings and who would deny you then?"

He closed his eyes as they tended to him, the two girls almost acting as one. The three of them pleasured one another for some time before Liu Bei finally drifted off into sleep, his worries laid to rest by the bliss the courtesans were such experts in imparting to their guests.

His dreams were of riches and ease, a life without running and where women made love to him instead of dying for him.

* * *

"The question remains, can Liu Bei and his forces slip by Cao Ren?" Ce pondered as they looked at the map of Jing. Cao Ren had driven a wedge into the province and was threatening to bisect the new alliance, cutting Liu Bei off from the Southlands.

Zhou Yu also studied the map, looking at the northern territories of Jing with a critical eye. Wu had already withdrawn much of its forces from the southern reaches in order to strengthen their lines in the face of Cao Cao's imminent threat. If Liu Bei could not join them, then he was no use for the battle to come.

"Cao Ren cannot yet cross the river, at least not in force. Ce, even if he joins us, Liu Bei needs a base to work from. What if we were to allow him to use southern Jing as a stronghold while we deal with Cao Cao?"

Ce thought for many long moments about what his strategist was suggesting. On the surface, it meant that Liu Bei would be stable, but it also meant that Wu would be ceding rich territories that had been fought so hard for and cost so much blood. The honour of Sun Jian's vengeance was in Jing, he could hardly just give it up.

But he also knew that Zhou Yu never had motives this superficial. Clearly it also meant that Liu Bei was nearby and could be controlled. He had already proven himself susceptible to comfort and luxury, could he possibly be constrained if allowed to indulge them freely?

Could Liu Bei be trusted to give back Jing once Cao Cao was dealt with?

"It's our best option and it ain't like we have much of a choice," Ce said finally. "Liu Bei's gotta be strong or he's of no use. If we've gotta give him the strength to help us, let's just do it."

"What about Liu Cong?" queried Zhou Yu. "Will Liu Bei so willingly leave him, even if it's for his own strength and survival?"

"Liu Bei can't hold off Cao Ren in northern Jing, even if he and Liu Cong join forces," Ce pointed out. "An' we're too far away to help at the moment. What happens to Liu Cong happens. Maybe once we've dealt with Cao Cao at Chi Bi then Liu Bei can move north across the river again and take up residence there."

In a world of dismal choices, it was the best one they had. Ce would allow Liu Bei to occupy Jing.

* * *

"It is a most generous offer, lord of the Southlands," Liu Bei said, bowing low. "Your concern for the well-being of those that follow me is an indication of your true worth and magnanimity."

Ce nodded and then shrugged genially. "I've never loaned anyone land before, so just try not to break it, okay? But now comes the tough part, because you've gotta fight your way past Cao Ren to get across the river. I'll try to supply some ships, but the fighting is all yours."

"About damn time, too!" Zhang Fei grumped, kneeling next to his brother and scowling. "I love the wine you southerners make, but I miss handing Cao Cao his ass."

"What the general means is that we are all eager to rid the land of the Prime Minister's threat," Zhuge Liang said softly, diverting the inevitable rant from Zhang Fei. "Certainly if we can keep Jing stabilized then we will be able to move against Cao Cao and free the Middle Kingdom of his tyranny."

"As common goals go, it's one of the better ones I've heard," Ce replied agreeably. We'll try to keep the Prime Minister's eyes off you while you break south."

Zhou Yu gestured to the map, indicating Cao Ren's forces, a series of blue stones. "General Cao Ren's army is centered around Mian Yang, somewhat west of Cao Cao's main army in Wu Lin and opposite us. Since your army is currently in Jing Zhou, I would suggest that you actually head down the You River, near gong An and Chan Ling. It is somewhat out of your way, but with the river between you and Cao Ren until you get far enough south, you should be safe until you turn east to join us. You can then cross at Ba Ling and you will never be in danger from Cao Cao. All you have to do is make it to the You River."

Guan Yu's mighty eyebrows knit together. "Brother, I am loathe to abandon Liu Cong to such a wretched fate if Cao Ren turns on him in our absence. What should we do about your kinsman?"

Liu Bei closed his eyes, crossed his arms and thought about the issue. "Guan Yu, you shall return to Jing Zhou and rally our troops along with our brother. Zhang Fei shall bring our forces down the You River, as planned while you remain with Liu Cong. Once we are safe and we have taken the fight to Cao Cao, you shall drive into Cao Ren's flank as he turns to aid the Prime Minister. He will be unable to resist your might and will surely be forced out of Jing."

"And what of you, my lord?" Kongming asked.

Liu Bei now opened his eyes, his resolve clear. "I will remain here to continue planning our moves against Cao Cao…"

* * *

Laying in the hot spring, Liu Bei sighed as he stretched out, surrounded by a bevy of lovely and naked girls, all of whom giggled and insisted on taking turns massaging him, usually with their more intimate body parts. Lin and Pai had made good on their promise to bring their friends and celebrate the heroism of the Scion of the Han, victor of Changban Bridge.

Wine was served and soon Liu Bei found himself nearly lost in soft, yielding flesh, his body sent to the very edge of a torturous pleasure he had never before known as the girls' hands, lips and breasts explored him. They took their turns treading the arrow with him and making sure the crisis of Jing Zhou and their impending doom was the farthest thing from his mind.

From a long distance away, on the balcony of the royal pavilion, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu watched intently. The young warlord seemed bemused.

"Well I'll be damned," he muttered. "He really is gonna forget everything at this rate, isn't he?"

"Guan Yu and Zhang Fei have been gone for nearly five days now and he has yet to attend a single strategy session," Zhou Yu replied softly, nodding. "This may be easier than we thought."

"Yeah, that worries me," Ce said. "It can't possibly go this well. Something'll happen."

"It's not Liu Bei we need, Ce, it is his generals and his army," reminded his friend. "Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun, these are the heroes we need to help fight Cao Cao. Liu Bei is of no particular consequence in this battle. He may be able to fight, but he is not so proficient as to carry all before him. Even that lunatic berserker of his, Wei Yan, is of more use to us."

"And Kongming?" Ce asked.

"Let us hope that his words are more than wind…" Zhou Yu said distantly.

* * *

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were walking down the hallway of the pavilion, discussing the deployment of the army under Sun Quan after the engagement at Chi Bi. Zhou Yu had cautioned not to take immediate action since they still had no actionable intelligence about what troops of the enemy were stationed in Hefei and several of Cao Cao's most renowned generals were still unaccounted for.

They stopped in their discussion as a young woman knelt before them. Her raven long, raven hair was done up in a warrior's queue and her armour fit her curvy figure so snugly that Ce knew instantly who she was and whom she served.

"Arise, Lian Shi," he said pleasantly, smiling. "What news do you bring from my sister?"

The warrior-woman known as Lian Shi rose and bowed her head humbly, her soft eyes speaking of selfless dedication. "The Lady Shang Xiang, prefect of Fujian and Conqueror of the Shanyue, sends her greetings, great lord. I bring documents that detail the skirmishes and actions that have been fought by various regiments against the Prime Minister's forces to keep them off balance while you prepare yourself for the conflict."

She approached them and knelt as she presented him with a satchel containing many scrolls. Ce took the proffered bag and allowed her to stand again. Even in Shang Xiang's corps, Lian Shi, one of her commanders, was renowned for her dedication and devotion to duty. She was a formidable warrior and it was said that she was his sister's favourite after her beloved captain, Fu Chin Ran. And while Lian Shi loved the Bow-Hipped Princess dearly, it was a poorly kept secret that her true heart lay elsewhere…

"Thank my sister upon your return, commander, for overseeing these operations while I meet with Liu Bei," Ce said. "But tell me now of your own self. I have seen you with your crossbow and even my sister and I would be hard-pressed to match your prowess."

Lian Shi blushed modestly. Her skill with the crossbow was renowned throughout the Southlands and she was capable of archery feats one would normally consider impossible with the weapon. She was deft with the short sword preferred by Shang Xiang's amazon battalion along with various other weapons, but her preference had always been the crossbow.

She was descended from the once prominent Bu family and had been accepted readily into the service of Sun Shang Xiang, who was impressed with her martial prowess. Though Shang Xiang had bested her in any of their trials of skill, except for the crossbow (the Lady Sun's personal preference being the longbow), she had also proven to possess a keen tactical mind and was a natural leader, so she rose quickly through the ranks of the amazon warriors, loved by all. As was her privilege as a commander, she had been Shang Xiang's lover for some years and acted as her personal messenger and herald when they were not at war, since she was also a superlative rider.

She was very attractive, graced with a form that would have made her an excellent courtesan, but there was a quiet fire in her that compelled the woman to take up arms in order to serve the Southlands. Like all the amazons, her combat techniques were swift and agile, relying on light armour for mobility and strong weapons that a foe could not readily resist when she chose to strike them down. Her short sword was ever present on her belt, but even in close combat she was known to use her crossbow with uncanny ability.

"My lord, will Lord Liu Bei join us for the fight at Chi Bi?" she asked.

"It's all but official and there's no reason for him not to," Ce replied. "If we lose here then it's all over anyway. Fighting him individually just delays the inevitable and with no hope whatsoever of victory. We'll either win or it will be the most renowned and glorious defeat in history. Either way, I'll take it."

Lian Shi nodded. He had seen her when she was on the battlefield, normally calm and cool, almost detached, unlike his sister or Fu Chin Ran, who rampaged across the enemy lines like infernos, swift to destroy. Lian Shi was methodical and calculating, using her superlative archery skills to down enemy commanders and then counter-striking with a precise cavalry charge.

He had only ever seen her moved to wrath once before in a fight, during the battle of Xia Kou; one of her fellow commanders had been surrounded and was doomed to death, until a frenzied and almost suicidal assault by Lian Shi had broken the enemy's ranks, terrified by her fury. Shang Xiang had given her the exalted rank of herald after that action.

"What news of my brother in Wuchang?" he asked slyly.

Though she bowed her head as she replied, a hint of rose entered her complexion as she thought of Sun Quan, Lord of Jiang Dong. "Your brother is well, great lord, and he regrets that he will not be able to join you at Chi Bi, per your instructions that at least one of you remain alive in case of disaster."

"That's the way it's gotta be," Ce said simply. "Besides, if we set fire to Cao Cao's fleet, his precious beard might get singed off."

Lian Shi drew a breath. "Actually, Lord Sun Ce, this may not be a concern."

Ce raised an eyebrow. "Oh?"

Lian Shi almost looked embarrassed. "I… during my last interaction with your brother, I might have mentioned that his beard makes him look somewhat severe and he should not hide his noble and handsome Sun face behind it. Since you have last seen him, he has removed the beard and been… growing his hair out."

Even Zhou Yu looked astonished. "Lord Quan shaved and is growing his hair?"

Lian Shi looked at the floor and nodded, blushing.

Ce could barely contain his mirth. "Zhou Yu, have I said 'Well I'll be damned' yet today?"

Zhou Yu should his head but his smirk was unmistakeable. "Even if you had, I would give you another for free. I would be less surprised to find out that Glandyth had taken up poetry."

"Like Ding Feng isn't scary enough with that stuff," Ce said, chuckling. "Lian Shi, I will be sending you back to my sister shortly with instructions, but until then, please attend me."

"As you wish, great lord," she said, bowing. "I am your humble and devoted servant."

She fell into line behind the two of them and walked along silently while they returned to their discussion about the troops dispositions. They entered the council room and noticed that Zhuge Liang was sitting there, awaiting them. The strategist rose and bowed his head, his ever-present fan in front of him.

"Well met, my lords," he said in his quiet voice. "I await your final instructions in order to bring swift ruin to our mutual enemy."

They both nodded and joined him at the table, where hot tea was already waiting, served by an old man who was blind and paid very well to be deaf. The morning tea was a white leaf, ever so delicately flavoured with peach. The strategy session might have been serious, but the tea's purpose was a cheerful one.

"This is Lian Shi, one of my sister's commanders. She will be joining us before heading back to Shang Xiang with orders." Ce said, indicating the amazon warrior as she bowed low and joined them at the table.

Kongming nodded. "Lady Bu, your reputation as a warrior precedes you. I look forward to seeing your crossbow at work on the field of battle."

Lian Shi blushed but said nothing. Zhou Yu's countenance darkened.

"Before we begin, my lord, I must express some concerns about my Lord Liu Bei." Zhuge Liang said.

"Are you worried for his health or safety?" Ce queried.

"It is not that, lord, but I fear he may be losing his focus." Kongming replied. "As you no doubt have noticed, he has not attended a single one of these meetings since the generals Guan and Zhang have left for Jing."

"If I thought I needed his opinion I most certainly would have requested him to join us or gone to see him," Ce answered. "What is the basis for your concern?"

"Lord Liu is not used to the life that you are accustomed to leading," the strategist explained. "Though I do not consider your lifestyle vulgar or ostentatious here in Wu, even its most simple luxuries are far more than my lord is normally privy to. He seems to be concentrating on these ephemeral enhancements to his lifestyle rather than the matters at hand."

"I am not treating him any differently than I would any other honoured guest," Ce said. "Would you have me deprive him of these trappings due to a lord of an ancient house and rebuke him?"

Kongming chose his words carefully. "Of course not, great lord. And yes, Lord Liu Bei is indeed worthy of these luxuries as befits his station. But if he loses himself to them, then he is not attending to his followers and to the common people."

Ce said nothing but merely stared at the strategist, allowing him to expound upon this current train of concern.

"It is perhaps just too much given to him a little too quickly." Kongming said finally.

"I have no intent whatsoever of suggesting that to a peer," Ce pointed out. "He is indeed my peer and I am obligated to treat him as I would any other. If you take issue with this, then it would fall you to you and your men to bring this up with him. It is not my place to do so."

Kongming was silent but then a bell of alarm rang out in the city. Without any pause, Sun Ce had crossed the council chamber and leapt out the window in the blink of an eye, heedless of the fact that they were on the third floor. Zhuge Liang's eyes widened at the feat, though this was his only betrayal of his surprise. Zhou Yu and Lian Shi had both sprinted out as well, leaving the strategist to follow as quickly as he could.

* * *

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei strode down the ornate boulevard of the noble quarter, red blood running from the blades of their weapons. They had returned to retrieve their lord and sworn brother and when the guards at the gate to the quarter had barred their entrance they had slain them swiftly.

An alarm had been sounded and they knew that more guards were converging on the area swiftly, so they had to get their brother out as quickly as possible. Already archers had taken up positions on the roofs of the _siheyuans_ lining the street, waiting for the order to fire.

A swordsman rushed up behind them and an almost casual flick of Guan Yu's wrist dropped the man as the Green Dragon blade bisected him. Zhang Fei punched another man who got too close, shattering his skull. The mighty warriors paused as they were confronted by the sight of Sun Ce awaiting them at the entrance to the _shiheyuan_ their brother was staying in. His stance was casual but his eyes were blazing, daring them to contest another step.

"What news, generals?" he called out, his voice uncharacteristically hard. "Is our hospitality so beneath your satisfaction that you would slay my guards in revenge?"

Zhang Fei glowered as Ce was joined by his strategist Zhou Yu and a lithe warrior-woman holding a crossbow. "We've come to get our brother back!" he replied loudly.

"I was not aware that the preamble to such an event was to slay your hosts," Ce said, not backing off. "Explain why my men had to die."

"They wouldn't let us in!" Zhang Fei roared, clearly his temper getting the better of him. "They wouldn't let us see him!"

"I don't know about where you come from, but normally guests in a city to not just pound around where they please," Ce challenged. "Is that how they do things in Liu Bei's city? Oh, wait, I forgot… you guys don't have one."

Zhang Fei clenched his teeth and gripped the haft of his Viper Spear, his whiskers bristling in fury.

"No one is holding your lord against his will and we never would," Ce said evenly. "Whatever your contentions about his ends and his proclivities, that is no excuse for acting like savages in my city! The men you have killed have families. Are their lives and dreams any less worthy that those of the people who serve Liu Bei? What do I tell them now about the trust I showed my guests?"

Guan Yu knew that Ce had them dead to rights and that Zhang Fei was about to spring into action, infuriated by his inability to contend the point, so he dropped to one knee and bowed humbly.

"Forgive us, lord of the Southlands, I beg you!" he boomed in his gravelly bass. "Matters got out of hand and we, your guests, are completely at fault. Know that it was no ill intent towards you and your people that brought us to this folly but merely concern for our lord, for whom we would risk everything."

"That's no excuse for what you have done, Lord Guan," Ce stated, pained to rebuke a man he respected so much. "If you would see your lord leave with you then it shall be so, for clearly his continued presence unbalances you and makes you a danger to my people, who have done no wrong. Liu Bei shall be released to your custody."

"Thank you, great lord." Guan Yu said, almost trembling with relief.

"Now get outta my city and wait at the hitching station near the river," Ce said harshly. "I'll bring Liu Bei to you."

"I think we can handle retrieving our own brother." Zhang Fei shouted, still testy from his humiliation.

"And I think you've done enough damage here, Zhang Fei Yide of Yan!" Ce said coldly. "Frankly I ain't takin' any more chances with you in my city. There might be women in their with your sworn brother an' heavens help _them_ if they happen to get in your way."

"What?" Zhang Fei raged. "You callin' me a killer of women?"

"I'm sayin' that Liu Bei isn't gonna be served well by any more of your murderous tantrums, an' if killin' is all your good for, then you're bloody-well waitin' outside until I find one of Cao Cao's armies to point you at! If word of what you've done gets out to the other lords of the realm, how's that gonna make Liu Bei look? C'mon, general, you're not _that _stupid!"

"Come, brother," Guan Yu said, rising and placing a hand on his companion's shoulder. "Lord Sun Ce is correct in every aspect and we are bound as vassals of our lord to obey, for surely we will dishonour our brother further if we do not comply. Fighting an ally will not make our lord's life even more complicated than it already is."

Zhang Fei bowed his head and squeezed his eyes shut, knowing he had been made a fool, and there was nothing for it but to comply. He took a deep breath and bowed stiffly before turning on his heel and walking back down the boulevard, but not before handing his Viper Spear to his brother Guan Yu, in case any of the citizens gave him a look that didn't agree with his current mood.

"I thank you, lord, for your mercy in this matter," Guan Yu said humbly, once again bowing. "You would certainly be within your rights as lord of the realm and our generous host to demand blood in compensation for our actions, none of which were warranted. We will await you outside the city."

And with that, the huge general turned and left, his heart heavy, knowing that he had wronged a great man and someone he would happily consider a friend.

Zhuge Liang now approached, his fan in front of him. "Your temperance is commendable, Lord of the southlands," he said quietly. "Shall we now retrieve Lord Liu?"

"If it's all the same to you, Feathers, I think I'll go an' get your lord myself." Ce replied, clearly fed up with his pretentious guests. "Why ain't you goin' with me? Because he's my damn peer an' my damn responsibility, commoner; I think you and your little band have done enough for now. Go find Zhang Fei an' more sure he isn't eating any of my peasants."

Knowing better than to contest Sun Ce, who could kill him without even blinking and be justified in doing so, Kongming nodded and left, striding down the street, arrows from the rooftops still trained on him.

"I want every archer on the city walls, watching those guys," Ce muttered. "Have Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers at the gate and send your spies into the city to see if there are any of Kongming's agents left behind. I want this over with.

Zhou Yu nodded and loped off. Ce turned to Lian Shi. "Get outside the city and take up a hidden position near our guests," he said quietly. "If any of them gets the least bit uppity or temperamental, kill them instantly."

Lian Shi bowed and made her way to the postern gate, checking the toxin vials she kept on her belt for such assignments.

Ce sighed and turned, heading into the _shiheyuan_ where the guest who was the source of all this contention stayed. Where was Liu Bei, anyway? Surely he had heard the alarm bells and all the commotion…

Inside the manor was dark and smelled heavily of incense. One of the courtesans who had been assigned to Liu Bei came walking down the hall and stopped as she saw her liege. She was wrapped loosely in a silk blanket, he ample bosom spilling out of the confines. She smiled somewhat lop-sidedly and bowed, almost losing her balance.

Drunk…

Ce approached the bedchambers, passing more girls in various states of undress, all of whom seemed inebriated to one degree of another. Harp and flutes played from within and the pungent aroma of incense grew even stronger. Ce suddenly had a pretty good idea why no one within the manor had reacted to the alarm.

He opened the door and strode in to the chamber, not at all fazed by what he saw, since he had expected it- servant girls were everywhere, engaging in whatever manner of carnal acts they could conceive of with one another. In the center of the room was the large bed, on which were several girls, all converged on one central figure as yet concealed from sight. Without batting an eye, Ce came over the bed and looked down at the writhing, roiling flesh that encompassed the scion of the Han. The courtesan Pai was moaning as she writhed and churned on Liu Bei's manhood while the one known as Lin hand grappled onto the other girl, kissing her greedily as she squirmed her silken behind up and down on their guest's chest. Surrounding them were other girls who molested and fondled the threesome, all mewling and pleading for a turn.

Beneath it all was Liu Bei, whose eyes were closed in rapture, lost to a world of utter bliss.

Ce merely looked at the girls who all noticed him one by one and paused in what they were doing. He tilted his head, politely indicating it was time for them all to get the hell out and leave him with Liu Bei. If any of them were thinking of entertaining thoughts of an imminent homoerotic encounter, these secret dreams were dashed by the fell look on Ce's face. Even Pai managed to hastily unpin herself from Liu Bei and scurry out of the room. Ce pulled up a chair and sat next to the bed.

"Hey, bare ass, get up."

It took Ce's guest several moments to notice anything was amiss before his eyes fluttered open and he looked around in confusion, looking for the girls who were no longer there. He focused on Ce's face finally and asked the inevitable question.

"Lord Sun Ce? Where… where are the girls?"

"I kicked 'em out so I could get you ready to leave," Ce said flatly.

"Leave?" Liu Bei asked, blinking in confusion. "But… why?"

"Wish I knew the answer to that, pal, but your guess is as good as mine," answered the warlord. "Your brothers showed up, apparently demanding your return and killed several of my troops before I confronted them and compelled them to leave and wait outside the city for you."

Liu Bei slowly sat up and rubbed his face with his hands, trying to gather his thoughts and make sense of what he was being told. He turned around to look at Sun Ce. "Lord, I-"

"Don't point that thing at me," Ce interjected, making a wry face and tossing a part of the blanket over Ce's waist. "Just… go take a bath and I'll explain everything along the way. Things'll be awkward enough without you showing up, covered in whatever you're covered in."

He pointed at the antechamber off to the side where the bathing basin was maintained and waited while Liu Bei covered himself up and made his way in. A few minutes passed before he heard his guest splashing around in the tub, cleansing himself.

"I don't have any real details, but your brothers seemed to think you were bein' constrained and held against your will." Ce called in.

"That's absurd," Liu Bei answered. "Most assuredly, I was not being held against my will. My presence here was completely consensual."

"No shit," Ce muttered. "Y'got the consensual part right."

"I am sorry, my lord, I did not hear that last part."

"Nothin'," Ce said dismissively, trying hard to forget all the consensual things he had just finished seeing. He was by no means prudish and before he had married Da Qiao he had certainly engaged in activities such as this, but the whole image was ruined by the inclusion of Liu Bei. "I'm just glad I got here when I did, your general Zhang Fei was in one of his killing moods, seemingly."

"I do not know what to say, lord, aside from you have my regret and my abject apologies," Liu Bei said, his tone still one of confusion. "I wish I had more to offer but I will not until such time as I speak with my brothers. Where are they now?"

"Outside the city," Ce replied. "With every archer and assassin I have in the region watching them closely, in case they decide to do anything else stupid."

"Let us hope it does not come to that," Liu Bei said hastily, increasing the speed at which he washed himself. "I am still at a loss for why they felt the need to retrieve me at all. They certainly said nothing upon their departure back to Jing."

"I got no answers, pal, they're your crew, not mine." Ce answered without humour. "I've got a whole lot of explainin' to do to the families of the men they killed, so I'm leavin' the whys to you."

Liu Bei said nothing.

* * *

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu watched from atop the main gate as Liu Bei rode out to join his companions at the hitching posts near the river. They conferred for several moments before Liu Bei turned around to gesture at them, holding up the bag containing maps and tactics that they had devised. He bowed his head and then rode north, followed by Kongming and Zhang Fei. Guan Yu, atop the mighty steed Red Hare, turned one last gaze toward Sun Ce and nodded slowly before taking off after his peers, the titanic horse covering the distance in no time flat.

Ce closed his eyes, reflecting on the proposed alliance- Liu Bei, Kongming, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhou Yun, Huang Zhong, Wei Yan, Pang Tong… could it really work?

"Y'think those collective heads of knuckle will ever be able to get their act together long enough to be of real assistance to us?" he asked.

"It was be an ill and temporary fit at best," Zhou Yu replied quietly, the sunset casting a red glow over the white walls, much as they had when their honoured guests first arrived. "They are unruly and without direction. No one has ever applied the rules to them so they believe the rules do not apply to them."

"Manifest destiny," Ce muttered. "The divine right of those who believe they are correct, endorsed by the Heavens to do what it takes to bring about their goals. Cao Cao uses it to justify his ruthlessness, Liu Bei's people apparently use it to justify their seemingly random behaviour."

"We almost had him," Zhou Yu sighed. "It would not have been long before we would have had him swearing allegiance to us and he could have been set up with a comfortable administrative position and no longer a threat to our plans."

"Yeah, well I guess his vassals are a little more driven than that," Ce mused. "They knew what we were up to and had to stop it, even if we weren't doing anything wrong and against their leader against his will."

"That Kongming will be trouble," Zhou Yu observed. "I do not doubt it was he who put Guan Yu and Zhang Fei up to that little incident back at the gates of the noble quarter. After all, what are the lives of a few citizens from another country compared to that of their liege?"

They watched the sun continue to wester, until Liu Bei and his little band were out of sight.

"It makes you wonder if anyone is really right at all," Zhou Yu said to no one in particular. "We all decry Cao Cao's methods, yet Liu Bei's people will kill out of hand because they see a great goal that must not be deterred. We tried to befuddle and enslave a weak-willed but honourable man to further our own ends. When the gods look down upon us, do any of these acts merit the Mandate of Heaven?"

"I dunno," Ce replied, knowing what Zhou Yu needed to hear. "But what I do know is that if we remain true to our cause and make sure that people may live in peace as they please, then we won't _need_ to resort to Cao Cao's methods. The people who want the lives we can provide them with will come to us. The ones who cannot stand the thought of people living their own way will throw themselves on our swords. We don't need to impose their deaths upon them, they'll do the work for us."

Zhou Yu closed his eyes and smiled. "You are, and always will be, the wisest of us all, Ce. Your clarity of vision and love of common sense, even without your gift, is all we will need. Whereas Liu Bei fills people with vague but hopeful dreams of virtue, we know exactly what we want, and we have the books and the mathematics to back it all up."

They turned and left the great gate behind, with Zhou Yu bowing humbly before excusing himself to visit the site of the Confucian academy that was being build. Ce walked along for some time before being joined by Lian Shi, who stepped into place alongside him.

"Quite an ordeal, my lord," she said softly. "Do you think this has damaged the alliance?"

"To be honest, I think it's gonna be a little easier, now," Ce said, knowing the truth of his words but not happy about it since this resolution came at the cost of innocent lives. "If I had to choose between a rockier road with those guys or a few deaths to make it easier, I would still pick the difficult road. I ain't here to play with people's lives and decide whose sacrifice is justified for my ends. That is how you _lose_ the Mandate of the Heavens."

"Granted, but how will things be easier now, if I may be so bold as to ask?" Lian Shi queried.

"Because Liu Bei, Kongming and Guan Yu all know that they screwed up," Ce said simply. "We treated them like honoured guests an' they behaved exactly the way everyone would expect the _Bailangren_ would behave. They embarrassed themselves an' now they owe me, big time."

"And yet this clearly bothers you." Lian Shi pointed out.

"Don't get me wrong, I am perfectly happy with Liu Bei owin' me, but I am frustrated that people had to die for no reason." Ce replied in a stern voice. "What can I tell the families of those guards who died now? They weren't Night Tigers, they were simple local men who did their assigned duty, even in the face of overwhelming threat from Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, who are two of the deadliest men in the Middle Kingdom. Those men died for nothing."

Lian Shi was silent as she thought about what her lord was saying. "Maybe, my lord, but your job as their ruler is to find some way to make life easier for those who remain, to soften the blow. If anyone can do it, it is you."

Ce smiled. Lian Shi reminded him in some ways of Da, with her simple wisdom and love of serene understanding. Lian Shi was a much better warrior than his wife, at least for now, but they both desired peace above all things and would play whatever role was necessary to attain it. Whereas the Sun children lived for martial glory (excepting Kuang), their spouses were a gentler sort, a necessary balance to their fiery passion.

They walked together to the pavilion and turned a corner near the servant's quarters only to come to a halt- standing before them were nearly two dozen women, all of whom had been attending Liu Bei before Sun Ce had so suddenly and rudely interrupted them. Many were still in various states of undress or wrapped in the sheets they had taken from the bedchamber.

Pai and Lin stepped forward, glowering at Ce. "Lord Sun Ce, greatest of men, though we are all devoted to you and revere you as anyone would, we have a dire grievance we must settle with you."

Ce paused and took half a step back. "Uhhh…"

"Though we know that the affairs of state must take precedence over the affairs of state, you have wronged us greatly in interrupting us during our assigned task- you and the lord Zhou Yu commanded us to seduce Lord Liu Bei and make sure he would never want to leave the realm of pleasure we would transport him to. This we were doing and you forced us to forsake our sacred arts as courtesans at the last moment, because of the meddlings and quarrels of men."

Ce held up a hand in a gesture of helplessness. "Hey, girls, I understand, but…"

"Let me put it another way for you, Lord of the Southlands," Lin chimed in. "We are courtesans… we bring pleasure, be it through music, song, discourse or sex. While we are paid for such services, the true gratification is in shared bliss with those put in our charge. We have been denied this bliss."

"Y- y'mean you girls are all horny because I interrupted you." Ce said warily as the women seemed to advance on him.

Pai nodded. "A debt that requires payment, in full; we have our courtesan pride, great lord, and per the laws of the willow world, we shall not be denied."

Ce's mind raced as he backed up towards a wall of one of the servant's houses, making sure none got behind him. Lian Shi swallowed, wondering if she should do anything to defend her lord.

"Lian Shi…" Ce said quietly, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Your services to my family will always be remembered, I promise you…"

Her head snapped around to look at him. "What?"

"Tag, you're it!" Ce said, poking her on the forehead before leaping up high into the night sky, out of reach of the lust-crazed women. "Make sure they feel compensated!"

"What of that lovely speech about not sacrificing others for one's own expedience?" she called in outrage as the courtesans mobbed her, deftly removing her armour and beginning to practice their sacred arts.

"Say hi to my sister for me if you make it!" he shouted back as he disappeared over the high walls of the pavilion compound.

Pushed down onto her back, completely naked, the veil of night and the countless stars would be the last thing she remembered for days.

* * *

The generals and councillors were gathered in the great tent, scarlet and gold materials straining against the stiff northern breeze. Sun Ce stood in the center with Zhou Yu on one side and Lu Meng on the other. Also with them were Gan Ning, Huang Gai, Lu Xun, Ling Tong, Elryk, Taishi Ci and Sun Shang Xiang, accompanied by Fu Chin Ran and what was left of Lian Shi, who seemed somewhat out of it. Everyone knew better than to ask why.

Zhou Yu pointed to the map. "I have confirmed that Pang Tong had feigned defection and is now in the enemy's counsel," he said. "As promised, he has somehow convinced the enemy to chain their ships together for stability in the face of the seasonal winds. That said, well over half and maybe as much as two thirds of Cao Cao's troops are aboard the ships now, awaiting departure. Probably close to eight hundred of the ships are so chained and the troops are all by necessity quartered there."

He now pointed to another place, on the opposite side of the river from the Wu forces but also farther away from Cao Cao's armada. "Zhuge Liang has set up an altar in this location and it is from here that he will attempt to summon the wind that will make our fire attack possible."

"I'm still uncomfortable with the whole idea," Ling Tong said. "Why should we rely on that guy? Even if he _could_ do it, what's to say he will or this isn't part of some elaborate scheme to deceive us? Are we completely certain that Liu Bei isn't allied with Cao Cao? Let's face it, his troops pushed by Cao Ren pretty easily."

"There is no room for Liu Bei in Cao Cao's world, general, even as a vassal," Zhou Yu replied. "Most assuredly, they are not in alliance any more than we are with Cao Cao."

"Okay, but I still don't buy into this whole 'summon the wind' thing Kongming is talking about," Ling Tong continued.

"We haven't got much of a choice, my young friend," Lu Meng said, examining the map. "Every part of this plan is reliant on another part. The entire strategy is formidable and daring, but no piece can be missed. If one part fails, we are lost."

"So why don't we create our own wind?" Gan Ning piped up. "We've all seen Elryk's god of night and what it can do. Anybody with a face that big's gotta be able to blow up a storm or two for us."

They waited while Lap the Uyghur scribe translated for the mighty German chieftain and his expression darkened as he thought of a response.

"The god of night is not for us to command," he said in his rumbling, alien voice. "Such caprice is sheer folly. The god of night always demands a sacrifice and it is not necessarily that of the enemy. My brother takes his life in his hands every time he says those works and invokes our god. The god has not been responsive to us, do not think we have not tried. No, my friends, we are alone in this. The man with the stupid feathers is our best hope."

Lu Meng now gestured to the battle positions he had set up. "Positioning our forces without giving away our intent is difficult, because we cannot have our own ship lying about to be discovered, indicating our intent to attack. Cao Cao knows that we cannot contest his fleet as things are, so if he sees our forces deployed in an offensive stance, he will know we are up to something."

"Therefore we will not attack directly across the river," Lu Meng continued. "Our forces will surge across the river to the east and west of Chi Bi, outside of the Prime Minister's immediate line of sight. To the east, Ling Tong and I will cross at Deng Yang while Taishi Ci will lead the rest of our troops south of Wu Ling, beyond the bend in the river. Taishi Ci and the Night Tigers will cross over earlier to help protect Zhuge Liang and the altar, because Cao Cao will inevitably find it and target it. His corps will cross once the fire attack has been launched."

Shang Xiang observed the plan, scrutinizing it intently. "Does the potential not remain for many of the enemy troops to escape if we cross so far away on either side?"

Lu Meng smiled and bowed his head. "It is so, my lady, and your dedication to our triumph is heartening. None here would claim to match your valour. But the sad truth is that we can ill afford any losses, even if Cao Cao can sacrifice tens of thousands. Each man whose life we preserve to fight another day is more valuable to us than a thousand enemy deaths."

Shang Xiang nodded, not liking the reality of it, but accepting the truth of their predicament. Unless the Prime Minister somehow died in the inferno, the war would go on. Today would only be a badly needed victory, not an end to the conflict. If every single enemy soldier perished today, Cao Cao would still have abundant and overwhelming numbers to fall back on to continue his fight.

"So our allies are ready and our own troops are ready," Huang Gai murmured. "That leaves only the matter of making sure the fire attack is successful."

Everyone was silent, knowing exactly what Huang Gai meant. Finally Elryk could take no more and looked at Sun Ce.

"I beg you, my lord, allow me to do this," he pleaded. "Though I do not doubt General Huang Gai's spirit, what needs to be done is such a punishment that not even he could survive. Please, only Glandyth or I could possibly take such abuse and live."

"I am afraid you might be right, Elryk, but Cao Cao would just kill you anyway," Ce replied sadly. "He wouldn't care how badly I had beaten you, he'd just say I obviously stopped too soon. No, it's gotta be this way…"

Ce looked down at the map, picturing the burning armada and what he now had to do in order to defeat the enemy. He wondered if anything he had ever done before would be this hard.

"All of you, except for Huang Gai, get out…" he said quietly.

No one moved.

"I said get the hell out of here, now!" Ce snarled, his eye flashing with fury. None of the generals even took time to bow as they exited the tent. Zhou Yu exited last and closed the flap securely behind him. After several moments of heavy silence, Sun Ce turned to his oldest and most reliable vassal, a man whose integrity and loyalty were beyond question. His keen grey eyes were pained as he looked up at the wise general, ever the bulwark of the Sun forces.

"You sure about this, Huang Gai?" he asked one final time. "I cannot guarantee you will survive the beating I now have to give you to make this plausible."

Huang Gai's gaze was steady. "Lord Sun Ce, I have served you, your father and your father before him. I have endured great injury and even burned with the agony of defeat. Were I to lose my life in battle I would never regret it, for I am acutely away of what my services have meant to our realm. What we now seek to do will be my greatest contribution yet, though I will not be able to fight. I take pride in the fact I alone, of all the people in the Southlands, can be assigned this vital task."

He smiled grimly. "There is a certain satisfaction in knowing that without me, we are doomed."

Ce returned the smile but it was an empty one. "You will have seven men assigned to defect with you. They shall be lightly castigated to help with the ruse and get you close enough to Cao Cao that you can be found and brought to him. Huang Gai, I… I must hurt you so badly that even when the Prime Minister sees you, you will not be able to relate what happened, not initially. They will heal you and your mission to set fire to the ships will continue, but Cao Cao's first impression must be one that leaves no room for doubt in his mind that I nearly killed you for crossing me."

Huang Gai nodded. "And our own troops must not know until afterward, in case the camp has unwelcome ears. My lord, I have bent all my thought and will to this day nearly a month now and I resolved to do my duty. Besides, what greater man to fall to than yourself?"

Ce turned away and walked to the far wall, where Huang Gai's great iron club was propped in a wooden stand. He hefted it into his hand, feeling the weight of the weapons strain through his wrist, calculating where the inertia came from and how it was best used to kill or maim. It bothered Ce sometimes about how good he was at this sort of thing and how naturally it came to him.

"Huang Gai, I am going to use your own club on you," he said finally, his voice like steel as he turned and walked back toward his general. "It'll help convince them I have humiliated you when you show up with your weapon covered in your own blood…"

Huang Gai remained perfectly still but his eyes widened almost imperceptibly and his nostrils flared slightly. His hands clenched into fists almost reflexively.

"May the gods, my father, my wife and my children forgive what I must do, for the good of our people and the salvation of us all…" Ce said, his eyes narrowing as he came on.

"_Magnificent," _Huang Gai observed as he watched Ce approach, holding the venerable club. _"He wields it as naturally as I ever could and he has held it for less than thirty seconds. He has already bent it to his will and it will do as he commands…"_

"Huang Gai, forgive me…" Ce choked as he leapt toward his target, the club braced in the air to strike.

The crack of bone and the bellow of agony echoed through the Southlands camp, horrifying all who heard it.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Tough episode to write is some senses, but quite necessary. I am not sure if Chi Bi will be one giant chapter or broken into two very large chapters, but I will figure that part out along the way. Either way, lots and lots of fighting coming up for everyone, regardless of whom your favourite character or faction is.

I have no particular intention of introducing all the new characters from DW7, but I thought a few of them might be fun. Lian Shi was just too sexy not to be introduced. I'll probably bring Ding Feng on board as well, if for no other reason than to poke fun at his sappy poetry. From Shu I will probably include Guan Suo and Guan Xing, just to give the ol' Guanster a family dynamic, not to mention poke fun at what a fruit cup Suo is.

No, I will _not_ be introducing Ma Dai, at least not with a damned giant paintbrush. I don't care if he got a scholarship to the Saotome School of Anything-Goes Martial Arts Calligraphy, he is not fighting with a fucking paintbrush. He's so annoying that I wouldn't let him fight with an Etch-a-Sketch.

What about the catgirl, Bao Sanniang? Unlikely, I haven't seen a weapon that stupid since Ma Dai in the last paragraph or that girl from Samurai Warriors 2 who fought with a ball-in-a-cup.

Every once in a while Koei does something really weird like that. I ain't sure if they're trying to increase the game's appeal to the teen girl demographic, but you don't need goofy weapons to do that, you just need to make all the male characters pretty and imply they're gay.

Then again, your straight male playership goes down.

From Wei I have considered Cai Yong and Xiahou Ba, but I have no commitment to such an endeavour, seeing as how they are my principal bad guys for context's sake.

Some of you have noticed that I used the wrong 'elements' in the last chapter when referencing classic Chinese physics/alchemy/hoo-doo. For those of you who did not see my response inside the reviews section (the quickest method of universal response), this was an intentional mistake. A peer of mine had made a comment about how fanfiction readers were too dumb to notice if I did slip up and so I intentionally used the four classic western elements of air, earth, fire and water instead of fire, wood, metal, water and earth. Several people have called the 'mistake' into question, something I was more than happy to point out to my compatriot, who grudgingly admitted that not ALL fanfiction readers were morons and then gave me the backhanded compliment of saying that I attracted the smart readers because my writing was so good. Clearly some people can never be wrong.

As to Alexandria's query about why I called Lady Qiao 'Bi' in one place and 'Mai' in another, the answer is simple- I probably screwed up. I may have mad writing skills, but even I need a proof-reader, and when I am so neglectful as to not send the lovely lady in question my scribblings before I publish, mistakes such as Alexandria pointed out are inevitable. My bad…

The chapter was fun to write since I got to bring out the hedonist in Liu Bei and portray his lack of will to some degree. Without Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, he really would be quite lost, which was the case even in the original telling of _Sanguo_. It is perfectly true that most guys would react as Liu Bei did in such a situation, but when the rest of us have hundreds of thousands of people relying on us for survival, I might re-evaluate.

Ah well, Chi Bi awaits, might as well get started. As always, enjoy. And remember reviews are always welcome!

Management


	59. Chapter 59

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any other media associated with Koei or its affiliates. The vast majority of the characterizations have been expanded upon by me for the sake of literary format. Individual or minor characters created by me for the purposes of interaction and story depth or my own property. If you wish to know which ones they are please ask.

This is a simple work of fanfiction meant for the entertainment of Dynasty Warriors players and fans, along with those who are familiar with the Chinese epic Sanguo, or 'Three Kingdoms'. Centred around Sun Ce and his family and retainers, it helps to be a Wu-phile if you want to read this story. As always, your reviews are welcome and appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

Cao Cao stood in front of his grand pavilion atop a tall hill, looking toward the mighty river that separated his realm from that of the Southlands. His vast armada sprawled out before him along the shore, stretching nearly as far as the eye could see. Over one thousand ships awaited his command to head south across the Yangtze and begin the invasion of Wu. His army, one of the largest ever seen, waited patiently for their lord's word, eager to put an end to the upstart Sun Ce and his troublesome family.

Cao Cao knew that the Southlanders were ferocious fighters, proud inheritors of a warrior tradition and culture that dated back to the earliest days of the Middle Kingdom. Indomitable in battle and instilled with unwavering discipline, they were dire foes on the field, especially when led by a lord of such talent and mettle as Sun Ce, known throughout the realm as 'The Young Conqueror'. He was considered one of the deadliest fighters in history and he was a charismatic and dynamic lord. He would have made a superb vassal for Cao Cao's ambitions, but he could not be made to submit, willingly throwing the Middle Kingdom into chaos and war for the sake of his pride.

It mattered not. The Southlands army was not the only one with discipline and Cao Cao had not become the Prime Minister of the Han without cause. Even if the Wu army had superior training, Cao Cao's forces outnumbered theirs nearly ten-to-one in this engagement. Sun Ce might fight like a demon but even he could not overcome those odds. The Southlands would fall and with it any significant resistance to his hegemony.

Word of the Prime Minister's overwhelming might had reached the councilors of Sun Ce and many had been dismissed for advocating surrender. Some of these had made their way north across the river to join Cao Cao, clearly sensing that victory was preferable to inevitable defeat, all for the sake of one lord's folly.

Though some might decry such actions, saying that it flew in the face of traditional Confucian virtues, Cao Cao knew better- for indeed, Confucius' own prized student Mencius had said that it was the duty of noble and righteous vassals to break with their lord when he was not acting in the best interests of his people or society.

"_Everything I strive to accomplish here is for the sake of the Middle Kingdom. After generations of conflict and useless death, brought about by the petty and self-aggrandizing ambitions of lesser men, we must have order so that those of talent and worth can show the way. Men such as Sun Ce, though he is of enormous potential, have no place in a world of order. You must be expunged, young lord..."_

His piercing gaze swept over his mighty fleet, pleased with the unwavering and irresistible power it represented. Chained together now to provide a stable platform while anchored against the north winds and seasonal tempests, nearly two thirds of his army had boarded and was ready to launch. If reason could not sway those who might oppose him, perhaps the hammer of war would. He smiled grimly as he thought of something his long-lost bodyguard Dian Wei had once said: "If brute force isn't solving your problems, you're not using enough."

Cao Cao did not like using brute force where reason or cunning would suffice, but all three were merely tools and had their place in his plans for uniting the realm under his banner. The Han was dead, although it refused to believe it, and would be replaced by a newer, stronger and more disciplined entity, with himself at the head to make sure all went according to plan.

"_There is no greater end than the final pacification of the Middle Kingdom, an end to the conflict. So if the realm must die to be reborn, so be it, painful though the birth be. Those who stand in our way have made their choice and must be pared from the body like diseased tissue, before their rot spreads. This is our end and any means are justified by it."_

"Prime Minister! Lord Cao Cao!"

The warlord's head snapped around to see who had addressed him so hurriedly. A messenger had come rushing up and he bowed hastily, clearly bearing news he considered of great import.

"Arise." Cao Cao said cooly.

The messenger rose and clasped his fist inside his hand. "Great lord, our outlying troops have captured a defector from the Southlands. The person and his entourage were caught as they fled north, having already crossed the river."

"I see. And who is this defector that has us in such a panic?"

The messenger looked up now, his expression one of almost disbelief. "General Huang Gai, Prime Minister. He is nearly dead."

Cao Cao raised an eyebrow. This was unexpected. "You are certain it is the famed Huang Gai and no other? Are you positive that he was not wounded in battle with our troops while attempting to flank us?"

"As certain as can be, sire," the man said hastily, knowing how absurd this must have sounded, since Huang Gai's dedication to the Sun family was renowned. He was their most steadfast vassal. "His wounds are not those of battle and he was spotted crossing the river and then apprehended. His entourage is merely ten men and they were carrying him on a littler because he is incapable of movement."

"If nothing else, this bears investigation," Cao Cao declared. "Bring him to me."

The messenger nodded and dashed off. Cao Cao returned his attention to the Yangtze, waiting patiently while the so-called defector was retrieved. Could this be possible? How elaborate a ruse was this? Did they really think he would fall for such a ploy?

Eventually a small group approached, under heavy guard. Clearly the people who had found the defectors were taking no chances because it was the Wildcat Riders, Cao Cao's own personal unit, that accompanied the hostages. The ragged detainees carried with them a body on a litter, their countenance one of horror and outrage. Cao Cao came down off the hill and approached the group, determined to assess the situation for himself.

He was not prepared for what he saw- the men who carried the litter showed some signs of castigation, though nothing considered overtly cruel, but it was the man on the little that gave the Prime Minister pause. His eyes widened and his throat tightened at the sight.

General Huang Gai lay on the litter, covered in blood from wounds that had yet to heal and were continuing to ooze. Countless bones were broken or crushed in obvious locations and his face was a swollen mass of barely recognizable features. His massive, powerful frame jerked and shuddered from the severity of his condition. One eye was so swollen it was nearly popping out of the socket. Several of his fingers were cracked and wrenched in nearly impossible angles. His legs were broken in several places and the rigidity of his spine spoke of the near-fatal damage he had taken. Their eyes met and Cao Cao's spirit recoiled from the unspeakable agony in encountered in that fleeting gaze.

This man was moments away from dying. He was no defector, for such a thing served no purpose. But he would indeed be given one.

"Get my personal healer at once," Cao Cao said coldly. "Have the general's men tended to and have him put in my pavilion. I want him able to speak before dawn..."

* * *

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 59- And The Cliffs Ran Red With Blood**

Though Cao Cao's orders had been for Huang Gai to be able to speak by dawn, nearly two days had passed before the mighty general could move or utter anything more than a moan of endless pain. The Prime Minister's physicians and mystic healers had done an admirable job of restoring the unlooked-for guest to some semblance of his former indomitable self. Knowing that even the gods themselves might have had difficulty in treating such injuries, Cao Cao had spared the lives of his doctors, even though they had failed to carry out their duty within the proscribed time line.

Cao Cao sat now in his tent, tapping his finger against the arm of his throne-chair while he observed the general. Huang Gai was resting in a padded chair, drinking cup after cup of tea, the properties of which were to restore strength and vitality to even the weariest body. He still wore bandages and was various and mottled shades of purple, but Huang Gai would survive and recover.

"It must have been some disagreement you had for Sun Ce to have you castigated to the point of death." Cao Cao said finally, opening the dialogue.

Huang Gai said nothing for several long minutes, but Cao Cao could see in his eyes he was reliving everything that had happened. He almost fainted but two physicians standing over him caught his body and steadied him. He grunted and accepted more tea.

"You have no wish to speak of what transpired?" Cao Cao queried.

"What manner of man would I be if I were to vent and gripe about such things?" Huang Gai eventually mumbled, his eyes still firmly fixed on the ground. "Bad enough that my world and very nearly my life were taken from me, would you also have me relive it for your amusement, Prime Minister?"

"The purpose of my enquiry is not so base as that," Cao Cao said plainly. "Clearly the rumours spread about me in the Southlands are egregious indeed if one such as you has come to believe them. Did I strike you as being of the same mold as Dong Zhuo when Emperor Xian and I visited Baifu?"

"You did not, but appearances can be deceiving." Huang Gai pointed out.

"I might say the same thing of you, my friend," Cao Cao countered. "What would you think if you were in my position? The most loyal vassal of my greatest enemy defects and I am supposed to believe it so easily?"

"What you believe matters not to me, Prime Minister," Huang Gai growled. "You have done me no favour in sparing my life, you have merely prolonged my shame and agony. Your cruelty is limitless."

"That is not so, though my mercy is saved for those who deserve it," the Prime Minister said simply. "Perhaps it is not yet a mercy, but that remains to be seen. I simply wish to know if I am best off killing you and be done with it."

"Do what thou wilt, Prime Minister, for if you do not end my life I shall surely take it myself as soon as I can walk. Just because the Southlands have forsaken me and my lord now has a deep and abiding hatred of me, this does not mean I am yours to command or that I need your charity."

Cao Cao nodded, gleaning what he could from Huang Gai's thick, slurred speech. Clearly he was still in pain but his burning resentment of what had happened was getting the better of him. Even if he would not join Cao Cao's cause, he could doubtless be manipulated into giving away vital information.

"Your pride and honour are well known, general, and I can see that you are deeply pained by this betrayal. Clearly you do not understand why you were treated so." Cao Cao offered.

"Your words are fair, but your heart is black and full of trickery," Huang Gai warned. "The Southlands may have no love for me but I would not see it fall to the likes of you."

"And what wrong have I ever done the Southlands?" the Prime Minister asked. "Lord Sun Ce states he is loyal to the Han and yet he rises up against its most prestigious and trusted office. And when I come to pacify the realm and bring everyone back into the fold of the Son of Heaven, Sun Ce decries me as the fiend. The Southlands are and shall remain as they ever have, what is so wrong with that?"

"My lord's passion for his lands knows no bounds," Huang Gai mourned. "But insofar as his passion runs so deep, it blinds him to some truths. It falls to the loyal vassal to point out their uncomfortable truths, regardless of the consequences."

"You spoke your mind and you were castigated for it," Cao Cao observed. "Nay, not castigated, for clearly you were meant to be humiliated and then thrown aside. Even just killing you was not enough. What possible treason did you offer?"

"Love of one's people is never treason, and speaking to the folly of the greatest of those people should not be either. Sun Ce wanted to fight you and so did I, but our methods in doing so differed. Words grew heated and he thought I had branded him a fool and a coward. For that he nearly beat me to death with my own club and then cast me forth to die alone beyond the borders of my beloved home."

Cao Cao nodded subtly. His people had indeed confirmed that it was Huang Gai's own club that he had been nearly bludgeoned to death with, for said instrument was with the general inside the litter he was carried in. That Sun Ce had been the one to administer this near-fatal punishment was also doubtless true, for the young warlord was renowned for his superlative skill with any weapon and even Cao Cao's best warriors had yet to figure out how to wield the massive war club effectively. Only a fighter of consummate prowess like Sun Ce would be able to bring a foe close to death with such a tool without actually killing them.

And yet, why go to such trouble? It was a bothersome quandary and still possibly a trap...

"It is sad that so many will die for one man's martial pride," Cao Cao said. "Yet you are not much different than Sun Ce in your stubborn resistance to simple truths."

Huang Gai's eye flashed as they met the Prime Minister's, daring him to complete the train of thought.

"You would be a hero to your people still, but you would rather see them all perish rather than flourish as they were always meant to. How is that any different than Sun Ce?"

"I am but a vassal and a loyal servant of my people, I do not guide their destiny!" Huang Gai said hotly.

"Then be their servant still, general," Cao Cao replied calmly. "It is a falsehood to call yourself a servant of the people when you would allow them to die and then just throw up your hands and say it was not your place. You are no mere vassal, you are a general, a leader of men. How many countless thousands of young men have you trained to fight and bear the honour of martial righteousness?"

Huang Gai said nothing, glowering into his tea.

"What pride will you take in seeing that Sun Ce has destroyed all you have worked for, all your people have done? What comfort will you take in knowing that you could have done more but instead merely wandered alone in the wilderness until you died, bemoaning your unfair lot?"

Huang Gai surged to his feet, his jaw clenched in rage but he swooned and was caught by his attendants before he fell. They sat him back down and gave him more tea. Clearly the general was starting to feel better, though this mighty body had yet to match his spirit.

"There is no purpose served in bearing your shame alone and allowing your own people to spurn and hate you," Cao Cao declared. "It is an injustice to them, not a mercy. Would you have them remember the false heroism of Sun Ce, who killed them all for his pride? Would you have them revere his name as a defender of men while your own becomes forgotten? What have you done for them if you let this happen, Huang Gai?"

There was a long silence, one so deep that even Cao Cao was vaguely unnerved by it. Finally Huang Gai drew a deep breath and sighed heavily, the sound of a man who knew he had one final atrocity to commit on behalf of his people.

"What assurance, Prime Minister, can you give me about the safety of the people of Wu, if I tell you of Sun Ce's plan and disposition?"

* * *

The night was black and a stiff wind blew in from the north. Sitting in front of a campfire, Sun Ce stared deep into the flames, lost in thought. No one disturbed him, even his best friend Zhou Yu or his sister Shang Xiang. Everyone knew better than to intrude upon him at this moment.

Would the Heavens ever forgive him? Could they?

He did not know how he would cope with what he had done. Even if Huang Gai survived and recovered fully, Ce would still remember the terror and sheer agony on his dear friend's face as he nearly killed him, all for the sake of an elaborate ruse. He knew how stalwart Huang Gai was, everyone did- but he was still a man and there was no hiding the fear he had felt or the unreal pain of his bones being crushed as Ce did what they had agreed must be done.

When Ce had finally finished, knowing that another hit would kill the general, he had looked down in horror at the sack of broken meat that mere moments ago had been crying out in torture and pleading through a dissolving welter of lips for him to stop. It would have been more merciful for him to simply finish the job and kill Huang Gai.

He could still feel the hateful iron of the club in his hands, he remembered vividly sound of bones crunching under the ferocious impacts. He could feel the hateful, burning sting of Huang Gai's blood spattering across his skin as he beat the general mercilessly.

Ce's eyes flashed as he snarled in anger and thrust his arm deep into the roaring campfire, up to the elbow, feeling nothing but the rage and shame of what he had done. He pushed the limb in farther, his breath coming in shudders, his eyes squeezed shut as he tried to block out the images of what he had done.

He withdrew his arm from the fire and examined it... nothing. He was completely unharmed.

There was no justice in this life clearly.

"Ce..."

It had been inevitable, really. He felt his beloved wife Da Qiao come up and put her arms around him, hugging him close. He wrestled with himself, not knowing if he dared to take consolation in her loving touch.

"Hey Da..." he said finally.

She leaned in and whispered in his ear. "Zhou Yu wanted you to know that not only are Cao Cao's ship all chained together now, they have repositioned themselves to attack. Clearly they have received word of our intent to attack their fleet from the flanks."

She turned and walked away, leaving him alone with his thoughts.

"_Well I'll be. The old bastard pulled it off..."_

Ce rose and looked down into the fire. He thought about what he and Huang Gai had discussed before the castigation, how Cao Cao might try to turn the general to his side. They had discussed threats of force, pain and terror, none of which Huang Gai would have feared by then, leaving only an appeal to his honour. Cao Cao would ask what honour there was in bemoaning one's lot when the people still needed you.

What right did a person have to complain about circumstances of their own choosing when others needed them?

Ce threw back his head and laughed, thanking the gods and Huang Gai for this sudden clarity of purpose.

"Zhou Yu!" he called out loudly. "Get the troops ready! Cao Cao's in for a rough night!"

* * *

"I still don't know why I'm not allowed to use my baby dragons," Xiao groused as she prepared her battle gear. "They're scary, they blow things up, what's the problem with them?"

"I think it has to do with your husband not trusting Zhuge Liang with this whole wind thing." Da suggested as she tested her battle fans, sweeping them in wide arcs around herself. They were lighter than air in her hands and yet she knew that as long as she wielded them, not even the stoutest armour was guaranteed to save the life of her foe. The fans seemed to be tied to her on some spiritual or mystical level she did not understand but was nonetheless grateful for.

"But they're our allies, shouldn't we trust them?" Xiao pointed out, giving her own fans a flourish as the sisters readied themselves inside the tent they shared. Though neither considered themselves much of a warrior, they had both, in their own ways, proven able leaders, with Da recently having been promoted to regimental commander. Xiao remained a simple squad commander, but her squad, dubbed the 'Salamanders', were one of the most feared, just because the girls she commanded were even more crazed than she was.

"Of course we want to, but you have to admit, it sounds pretty strange when someone says, 'Hey, that fire attack is a great idea, let me control the wind for you!', wouldn't you agree?" Da countered.

"What about Elryk's god of night?" the younger girl asked, tucking a short sword into her belt.

"Well we've seen the god of night and can attest to his power. All we have are Kongming's vague and fanciful promises at this point. And frankly, I'd rather not see the god of night. Whatever that is, it scares me."

"Yeah, me too," Xiao admitted before turning to her sister and smiling, bouncing impatiently on the balls of her feet. "Are you ready yet? Have you found out what your assignment is from Lu Meng yet?"

Da slid her own short sword into place on her belt and then took a small scroll off the table. She unrolled it and scanned the contents. "Apparently I am going to be attacking on the far right, driving around the flank of Cao Cao's fleet, after it has been set ablaze."

"Sounds dangerous, his army is so big." Xiao observed. "You could be fighting even before you reach the north shore."

"How about you? What are you and your girls supposed to be doing?" Da asked. She checked the fit of her armour, making sure it was concealed beneath her clothes but still protected her vulnerable spots. Not only did the enemy tend to underestimate for apparently running around the battlefield without armour, her men also seemed to be inspired by her seeming disregard for it and implied invulnerability.

Not to mention she looked a lot cuter this way.

"Huh, well I am apparently getting stuck babysitting Zhuge Liang and his altar location," Xiao muttered. "A location away from the front lines and stuck with those goodie-goodies of Liu Bei. Sounds like a whole lot of not-fun, even if we are on the far shore."

"I wouldn't be so sure about that..." Da thought to herself, remembering what other units had been assigned to help protect Kongming and the altar...

* * *

Zhou Yu looked into the night, his eyes distant as he thought about the engagement to come. It drew ever closer and he felt the fire of wrath burning deep within him. His mind was calm but within his chest his heart pounded in fury. He thought of the poem presented to him by Sun Ce, the poem that declared Cao Cao's intent to take their beloved brides as his own and keep them in towers of bronze.

He remembered the pledge he and Ce had made that night- Cao Cao would not only be defeated, but made to pay dearly for his hubris and his evil plan. They would not only defeat him nor humiliate him, they would take everything he had ever had from him. They would make his ambitions naught and before he died, they would make him face the awful truth... nothing he had ever done would be worth anything. He was a blight of misery and his passing would be celebrated and before long people would not even remember he existed.

For the sake of their wives, Ce and Zhou Yu had gone to war, a conflict against a vastly superior enemy who represented the ruin of them all. But even in the victory he felt in his heart was certain, his rage howled to be heard, to be acknowledged. He would destroy this carcass of an empire utterly for the sake of one woman.

And he knew Ce would do the same. His friend, possibly the most dangerous man to ever live, would wage a war so terrible that it would be spoken of in whispers for generations to come. People would refer only to a tyrant so heinous that Lord Sun Ce had nearly destroyed the earth to expunge him. The terror of this conflict would be so absolute that people would wish to never have heard of it.

His fist clenched against his side, the only indication of a passion that belied his cool indifference. He thought of the countless thousands of men in Cao Cao's army and how certain their doom was and how little he cared. If Cao Cao wished to prove that men would die in droves for his cause, Zhou Yu would happily oblige- but there would be no tales of heroism or glory, only that innocent men beyond count had perished in flames for one man's lustful ambitions. There would be nothing to show for their sacrifice, the flaming hulks of the armada at Chi Bi would become pyres that spoke only of folly and useless death.

Zhou Yu vowed this is all that Cao Cao would be remembered for.

A herald approached and bowed. "My lord, all our forces are in readiness. They simply await your command."

"I will give the order at the right time. Tell the commanders to stay alert. I want full combat readiness, in case Cao Cao somehow preempts my plans."

The man left and he was alone again. He harkened back to Kongming's words about summoning the wind and wondered if he truly could do it. Deep inside himself, Zhou Yu felt a twinge of guilt as he realized part of him wanted Zhuge Liang to fail in this endeavour. But without this proffered assistance, his glorious and daring fire attack could not happen. They needed Zhuge Liang to be successful or they would all perish, as surely as the sun set over the Barrier Mountains.

Had the sun come to set upon them? Where went the sun after it passed over the mountains of the gods? Did Zhou Yu's sun touch Lord Elryk's distant lands? How, then, did it always come from the east? What mystical chariot drove that divine, fiery orb from one side of the world to the other and back again?

"_Cao Cao, if I could call the wrath of the very sun down upon you, I would. There is no hurt or destruction I will not wish or visit upon you for your caprice. I would have your humiliation and defeat be even more total than that of Huang Zu, who cost us all so dearly."_

Cao Cao's army and fleet had redeployed to meet the Southlands attack Huang Gai had been informed of. This meant that the Prime Minister had heeded the old general's words and clearly bought into the ruse. But even if he had not and knew it was a trap, using his seeming complicit reaction to draw the Southlands army into a counter-trap, there was no way the Prime Minister could possibly anticipate the plan, since divine intervention itself was the key.

Pang Tong had managed to convince the northerners to chain their vast fleet together, so that none could escape the conflagration once it began. Lu Xun's Firehawks and Nighthawks had made sure that large amounts of flammable materials and Huang Gai's firebombs had been deposited in secure locations close to where the general would launch his treacherous attack from.

Zhuge Liang's altar was on the far side of the river, around the western bend in the great arm, guarded by some of the most formidable regiments the Southlands could muster, including the Night Tigers under Taishi Ci, Huang Gai's own Stone Demons and the terrifying barbarians known as the _Bailangren_, the White Wolves. He had placed his own wife and her independent squad there as well, not only because they would be protected by the finest troops, but also to keep her out of trouble. If Cao Cao attacked the altar, and Zhou Yu was sure he would, Xiao Qiao would at least be fighting a defensive battle that they were certain to win, no matter who the Prime Minister threw at them. Apparently skirmishes had already broken out in the area surrounding the altar.

Only a smattering of troops guarded the center, along with the camps of the Southlands army. Many ships were also deployed in the center, giving the illusion of intent to make a daring attack straight up the middle, something only a commander as audacious and confident as Sun Ce would consider possible. In truth, the vast majority of Zhou Yu's forces were deployed to the east, to surge across the river just as the fire attack threw the enemy into confusion. The fighting would be heavy but the ground was also more level than that to the west, where Liu Bei's forces were taking up position to cut off Cao Cao in case he tried to flee for Changban.

Cao Cao's army outnumbered them anywhere from five-to-one to ten-to-one. Whatever the numbers, though, they had to wait until precisely the right moment to execute their counterstroke- the timing had to be immaculate and Zhou Yu trusted such a task to nobody except himself, not even Sun Ce. If the attack failed, the blame would be his alone. But in succeeding, he would be hailed as mastermind of the greatest victory in the history of the Middle Kingdom.

"_Anything for my darling Xiao. Let them all burn..."_

A subtle breeze caressed his face and moved his long, raven hair, coming out of west. Zhou Yu nodded and raised a battle fan in the air, giving the signal the entire land waited for. It was a moment and a sign of doom for them all...

* * *

"Well, this is a lot of fun..." Xiao groused as she lay on her side with her head propped up, drawing patterns in the sand with the tip of her short sword. "We sit here and do nothing while Feathers over there speaks to the spirits of his ancestors and asks for a heavenly fart or two. I told Da I was gonna get the boring assignment."

"Be careful what you wish for, my lady, for you might just get it," Taishi Ci said as he strode up, towering over the courtesan and her girl warriors. "Word from our outriders is that Cao Cao's forces are headed in our direction, doubtless to see what we are up to. We must protect this spot and keep them from gaining any clue of what we do here."

Pft, whatever," Xiao replied as she stood up and sheathed her sword. "They'll see we're watching Zhuge Liang do a wind dance and they'll go back to Cao Cao laughing. If we're lucky, maybe a few of them'll die from busting a gut at us."

The huge warrior approached her and looked down at the tiny girl. Xiao was always taken aback by exactly how big the commander of the Night Tigers really was- true, Elryk and Glandyth of the White Wolves were even bigger and taller, but they somehow seemed unreal to her. Taishi Ci was very real and disconcertingly big for a man.

He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled. "My lady, you must not frustrate yourself about what happened to General Huang Gai. What had to be done was done, and he bears the distinct honour of being the one person in our entire realm who could possibly discharge this duty. Envy him, wish him a speedy recovery, but do not feel guilty over what transpired. Every single one of us must fight without regret, or surely we will all perish this night."

Her eyes widened at his words and she nodded. She sometimes forgot what a kind and gentle soul Taishi Ci could be, since he was such a terror on the battlefield, most formidable of warriors, second only to Sun Ce and matched only by the Lord of the White Wolves. Not even her beloved Zhou Yu could best him in a straight-up duel. She found herself heartened by his words and she let go of the guilt pangs that stabbed at her heart.

She looked over at the impressive and complicated altar structure that Zhuge Liang was now within, billows of smoke emanating from the over the walls.

"Do you really think this cockamamie idea can work, general?" she asked quietly.

Taishi Ci laughed. "Who cares? Aren't you here to defend it no matter what and make a name for yourself in doing so?"

"General, our outlying forces have engaged the enemy!" said a messenger as he rushed up. "We seem to be outnumbered and they are led by General Xu Huang!"

"Aw, crap..." Xiao muttered, drawing her fans. "Making a name for myself dying hadn't been part of my plan for the evening."

"They will have the momentum," Taishi Ci mused. "We must give them pause, use their arrogance against them. My lady, keep Xu Huang at bay, as only a Qiao can."

"Say what?" Xiao replied, looking up at the general, eyebrow raised. "Did I just hear you right? You want me to stare down Xu Huang? Pour me one of whatever you're having, pal."

"My lady, trust me in this," Taishi Ci pressed. "I promise you, I will not be far away. Use your arts to delay and befuddle him."

"I am not stripping and jiggling my boobs at the enemy, general!" she said hotly. What had gotten into this lunkhead? "What are you expecting me to do, suffocate him between my breasts when he acquiesces to a lapdance?"

"Trust me, my lady!" he hissed once more before loping off, along with any other troops that had been in the area. Xiao blinked as she looked around, finally registering that she and her nine girls were the only thing standing between Xu Huang's approaching battle force and the altar.

Really?

"Alright then, nothing for it..." she sighed to herself as she turned and faced in the direction of the oncoming foe. "Let's get ready, ladies."

Her troops positioned themselves like a wall, centered on her and waited silently. Before long, the thunder of cavalry shook the ground around them and the renowned General Xu Huang arrived, leading a company of elite cavaliers. He held up his hand, bringing the force to a stop as he surveyed the scene before him- before the curious and unknown structure stood a single squad of female warriors, mostly swathed in black, but centered around a dainty girl dressed in various shades of pink. She held a pair of ornate fans and was standing in some sort of crane battle posture. There was no one else to be seen.

"What is the meaning of this?" he called out in his deep and firm voice. "Where are the vaunted warriors of the Southlands? Will no one do battle for this ground?"

"General Xu Huang!" Xiao called out, trying to maintain her balance on one foot while shouting and noticing exactly how squeaky her voice sounded in comparison to his. "These are not your lands and your troops are not welcome here! Turn back or I will not guarantee that you will live out the night!"

Xu Huang looked vaguely curious for a moment, intrigued by what now confronted him. He harboured no particular doubt that there was more to this than met the eye, but if that were the case, then caution was warranted, no matter what this wisp of a girl said.

"This is a battlefield, young lady, and there is no place for you in it. Retreat and I will see to it that you are not har-"

He did not finish the sentence as an arrow sped past his neck and split the back of his cowl. The deadly missile embedded itself in the eye of a cavalier behind him and the man cried out before he fell to the ground dead. Xu Huang's eyes widened in shock as Xiao glared at him, her knuckles whitening as she tightened her grip on the short bow now in her hands.

"Any other condescending or smart-ass remarks you'd care to make, big boy?" she hissed. "Trivialize me again and I'll make sure I shove an arrow so far up your butt that you sneeze feathers for a month."

The general's eye hardened and he became aware of a deep and vaguely unsettling rhythmic thumping coming from the forests that surrounded this odd site. It wasn't drums, it was like the clash of metal on wood, as if weapons were beating on shields. He could feel more and more of his men drawing up behind him, but he could still not perceive the hidden threat. He had been charged with destroying whatever this site was, but he did not wish to waste the lives of his men if it were a mere decoy.

"I grow weary of your games, girl," he said finally, taking his long-hafted axe from his back and pointing it at her. "For your folly your life shall be forfeit. Though I am loathe to slay a woman, I will not allow you to deter me in my mission."

"Perhaps then I am more of what you are looking for, general!" Taishi Ci called out as he walked out of the darkness and into the clearing to stand beside Xiao and her girls. With him came his command squad of the Night Tigers. "Would you find me a more fitting opponent?"

Xu Huang smiled. "The mighty Taishi Ci and the famed Night Tigers, personal guards to Lord Sun Ce himself. Now I know this site is no mere decoy if warriors such as yourself are stationed here. I gladly accept the challenge."

A terrible battle cry went up from the woods and out of the darkness and into the moonlight also came Elryk, accompanied by his _comitatus_, led as always by Theudis and Glandyth. The massive barbarian warriors stood now with their allies and Elryk bellowed in his guttural and alien tongue, pointing his huge weapon at Xu Huang.

"Lord Elryk of the _Bailangren_ says that you profane this holy ground and the god of night will bring the Heavens down upon your head, general!" Xiao called out, translating as best she may. Wow, why was Xu Huang still standing there? Was he really buying this?

"Charge!" Xu Huang shouted. Okay, maybe he wasn't.

"Lady Qiao, you and your troops must guard the gate into the altar temple!" Taishi Ci said as he brandished his mighty twin clubs, preparing to meet the oncoming cavalry. Around him, the Night Tigers rushed to form several spear wedges, deadly triangles of steel that the cavalry dared not attack head-on and therefore would be funnelled between. Behind them stood the Stone Demons, armed with heavy clubs, swords and pole-arms, meant for dealing with horsemen that had lost their momentum.

"I thought you told me to stare him down!" Xiao protested.

"Yes, but that part of your mission has been accomplished!" Taishi Ci said with urgency. "Get to the steps and then fire arrows at Xu Huang's men to your heart's content! You and Elryk's bodyguards are the last line of defence! If Xu Huang breaks into that complex, all is lost! Sell your life dearly, my lady!"

Xiao nodded in determination and sprinted back, followed by her girls. Behind her, a thunderous clash resounded and she knew battle had been joined. The Night Tigers were the best troops in the Southlands, more than a match for anything Cao Cao could throw at them, but the northerners had numbers on their side and time was precious. It was maybe two hundred yards back to the altar but the run seemed to take forever.

Hoof beats behind them. Someone had broken through and was chasing them down. One of her girls, Shing, stopped and whirled about, nocking an arrow and firing. The cavalier shouted in pain and died, her arrow in his throat. Several more came on and Xiao's squad dutifully stopped and engaged as she kept running. She knew there was no use in ordering them not to, for they were fanatically devoted to her and her safety, perhaps to a degree that even the Night Tigers or Shang Xiang's amazons could not match. It was almost... psychotic.

Horses screamed and she heard one girl cry out, possibly An, but she kept running. Someone was riding up behind her and she sprinted toward the solitary remains of an ancient pillar, sunk deep in the ground and sitting at a mild angle. She squeaked as a javelin passed over her shoulder, shearing the material of her blouse before embedding itself in the soft earth.

She leaped and one foot touched lightly against the ancient stone of the pillar before she used it as leverage to spring back, launching herself at the pursuer. The man's eyes widened in shock before her foot smashed into his face and knocked him from his horse. They both tumbled to the ground and Xiao recovered nimbly while her foe was still stunned. Hating to kill a defenseless man but knowing she had no choice, Xiao scrambled over and thrust her short sword into his collarbone, piercing the stout leather armour he wore there. The soldier gasped and perished.

She began running back toward the altar again and was joined by her girls, who were assisting An in moving. The girl had been injured and there was a gaping wound in her shoulder, probably from a spear thrust. They finally made it to the complex and Elryk's _comitatus_, led by Valamir, closed ranks around the girls and waited while Xiao tended to An.

She looked up now at the structure, marvelling at the stout wooden palisade that reached nearly as high as the trees of the forest. The defenses were a latticework of sturdy beams, reinforced with stone or even old cast-away iron. All the while, grey smoke billowed out from within, disappearing into the night sky.

A horn blared and the cast her gaze back to the battle that raged in the clearing beyond- the Night Tigers and Stone Demons were now joined by Elryk's White Wolves, who had come out of the woods and were attacking in small groups of twenty. The sheer savagery of the Germans never ceased to amaze her, matched only by the skill and tenacity of the Night Tigers. Their deep, alien war cries chilled her as they echoed through the darkness.

Taishi Ci had now engaged in direct battle with Xu Huang, their wild melee at the centre of a maelstrom of violence. Taishi was the larger and stronger of the two, and very fast, wielding his heavy war clubs as if they were mere toys. Xu Huang's long-hafted axe, however, gave him at least equal reach and he skillfully deflected the power of his opponent's blows away while counter-attacking swiftly.

"You are very skilled, I applaud your efforts!" the commander of the Night Tigers declared as Xu Huang spun away from a certainly fatal blow and sprung back in, determined to keep his momentum.

"You are as well, lord of the Night Tigers, but I have fought Guan Yu to a draw and I do not believe you to be his equal. Therefore I must finish you!" Xu Huang said, pressing his attack, forcing Taishi Ci back a few steps with a rapid series of fluid, circular strikes.

The axe sheared off a corner of Taishi Ci's ornate armour at the shoulder and he now understood why Xu Huang fought wearing comparatively little protection- his weapon, while heavy, required grace and speed to achieve its true destructive potential, and Taishi Ci's advantage in strength counted for little if his arms were separated from his body by a swift stroke. By now he had found himself caught in a defensive stance from which he could not escape, parrying blow after blow with his clubs that now seemed so very ponderous. He had to somehow match or exceed the swiftness of Xu Huang's strikes in order to turn the tide and regain the offensive.

He gritted his teeth as the axe head tore along his waist, shredding through his armour and creasing his skin, causing the crimson blood to well up. But in doing so he had also stayed his opponent's momentum, allowing a non-fatal wound to cost Xu Huang his speed. He lunged in now, hammering blow after blow at his enemy, determined to break the man's artful defenses. His mastery was sublime, reminiscent of Zhang Liao, whom they had fought at Xia Pi.

Chaos reigned as the lines became fluid. The Night Tigers and Stone Demons held their formations and did not break, but inevitably some of Xu Huang's troops had passed through or flanked them, making their way to the altar. Taishi Ci knew that battle was being joined at the very gate entrance to the complex and he had to find a way to keep them from gaining entry.

"Fall back!" he bellowed in his loudest voice. "Do not let them attack the structure!"

The Night Tigers and Stone Demons obeyed and began a fighting withdrawal, holding the foe at bay as they attempted to consolidate their lines. The Night Tigers continued to form the front line while the Stone Demons stayed just behind, attacking furiously any foe that managed to get behind their allies.

The withdrawal did not make life easier for Xu Huang's troops, however, as they still had to deal with the fact that the White Wolves were rampaging through their midst in small but ferocious bands, attacking with complete disregard (or so it seemed) for their own personal safety. If they paused to deal with the Germans, the Night Tigers would surely drive back into them, catching them between two dire foes.

Back at the altar, the _comitatus_ fought so fiercely to protect the gates that the battle seemed like a cauldron of water, about to boil over. Severely outnumbered but possessed of a savagery their disciplined Chinese foes could never match or understand, they fought with a fury that made the observer pale with fright, giving in to the berserker rages that made them the hand-picked bodyguards of the mighty Lord of the White Wolves.

Behind the huge warriors, pressed against the stairs, Xiao and her girls stood ready, a final line of defense against the northern onslaught. Pale but grim with determination, An had regained her feet and now held her short bow ready, a single arrow ready to shoot the first enemy who made it through the Germans. Xiao's squad waited, taking opportune jabs at the enemy if a target became visible past the hulking forms of the _comitatus_ warriors.

Unwilling to be left out of the glorious fight, Xiao vaulted high into the air, over the heads of the battling warriors and landing on the shoulders of a northern captain, smashing him face-first into the ground. With a flourish she spread her battle fans and let out a piercing cry, dashing in amongst her astonished enemy. Moving with a speed and grace no warrior present could hope to match, she slashed and thrust at vulnerable spots in her foes' armour, wasting no movement and showing no pity. She would, as Taishi Ci had put it, sell her life as dearly as possible.

She spun low and snapped one of her fans shut, using it almost like a short staff as she swept a foe's leg out from beneath him, catching him behind the knee and rising with her strike. He slammed backward onto his head, stunned for a moment before getting to his feet and glaring at her, his large sword pointed at her dainty head.

"Awww, whatsa matter?" she teased. "Fraidy-cat scared of a little girl?"

The man roared in fury and charged, slashing at her. She ducked and heard a dreadful sound as the errant blow sheared the head of one of the man's own cohorts off who had been coming up behind her. He paused in confusion and Xiao lunged forward and skidded, passing beneath him and between his legs but not before slamming her battle fan into his crotch. As the man moaned and doubled over, she stood behind him and kicked him in the behind, sending him toppling forward.

Xiao giggled in delight at her victory and continued her unlikely rampage. She felt as if nothing could touch her, dodging strikes with almost ridiculous ease. It was like dancing. She finally understood what people had always been telling her about finding her own style of fighting and her own style of command. Even though they used the same weapon, her style of fighting was now distinctly different from that of her older sister, who was circular and graceful. Xiao, by contract, now found that she loved to weave and bob, striking almost like snake, her attacks direct and focused compared the wide, sweeping arcs of her sister.

This was not to say that she was not graceful or circular, which was definitely a prerequisite for using the fans they battled with, so much as their styles were inverted. Direct strikes were an interlude in the ballet that was Da's combat style while the wide and sweeping arcs were a means of peregrination for Xiao or a means of clearing several foes from her vicinity.

She found herself confronted by a squad of spearmen and she smiled slyly, drawing one fan up to conceal part of her face while the other obscured her stance.

"Oh, I can do this..."

She sprinted forward as the spearmen braced to receive her. They were crouching and had their spears pointing out from between a wall of round shields. She raced toward them and waited until the last moment…

As the spearmen thrust their keen-tipped weapons at her she sprang forward into a roll, tucking herself as tightly as she could. She passed beneath the battle skirt of the man she chose as her target and came up behind him. The spearmen were packed so tightly together that after the initial confusion concerning her location, it took them a moment to actually get turned around to face her. By then she was laying into them, felling men with swift and merciless blows from her fans. The leader was the last to fall, a look of astonishment on his face as she dispatched him.

She jumped in the air, whooping in triumph, jubilant about her victory. She heard a noise behind her and as she whirled around to face her foe she paled- a very large man wielding two swords was rushing up on her and his eyes flashed with murderous intent. Her mind drifted back momentarily to the terror she and her sister had felt in facing Hua Xiong during the battle at Tiger Trap Pass. Even Sun Shang Xiang had not been a match for the mighty warrior at it took the skill of Sun Jian to bring him down.

This man reminded her of Dong Zhuo's henchman vividly and she felt a chill in her spine as he moved to attack. She came back to herself and ducked as one of his blades swept over her head. She moved to counterstrike but he batted her aside with the flat of his free sword. She tumbled to the ground but sprang up quickly, putting distance between herself and her for while she assessed him, just as Sun Ce had taught her.

Clearly the man had no intention of letting her recover, because he was on her again all too quickly, slashing and jabbing with his twin blades. The swords were large but he was more than strong enough to wield them easily and with more speed than one would have hoped. Her irritation at his lack of cooperation gave way to fear as he made it obvious she might be overmatched. An icy terror gripped her and she almost lost the ability to move as their eyes met and the murderous hate that glinted in his tore into her heart.

She shrieked and began flailing wildly with her fans, her eyes squeezed shut. Dancing back and forth from foot to foot, like she had when she was young and convinced a demon turtle had bitten her toes, she struck and hammered away in a blind panic. She could feel his swords tearing into her, the deadly edges shearing the flesh from her bones, leaving her insides exposed to the-

"My lady? Lady Qiao!"

Xiao froze and opened her eyes, her body almost paralyzed. She blinked and looked around, astonished to see that Valamir of the _comitatus _stood with her. He looked rather confused and his gaze travelled down to the corpse at her feet. The large swordsman was very dead, his body slashed almost to ribbons. Her fans dripped with gore.

"Oh, uhhh…"

"He's been dead for some time now, my lady." Valamir said in distressingly accented and almost unintelligible Chinese. "He made to attack you and you just screamed and burst through his defenses, killing him quickly. I was somewhat confused when you kept fighting after he had gone down."

"I was… just making sure that his spirit had fled his body and knew not to come back," she said somewhat weakly, hoping she didn't look like a total idiot. "It's a Chinese thing, you wouldn't understand."

"Clearly," Valamir said in an amused voice. "Be that as it may, you're needed back at the gate, my lady. More of Xu Huang's men had broken through the Night Tigers and we are hard-pressed. We have need of you."

Xiao gazed at the structure in which stood the altar on which all their prayers rested, literally. Savage fighting continued around the gate while many of the enemy's soldiers had surrounded the structure and were trying to find methods of getting in. Archers atop the walls shot anyone who tried to scale them, but the enemy was almost too many and they were determined to succeed.

She looked at the gates and saw they had been broken. Her squad and the _comitatus_ were fighting inside the structure now, barely containing the foe as they pushed their way inside. She spied An, pale and looking like she might faint, fighting away next to a brawny German warrior, slashing with her short sword in one hand and striking at the enemy with a blunt stick in the other.

Xiao's heard burned in fury and she charged forward, driving into Cao Cao's troops from the rear. She realized she had never directly fought against the Prime Minister's forces before this day and it felt like some kind of milestone, like all the other engagements in which she had ever fought led up to this. It was strangely exhilarating to see oneself at a crux in history and no that your own actions could make a significant difference. She understood now why she had been placed here. Not by Zhou Yu but by a confluence of fates. If the altar fell, then the battle was lost and the Southlands was done for. But if they won, if Xiao and her fellow warriors beat these odds, then their names would be remembered as those who had made this victory possible.

Sure, maybe Da Qiao might see more fighting, maybe she would kill more foes, but she was not here. Nothing Xiao's older sister did in this battle mattered if Xiao fell and the altar was destroyed. Not even Sun Ce could save them.

Taishi Ci, Elryk, Glandyth, Theudis, Valamir… these warriors and she were all that stood between the Southlands and annihilation. This was what the gods were offering her.

She howled and struck with all her might, trying her hardest to keep up with the Teutonic warrior beside her…

Elryk and Taishi Ci stood next to one another, leaning on their weapons and panting. The fighting had been hard, the foe relentless in their attempts to storm the altar. The Night Tigers and Stone Demons were fighting defensively and with a cold ferocity that kept the enemy at bay. Elryk's White Wolves continued to rampage amongst the enemy troops or harrying their flanks, led by Glandyth and Theudis. Elryk had noticed with grim dismay that the more disciplined Han troops were beginning to adapt to the tactics of his warriors- when the savage Germans approached, the Chinese soldiers would close ranks and wait behind a wall of iron and use their spears to keep the foe at a respectful distance. Unwilling to be kept from their prey, the Wolves attacked and still burst through the formations by dint of overwhelming strength, but the casualties were mounting. His own numbers were too few to continually fight in this manner.

"We cannot keep this up," he growled. "We must find a way to break them."

"I am open to suggestions, my friend." Taishi Ci replied, happy that Elryk's Chinese had progressed to the place where he was intelligible.

"Maybe we are trying too hard to defend," the massive chieftain mused. He paused to lash out with his great sword and bifurcate an enemy who got too close. Taishi Ci similarly struck with one of his clubs, knocking a man off his feet and sending him sailing backward. "Perhaps we have reached the stage in this crisis where we must take the fight to the enemy. Xu Huang must die or be made to quit the field. Those left at the gates will do what they can, but our strength will not last forever."

It was tactical folly to consider what Elryk was suggesting, but Taishi Ci was also out of options. Xu Huang's men just kept coming, marching toward the fight and replacing tired troops with fresh ones. It was an ancient tactics called the 'Rolling Wheel', meant to grind down a numerically inferior enemy while minimizing one's one casualties.

It was folly to take the fight to what was clearly more numerous foe, but was the entre battle here at Chi Bi not predicated on this notion to begin with?

Hardly able to believe he was doing it even as he did it, the commander of the Night Tigers pulled the horn from his belt and blared a clear, ululating note on it, signalling the charge. Even if the Night Tigers and the Stone Demons had not been expecting the order, they showed no delay in executing it. With a shout they surged forward, driving into the astonished foe. The Night Tigers fanned out into a long line of steel at the center while the burly warriors of the Stone Demons attacked from the flanks, swinging their clubs with eerie abandon. The savage White Wolves redoubled their efforts against Xu Huang's soldiers, with Glandyth and Theudis cutting a bloody swathe through any foolish enough to oppose them.

Heedless of their troops, whom they both knew would follow orders and fight well, Taishi Ci and Elryk surged forward together, slaying any foe within reach, driving squarely at Xu Huang. Cao Cao's general had retired closer to the rear to direct the new troops that entered the fray, but he seemed confused as he heard the Southlands horn call what could only be a charge. His eyes hardened as he saw the enemy troops drive forward, led by Taishi Ci and the damnable barbarian chieftain. Unafraid for his life but clearly concerned by this unexpected turn of events, he ordered fresh troops forward to confront the two warriors.

Taishi Ci's armour rang and dented beneath the weight of the blows he endured, sending dozens of soldiers to hell as the struck with his clubs. Beside him, Elryk burst entire formations asunder with his savagery, his eyes wild and his mighty body covered in the blood of the enemy and mingling with his own. A spearman creased the German's side with a thrust of his weapon. Elryk grabbed the spear haft with one hand and pinned it while he slammed his mighty sword down, cleaving the man clean in half. His bellow of rage and pain was more than the remaining for could endure and they broke, scattering like leaves in a typhoon.

"Death comes for you, Xu Huang!" the mighty warrior roared as he pushed ever closer to his target…

"I cannot summon the wind with these distractions." Zhuge Liang said in a soft but irritated voice as he stood atop the tiered altar, which was smoking and flickering with flames of eerie, iridescent colours one did not normally associated with a fire, even a ritual one.

"Oh, so sorry, your highness," Xiao hissed as she fought on the steps of the altar, jumping and kicking a foe in the head and sending him tumbling back down the steep incline. "We'll try to be quieter. Just let me know if I can peel you a grape!" (pu tao)

The fighting was still contained and the guards around Kongming had yet to be engaged, but the weight of enemy numbers meant they had pushed into the altar complex and fought madly to get at the structure in the center. Xiao's squad, along with the _comitatus_ and a company of Liu Bei's troops, known as the Bearers of the Divine Word, were all that stood now between victory and disaster. The Germans bore the brunt of the fighting, since they were the strongest and most durable troops while Xiao's squad and Liu Bei's men counterattacked from the flanks, giving the enemy no chance to break in to the complex. Led by Valamir, the barbarian warriors were pressing forward, initiating a frantic shoving match near the ruined entrance. The enemy troops outside the complex kept pressing into those already within, creating panic and allowing the defenders to slowly gain the initiative. The _comitatus_ warriors hacked down their foes, howling and shouting and chanting, giving themselves over to the berserker furies that even the legions of Rome feared. In this state, they felt almost no pain and were immune to blows that might fell a lesser man. Wounds only seemed to increase their rage and savagery. Only decapitating them would be able to stop their rampage.

To Xiao's distress, this theory proved correct as moments later a shaggy blond head went tumbling through the air and the German's body crashed to the ground not far from her. She picked up a nearby spear and hurled it at the man who had slain her comrade, piercing his neck and avenging the death of a worthy warrior.

Her muscles ached and she was amazed she had not been wounded seriously by now. Her clothing was shredded in several locations, exposing the light but (hopefully) strong armour she wore beneath. Xiao and her girls were fighting on the far right flank of the melee. Her girls had divided up into two rows, the one behind firing their short bows while those in front covered them. The girls who had just fired then moved forward and covered the other five who now sent their arrows hissing into the massed ranks of the foe. If the enemy got too close, they were subjected to a savage counter-charge that pressed them towards the _comitatus_.

Xiao paused at one point to stare at her girls in disbelief. They were all of them barely out of their teen years but they fought like demons. They never trained the way normal troops did and yet they were deadly and certainly feared if not respected by all but the most elite troops in the Southlands army. There were only ten of them but they could do the fighting of a hundred. Were they really just psychotic teen girls or had the Heavens sent deranged spirits to protect Xiao?

She was shaken from her reverie by a loud gong and she glanced up at the platform- Zhuge Liang's altar was now a whirlwind of brightly-coloured flames that twisted into the night sky. There was almost a pause in the fighting as everyone gazed at the polychromatic conflagration stabbing up at the distant stars. The fire almost seemed to get sucked up into the Heavens and then all was silent for a brief moment.

Zhuge Liang nodded his head, his eyes closed. "It is done. Let us go."

The battle raged on, but Xiao could feel the enemy's will wavering. She then heard the clamour of horns, drums and cymbals outside- the enemy was retreating! Taishi Ci and Elryk had pushed Xu Huang back! The _comitatus _shouted and drove forward, their spirits renewed. All the iron in the world could not save Cao Cao's troops now and they broke, streaming out of the complex like a river of steel.

Rather than join the throng attempting to squeeze out the door, Xiao sprinted up the altar steps and stood next to Zhuge Liang. The sacrificial altar was quiet and cold, as if there had never been a fire at all. Whatever the offering had been, it was accepted completely.

"I have done all that I can," the sage-strategist said quietly. "The rest I must leave to you."

With that, he turned and walked down the steps slowly and thoughtfully. Xiao stared at him for just a moment before turning her attention to the stout walls of the structure. She ran and leapt, touching lightly on one of the beams of the palisade before vaulting onto the braches of a nearby tree and then descending rapidly, determined to not be left out of the rout her allies had caused.

They had done it. There were going to win...

* * *

Huang Gai stood inside the bowels of the ship that had been purloined, leaning on his mighty war club. Every fibre of his being ached, for though his wounds had healed, his body still remember the horrendous trauma wrought upon it by his beloved lord Sun Ce. In spite of the agony he had felt, Huang Gai could only imagine that what his liege had endured was worse, for surely it tore his soul apart to inflict such atrocities on his most staunch and loyal retainer.

But it had been necessary. Huang Gai knew he would do it again if necessary. No physical ordeal could compare to his love of the Southlands and his dedication to the Sun family. There was no torture he would not endure, no torment he could not face to see their dreams of a land of peace achieved.

He looked around now and saw that Lu Xun's Firehawks had cunningly planted dozens of firebombs throughout the ship, making sure there was plenty of flammable material for them to set ablaze. This single vessel was the key to their victory over Cao Cao's titanic army. As battle had been engaged, Pang Tong had continued to sow subtle confusion amongst the Prime Minister's ranks, not enough to attract attention but enough to allow Huang Gai and his men to get aboard a ship and prepare their assault. This vessel, small enough to escape general notice if unchained from the fleet, was drifting near the western end of the armada. It floated silently in the darkness, waiting for the signal to begin.

"My lord," one of the soldiers said respectfully, his tone indicating concern. "All is ready. I apologize for asking, but are you sure you are up to this?"

Huang Gai nodded grimly. His body screamed in protest but he would ignore the pain, ignore the fatigue and overcome any obstacle to achieve his mission, one only he could accomplish. There was no one else.

"Yes, I am fine. I will be above deck, waiting for the sign."

He stood now at the bow of the ship, looking south. Through the darkness he could not make out the distant far shore but he could see flickering points of light, bonfires meant to convince Cao Cao that Sun Ce had great strength of troops in the center.

It made sense for the Prime Minister to assume this, because everyone knew of Sun Ce's penchant for bold and direct action, allowing valour and audacious deeds to carry the day where lesser men might fail. Even if it was a feint, Cao Cao _had_ to protect the center, because this stroke could not be discounted as a possibility. This did not mean that his forces were spread thin, because Huang Gai had indeed come to understand that Cao Cao's army really did outnumber them ten-to-one.

He allowed his gaze to turn to the vast fleet floating before him. He felt a cold sweat on his brow. He could not tell if it was because he realized there were nearly a million men over there, waiting to destroy his homeland or was it because nearly a million men were about to die in fiery agony?

Huang Gai felt the heavy burden of fate on his shoulders suddenly, weighing on him even worse than the pain his body was wracked with. He understood now the true gravity of his actions- to save his home, countless men would perish in flames, trapped and burned alive. He could almost imagine the Heavens looking down on him now, assessing him, awaiting his next move and reserving judgement based on his decision.

He closed his eyes, willing decades of battle weariness from his mind. His armour was heavy on him, his body raging in protest against its confinement. His mighty club, venerable weapon of war that had served him for so long and brought so many enemies low, felt somehow unstable in his hand, its familiar and comforting weight gone.

It had tasted his blood and his torment now. His was the last life it had nearly taken. The cold, dark iron did not respond to his grip as it normally would. Was the weapon ashamed or had it forsaken him?

A cool breeze caressed his face, a breeze which became a refreshing wind. He thought of the winds carrying off the Xiang River in his home of Quanling, of a distant childhood where he dreamed of serving as the valiant general of a worthy master.

In all these years, through all the decades of fighting, never could he say that he had been disappointed. He had been given everything he had ever asked for.

Perhaps this was the price. This monumental decision he alone must now make. Had there ever really been a choice? Hadn't he made it all those years ago back in Quanling?

He stood atop a floating pyre, one made of wood stuffed with straw, phosphorous and wax. He rode a vessel of death, almost a chariot of doom and the fate of tens of thousands, if not hundreds of thousands, balanced on the point of a needle, awaiting his next move.

He stood tall and stepped back down into the hull of the ship. He carefully and reverently laid his club deep inside a nest of straw, surrounded by wax and fuse bombs. He bowed his head for a moment and then went above deck, leaving his old friend below. This would be the last time they saw one another and it was a fitting end to their relationship.

"Prepare the sails and make ready the fires," he said gruffly, looking now towards the armada. "It is time to remind the Prime Minister what it means to oppose the people of the Southlands…"

* * *

Lei Fung stood on the prow of the ship he and his company had been assigned to, thankful for the chains that had bound the fleet together and stopped the awful rocking. He was from Qinghai and such rough waters made him decidedly ill. He could not imagine what life was like for those who made their living by sea. He shifted back and forth from foot to foot, testing the solidity of the capital ship he now stood on. He had been transported across various rivers before, usually on small, swift vessels and while he hated being so close to the water, he had been relieved by how quickly it was all over. Here, aboard the largest ship he had ever been on, his footing was solid but he was still acutely aware of the dark and threatening waters of the Yangtze, far below.

He had been appraised on initial plans to take the fight south of the river and while he was not looking forward to the trip, he was indeed ready for these damnable wars to be over so he could return home to his bean fields and his family.

He thought about everything he had heard about the Southlanders and their ignoble ways- they rejected Confucian wisdom, apparently, and they consorted with wild barbarians from beyond the boundaries of the civilized world. Practitioners of sorcery, maybe even drinkers of blood and other unspeakable acts. If these were true, and Lei Fung was taking no chances, then these Southlanders would have to be expunged, wiped from the face of the earth for the good of the Middle Kingdom.

The wind was blowing from the south and west, something another local man had mentioned was unusual for this time of year, if not completely unprecedented. Lei Fung knew very little about such matters no matter where he was, so he had basically ignored it as a curiosity others could ponder at their leisure. When he was home in Qinghai, he made all the proper offerings and obeisance to the immortals in order to ensure a good bean harvest for him and his village. Maybe some peasant had asked for a southern wind this night in order to help with their crops, or maybe some young man had requested a warm wind so that he might have a romantic-

Movement off the starboard caught his attention. He gazed into the darkness, trying to make out the shapes before him. It could just have been tricks played on his eyes by the dark waters, or maybe the subtle movements of a river dragon. But he could have sworn…

"See something out there?" asked a man who appeared beside him. He was short and seemed somewhat lame, carrying an ornate but gnarled staff and wearing unusually heavy robes, something one might normally associate with a scholar. He was a wide-brimmed hat that concealed his features, in addition to a cowl. As unusual as his appearance was, Lei Fung felt inclined to discount his presence.

"I thought I saw something," he replied. "Maybe it is just my imagination. I hate being aboard these ships."

"Worry not, it will all be over soon enough…" said the strange little man before he faded back into the darkness of the ship's superstructure. Even the plentiful torches could not track his movement. Lei Fung blinked and shook his head, trying to clear his mind of the befuddlement that seemed to be coming over him. Was it the salt in the air? He freely admitted he was not used to its tang in his nostrils. Maybe it was making him see things.

Heh, maybe he had been ensorcelled by the treacherous Southlanders.

He smiled as he dismissed the notion but the grin soon left his face as he gazed back into the night. What he saw paralyzed him with shock and then fear. A smaller vessel was careening toward them, on a direct course to smash into their hull. A tall and muscular man stood at the very prow of the ship, glaring defiantly and holding a blazing torch in one hand. Lei Fung could see other men now, holding torches and beginning to thrust them into mounds and bales of straw that covered the ship. The bales and the wood of the ship began to ignite.

He was rooted to the spot. He wanted to cry out but couldn't. He watched helplessly as the large man turned and coldly thrust his torch into a bale, setting it alight. He then turned to look at Lei Fung one more time before leaping overboard and into the water.

Lei Fung watched the entire catastrophe unfold as if he were not really there, every moment an eternity of perfect clarity. The smaller ship crashed into his own, the dark iron lashed to the nose of the smaller vessel puncturing the hull of the capital ship and carrying it inside. In his mind's eye he could see the fires aboard the ship racing into the hall below. He heard crackling and thumping even as his own ship shook and juddered, right before a series of bright flashes and explosions tore the world apart…

Huang Gai struggled to reach the surface, fighting the current of the dark river, his body screeching in protest at his brutal treatment of it, his demands upon the exhausted muscles and his delicately knit bones. They pleaded for rest but he knew he could give them none, for his duty was not yet finished. Rest would come soon enough.

He gasped as he burst out of the water, immediately turning to see what had come of his handiwork. He watched as his little craft slammed into the capital ship that anchored the fleet. Seconds later, a violent explosion rocked the night, blowing the two vessels apart like a star colliding with the earth. He winced as the heat wave passed over him and then felt the wind blowing over him from the south and west. A billowing column of fire where the enemy ship once was raced into the sky and then leaned east with the prodding of the wind, raking its merciless fingers over any ships that lay beneath; he was certain that thousands of men were screaming in terror and pain, but he could hear nothing over the roar of the sudden conflagration.

He tread water and watched intently as ship after ship caught fire, the flames crawling their way across the armada. He could see tiny figures throwing themselves off the decks, often themselves ablaze, reeling in pain before toppling into the murky depths below.

Where normal flames may have stopped being able to ignite wood, these fires he had set were meant to last- the phosphorous and wax at the heart of the inferno ensured that the usually spirit-like flames became almost palpable, sticking to whatever they touched as they moved in the great, stinking black clouds from his original vessel. Eyes and lungs burned, hair and flesh melted and iron fused to skin aboard the mighty pyre he had created.

The insidious conflagration continued to spread and Huang Gai knew now that the fleet was doomed. Be that as it may, he could see individual ship attempting to detach themselves from their blazing brethren. He determined that none would escape. He smiled grimly as he realized he may have disposed of his war club and given it eternal peace a little too soon. He would simply have to improvise…

They scrambled as they threw the heavy chains off the deck. Coupled with stout coils of rope, their vessel had been bound to another that was currently a blazing ruin. Even as they rushed to save their own lives, they could hear the screeches of pain and wails of the dying as the armada went up. The chains were heavier than the ropes, but many of these riggings were already aflame and difficult to handle. They might snap and burn on their own, but they didn't exactly have time to wait for nature to take its course. What treachery had the Southlanders enacted upon them?

They had finished throwing the chains off the stern of the ship and raced back toward the front when they stopped dead. Illuminated by the fires, a large man was glowering at them, the conflagration turning his ruddy skin red and making him look almost demonic. He grabbed hold of an anchor and hefted it onto his broad shoulders, a feat any of them would have considered impossible. They drew their weapons and approached, knowing that this threat must be dealt with before they could fully disengage.

"Let this be a lesson to you!" the stranger roared, wielding the anchor was a giant maul. "You're no match for Wu, especially on the water!"

* * *

Cao Cao stood aboard the tower of his great flagship, looking out into the night, pondering his enemy's intent. He mind mulled over endless possibilities and permutations. He was at once pleased with how things were progressing, because his own plans were intact and he knew how invincible this army was, but this also worried him, for he believed that no plan ever completely survived contact with all but the most incompetent enemy.

Could things be going too well?

He thought about Huang Gai and the man's supposed defection- if it was a ruse, what was it meant to accomplish? Cao Cao's reaction to the information relayed by the general had not been so drastic as to leave him vulnerable anywhere. True, he had realigned some of his forces and he was already prepared for an attack down his center line meant to divide his forces in two, so what had really changed?

What was he missing?

The wheels in his mind turned endlessly, looking for every aspect, every angle of the situation. No detail would escape his attention. He had come to this place and this position by leaving nothing to chance and acting strongly and without hesitation where necessary. No one was a more thorough planner than he. He combined Cao Ren's methodical caution with Xiahou Dun's resolute aggression and used these traits in himself to forge a path no other could walk.

The wind caressed his face and he felt a chill, taking no comfort in its touch. It seemed unusual and somehow mocking. What bothered him about the wind?

It was from the southwest. He had been told this was the wrong time of year entirely for such weather. What could it possibly-

A flash far off to his left and a he gaped in shock as a fireball rolled into the sky. The flames almost seemed to form claws that plunged down into the ships below, chained as they were to one another and unable to part.

Even as the roar of the fires reached him, his mind reeled. What was happening? He had missed nothing, so what aspect had eluded him? He watched as the fire swept over the chained ships…

It hit him like a thunderbolt- the Chain Strategy! If this was a fire attack, it was possible because the enemy had intended for his ships to be bound together in the first place! Their plan had been in place for days!

But whence the wind? The Chain strategy meant nothing if the wind could not carry the flames over the armada. The winds were from the north east this time of year. They were supposed to be!

Was it divine intervention? No! He alone had the Mandate of the Heavens! He alone could end the disorder and set the land on its rightful path. He was the Hero of Chaos. Surely such celestial interference inferred that others were favoured by the gods. Was he rejected?

He leaned heavily against the railing of the ship as his heart pounded in his chest. Shouts of confusion and pandemonium around him increased as everyone began to understand what had happened. The flames billowed closer and closer towards his ship, consuming all they touched.

"My lord!" yelled a panicked guard as he rushed up and bowed. "You must escape! The ship will soon be ablaze!"

Still numb, Cao Cao allowed himself to be pulled away from the scene and was ushered off the ship moments before it was immolated. He felt the heat on his neck, his royal blue robes singed as he staggered away from the unfolding catastrophe.

It had all been a ruse. Everything. Chaining the ships together, Huang Gai's near fatal castigation… what manner of foes did he now face that they would go to such lengths to defy the will of Heaven and defeat him?

His iron discipline took hold and his mind calmed. This was only a setback. He had planned for a defeat, even if he did not know how it was to happen. He had contingencies and plans within plans. He would enact his next plan and he would avenge this indignity. His men would fight on, giving him time to escape.

They did not need to know that this battle was already lost. Every one of them equalled precious seconds of flight…

* * *

The night sky to the west was aglow with red and orange light. Along with Lu Meng and the other regimental commanders, Da Qiao understood that the first and most crucial part of their endeavour had been completed. Against all odds, a single man and an unlikely wind had destroyed an enemy they could not possibly defeat and now they stood ready to finish the job.

Without a word, Lu Meng looked at them all and nodded. He then mounted his horse and trotted off toward the barges and pontoon bridges that would allow them to cross the river. Da looked at her men and gestured for them to mount up. The companies made ready- the Iron Fists, Valiant Cavaliers, Warhounds, Fire Steeds, Shining Spears, Wildfire Riders and many others, all atop their swift steeds now headed to the barges. Da felt the sting of impatience as they crossed swiftly through the night. They clouds overhead brought the wind from the Southwest and she reflected on how Kongming might have accomplished such a thing.

She banished it from her mind, deciding that the power lay not within the man but merely in the favour of whomever he had prayed to. He had done his part and now she had to do hers. While Lu Meng led his infantry toward a known stronghold, Da Qiao's cavalier companies were going to harry the enemy and disrupt their movements, keeping them from coordinating their defenses.

She had come to realize that while she could lead men in just about any tactical situation (except maybe a direct frontal assault on a prepared position), she was best at using a mobile force to whittle down the enemy's numbers, frustrating them with their inability to come to blows with her as she danced out of range and then struck like a crane on a wounded fish once they were worn out or their morale frayed. She did not fear daring strikes, but the preferred to weaken the enemy and minimize her risk. Much like her style of personal combat, she weaved around and feinted, striking at weak spots on her foe until he was ripe for the kill.

She waited as the distant shore approached, the sounds of the holocaust to the west still in everyone's ears. Her hand caressed the sheath of the short sword on her hip absently, envisioning the fighting to come. She had drilled her men for weeks now about what formations and tactics she planned to use. She had shown them manuals detailing effective use of cavalry for mobile warfare, ranging from harassing enemy armies to deep strikes inside the foe's territory, destroying supplies and reinforcements before they could be used against you.

The manuals spoke of the tactics of the Xiongnu, the savage nomads from north of the Great Wall, whose armies were almost completely cavalry-based because of the harsh life on the steppe. She also relayed what Elryk had told her of the Sarmatians her had encountered beyond the Barrier Mountains and the warlike Scythian tribes. These races all relied on horses for speed and mobility, wearing the foe down until they were ripe for a killing stroke. It may have seemed to have no honour, but there was no denying its effectiveness and it suited her well on the field of battle where just about everyone except her sister was larger and stronger than she was.

After what seemed an interminable wait, the blackness of the far shore loomed and she braced herself as the reinforced bow of the barge rumbled while skidding up onto the sand. Dozens of barges on either side of her did likewise and their ramps dropped, disgorging infantry that would establish a beachhead while the cavalry rode out to find the enemy.

As she rode off the barge, she thought about the plans she had been given, her orders indicating enemy troop locations and dispositions. The conflagration in the west still burned brightly and it was estimated that maybe as much as half of Cao Cao's total army could be burned aboard those ships.

It was an optimistic assessment and one quarter of the Prime minister's army being caught was certainly more likely, but the sheer terror of the fire attack was to be the Southlands' advantage, not the actual depletion of his numbers. In annihilating the fleet, they had made certain that Cao Cao cold not cross the Yangtze and invade their lands. Savaging his army was merely an added benefit they would happily take, but all commanders had been firmly instructed to not continue on assaulting the enemy once stiff resistance was encountered. Everyone knew that Cao Cao's army was still too formidable to be defeated completely. Hit hard and fast and then withdraw. This victory would set in motion their final triumph with a campaign meant to put the Prime Minister on the defensive and sway the opinion of the realm's lords against him, perhaps convince them to rise up alongside Liu Bei and the Sun family.

Into the night she now rode, along with her cavalry, knowing their beachhead was secure and Cao Cao's forces would be too busy trying to reorganize and defend themselves to attack. She felt strong and confident with the knowledge that many hundreds of fine warriors followed her willingly and awaited their orders, orders they would execute without delay or question.

"_Our spies have indicated an entire regiment or more of archers are encamped a few li to the north of this position. If all goes according to plan, we will be on them before they are ready and will shatter them with minimal losses. We must be swift and decisive."_

Her outriders apparently had found the encampment before long because signal arrows whistled overhead. Da drew her sword and held it aloft, the blade glinting dimly in the spare moonlight. Her troops broke into a canter as they approached the camp and while she did not doubt that they would be heard, she had a contingency plan or two that would help to further confuse her foe.

She nodded to her herald and he drew forth from her belt a horn that had been liberated from a captured spy and the man had been compelled to give up the signals the Wei army was currently using. Her herald now blew a long series of ululating notes on the device, a signal they had been told called for immediate retreat. This would no doubt help in terms of causing confusion amongst the enemy ranks while she and her men approached.

Against all hope, she was delighted to see, in the dim moonlight, that the enemy archer companies were hastily mustering outside of the camp, getting ready to retreat. Could Cao Cao's army already be in such disarray that they willingly followed distant horns calling for unlikely signals?

She spurred her mount into a gallop and drew her fans, gripping her knees tightly to the steed's flanks to keep her balance. She appreciated the utility of some weird contraption Zhou Yu had introduced, reinforced leather and wood loops that hung from the saddle and braced her feet. So simple a concept and yet it made all the difference in the world to she and her men as they charged headlong into battle.

The enemy's eyes were wide with shock as she and her men thundered out of the darkness. She felt the cold fury of combat overtake her and she struck out with her fans. She did not exactly know why, but she released her grip on the twin weapons and they slew a captain before somehow returning to her grip. Her conscious mind would have been stunned by this defiance of physics but she was simply fighting on instinct as she had been taught and forced herself to do.

She lashed out again and again as she rampaged over the stunned enemy, her cavaliers hard at her back. Their swords and spears made short work of the unprepared foe, hundreds of men dying within minutes as Da and her man performed dreadful execution amongst them. The archers drew their swords and attempted to defend themselves. A man slashed on at her and she parried the blow with her fan before dispatching him. She found herself mired in a knot of men and while they were panicked by her presence amongst them, her horse was now stopped, unable to move further. She swept her short sword off her belt and laid into her foes with it, ribbons of dark blood spattering the earth. She used a fan in her other hand to parry and protect herself as she fought, feeling the presence of the enemy around her rather than trying to see them in the dark.

The shriek and clash of metal, the thunder of hooves, battle cries and the wails of the injured and dying filled her ears and she fought to drive it out of her head. She pictured calm patterns as she slew, trying to silence external stimuli, as she might during a performance before a large and impersonal audience. Her foes became abstract images, their movements a simple puzzle to solve, allowing her to choose her next move. She could almost see herself directing their panic and using it to further her ends in the battle, herding them, crushing them against one another, making sure they could not escape.

Before she knew it, the archers were routing, fleeing in whatever direction they foolishly thought might offer safety. She paused and gathered her thoughts while she allowed her men to chase down the enemy. Glory for a commander lay not in how many kills they made but how completely the adversary was defeated and how complete her own force's victory was.

Once she was sure the enemy regiment was shattered beyond hope of rallying, she had her herald sound the recall and they began moving swiftly toward another target she had been given, a small supply fortress. She lacked infantry support, so taking an actual location might be difficult. She had brought supplies to make sure the base would burn.

As she rode through the night she considered her options about the imminent assault- they would doubtless be on alert now, but if Cao Cao's forces were retreating or in chaos, how would a static supply base react? The units in need of its supplies were unlikely to come to it and if the supplies needed to go elsewhere, how would this be accomplished in a land overrun by Wu troops?

A prudent but unimaginative base commander would hold tight and defend his charge, knowing that Cao Cao's numerically superior forces would eventually return, because the Southlands did not have the manpower to hold all the ground they would capture. She concluded that the commander was most likely to wait in his lair. And that lair would become his funeral pyre. As flame destroyed the Prime Minister's armada, so too would fire consume his stores, like he had done to Yuan Shao at Wuchao. The commander and his men would die inside their fortress. She thrust pity forth from her mind. She would mourn and prey for the dead men and their family later. Her own family's future came first.

She felt the breeze from the southwest on her face and was heartened. She knew all was going according to plan but she would also exercise caution. Sooner or later their inertia would run out and Cao Cao would be able to strike back.

Once again her outriders reported back and said that the supply base was indeed on alert and staying put. She muttered under her breath and resolved to act on the plan she had devised in this case. Lacking suitable siege equipment to hurl large incendiaries into the compound, she would set it ablaze with countless special arrows designed to burn for prolonged periods.

She drew forth one of the special arrows and examined it. She did not understand the chemistry that made the compounds ignite; these arrows were made by Zhou Yu, with the help of Lu Xun, Huang Gai and materials from beyond the Barrier Mountains, purchased from the trader lord Dayu-kah. The missile seemed unwieldy, with its blunt and almost bulbous head, but since accuracy was not a prime concern she imagined that the design suited Zhou Yu's needs admirably or he would not have troops using it.

She guessed that the mysterious incendiary material filled the thin, fragile metal head and exploded upon impact, or something to that effect. Zhou Yu had nearly died in terror when Xiao had picked one up some time before the battle and shook it vigorously. Lu Xun had actually dived for cover. No wonder there were being kept in solid metal containers as they were transported around the battlefield.

She had all her cavalry archers line up and receive their payloads of arrows. They were flanked by the sword and spear-armed horsemen who would guard them against attack while they carried out this perilous manoeuvre. The entire regiment advanced slowly, keeping ranks while the officers ensured the troops were steady. Everyone knew how dangerous these weapons were and while they were proud to have been entrusted with them, the anxiety of sudden immolation could not be ignored.

How did Huang Gai keep his head with those fuse bombs all the time?

In the darkness, they finally reached the maximum effective range for their bows, accounting for the reduced trajectory and accuracy of the incendiary arrows. Every archer held his bow calmly, awaiting her signal. Although the base was on alert, their attention seemed to be drawn to a battle raging to the west. Apparently they had not noticed Da Qiao and her regiment. This would be their undoing.

She nocked an arrow and bent her bow, aiming into the air, toward the supply base. She thought again for a moment about what devilish science was at work where these arrows did not require lighting prior to release. Her men all bent their bows and waited. She took a deep breath…

She let go of the string and her missile sped into the night. She heard hundreds of others doing likewise, a cloud of their vague, black shapes disappearing overhead into the darkness. Seconds later they heard hissing and dull thuds from inside the supply base, along with shouts of confusion. There was a ruddy glow as she waved her hand and lead her men forward another few paces. They loaded their arrows again and released them, knowing that most would land even further inside the compound, spreading fiery death and panic wherever they landed. Her regiment advanced again and released another wave of the dreaded arrows. Soon the fortress was ablaze, even the wooden walls being consumed by her deadly payloads. She could hear the screams of agony as men were burned alive. She forced the sound and all thoughts of mercy from her mind, knowing that Cao Cao would have done the same if he had invented such a terrible weapon and that the men she now faced would probably have no compunctions about using them.

Still, they were men. Men with families, men with wives, sons and daughters, all of whom would weep when he did not return home and news of how he was roasted alive reached their ears.

She bit her lip and fired arrow after arrow into the death trap until she held her hand in the air and her troops stopped instantly. She could take no more. It was one thing to slay a man in open battle, face to face, but this was a massacre, bordering on murder.

Her heart was pounding in her chest and it took all her willpower to appear stoic, to not squeeze her eyes shut and let her men see how much this sickened and hurt her. She stood in her saddle and let the consummate actress take over. Her steady gaze pierced the night, her face illuminated by the licking and roaring flames of the inferno she had created.

She hardened her heart, leaving behind all thought of the Wei soldiers trapped in the supply based. Even if some of them survived, they were no longer an operational force. Best of luck to them.

"We move out!" she called in a steady voice. "Our next target is many _li_ to the north and we must attack before they can rally! Concentrate only on your duty and depend on the man next to you. We cannot be defeated!"

Her warriors shouted in response and they galloped into the darkness, her banners fluttering in the wind. Further victories awaited them and the Prime Minister's end was nigh.

* * *

Lu Meng marched northward, his Thunderhorse cavalry regiment around him while his corps was spread out in a wide net, catching any Wei forces between them and destroying them utterly. He knew that some commanders allowed foes to escape, in order to spread panic amongst other enemy units, but he personally thought it every bit as effective (and safer) to let those he had yet to engage speculate about what terrible fate had befallen those unfortunate enough to face him.

The center was held by his veteran heavy infantry, the Long Fangs. They were the toughest regiment in his corps and considered amongst the most elite in the entire Southlands army. Only the Night Tigers, the Swordwind, Lady Sun's amazon warriors and the warriors of the White Wolf tribe were held in greater esteem. During the last exercises the Southlands had engaged in to gauge the army's readiness for battle, the Long Fangs had fought Lord Sun Quan's Wolf Guard to a draw, winning a defensive action but losing slightly during an attack. Indeed Lord Quan's defensive tactics had been effective and sublime, something Lu Meng admired in the younger Sun brother.

He pondered the difference between Lords Sun Ce and Quan- Ce seemed invincible in any situation but preferred to attack, to take the fight to the enemy and beat them fair and square. Quan commanded ably enough but seemed most in his element when defending from a prepared position, where his cool and aloof demeanour served him well and inspired confidence in his troops.

What of Lu Meng? He was the senior commanding officer of the Southlands army, reporting only to the Sun family and Lord Zhou Yu, the Grand Strategist. Lu Meng had worked hard to become a master of tactics and strategy. He was a methodical problem solver, practical and direct. His tactics were rarely convoluted or elaborate but there was no denying how effective they could be. Every situation required his mind and his methods to resemble a certain weapon- the keen blade, the heavy bludgeon or the swift spear. True, some elements of a plan might reflect different intent, but he always would cut, crush or pierce the enemy and used his troops accordingly.

And now his men fought like a smothering net. The enemy's confusion was his best ally. Stunned by the annihilation of their mighty fleet and the deaths of countless comrades in a sea of fire, they would be bereft of purpose and their willingness to hold the line was questionable. Even the most redoubtable Wei commander would want to fall back and regroup, but none of that mattered. The only concern was the death of Cao Cao. Without him, Wei would fall.

He thought of Huang Gai. He had been relieved when the fleet had gone up in flames, because this meant his old friend was alive. The venerable general had entrusted Lu Meng with command of most of his corps. The Stone Demons were with Taishi Ci, guarding the altar, but other regiments such as the Clawhammers and the Fire Dragons stood now with his own regiments, sweeping all before them.

A swift scout rode up and bowed. "Lord, we have stiff enemy resistance up ahead. They have formed a line and are not fleeing as we had hoped. They are determined to delay us, probably while the Prime Minister escapes certain doom. The enemy commander has declared himself to be Xiahou Yuan."

The man unfurled a scroll and presented a map of the terrain ahead to him. The enemy forces' positions and best guess at their dispositions was indicated. His brow furrowed. The troop types seemed evenly distributed and were not moving, to uproot the whole force would be time-consuming and also be terrible in the cost of lives to his men.

He could not advance until he had defeated this foe.

"What is happening on our right flank?" he asked.

"Reports are indicating that Lady Da Qiao is securing the easternmost bases within the theatre and wreaking havoc. She is now encountering fresh enemy relief troops but is about to receive reinforcements for Commander Ding Feng."

Lu Meng smiled in spite of himself- Ding Feng was a commander from the Wuchang prefecture, under the command of Sun Quan. He was a large man of fearsome aspect but he also had a ridiculous penchant for composing flowery and sappy poetry. He regularly favoured Lord Quan with his poems and there was some debate as to what the commander's proclivities might be, in spite of his appearance.

Da Qiao and Ding Feng to his east…

"We will hit the enemy in the center," he declared. "If Xiahou Yuan's lines are solid from one flank to the other, then we shall strike his center, breaking his force in two and dividing it. The Clawhammers, Fire Dragons and Long Fangs will hit them hard, allowing the Thunderhorse and Doompacers to pour through the gap and compromise the defences. Relay the orders!"

The messenger clasped his fist, bowed and rode off

It may have been a general's privilege to fight from horseback, but Lu Meng knew that the commanders of his cavalry units were more than competent enough to direct the horsemen once they were behind enemy lines. He dismounted and prepared to lead the infantry attack. His pike felt good in his hand, an old friend with whom he spent too little time since assuming his current post.

His men cheered as he strode amongst them, raising their weapons and shouting his name. He was revered by them for his tenacity and grim determination, his willingness to fight alongside them and share their travails. He fought like one of them, perhaps with more skill and daring than the average trooper, but they knew they could rely on him to fight to the bitter end.

Skirmishing units now deployed in front of the infantry while the cavalry regiments formed into wedges behind. Lu Meng put the Fire Dragons in the center, their formation unusually dense, with the Clawhammers on the left and Long Fangs on the right. Lu Meng was silent for several seconds as he said many prayers to the gods of war for their favour and raised his hand into the air…

He let his hand fall forward and the Southlander lines lurched into a march, heading toward the enemy, cheering as they followed the gleaming halberd blade of their beloved general.

* * *

Xiahou Yuan bellowed and swore at his men while they raced around in the darkness, preparing themselves for an attack. He knew that the Southlanders would be coming and he was very annoyed that he had to fight a standing battle while he should have using his troops to cover his cousin Cao Cao's retreat.

How? How had this happened? Their invincible fleet was apparently in flames and reports were whirling through the army that Cao Cao had been burned alive in the inferno that the damned Sun forces had somehow caused. Xiahou Yuan had a hard time believing his cousin would allow himself to be killed, so he was operating on the assumption that protecting Cao Cao was his principal concern. But if he was stuck here in the east, fighting for his life, he was of little use to anyone else. His forces had to be intact to be utilized.

His forces were strong enough- of even disposition across the line, he would be able to exhort his troops to great lengths and beat the enemy back. He kept a force in reserve for one of his famed lightning-swift counterattacks, with the intent not of taking the fight to the enemy but perhaps shattering their resolve and forcing a retreat. If his own personal assessment of Sun Ce was right, the warlord of the Southlands had no particular interest in sacrificing his men for questionable gain. He may have been personally daring, but he valued the lives of his troops overmuch.

Like those of the Southlands, Cao Cao's troops were volunteers (at least mostly) and they were aware that they might die in battle. That had made a choice and the Prime Minister used them as such. They served to do his bidding and if his ends meant they would die in droves, then so be it. No one had forced them to pick up the spear.

He thought back for a moment about the long road leading to this point. His mind returned to the Yellow Turban Rebellion and his cousin's profound words about the cause of all the mayhem that was tearing the Middle Kingdom apart.

"_This chaos is happening because the right people are not in the right places."_

The right people in the right places; every man in his place. It was a Confucian tenet, it was a declaration of divine mandate. He had heard the phrase a hundred times before, spoken by a hundred people with a hundred different meanings and justifications. However Cao Cao meant it, Xiahou Yuan was relatively certain that the chaos and wars would end, if nothing else. His only concern was that just maybe people who did not fit into his cousin's framework would be expunged. Men would be moulded to fit in the great puzzle, it would not adapt to fit them. The pieces that did not fit would be cast aside, cut off like diseased flesh, to be burned and forgotten.

Clearly the men who died here tonight had no place in Cao Cao's great puzzle. But there would be no puzzle and no realm if these wars did not end. Every man, woman and child would eventually die in the endless bloodbath as nobles and ambitious men massacred one another relentlessly.

"_Do you fight, cousin, to end the chaos? Or will the chaos only be allowed to end once you are victorious? Is your victory the only signal you recognize as concluding this madness? If you were to die here in battle and the Sun were victorious and ruled the land, bringing peace across the Middle Kingdom like they have south of this mighty river, would you look down from the Heavens and approve?"_

"_And what, o Xiahou Yuan, would you do? If your cousin is indeed dead, his corpse burning amid his endless and proud ships, what of you? Would you fight on in his name and for his cause? Would you bend your knee before your cousin's chosen heir, Cao Pi? Would you choose to ally yourself with the noble Sun Quan and kneel before the glorious Sun Ce?"_

"_Mayhap, would you bring the land to heel in your own name?"_

He shook his head and laughed at the utter idiocy of his musings. Cao Cao was not dead. He had escaped too many disasters to be taken like a rat in a trap. Xiahou Yuan would fight on for his cousin's vision of a land of peace and order, where those who sought to disrupt the natural imperative of this would be made to pay.

His conclusion was interrupted by a sudden flash and a thunderous _boom_ at the center of his lines. Fireballs roiled into the night sky, illuminating an unexpected and dreadful scene. His troops were stampeding in panic as company after company of the enemy bashed into his lines. The Southlands troops were hurling hideous firebombs into his men, the explosions tearing soldiers apart and turning others into living torches that screamed in agony. The enemy troops who used these weapons were protected by stout iron shields almost as large as themselves. As gouts of flames from the dozens of explosions washed back over them, they ducked behind their iron walls while Xiahou Yuan's men died or broke from the line, seeking safety from the terror of the firebombs.

And then Lu Meng was among them.

Xiahou Yuan watched rapt for a moment as the enemy commander attacked his men boldly, laying about with his halberd with a determined efficiency. No energy was squandered in great flourishes that the weapon was known for, just lethal arcs that slew men or direct and deadly thrusts that pushed them back into their comrades as they died. The halberd spun about and Lu Meng's palm slammed into the chestplate of the soldier in front of him, knocking him down before the final blow was driven through his sternum.

The northerner shook himself free of the scene and whipped his bow off his back and fired an arrow at his foe. Lu Meng sensed the attacked and swatted the missile aside with the haft of his weapon, his piercing eyes now glaring at Xiahou Yuan. He almost casually swiped another man's head off while keeping his attention on his new foe and began pushing forward, determined to come to blows.

Fire rose in Xiahou Yuan's heart, answering the challenge. Knowing his broad-bladed sword would be a liability against the halberd, he picked up a studded warclub and brandished it as the southerner approached.

In the midst of the wild melee, the two of them met, weapons ringing as steel met steel and a deadly duel developed. Both men, perhaps more than any other general in either army, embodied the ideals and the military ideology of their respective realms- Xiahou Yuan, the hammer that crushed the foe and their spirit, roaring loudly of the supremacy of Cao Cao and what it meant to defy the will of the Heavens. Lu Meng, the keen and sturdy spear which pierced the enemy with lethal force, direct and to the point, lacking the brutish aggression of the north and speaking of Sun Ce's devotion to winning efficiently and quickly.

Either the hammer would smash the keen-tipped blade or the halberd would sever the hammer, leaving it no more than a dead weight around its lord's neck.

In spite of his bulk, Xiahou Yuan spun in low and swiped with the club, but Lu Meng was ready and dodged the blow that would have crushed his thighbone and crippled him. He swung the halberd down in an arc but the strike was caught on the club and they strained against one another, vying for advantage. Lu Meng had height in this position but Xiahou Yuan was inside the halberd's reach and also had the lower center of gravity.

Lu Meng gritted his teeth and exhaled violently as he felt his foes powerful mailed fist ram into his stomach, where sturdy but pliant studded leather protected him beneath his battle robes. Keeping his halberd pressing down, he lashed out with his own punch but the blow glanced off the northerner's shoulder armour.

Now at a disadvantage, Lu Meng sprang back to give himself room and hopefully allow for the superior reach of his halberd to come into play. He almost didn't have the chance as Xiahou Yuan sprang on him like a wildcat, not allowing his foe a moment's respite. He parried another blow of the club and spun around his enemy, striking backward as he did so. Not to be caught unawares, Xiahou Yuan had blocked the strike but could not readily counterattack. Both spun and their weapons collided yet again while they vied for advantage. Locked once again in close quarters, Lu Meng slammed his boot down on his foe's instep and while the armour held, he heard Xiahou Yuan grunt in pain. Deprived of perfect balance for only the fleetest of moments, this left the northerner open to a shift in momentum and with a mighty shove, Lu Meng thrust him backwards.

Xiahou Yuan staggered back, stumbling a little more than was necessary in order to convince the Wu commander that he was truly vulnerable. He smiled to himself as he felt his foe leap in for the kill. He had already envisioned the strike Lu Meng would use, since it was obviously the best way to assure a clean and efficient kill and his war club was ready…

Distantly a conch shell blared in the night, a wailing, ululating note that spoke of the highest urgency.

Cao Cao was in immediate danger!

"Cousin!" he roared as he rolled backward away from the incoming strike, his only concern now to disengage the foe and rush to his lord's aid. Before he had even fully come to his feet, his bow was in his hand and he launched an arrow at Lu Meng. The halberd only partially deflected the unexpected arrow this time and it buried itself in his shoulder rather than his heart. The southerner staggered for a moment and then growled in frustration as he watched his foe speed into the night, disappearing without a trace.

New troops that had been kept in reserve came rushing at him. He had been drawn into the enemy lines during his duel with Xiahou Yuan, his own men now some distance behind him. With a hiss he drew the arrow forth from his shoulder, ignoring the darkening red spot that spread across his tunic. As long as the blood flowed he would be able to fight, but once it began to clot and dry, the arm would be almost useless and he would need to retreat.

"To me, my Long Fangs!" he shouted as he swung the halberd around and charged into the enemy.

"_Now… now is the time to move across the river and destroy him. Through the inferno and right up the middle. No one will expect it or could prepare for it. Cao Cao will be retreating, but you will catch him. His need to stay in control will slow him down. You can outrun anyone and your endurance is unmatched. He will fall to you and the north's will to fight will be blunted, if not forever broken."_

"_Now! Now is the time!"_

* * *

Gan Ning grinned wickedly as his fleet ships drove toward the northern shore. Dozens of shallow-draft vessels crested through the night, carrying hundreds of his warriors closer to their prey. All around them, Cao Cao's ships blazed like terrible, floating pyres. He could see men reeling about aboard the decks, often aflame. Some toppled overboard, never rising as they plunged down through the dark waters. Burning wreckage surrounded them, along with the remains of bodies and weapons and supplies. He ignored all this as he fixed his gaze on their appointed landing site. Devoid of enemies, they would not be contested when they stormed ashore.

The ships shuddered as they ground up on the rough sands and he leaped off the deck before his vessel had stopped moving. He planted the banner of the Soutlands in the ground and waited while his men secured the bridgehead. His broad-bladed and lethal _dadao_ in hand, he grinned wolfishly, picturing the look on the Prime Minister's face when foes appeared out of the inferno, like spirits of fire bent on revenge and divine retribution.

Within minutes his assault troops were ready to move inland. Gathered into companies, they awaited his orders, all of them looking eager to begin. He nodded to them and held his blade aloft, which reflected the baleful red light of the fires over the armada behind them.

"Alright, I know you guys are ready and wanna kick some ass," he growled. "But our job tonight is to keep the enemy busy. Sun Ce is goin' straight after Cao Cao an' it's our job to make sure nobody interferes, got it?"

His men all shouted and thrust their weapons in the air.

"Yeah, I thought so," Gan Ning said approvingly. "So here no go. No prisoners and no surrender!"

They took off at a loping pace, the trample of hundreds of feet punctuated by the chiming of the bells he wore on his waist. He didn't care if the foe heard, he wanted them to know it was Gan Ning coming for them and that their doom was imminent. Into the night they raced, leaving the ships behind. He could see the enemy's shock in his mind, their terror at his sudden appearance and his lethal efficiency in dispatching them.

A strong enemy position lay ahead and he had been charged with its destruction. The odds would be at least five to one if the intelligence was correct and if the foe had not already retreated. His expectation was that they would hold their position or at least execute a fighting withdrawal, so as to allow the Prime Minister to escape. He would overrun them and make sure it was a rout. Their number mattered not.

His expectations were soon met and battle was given. The foe barely had time to prepare for their assault and many cried out in dismay when they heard the chiming and realized Gan Ning was come. His troops hit the enemy hard and the initial defences were overwhelmed quickly. Fire were set across the sprawling camp and chaos reigned as the two forces fought fiercely for control. Gan Ning's initial assault was so quick that it took some time for the foe's superior numbers to come into play effectively, but once they had, the duel became a question of will and endurance.

The enemy commander was cunning. Many of his troops held back while Gan Ning's men fought, waiting for some signal to begin engaging them. Once that signal was given, they charged in, hopefully given their spent comrades a chance to retreat. By sheer dint of force and skill in arms, he cut his way into the center of the camp and held his blade up, surround by the bodies of those he had slain.

"I'm Gan Ning an' this camp is mine!" he shouted, holding his sword in the air. "You wanna keep it, you're gonna have to fight me for it!"

"Oh, aren't you a brute," chanted a lyrical voice out of the night. "But in your own way, a thing of beauty nonetheless…"

Shadows gave way to a tall, lithe silhouette, carrying an elegant halberd. Long, dark brown hair pulled up in a flowing ponytail, framing a regal and aquiline face. The commander's pale skin, much more of it exposed than a battlefield situation might warrant, gleamed in the light of the moon.

An elegant hand came forward, almost beckoning as the soft eyes fixed on the foe. "Come, then. Let us make this battle a thing of beauty."

"_Aw, shit, it's Zhang He,"_ Gan Ning thought darkly to himself, now noticing the grey and lavender war banner fluttering over the commander's tent, catching the moonlight on its delicate folds. _"This is gonna be harder'n I thought…"_

Zhang He, who had all the elegance of a swan, watched as his foe gripped his heavy war-sword and made ready to attack, his bronzed skin and muscular frame a contrast to his own complexion and build. He almost looked sad for a moment.

"Oh, but this will be over too quickly because of the reach of my halberd," he almost cooed. "That would be such a shame and wherein would lie the beauty?"

He cast aside the long-hafted weapon he carried and Gan Ning knew he should have lunged in and dealt with his for then and there, but something in the way the man moved was almost mesmerizing.

"_Move, dammit! Why aren't you killing his ass already?"_

His eyes still fixed on the pirate's, Zhang He now put his hands behind his back and gave his foe a subtle bow. When his arms stretched out like the wings of a crane, he was suddenly wearing a set of vambraces from which extended terrifying claws, four on each hand. Gang Ning watched in bewilderment as Zhang He assume a pose from an archaic school of fighting and smiled.

"Now…" his voice lilted. "Since my weapons are no longer bigger than yours, perhaps we can begin?"

"Don't you ever shut up, you pansy?" Gan Ning snarled as he leapt forward, whipping a throwing knife off his belt and sending it straight at Zhang He's face. The northerner parried the projectile easily with a flourish of his claws, his pose reminiscent of a dance. He spun around Gan Ning's savage slash and responded with one of his own, forcing his opponent to leap backward to avoid having his abdominal cavity opened.

"Whoah!" the pirate exclaimed as he scampered back. "Pretty fast, aren't ya, twinkletoes?"

"Beauty is all and in all things beauty!" Zhang He declared in his aristocratic tenor as he sped in after Gan Ning, swiping and slashing with his claws, which glittered balefully in the moonlight. While the _dadao_ easily withstood the force of the blows, Zhang He moved with such speed that it was next to impossible to parry both strikes and Gan Ning rapidly found himself on the defensive, backing up quickly and cursing the whole time. Perhaps the halberd might have been easier to deal with.

Zhang He lunged in and slashed again, swiping with the second set of claws in the direction his foe had dodged. His lithe and graceful form truly was complement by the elegant and lethal tools he now wore. His fluid and blindingly fast combat style was more than almost any opponent could handle. Even as he fought he smiled as images of beautiful foes and their lovely deaths gently caressed his mind. The flash of his claws, followed by the delicate crimson ribbons of their life's blood describing carefree arcs in the air before falling to the ground like so many cherry blossom petals…

He smiled as he almost felt, rather than heard, his foe's howl of pain and fury as his claws left their kiss across his muscular shoulder. True, it had not been Gan Ning's sword arm, but this dance was still early in its performance and he had no wish to deprive himself of such a beautiful performance.

If only Gan Ning would cooperate and effectively fight back.

"Come now, general," he said teasingly as the pirate glared at him, rivulets of vermillion essence trickling down his brawny arm and pattering to the ground. "I had expected so much more from you. Surely you do not disappoint in other ways as well…"

Gan Ning roared in rage and sprang in like a tiger, his blade slamming down in a brutal strike from above. Zhang He made to block the strike with almost contemptuous ease and was going to chastise his dance partner when he felt the heel of Gan Ning's boot in his abdomen. He exhaled violently and inelegantly, staggering backward several feet before recovering. Through his defensive stance his eyes flashed accusingly and with the righteous fury of a lover scorned.

"Not so fancy now, are ya?" Gan Ning sneered, pointing his blade at Zhang He.

Distant horns blared, sounding the alarm. Zhang He's attention strayed to the call for a split moment and then back to his foe.

"The beauty of my fighting style shall not be soiled by defeat," he declared. "I shall return!"

"Oh no you don't!" Gan Ning snarled as he leapt in to finish the fight, but a blindingly fast slash from Zhang He's claws raised a whirlwind of dust that got in his eyes. He cursed and sputtered as he cleared his vision, but by the time he had regained his sight, the lithe and graceful enemy commander was nowhere to be seen.

"You got lucky that time, pansy…" he muttered to the darkness. "This ain't over."

The camp had been secured and the enemy forces defeated, but the pirate was in no mood to celebrate. If Zhang He had so readily abandoned his men to their fate, then that meant Cao Cao was still alive.

Not after Sun Ce got through with him, though…

* * *

Xiahou Dun looked out over the battle from the hill his command tent occupied, his expression grim. The fleet was burning and his cousin Cao Cao was missing. He assumed that the Prime Minister would not be easily caught, but the situation still worried him. That part of Cao Cao's army which was not engaged by the Wu forces were in confusion and on the verge of total rout. Rumours abounded concerning the fate of Cao Cao and containing them was at least as difficult as containing the furious enemy onslaught.

His mighty blade, the Kirin Fang, tapped absently against his shoulder while he assessed his options. This unexpected tactic by the enemy seemed to have the sanction of the gods themselves, since the very wind had changed directions and made this all possible. What good were words when his men had heard of such things?

Caught off-guard, the vastly superior numbers of the northern troops had yet to counter the ferocity of the southlander attack. He stood now against the renowned strategist Zhou Yu, who was somehow decimating his forces piecemeal. He seemed to know where to attack, where Xiahou Dun's troops were most disorganized and they brought insidious fire weapons that caused men to run in terror. Through it all raced the strategist, a man even Jia Xu considered incredibly dangerous and not to be taken lightly.

He scowled as he observed the raging battle. Zhou Yu's elite Swordwind troops, accompanied by sorcerors, wreaked havoc wherever they went and they attacked like lightning, usually on top of the defenders before they were aware of their presence. Lightly armoured but armed with swift blades and a desire for blood, they were masters of overrunning their foe and leaving other troops to finish off the shaken and demoralized defenders while they moved on to their next assault.

He bit his lip as he watched the sorcerers, banded together into a deadly company called the Spirit Walkers, did impossible things like throw fire from their hands, set their hapless foe's weapons or bodies on fire, or encasing them in gleaming ice. They would rain shards of it down on the defenders right before the Swordwind smashed through them. Worse, they were hard to focus one's gaze upon, for their outline seemed to shift and blur, making their true location hard to ascertain.

He made a curt nodding motion with his head and his first reserve units moved forward, engaging the southlanders and slowing their progress finally. There was nothing left for it but to intervene personally at this point. Clenching his blade, he sprinted down the hill, keeping his eyes on the enemy commander. Once Zhou Yu was slain, the heart would go out of their assault and he could begin the process of beating them back to the river.

Zhou yu saw him coming and paused in his commands, his keen grey eyes flashing. From his belt he drew his ancient and elegant blade and held it in front of himself, drawing an arcane, glowing symbol in the air with the point, indicating that Xiahou Dun's challenge was accepted.

They sprang on one another like tigers, intent on their prey. Their blades rang and crashed as they began a whirlwind melee of death. Xiahou Dun's relentless brutality was matched by Zhou Yu's elegant ferocity. Through the haze of battle, Xiahou Dun was amazed by the fury he saw in his foe's normally distant eyes.

He slammed his blade down with all his might and Zhou Yu blocked hastily to save himself from certain vivisection. Though he successfully parried the stroke, he felt himself skidding backwards from the sheer strength of the blow. His arms bent but held and he flourished the sword defiantly, letting his foe know they were far from finished.

"What is it that drives you, southlander?" Xiahou Dun growled. "While I might laud your desire of independence, I sense that is not your motive here. What grudge do you hold that causes you to engage in such reckless folly?"

"Do you choose to know so little of your cousin's business, general?" Zhou Yu said in a steady voice as he strode forward, intent of finishing this duel. "Is that how you manage to justify your continued stance by his side, by choosing not to know what it is he does or how his heart conducts itself? For the unforgivable crime of his poetry about my beloved wife and his desire to hold her in thrall, death itself is too lenient a sentence, but I shall deliver it unto him."

Xiahou Dun nodded, finally understanding. Cao Cao had always made plain his desire for the Qiao sisters, unrivalled beauties renowned throughout the realm. The wives of Zhou Yu and the mighty Sun Ce, Cao Cao had written an elegant poem praising their virtues but also declaring his intent to make them her own. And in doing so he had made eternal enemies of two of the most dangerous men in the Middle Kingdom.

He could see it in the strategist's eyes… Zhou Yu would destroy everything for his wife, so if the Prime Minister's death and those of the countless soldiers that served him were what it took, clearly he considered this a price worth paying.

He felt his blade clashing with his foe's as they engaged one another again. He also could feel Zhou Yu's hatred of everything associated with Cao Cao, which he considered a threat to all he held dear and worthy in this world. Xiahou Dun was just an obstacle to be overcome, a delay in the path to his ultimate goal of slaying the Prime Minister.

He forced doubts about his cousin's lofty intents far from his mind and focused on his duty, the destruction of the enemies of the north. He redoubled his efforts, countering every attack and missing no chance to make a counterstroke. He was physically stronger than the strategist, but not by a telling amount and Zhou Yu was faster than he was. He grimaced as he felt his foe's blade shriek across his stout breastplate, carving a gleaming rent in it and even shearing the silk tunic beneath. Not to be disheartened by such a turn of events, he forced his way through Zhou Yu's defences and his blade rent a great, ragged tear through the strategist's cloak and battle tunic. Zhou Yu pressed down on his foe's blade with his vambrace, keeping it pinned and slammed his fist across the Xiahou Dun's face. His head snapped to one side but then he roared in fury and shoved Zhou Yu away roughly. The southerner parried another savage slash and darted in for the kill. Xiahou dun was ready, though and their blades locked and they vied for position.

"_Something is wrong… given his fury, he should have totally committed to that attack, for the chance to kill me, even if he ran the risk of leaving himself open to a stroke. He is almost holding back, like he is waiting for something… he is delaying me!"_

Distant horns sounded and in a wash of horror his folly became clear. He had yet to account for Sun Ce, a far superior warrior to Zhou Yu and now he was engaged with this foe, which was making retreat impossible.

He recognized the ululating notes and realized that a situation so dire had developed that it required his immediate attention. Cao Cao was in terrible danger!

As if in answer to his prayers, a reserve unit rushed in and attacked Zhou Yu furiously, forcing him back bodily, defending himself from their myriad swords and spears. Xiahou Dun heard his foe's cry of fury as he turned and sprinted north. Another time, maybe, they would determine who the better swordsman was, but something far more important than his warrior's honour was at stake now, his duty to his cousin.

As he mounted his horse and began galloping north, he knew he had doomed his men to certain death- they would be no match for Zhou Yu's wrath and the position would soon be overrun by the southlanders. He hardened his heart, knowing that his men were just pawns, to be used an expended as necessary for the sake of the greater goal.

By the time Zhou Yu was ready to resume pursuit, Xiahou Dun would be long gone. He had endless men to delay the strategist with, and men could be replaced. Cao Cao could not. The next few hours or even minutes would determine the course of history for centuries to come.

He could not fail.

* * *

"I was wondering if I would ever run into you again," Shang Xiang said as she walked through the whirling melee that carried on around her. "Ready for round two, lord peacock?"

Zhang Liao glared at her as he held his halberd at his side, watching her steadily. He would not underestimate her this time around. Sun Shang Xiang was a renowned warrior throughout the entire realm now, not least because of her victory over him during their battle at Xiapi. She may not have bested him in arms that time, but she had decimated his entire force almost single-handedly and fought him to a standstill until her reinforcements had arrived and given her victory.

"I am told you are now one of the most formidable warriors in all the southlands, Lady Sun. I look forward to testing the depths of your resolve." Zhang Liao said as he observed her movements. Though he had seen them before, they were more natural and graceful than ever, like those of a tigress. She carried herself with a sublime confidence that reminded him of her brother. Gone was the brash need to prove herself, for she had done so many times over- conqueror of the Shanyue tribes, victor in a duel against one of the realm's elite warriors during the Son of Heaven's visit to the Southlands and other deeds that would ensure her name lived in legend.

No, he would not underestimate her again. He dare not.

He noticed how her chakrams already dripped with gore, the bright steel tainted red with the blood of anyone foolish enough to stand between her and her goal. By the score they had fallen, barely forcing her to break a sweat. What manner of people were the Sun family? Were they mere mortals at all? Though he dared not betray it in his eyes, he could still remember the astonishment he felt while witnessing her stand against him during the siege of Xiapi.

She had been magnificent during that battle, defiant and unafraid, undaunted by the odds she had faced. Zhang Liao and one thousand of Lu Bu's best troops had exited the fortress of Xiapi via secret tunnels with the intent of causing havoc in the rear of the alliance's lines. But the bridge he had to use to do so was defended by Sun Shang Xiang and her valiant captain, Fu Chin Ran. Irritated by what he perceived as a nuisance, he sent his troops to capture the women and instead watched in disbelief as they slew hundreds of his soldiers. It was not until he himself crossed blades with them that the battle turned. That day he would have beaten her, for her body was not yet the match of her ferocious spirit. He remembered how her original chakrams had broken that day beneath the matchless steel of his halberd and only the arrival of the hated Liu Bei had saved the woman known as the 'Bow-Hipped Princess' that day.

But now, she would need no rescuing and he knew this would be as hard a fight as he had ever engaged in, for she had come into her own and even Lu Bu could not have daunted her. Her chakrams had been melted and reforged, the dark iron giving way to silvery steel, made stronger and more deadly than ever before, like the princess herself.

She was magnificent.

"Keep gawking and this will be over too quickly, peacock!" she hissed as she leapt in, intent on the kill. Zhang Liao parried hastily, cursing himself for being caught off-guard by the sight of the princess in all her glory. Resplendent in the crimson and gold of her family, her amber eyes blazing in the light of the battle's fires, she had almost caught him unawares, like a rank amateur.

He fought back steadily, pacing himself and taking her measure. Though her attacks were reminiscent of those he had seen in their first duel, they were even more sublime and spelled doom for all but the most puissant of warriors opposing her. It was not enough to be good at attacking, one had to have superior defence when facing this foe and he would not treat his own safety lightly.

He stood his ground, whirling his halberd about in graceful arcs, parrying her chakrams and delivering deadly counterstrokes while he assessed her, as all good warriors did. His love of a challenge swelled in his heart as he pushed her further and further, realizing that he had not yet tested her limits. Her strength and her fiery will to win were limitless. Even if he possessed an edge in physical power, her fighting style made it abundantly clear that such considerations were now ephemeral. The combat in which the two of them now engaged did not rely on such trivialities as mere strength or speed. Spirit and mettle were everything.

So be it.

He spun in a blinding arc, the slash of his halberd deadly enough to shear an ox in half. He had expected her to somersault backward to safety, perhaps initiating a kick to discourage pursuit, but she merely leapt over the strike, her feet tucked beneath her. He ducked through the final quarter of the spin, avoiding the tandem strikes of her chakrams, which threated to remove his head from his body. He felt the pheasant feather that adorned his tall helm get sliced from their repose. He rammed the haft of the halberd up with both hands, catching her follow-up strike along its length. She ground her blades out to the sides along the haft, hoping to take his fingers, but he released his grip quickly for a split second and then grabbed the weapon underhanded and shoved her backwards, giving himself some room. He followed up with a jab from the spike on the butt of his weapon and she spun around it, but not before allowing it to pass through the hollow of her circular weapon, pinning it and meaning she could force the halberd to go where she would if necessary.

This close in, her other chakram was less useful and they struggled body to body, tottering back and forth as they looked for weak spots in each other's defences. Shang Xiang caught a fist directed at her head and deflected it aside with the leather and iron vambrace on her forearm. She counterstruck with a spearhand strike at the separation in Zhang Liao's armour between his breastplate and his lower abdomen. He twisted to avoid the crippling blow and thumped his fist against the place where her neck met her shoulder, hoping to knock her off balance. Shang Xiang rolled with the blow, rather than resisting it, and sprung away from her foe; she had pulled as hard as she could with the chakram that was entangled with Zhang Liao's halberd, but he would not give the weapon up and she was forced to abandon the idea.

The duel became a deadly game of waiting for an opening as the foes circled one another warily. Zhang Liao had the advantage of longer reach whereas Shang Xiang owned the middle-fighting radius and both seemed even matched in close-quarters combat. Knowing her enemy would not let his guard down or allow an opening in his defences to appear, Shang Xiang charged in, daring him to strike. Knowing better than to let her get close, Zhang Liao stepped backward, drawing out the range between the two of them while he struck with his halberd, making her move into its range. Expecting such a tactic, she was ready as she rolled under the weapon's horizontal arc, giving it time to pass. She came up to her hands and feet and bent forward, one of her legs arching over her body before it bent at the knee, ringing a sharp blow across Zhang Liao's tall, peaked helmet. He staggered back in surprise and then glared at her, unable to contain his disgust at such a base ploy. Having righted herself, Shang Xiang looked very pleased, circling to one side, her eyes burning with ferocious and predatory mirth.

"I had expected better from a member of the Sun family…" Zhang Liao growled in irritation.

"If it makes you feel better, I have no such expectations of you, pretender to faith." Shang Xiang replied. "You care only for your own path and your own honour. When Lu Bu lived, her could offer it to you. With Cao Cao in charge, you may continue on this path of yours. But you seem to think that your lofty endeavours do not affect those beneath you, that such goals keep you above the common man. How many hundreds of innocents were you forced to slay when Liu Bei fled Changban? Did your warrior's honour overcome your sense of right and wrong? Does turning a blind eye keep the darkness at bay?"

"You dare speak of morality, woman?" he hissed, his eyes blazing at her audacity. "What could you know of morality?"

"I know it is the difference between what is right and what can be rationalized," she said levelly. "What, then, does this say of your vaunted Prime Minister? How many countless thousands must die as long as he grants you access to this path you so desire? What use is the path of martial righteousness if it is bathed in the blood of innocents, Zhang Liao?"

"Silence, wretch!" he shouted, springing forward in rage. Shang Xiang backed up hastily as he struck, parrying desperately against his onslaught. She had touched something inside him and he now fought with a fury reminiscent of Lu Bu. She found her pace, defending readily, concentrating on weathering his assault, making no effort to counterattack, drawing him in.

The whirling dance of death continued as her troops rampaged over the battlefield, led by Fu Chin Ran. Her amazon guard, the Burning Hearts, the Black Cavaliers, the Striking Scorpions and others swept away the defending forces, still clamouring in confusion and panic over rumours of the death of Cao Cao.

She had to keep him busy. She could not let him fight defensively, no matter what the cost to herself. If he fought from a defensive stance, he might be able to disengage her and retreat and this she could not allow. She had to buy Sun Ce time to do the impossible and pass through the middle of the inferno that was Cao Cao's armada and drive right up the center towards the Prime Minister, catching him before he could flee northwards.

Every general had an assignment they had been given, to engage and slow down Cao Cao's commanders while Ce went in for the kill. Other targets might have proven more militarily sensible, but this was not the issue. If Cao Cao was slain, the wars would end eventually and peace would return. Some ight fight on, but they would be few and far between. With the fall of the Yuans and the destruction of the Gongsun clan, no lords left in the realm would have the military might to oppose Sun Ce's armies as they pacified the Middle Kingdom.

None except maybe Liu Bei, and that was still a concern that needed to be dealt with. But right now the Scion of the Han was a badly-needed ally and it would take everything both had to deal a crushing and fatal blow to the Prime Minister.

Zhang Liao initiated a powerful stomp-kick that burst through Shang Xiang's defences and she twisted to take the brunt of the blow on her upper arm and shoulder. She tried to grab the proffered leg but it was swiftly withdrawn as he slashed with his halberd. She cross-blocked with her arms, feeling the sharp pain of the haft slamming into the vambraces and travelling up her arms; ignoring the throbbing, she thrust her own kick out and tagged her foe square in the abdomen, cursing her strength as he was knocked backwards out of reach.

The warrior tumbled and rolled to his feet, halberd ready when the conch shells sounded in the hills to the north. The purpose of this entire duel dawned on Zhang Liao and he glared at her, furious at how he had been played. But he was not without his own guile and he raised his halberd into the air…

Shang Xiang sprang backwards as dozens and then hundreds of arrows began raining down on where she had been standing. The missiles fell in a curtain of steel-tipped death between herself and her foe, denying her the chance to engage him and finish the job. Fu Chin Ran had already brought forward their own archer regiments to death with the threat, but Zhang Liao had sped out of range and was doubtless on his way to aid the Prime Minister.

Shang Xiang swore in frustration as her prey eluded her.

It was all up to Ce now..

* * *

He strode out of the water, his burnished armour gleaming in the light of the hellfires around him. Cao Cao's armada was no more, and tens if not hundreds of thousands of men had paid the price for the Prime Minister's hubris. He remembered seeing their faces beneath the waters, tainted red by the flames above- eyes wide in shock and terror, some bodies burned beyond recognition and mercifully given to the anonymous depths of the sea.

He could barely hear the raging inferno behind his as he gripped his tonfas and centered himself, knowing that everything he hoped for lay in the balance. If he caught Cao Cao, if he could kill him, then the wars would know an end and peace would return to the land. Da Qiao and her sister would be avenged for the Prime Minister's lechery and Ce would ensure that the corrupt Han gave way to a new and bright future.

Even as he spoke, his subordinates were launching attacks against strong positions that he knew were commanded by Cao Cao's most formidable generals. The annihilation of Cao Cao's massive army was not plausible, but if the serpent's head was struck from its body, then eventually his forces would melt away, either defeated by virtue of having no direction, torn apart from within due to infighting or simply because the hundreds of thousands of peasants who made up these forces would simply go home and pretend they had never been a part of the greatest mistake in the history of the Middle Kingdom.

Liu Bei's forces, currently in the west, were surging north to pincer Cao Cao and cut him off from his expected flight to Xuchang. Their only foe was likely to be Cao Ren and if he was either dealt with quickly or at the very least contained and evaded, then his troops should be able to ensure the Prime Minister was cordoned off with nowhere to go, especially with Sun Ce's troops biting at his heels.

None could have followed Sun Ce through that inferno and he would have asked no one. He alone could have endured the horrors of the swim through that mire of death and only he would have the speed and endurance to race inland undetected on foot and catch the Prime Minister at unawares.

His prayers to the god of fire and his ancestors finished, he loped into the night, envisioning what was to happen and how he would change the course of history.

He would not be stayed.

* * *

Da Qiao directed her troops from atop her horse while her allies surged into the enemy from the east. She had only ever seen Ding Feng in passing at various celebrations but now considered the commander as he rampaged through the battlefield.

He was large and strongly built, like Taishi Ci or Huang Gai, wearing his hair close to his scalp. His face was fearsome in aspect and he wore a long surcoat over his armour. For weapons he fought with two huge armoured gauntlets, covered in motifs of mythical beasts and adorned in spikes that resembled their fearsome fangs and claws. She could hear the horrible ringing sound of crushed metal as he struck, his victims' armour crumpling like paper beneath the blows as he struck left and right. He grappled onto an enemy captain and slammed him off the ground repeatedly and the man's troops fled in terror.

The enemy routed and she rode forward to greet him. He bowed low as his sovereign approached.

"I thank you, general, for your assistance. Your intervention doubtless saved the lives of many of our valiant men."

"I could do no less, my lady, for having watched you." Ding Feng intoned in a deep, rumbling base. "To watch you is to see the reflection of cranes crossing the moon on the surface of the water."

"I… thank you…" Da said somewhat uncertainly, not having expected such words from a man of Ding Feng's appearance. "Your own fighting style is most impressive as well."

"It approaches yours as a candle approaches the glory of the sun," Ding Feng replied humbly, now looking up at her reverently. "Truly you are the most graceful and beautiful blossom in the garland that is our lord's crown."

Da wasn't quite sure what to say, since she was now envisioning Sun Ce wearing a wreath of blossoms top his head. The image frankly drove most coherent thoughts form her head entirely.

"I…"

To her relief, a fireball sprang up not far away in the night, indicating that incendiaries had been used against the fortifications that the Iron Fists were now assaulting. Free of the burden of responding to Ding Feng's florid hyperbole, she looked at him now with all the bearing of a seasoned commander.

"General, the night is still young and the enemy is endless. I charge you with clearing the way for our cavalry to get behind their lines and cut them off from support. I will see you when the enemy is routed and our victory complete. Go now."

Ding Feng bowed and loped off into the night, calling for his men to join him. Da took a few moments to clear her mind of the disturbing images of Sun Ce wearing garlands of flowers and began another advance. By now Ce would be across the river and driving up the center to catch Cao Cao.

They were so close…

* * *

He plunged through the riot of men, knowing that they were in full rout, thinking that the entire enemy force had come upon them. He weaved and struck as he pushed forward, felling all within reach but stopping to contest none. Ahead some distance he could see a tight-knit unit, well-armoured warriors carrying shields and spears, their banners a deep blue edged with Imperial yellow. The motifs were of a hammer and a cup, indicating that none other than the Prime Minister was their charge.

With a mighty leap he cleared the lines of his current foes and landed behind them. He dashed in towards his target, concentrating his energy deep within, focusing it until he could feel the heady, swirling and fiery aura all around him, like the claws of a celestial tiger. He could see the shock and the fear on the faces of those who stood him and his prey.

"Say your last prayers, Cao Cao!" he bellowed as he thundered forward. "It's time you answered for the misery you've caused! You're goin' down, pal!"

* * *

"So then, child, how many men is it that you saw marching on that road?" the sage asked softly.

Sun Kai-Ying thought for several moments, looking deep into her tiny tea cup and counted the soldiers out in her head.

"Four-thousand, two hundred and seven, to be exact, not including the horses of my father's cavaliers; horses should count, but I am told they do not. It seems unfair."

Zuo Ci nodded and looked northward as they sat atop the roof of Silver Crane Pavilion, Kai-Ying's official residence. They were having tea and discussing how silly it was to make war. The girl seemed to be enjoying herself, doubtless needing the distraction from thinking about what her parents were doing, supposedly in the name of Heaven.

His keen, mystical eyes espied messengers many many _li_ away, riding west at speed, probably to Wuchang to keep Sun Quan informed of what was happening.

"Those men, riding east," he said quietly. "They bear nothing but tidings of great deeds and men's folly. They think their words are of import, but they will be forgotten to time eventually."

Kai-Ying peered out in the direction Zuo Ci was looking. "I see nobody."

"Ah, I wish I had such vision," Zuo Ci mused, smiling. "To be able to see nobody."

"I beg your pardon?" she remarked, tilting her head quizzically.

"It isn't respectable for a young lady to bed, my dear," he said cheerfully. "But now then, perhaps another locale."

They were now in Tiger Glen Garden, the moon reflecting off the waters of the pond. Kai-Ying blinked as she noticed they had company, specifically a tiger who seemed to have a body and eyes made of stars and a strange, horse-like creature made of winds and lightning.

"What is this?" the Celestial Tiger asked.

'It is a child." Zuo Ci replied.

"I always thought children were fabulous monsters of legend," the Kilin mused, staring at her with curiosity. "Is it alive?"

"Can it talk?" asked the Celestial Tiger.

"Talk, girl." Zuo Ci urged gently.

Kai-Ying composed herself and said some pleasantries in German, such as Hala had taught her. She wondered is spirits understood other languages.

"A real child," the Kilin breathed. "Large as life and twice as natural; I just might faint. I need hay…"

She watched as the creature was then eating hay, but from whence it came she could not deduce. Along with Zuo Ci and the Tiger, she politely declined a proffered helping.

"Ah, there is nothing quite like hay to keep one from fainting, yes?" the Kilin declared, obviously refreshed.

"Not to be contrary, but wouldn't a splash of cold water to the face be even better?" she asked.

"Oh, now, my dear, I didn't say that something else wasn't _better_, I just said there was nothing quite _like_ hay," the Kilin corrected. "One must mind their grammar, after all."

Kai-Ying went silent, knowing she had been schooled. She bowed her head respectfully.

"So now that we have seen one another, child, we must reach an agreement," the Tiger said in a voice as deep as time itself. "I shall believe in you if you believe in me. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes, if you like." Kai-Ying said reasonably. She saw no need to argue with empirical evidence.

"Very good," Tiger said, obviously pleased. "But the question remains as to what you are. Is the child animal, vegetable or mineral?"

"She is a fabulous monster!" the Kilin declared excitedly.

"Then be so kind as to hand around the plums, monster." Tiger said, tilting his enormous head, indicating the bowl of fragrant plums that sat between them all, next to other immortal dainties. Kai-Ying had often heard her mother reference the sacred plums of Xi Wang Mu, Queen Mother of the West.

Or was that peaches?

"I am surprised that a tiger would eat plums, even divine ones." Kai-Ying pointed out in a respectful tone.

"Oh, tigers do not eat plums, monster, but monkeys do and with these I shall finally trap that scurrilous cur once and for all and teach him a lesson." Tiger growled.

"You would waste these lovely plums on Monkey?" Kilin protested in his airy and debonair tones.

"With hands full of plums he will have no room for his golden-hooped rod and _then_ we shall see who is master." Tiger muttered darkly. "If it is war he wants, then such a war I shall give him. Cut us now some bean cakes, monster."

Kai-Ying complied as she looked at Zuo Ci quizzically and he smiled at her cheerfully.

"The monster seems distressed," Kilin observed. "Why is this, my friend?"

"There is war in the Middle Kingdom, for the Son of Heaven is no more." Zuo Ci replied. "She believes all violence is wrong and against the will of Heaven. She is simply perturbed to hear that war is also waged beyond the veil of night."

"A war, you say," Tiger chimed in, his curiosity piqued. "Any worthy of my attentions?"

"It is indeed a glorious war, General, if that is what interests you," Zuo Ci said simply. "The child's father contests those who would dominate. It was he who felled Ou Xing and also laid low the Spirit of the Phoenix. He has even bested Wild Sage Yu Ji and survived death."

"Ah, yes, I believe I remember this mortal," Tiger mused. "Born of my South, fiery and defiant, subtle of mind and mighty in body, his sire is now a captain my glorious host and most honoured; will he rise to be Son of Heaven?"

"I doubt even Mother West knows that for sure, General, and if Shang-ti does then he says nothing of it." Zuo Ci said. "The Lord Sun has also brought dangerous ideas to the Middle Kingdom, though. He is very open-minded despite his piety. From the uttermost west he welcomed a tribe of men whose god of night is terrifying and unrivalled in his wrath."

"That is a concern, then." Tiger murmured. "I too have felt such a thing but I have not come to grips with it. Perhaps Lady Mother can guide us. But what a time Monster is, cutting up that bean cake!"

"I would it were not so," King-Ying protested as she struggled with her charge. "Every time I cut the cake simply forms itself back together before I can dole it out."

"That is because you know nothing of the workings of celestial bean cakes," Kilin pointed out. "Simply hand it out and leave the cutting for afterwards."

"That makes no sense whatsoever." Kai-Ying said somewhat indignantly.

"Neither does the existence of monsters." Kilin countered.

Defeated, Kai-Ying passed out the bean cake, cutting it up after distribution. "What, my lords, shall become of my father?"

"Interesting," Kilin said, staring at her. "So monsters can feel filial piety and reverence for their ancestors?"

"Child monsters can and do," Zuo Ci replied. "This one especially. In their own way, they are wise, for they value simplicity and truth in all things."

"But if Men were so, then where would my warriors come from?" Tiger asked, affronted by the notion that his armies were beneath consideration. "Am I to rely exclusively on flighty and vapid immortals to fill out its ranks?"

Kai-Ying looked overhead as a family of graceful cranes crossed the moon. Did they know or care about the terrible war happening in the north?

"Who, Lord General Tiger, do you fight in the Heavens?" she queried.

"Why those who would disrupt the Way, child," Tiger said, forgetting to call her monster (which she was now quite used to). "There are those who simply do not care for the natural order of things and would see their own will exercised over all. If they were to bend the Heavens themselves to their will, who then in the universe would or could stop them?"

"But… is it not enough to simply refuse to do their bidding?" she pressed. "If no one obeys then surely their efforts will come to naught?"

"We are created by the Way to do what we must, child. I am meant to guard the Heavens and fight those who would interfere. This is my purpose. How can I condemn the wicked for their ways if I follow not the path which is meant for me? To not fulfil my purpose is every bit as terrible a sin as theirs, surely."

"So then it is possible that my father's purpose is to fight and restore order to the land?" she asked, afraid of the answer.

"I know nothing what fate holds for men, girl, at least until the valiant are delivered to me. That your sire is known to me before he has crossed the veil is impressive indeed." Tiger rumbled. "If this is his path, then no one in Heaven shall intervene. We know little of the travails of mortals, for Heaven has its own demons and devils to contend with."

"And monkeys, don't forget monkeys." Kiling quipped.

"Stupid Monkey." Tiger grumbled.

Gongs and chimes rang throughout the city, indicating an alarm. They all looked around in wonderment for a moment before Zuo Ci smiled.

"They have noticed you are gone, child, and now they search for you."

"How hard can it be to find a monster?" Kilin posited in confusion.

Kai-Ying sighed. "Very well, I imagine I must go. But I am happy to have met you all. I would dearly love to do so again."

The sage and the two Celestials smiled and bowed. Then she was alone in Tiger Glen Garden. She took a deep breath and wondered if any of it had been real…

Then she smiled upon noticing the bowl of plums and the bean cake sitting in front of her. She would store them away until her parents came home and then she would tell them everything.

When the guards found her she was quite sleepy and ready for a nap.

* * *

Ce crashed into the Wildcat Riders like a thunderbolt, very nearly bursting the formation wide open. After the briefest of moments they counterattacked savagely, trying to match his ferocious assault with grim determination. They locked their shields and thrust at him desperately, trying to keep him from getting inside the formation. He ducked and twisted to avoid the lethal spear points. He felt them pushing against him with their shields while they thrust over the top and down with their weapons. He gathered his strength and waited for openings. Each time one appeared, he struck with the strength of a god's hammer, cracking open armour like the shell of some sea creature, exposing the soft underbelly. The man he struck would always perish, but those alive pressed ever harder, frantic to keep the southlander devil away from their liege. Many of them had blood ties to Cao Cao and considered their duty a sacred disposal.

"Stop him, you fools, he is but one man!"

These words from Cao Cao were all they needed and they now surged forward, overrunning Ce. He fought back with an unholy savagery that could not be matched by mere warriors, no matter how elite, and they died in droves as they came within reach.

But the numbers were still an issue and Ce soon found himself getting weighted down by the sheer press of bodies. The ever-increasing dead hindered his movement and the living or injured sought to drag him down. The press was maddening, it was difficult to breathe and the shrill noises of banttle and the screams of the dying assaulted the senses…

With a roar he burst out of the throng, knocking dozens flying as he battle aura flared about him. Leaping into the air, he descended upon his prey, who glared up at him defiantly, sword in hand.

"Not runnin'? You've got more bravery than I gave you credit for!" Ce said, his eyes shining with the light of his aura.

"If you were any judge of character, you would have already deduced this about me, whelp!" Cao Cao replied coldly. He didn't move an inch as Ce descended toward him…

Ce's tonfa met the steel of Cao Cao's blade and there was a ring like the gongs of Heaven had almost burst apart. Ce had expected the sword to break from a blow that would have staggered the demon prince Ou Xing. But neither Cao Cao nor the blade was moved and his counterattack was terrible. With a blinding stroke he slashed at his upstart for and Ce parried aside the blow. Cao Cao kept his grip on the weapon, but it was now far out to the side. He was wide open for the death stroke.

Danger.

Ce vaulted away as a titanic maul smashed into the ground where he had been, leaving a terrible rent in the earth. The sheer force of the blow knocked all those nearby off their feet, except for Cao Cao, who seemed prepared for it.

Ce landed like a jungle cat and eyed the assailant warily. Xu Zhu now stood between he and Cao Cao, his normally docile and vacant eyes flashing with anger. He levelled the enormous maul at Ce and his tone left no doubt as to his deadly intent.

"You want to hurt Cao Cao so you are a bad person, just like he has always said. I'm gonna squash you!"

Y'can't squash what y'can't hit, tubby!" Ce replied, undeterred. Despite his unreal girth and obvious strength, Xu Zhu was flesh and bone, like everyone else. And while he was faster than he looked, he was a lot slower than Ce.

Ce sprang in and Xu Zhu roared and charged, his maul winding up for a massive blow…

Xu Zhu missed as Ce leapt nimbly over the swat and used the back of the rotund man's head as a springboard, propelling himself at Cao Cao while driving the bodyguard face-first into the dirt. Cao Cao's eyes flared in what might have been shock and maybe panic when he realized his invincible guardian was no longer between himself and imminent death.

Ce's blow missed the Prime Minister by inches as his tonfa was parried by a flash of claws. Pivoting to meet the new attack, he blocked rapidly as Zhang He pressed in for a quick kill, his claws glancing off Ce's tonfas and his armour. The general was incredibly fast and his strikes were meant to disable the foe, shredding his muscles and tendons before slashing him to ribbons.

"_Incredible, he's gotta be as fast as Lu Xun or sis. And worse, he's addicted to violence! This guy's gonna be bad news!"_

But Ce also deduced that Zhang He was deadlier than this. He was keeping Ce busy. Before it was too late, Ce dodged and Xu Zhu thundered past, nearly running him over with his enormous bulk. The huge man skidded to a halt and turned around, swinging savagely with his maul again. Ce dodged a blow and grabbed hold of Zhang He's arm as he stepped outside another swipe and spun the lithe general away. Through the middle he raced, aiming once again at Cao Cao, who was attempting to back up and get away.

Xu Huang slashed at Ce with his long-hafted axe, forcing Ce to block the blow and knocking him off course away from Cao Cao. The general followed up with another strike and Ce stopped the weapon with one tonfa while lunging in to thrust with the other. Xu Huang twisted to the side, avoiding the fatal strike, giving Zhang He long enough to leap at Ce again. Hard pressed, the young warlord dodged to regain his balance.

His mind raced as he kept focused on his principal objective, always looking to make his way to Cao Cao, no matter what his foes intended for him. He was thinking of ways to bait them, possibly make them help him reach Cao Cao more easily, rather than standing in his way, but one of them was always directly in front of the Prime Minister while the other two came from oblique angles, looking for opening s and avenues of attack.

He sprang forward yet again, skidding under and between Xu Zhu's legs to get closer to his target. Normally he might have struck while the giant man was vulnerable, but he could not risk slowing himself down with a strike and Xu Zhu's confusion was as useful to him as anything. Zhang He had moved in to attack but found Xu Zhu's bulk unexpectedly in his way. That left only Xu Huang to deal with, the only thing between Ce and Cao Cao's retreating form.

A hiss of air and a vicious sickle attacked to a chain sped through the air by his ear, just missing his neck. Through the darkness came Jia Xu, Cao Cao's famously devious strategist. He was a rat-faced and cruel-looking man with thin lips and a look of displeasure on his features. He had once fought against Cao Cao on behalf of a lord named Zhang Xiu, defeating him on several occasions. Eventually, though, Zhang Xiu was unable to match Cao Cao's military might and surrendered. Jia Xiu also bent his knee to the man who had been his great for, and Cao Cao had never let the strategist forget that he now lived at Cao Cao's whim.

Given that Xiahou Dun had been given permission to kill the little purple man if anything befell Cao Cao, Jia Xu clearly though it in his best interests to contest Ce's attempts on his lord's life now. He swung the chain-sickle about with eerie accuracy and Ce had to be very careful in avoiding it, if for no other reason than the chain itself could trip him or tangle him up if he was not cautious.

The sickle sped in again and this time Ce grabbed it and redirected it toward Xu Huang. The general deflected the unexpected strike frantically but Ce was already by him in the blink of an eye, moving with a speed bordering on inhuman. He pounced on Cao Cao and the Prime Minister parried wildly, his features alive with panic and almost fear.

"Father!"

Cao Pi dove in, his sturdy but elegant blade aimed at Ce's throat. Unwilling to retreat, Ce twisted to one side and thrust out with his foot, slamming it into Cao Pi's midriff. Ce was too far away for the blow to be crippling or fatal but the Prime Minister's son and heir staggered back, momentarily stunned.

Ce cursed as he rolled away, thwarted yet again by the interference of Xu Zhu, who's maul once again rent a huge crater where Ce had been a split second before. Keeping his foes off-balance and from coordinating their attacks was his only advantage at this point and he was working desperately hard to keep it. If he stopped to concentrate on defeating them, Cao Cao would escape, but if he kept focusing on the Prime Minister, he was leaving himself open to attack.

His own safety be damned. Cao Cao had to die.

The thunder of hoofs reached his ears and Ce was knocked off his feet by the impact of a horse into his side. He rolled roughly as the hiss of a weapon barely missing him sent a chill down his spine. Xiahou Dun brought the horse around and charged in again, adding another complication to Ce's plan. Rather than dodge, Ce sprang to meet his foe's charge, prepared for Kirin Fang's deadly blow.

Doing the unexpected, Ce leapt and kicked high, aiming at Xiahou Dun's head. The general blocked the blow with crossed arms but he was knocked backwards off his mount, landing on his back, the great sword clattering away from his grip. It was the briefest of respites…

Ce was now atop the horse and guided it toward Cao Cao, determined to use its speed to close the gap. But Xu Zhu was suddenly in the way and even the horse's momentum could not budge the giant man as it slammed into him almost at a full gallop. The horse shrieked and Ce somersaulted forward over the bodyguard, desperate to reach Cao Cao.

Zhang Liao caught Ce's strike on his halberd and slashed at him, driving him back. Still facing his new foe, Ce thrust his arms backward and parried a blow aimed at his spine from Xu Huang. He felt the numbing pain thread through his limbs and tumbled to one side to avoid the follow-up blow he knew was coming. He charged through Zhang He, shoulder-blocking the man out of the way and giving himself distance from those damnable claws.

They were boxing him in. Centered around the enormous and relatively slow-moving bulk of Xu Zhu, they were fighting to delay him and enable their lord's escape, even if it meant their lives. Ce glared as he thought about what fate or power had set his plans to delay _them_ astray. What manner of fickle gods gave him the blessing of a wind but then allowed the exact people he meant to marginalize to appear as if out of nowhere? Where were his own men?

No matter. This was his battle, not theirs. He alone could accomplish what they now sought to do and he would not fail. Too much rested on his shoulders to allow the Prime Minister to escape and continue this madness. Cao Cao would be made to pay. Before all the gods, he would pay.

The generals were drawn up before him now, a wall of steel and grim determination. He could see many of them were breathing heavily from their exertions, not just of fighting him but also doubtless their frantic flight to get here and rescue Cao Cao. But even now his keen eyes could see the Prime Minister's form retreating into the darkness. If he didn't hurry…

His decision was made. He would deal with as many of these obstacles as necessary and then take up the pursuit. Cao Cao may have been a fast runner, but he couldn't outrun Ce, who was the harbinger of his doom. He felt the fires of his mighty battle spirit filing him and it whipped and flowed around his body like a corona of fire. Resolute though they remained, he could see the awe in the faces of many of his foes and he knew that he could beat them. Numbers mattered not, this battle was his to win. Only the death of Cao Cao remained.

Time seemed to almost crawl forward as he leapt toward the enemy, all of whom shouted their battle cries and surged forward to meet him, weapons ready. The resolute Xu Huang, renowned for his tenacity; ever dour Xiahou Dun, the merciless right hand of the Prime Minister; magnificent Zhang Liao, whose skill in arms was exceeded by none in the north; Jia Xu, the strategist whose mind was made of steel and ever-turning wheels, not unlike Cao Cao himself; Zhang He, graceful and deadly, whose master was War and Death his mistress; and Xu Zhu, the enormous, simple man who fought with the strength of an ox and the savagery of a tiger.

For all their skills, it availed them not. There was no blow Ce could not parry and he fought fiercely to break through the barrier they represented. Ce used the enormous arc of Xu Zhu's weapon to his advantage, staying within its range and forcing his other foes to keep clear while the giant man swung it about, trying to crush him. A terrible blow from Xu Zhu smote the ground and sent the other generals staggering or sailing backwards, giving Ce the chance he needed to break through. He readied a single, lethal blow aimed at Xu Zhu's collarbone…

Ice and a sense of falling. The impact was not so bad in and of itself except for having been totally unexpected. Ce realized he had been somehow struck in the shoulder and was spun off to his left. Gathering all his concentration, he was dimly aware of a black-shafted arrow sticking out of his left shoulder. Instinct rather than sight told him that he had now been found by the one general he had not accounted for yet.

Xiahou Yuan.

Aware of the man's speed with a bow, possibly rivalling his sister, he rolled out of the way of a second arrow and deflected a third when he came to his feet. He was aware of his surroundings but he seemed somewhat disoriented at the same time. Was he in shock? The arrow wound was not deep, it had not gone far into his shoulder after punching through his cuirass.

Irrelevant. He lunged forward again, hoping to surround himself with foes that would block the usefulness of more arrows. Still faster than any one of his foes, Ce soon found that he was not faster than all of them. Attacking him bodily, they kept him on the defensive, their endless blows needing to be parried and deflected lest he fall to one of their keen strokes. He knocked Xu Huang back with a strong kick, but it was little respite. Jia Xu's sickle caught on his right shoulder and he pulled, knocking Ce off-balance. He ducked as Xu Zhu's maul nearly smashed him all the way back to the river and drove one of his tonfas down onto the bodyguard's iron shoes. The fat man howled in pain and rage, driving forward like a deranged bull. Ce dodged, wincing as he felt pain shot through his left shoulder but Xu Zhu's charge missed him completely and he slammed into Xiahou Dun and Zhang Liao, knocking them over.

Ce parried the attacks of Zhang He, trapping one of the set of claws on the ground and snapping them with a stamp. The general keened in what seemed like pain, but Ce was too busy to give the matter thought- Xu Huang forced him to block another blow of his poleax and it was all Ce could do to keep from shouting as a sickening hurt flooded through his injured shoulder.

And then the pain came back. As if a phantom of Yu Ji had descended upon him, his heart felt like it was being clenched and squeezed mercilessly within his chest by some unseen, clawed hand. Flashes of light behind his eyes disoriented him and he could feel himself fall to his hands and his knees. Knowing he was wide open, he blocked blindly and desperately along the logical avenues of attack, barely feeling his opponents' blows deflected by his efforts.

No! He had to reach Cao Cao!

He felt himself surge up from his knees and lunge forward again, knocking aside someone he assumed was Xiahou Dun, followed by Zhang Liao. Distantly he heard horns blowing, the signals of his own troops and he knew Zhou Yu and maybe others had arrived. He charged Xu Zhu, but the giant man thrust his palm forward and knocked him sprawling. His head was swimming as he attempted to stand, almost completely disoriented now.

Distantly he watched as the forms of the enemy generals turned and disappeared into the night. He tried to stand again, this time making it to one knee. He felt someone rest hands upon him and try to help him get upright. Zhou Yu was with him. They could now finish this.

"Ce rest, please. You are wounded."

"No… can't… Cao Cao… gotta stop…"

"He is gone, Ce. We cannot catch him."

"No… no!" Ce said in a fury, the world coming back to him now. He could see his troops about him, securing the region against a counterattack. He stood now and his eyes were blazing.

"We can still get him, Zhou Yu! If we don't, he's gonna-"

"Ce, your men are exhausted. It took everything we had to make it here just in time to drive them off. If you cannot continue, what can you expect of your men?"

Ce gritted his teeth as he attempted to find a flaw with his friend's logic.

"Ce, we all want Cao Cao dead, but not more than we want you alive. We have dealt him a major defeat from which he will not recover easily. Perhaps this is all that was ordained to us. Calm your spirit and tend to your men."

The fury and frustration of it all washed over him and he let out of terrible shout before slamming the butt of one of his tonfas into the ground, causing a fissure from which flames gushed to rupture for more than a _li_ in front of him. Only the most keen-eared could hear Zhang He's warbling cry of shock and fear as he was nearly engulfed by the sudden cleft as he ran.

Ce stood now and composed himself, taking several deep breaths as the phantom pain of Yu Ji left his body. What a rotten time for that to have happened. When he finally opened his eyes, he shook his head and kicked at a stone in the dirt with his toe.

"So how bad do you think it is?" he asked his oath-brother.

"It is hard to say for sure, but possibly as much as a third of his army has been utterly obliterated, between the firing of his armada and the defeats we have inflicted on him in battle this night." Zhou Yu mused. "Certainly gains could be made in terms of land, but I somehow doubt we could hold them for long. We had best stick to our plans and prepare ourselves. The campaign to take Hefei should be our next priority."

"What about Liu Bei?" Ce asked.

Zhou Yu's face was passive. "Our troops have borne the brunt of the fighting, only those led by Elryk and Taishi Ci are still moving north, helping to try and trap Cao Cao with a pincer move. We may have missed our chance to slay the Prime Minister, but just maybe Liu Bei and his crew are up to the task. We can only hope."

Ce nodded. "Send messengers out to recall our troops, including Taishi Ci and Elryk. I don't want them getting stranded too far north and away from support. Liu Bei's got a knack for sudden reversals of fortune."

Zhou Yu now looked at Ce's shoulder and grimaced, as if noticing the arrow for the first time. Ce steadied himself while Zhou Yu put one hand on his shoulder and grabbed the shaft of the missile. Ce hissed as his friend drew it forth, followed by a small flow of blood. Zhou Yu then removed the cuirass and examined the wound intently.

"Not deep, fortunately," he said, nodding. "The cuirass blunted most of the force and your silk shirt wrapped itself around the arrowhead as it spun into your shoulder. That made it easy to pull out. No arteries seem to have been hit, so I assume Ren Neng will have you healed in no time."

Ce sighed. "I was so close, Zhou Yu. I even traded blows with him. I had him on the run and his generals just came out of nowhere."

"We did all we could, Ce," his friend replied. "I am not one to make excuses, but each and every one of them managed to retreat and get away from us, so it may be that some greater force intervened, just as it had on our behalf earlier this evening."

Sun Ce said nothing, knowing his friend hated this as much as he did.

"For all our personal disappointment in the outcome, though, it is a spectacular victory that will be sung of for as long as our people endure," Zhou Yu said encouragingly. "And even if his army remains large, he was relying on it to till fields for him and assist with production. This sudden shortage will doubtless curtail his immediate abilities and ambitions. We might have bought ourselves a few tense years of peace tonight."

Peace…

Sun Ce let the immediate matters go as Da Qiao rode up and began fussing over his shoulder, scolding him for his reckless behaviour. She was joined by Taishi Ci upon his arrival, bemoaning his lot as the bodyguard of a man who refused to be guarded and pointing out how useful he would have been in terms of finishing off Xu Huang, whom he had already trounced with minor assistance from Elryk and the White Wolves.

Ce let all the voices slip away as he rested in a chair, seeking to center himself and listening for the calm he had left so far behind in Baifu- the rustle of trees in the wind, the song of birds in the menageries, the bubble of ornate fountains, the chimes of prayer bells and gongs in the temples.

His pain was forgotten and he said a silent prayer of thanks to the god of fire…

* * *

Fire surrounded him as he fought his way from one ship to the next, determined to exterminate any who remained aboard the armada. He had pledged to see it destroyed and all who walked its decks perish. He had already accomplished the impossible, so this rat hunt between the ships was going to be easy.

He shouted and swung the huge anchor he was carrying into a squad of swordsmen. Several were knocked overboard by the sheer force of the blow while others were just crushed to death. He moved onward and was confronted by a mean-looking halberdier. Before the man would swing his weapon, Huang Gai has slammed the anchor down on top of his foe, driving what was left of him into the decks below.

The flames bothered him not and he knew that his own forces were currently moving across the river and attacking Cao Cao's troops while they reeled in confusion and panic. He knew Lord Sun Ce was going to go straight after the Prime Minister once his generals were engaged and could not come to his rescue. Every single aspect of this gambit had been thought out and while a calculated risk, it was their best hope for victory.

He was proud of his unique part in what was certainly a victory for the ages, but he knew it would be some time before his old bones would forgive him for the abuse of the past few weeks. The wars would end and he would return to Baifu and watch over Sun Kai-Ying, as good a reward as any old soldier could have asked for.

He hopped across decks to another ship and drove off another squad of swordsmen, determined to make a stand in the Prime Minister's name. His anchor persuaded the survivors of the encounter to think better of their valour and they threw themselves overboard, rather than be swatted into the murky depths below. He laughed as he slew, exulting in his strength, feeling like a man thirty years his junior, the pain of his near-fatal beating by Sun Ce forgotten.

He staggered backward as the wicked arrow buried itself in his chest, between his ribs. His eyes were wide with shock and he could feel and hear nothing but the beating of his heart. He could feel himself involuntarily tottering backwards as the anchor dropped from his numb hands. He swallowed and squeezed his eyes shut for a moment, trying to focus on what had happened. It all seemed unreal somehow. Was he flexing his hands the way he had instructed them to?

He felt something hard in his back and then he was tumbling, the world becoming nonsense all around him. He was dimly aware of the splash of water about him and a darkness that enveloped his whole being.

He did not want to die. He was not scared, but he was dissatisfied with this. This was not how it was supposed to end. Ignonimous and unlovely, his body never recovered from amongst the flotsam and the jetsam of this ruined fleet until it washed up on the shore one day, swollen and repulsive, or maybe eaten by the fishes.

"_This isn't what I want! This is not how it should end! Where is my beloved Wu?"_

He smiled as the scent of blossoming plum trees tickled his nostrils and the wind in the grass caressed his face. He sat now on his favourite hill, outside Baifu, watching the birds circle lazily over a barge moving downriver. Children played in the field below, boys who were warriors, girls who were ladies-in-waiting.

Over the white walls of the city, he could see White Tiger Pavilion, glorious in the midday sun. Upon one of its balconies stood Lord Sun Ce, his beloved and eternally beautiful wife Da Qiao at his side. She smiled at him warmly and Ce nodded his regal head, a gesture of appreciation and releasing him from his long years of duty. Huang Gai sighed and was content.

Wu would be his forever.

* * *

**Author's Notes:** There is at least one glaring and deliberate error in this chapter. Can you find it? It has no particularly earth-shattering effect on the plot, but I want to see who can spot it first.

I added the interlude with Kai-Ying just for some contrast and a different perspective on what might justify a war. Besides, trippy moments with Zuo Ci are fun to write. I like being esoteric. I know some people out there think Sun Kai-Ying is weird and for some reason creepy, but I like having her outlook concerning what goes on. Hopefully she is becoming more tolerable.

Hmmm, just over 33,000 words. Biggest chapter yet, which may be appropriate for Chi Bi.

As for the delays, you've heard me apologize before, but once again, life and lack of internet got in the way. The next few chapters are scripted out, so they should be relatively easy to get ready.

Best regards and enjoy the fall weather!

Management


	60. Chapter 60

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any other media associated with Koei or its affiliates. The vast majority of the characterizations have been expanded upon by me for the sake of literary format. Individual or minor characters created by me for the purposes of interaction and story depth or my own property. If you wish to know which ones they are please ask.

This is a simple work of fanfiction meant for the entertainment of Dynasty Warriors players and fans, along with those who are familiar with the Chinese epic Sanguo, or 'Three Kingdoms'. Centred around Sun Ce and his family and retainers, it helps to be a Wu-phile if you want to read this story. As always, your reviews are welcome and appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

Cao Cao rode through the night, accompanied by as much of his personal guard, the Wildcat Riders, as had escaped. His fleet in cinders, his army battered and in full rout, the final insult had been when the upstart warlord of the Southlands, Sun Ce, had come out of nowhere and attacked him, intent on his death. Only the frantic intervention of his generals had repulsed the frenzied assaults of Sun Ce and allowed him to flee the scene, like a thief in the night.

He glowered as he thought of all that had transpired on this night, how close he had come to ending the madness of this war once and for all. If it had not been for the interference and stubborn defiance of lord of Wu or the vagrant Liu Bei, the realm would surely have been in hand by now.

Sun Ce was no different than the other lords who had needed to be crushed. His go would not allow him to submit to the will of the Heavens and he perpetuated the chaos that tore the Middle Kingdom apart by inspiring his people to fight against Cao Cao. If the Middle Kingdom would not accept order and common sense peaceably, then it would have the natural order imposed on it until all came to understand.

The right people were not in the right places. Dreamy-eyed Liu Bei sought to restore the glory of the Han, turning a blind eye, ear and heart to the fact that the corruption of the Han Dynasty was what had brought them all to this point to begin with. The festering, bloated and rotting empire of his forbears and kindred refused to die and millions suffered the consequences. Peasants revolted and declared independence; regional administrators used their authority to inspire riots or aggrandize themselves as lords beyond their station or capability; worst and most unforgivable of all the ever-hungry royal rulers of the domains that made up the Middle Kingdom sought ever to expand their holdings and power, perhaps even their eyes on the Dragon Throne.

The Royal Eunuchs had enriched themselves and fostered a royal court culture of indifference and effete apathy about the state of the realm beyond the borders of the imperial city. White millions toiled and died in squalor, they lived lives of untold luxury and privilege. How could order be kept and the right people found to rule if those in charge did nothing and cared even less?

Fury thundered in his chest as his horse galloped through the night, leaving the mighty funeral pyre that was now his grand fleet behind. How? How had this come to be? Everything he had ever fought to accomplish paved the way for the order the realm craved, that it _demanded_. What could possibly be served by this ignominious defeat, prolonging the chaos and forcing him to reassert his authority?

His foes had turned the very winds against him. What manner of devilry did they possess? It was even more vexing than Sun Ce nearly besting his entire personal guard and his generals to lay hands upon him.

"_Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang… this is all their doing! Mighty in arms the Lord of the Southlands might be and a visionary of rare breed is Liu Bei, but it is their strategists who have made all my designs unravel so. They must be dealt with, and swiftly."_

On through the night he raced, knowing that every second counted, ever span between himself and his foes meant that all was not lost. He was Cao Cao, the Hero of Chaos, the Prime Minister and Lord of the Three Excellencies. His intellect and will knew no equal. He had plans within plans and while he had not anticipated so crushing a defeat as he had suffered this night, he still had his contingencies. His army may have been severely bloodied, but even in retreat he still had superior numbers to his foes and he would reorganize swiftly, as only he could.

He chanced a look behind to make sure they were not followed. His scouts and guards had brought him along little-known paths to escape his foes. The fires engulfing his magnificent fleet were now a blood-red glow on the southern horizon. Never had the colour seemed so hateful to him before.

He calmed himself as he rode, the immediate danger past. He began assessing his losses, imagining what he still had to work with. Even if his full expeditionary force perished, he still had over half a million men in reserve with which to protect his lands while he recovered. The resources lost could be replaced, the troops as well. Such generals and commanders as survived and bore responsibility for this debacle would be disciplined and new plans enacted.

Outriders and scouts joined and peeled off from his guard unit, delivering messages and relaying his to any troops that might be nearby. After a while, his heart lightened due to the reports he had received. The troops of the Southlands were not being encountered this far north and contact with Liu Bei's troops was sporadic at best.

For all his vaunted genius, Zhuge Liang had not foreseen Cao Cao's escape and he would pay the price for it.

"Why do you laugh, sire?" asked one of his Wildcat Riders who thundered alongside him.

"Because," Cao Cao said in an almost mirthful tone. "It would appear that I have, thankfully, overestimated my enemies. The so-called incomparable Zhuge Liang, in his overweening confidence, has left escape routes that I surely would have sealed off in his position. That is why I laugh."

His horse screamed as fires engulfed the trees and shrubs to the left of his path. Drums rolled in the night and assailants poured out of the darkness, led by a fierce young warrior in silver armour and wielding a deadly spear.

"Your time has come, Cao Cao!" Zhao Yun called out. "With my spear I shall avenge your injustices!"

In the cacophony of sudden battle, nobody heard Cao Cao's cry of fear and frustration.

* * *

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 60- The Outrages of Fortune**

Han Dang paddled the small craft with all his might, cursing the enemy but blessing his luck in being in exactly the right place to witness what befell his comrade. Pushing as hard and quickly as he could, he punted the boat through the wreckage-laden waters, ignoring the inferno around him, the searing heat on his skin.

He concentrated on a single floating object not far in the darkness. He prayed to the gods and goddesses of the Yangtze that he would be in time. He had grabbed the lightest and swiftest craft he could find, stripping down almost to his skin and taking no equipment or weapons with him to make sure he arrived as quickly as possible. He skidded around the flotsam and jetsam, making sure he kept his eyes on his mark as it floated and bobbed in the dark water.

He thrust out his hand, keeping his balance as best he could while grabbing onto a piece of battle harness. With all his might he pulled, dragging the massive body into the boat which creaked and strained in protest. Pale with fear, he hauled Huang Gai aboard and knelt beside him.

The mighty general's skin was cold and pale, an arrow lodged in his breast. Normally so indomitable and inspiring, he seemed almost pitiful now, fighting to hold onto his very life. In spite of his urgency, Han Dang squeezed his eyes shut for a moment to compose himself. He then drew a deep breath and pushed the boat toward the shore, through the towering wreckage of two capital ships. Huang Gai's only hope was to be brought to a healer.

He couldn't help but pick up a rather unique memento he found in the water as he sped by.

Sun Ce sat in the chair set up in his tent not far from the shore, observing a map spread on the ground before him while two of Ren Neng's assistants tended the wound in his shoulder. He waited patiently while Zhou Yu arranged the stones that represented their forces, those of their allies and Cao Cao's.

"Cao Cao's forces are in full retreat across the entire front," the strategist said softly. "What concerns me is that we don't know where exactly it is that the Prime Minister himself has got off to. Liu Bei has sent the bulk of his forces hurrying north to try and cut him off."

"Any of our guys go along for the ride?" Ce asked.

"Most of our forces are exhausted but Gan Ning and Fu Chin Ran insisted on joining in on the hunt. Other than that, only Elryk and the White Wolves have the stamina to keep up. Almost all of Liu Bei's troops were unblooded during the battle."

Ce sighed wearily, his shoulder throbbing as the muscles began to seize up. Elryk, Fu Chin Ran and Gan Ning would no doubt keep the Prime Minister busy and quite possibly be the ones to take him down. He smiled at the notion of the barbarian lord of the White Wolves being the one to slay the man terrorizing the Middle Kingdom.

"We'll need to loot everything we can from the areas we've captured to make sure Cao Cao's men don't come back for it and then withdraw behind the river. As you said, we don't really have the strength yet to hold the lands."

"Agreed," Zhou Yu answered, nodding as he continued to move the stones- crimson for the Southlands forces, green for Liu Bei and blue for Cao Cao. The number of blue stones remained disconcertingly large, in spite of their victory. They represented regiments that they knew had escaped or had not been engaged. All those boarded on the armada were presumed destroyed, representing possibly a third of Cao Cao's forces.

That third alone had outnumbered the alliance's available troops. They had to find and kill Cao Cao before his armies could regroup and coordinate their defences.

"We have done all we can, Ce," Zhou Yu said gently, knowing what was on his friend's mind. "The rest is in the hands of the gods; or, perhaps more worrisome, in the hands of Zhuge Liang."

"Well, in spite of your dislike and our general distrust of that guy, let's hope he has what it takes to finish the job," Ce said. "Our troops have proven themselves yet again. Cao Cao's forces are no match for ours when their numbers can be nullified."

"A little divine intervention doesn't hurt either." Zhou Yu added. "The wind still hasn't died down. If I find it disconcerting I can only imagine what Cao Cao thinks of it."

"My lord!" Taishi Ci said, entering the tent and clasping his hand in his fist. Commandant Han Dang has come ashore and he has General Huang Gai! He is near death and his heart has been pierced with an arrow!"

Ce raced out of the tent while Zhou Yu dispatched Taishi Ci to find Ren Neng and then joined his sworn brother. He caught up with him just as Ce had reached the shore and found his vassal stretched out in the sand. Han Dang stood to one side while Ce's wife Da Qiao knelt next to the stricken warrior, holding his hand and speaking softly to him, tears in her eyes.

"General, you do not have my husband's permission to leave his service yet," she whispered. "Wu still needs you and always will. Where would we be without our mighty bulwark?"

Ce joined her and examined the arrow wound in his chest. The missile had gone deep, nearly all the way in to the feathers. He gingerly put a hand under the general and bit his lip as he noticed that the very tip of the arrow head was poking out of Huang Gai's back, between his ribs.

"Huang Gai? Haung Gai!" he said firmly. He scooped some water and sprinkled it on the general's face. Eventually the huge man stirred ever so slightly and moaned. His eyes opened and he tried to focus on his liege.

"Listen to me, Huang Gai. An arrow has passed through your heart and is sticking out your back. Ren Neng will be able to heal you but if I don't get that arrow out, your heart's gonna stop. Do you understand me?"

Huang Gai's mouth moved, bloody spittle on his lips. His eyes, bleary and full of pain, nonetheless indicated that he was cognoscente of what Ce was saying to him.

"I'm gonna snap off the feathers and then push the shaft out through your back. It's gonna hurt like hell, but it's gotta be done."

It was barely a nod, but it was enough.

Ce took hold of the arrow just in front of the feather and snapped them off. Then, biting his lip, he began pushing the wooden shaft down, through the general's body. Huang Gai winced and shivered, fighting back the pain. Ce pushed until he felt the entire length of the wicked arrowhead has sliced its way through the skin and then took hold just below it.

"Alright, pal, here's the easy part," he said reassuringly as he drew the rest of the missile out from below, leaning Huang Gai up as much as he dared. One the obstruction was completely removed, he smeared mud over both puncture wounds to protect them until Ren Neng arrived. Zhou Yu had already sent for a litter and they waited patiently, talking to the injured man to keep him conscious.

Before long, the mystical healer arrived on the scene and examined his new charge. He muttered for some time before he finally gave his prognosis.

"I can save him, although this would be a much easier if _someone_ hadn't seen fit to beat the poor general within an inch of his life not so long ago…" he said, looking at Sun Ce pointedly.

Ren Neng had Huang Gai taken away to his tent, accompanied by Da Qiao, still holding the old warrior's hand, but not before shooting Sun Ce a look, more for good form than anything else. Ce sighed heavily and sat down in the sand. Han Dang know knelt before Sun Ce and bowed low.

"My lord, worry not about the general. Even without Ren Neng, it would take more than an arrow through his heart to kill him."

"Tell me about what happened, commander." Ce ordered, wanting to know.

"I was commanding our swift boats to skirt the enemy vessels, checking for survivors or troops," Han Dang began. "We were by Cao Cao's flagship when we saw the general leap aboard from another vessel. I watched in fascination as he used a huge anchor as a weapon, smiting his foes like Ma Yuan himself."

"An anchor, you say," Ce mused, curious. "What about the ol' guy's club? He practically sleeps with it so I can't imagine him losing the damn thing."

"As you say, my lord, but it is somewhat more complicated than that," Han Dang replied. "He… he laid his club in the fireship before ramming it into Cao Cao's fleet. I think it was time for them to part."

"Yeah, I can see that." Ce agreed. Huang Gai had wielded that very club in the name of three generations of the Sun family, ever since he was a young warrior in the Stone Demons regiment. No warrior in the entire unit had proven more stalwart or fierce in battle, in spite of his tender years. The club had seen many, many victories over the decades and when it had finally be turned upon him, it no doubt seemed only right that it would be given rest.

"But no sooner had he secured the main deck of the flagship then he was struck through the heart with an arrow," continued Han Dang. "I shot the archer and thus Lord Huang Gai is avenged, but he staggered and fell overboard and into the waters. I paddled madly to reach him and managed to get him to shore."

Ce was silent for several moments, lost in thought. Eventually he nodded. "Commander, I have an assignment for you. Take your best divers and find Huang Gai's club. As well, I want you to find that anchor he fought with. Even if he chooses not to fight with it, I will not allow his noble weapon to rust at the bottom of the river, it shall be kept in the Hall of Heroes."

Han Dang bowed low. "There is one other thing I wish to being to your attention, lord, before I discharge your orders."

Ce nodded and Han Dang beckoned his men to bring something to his liege and present it.

Ce smiled and then laughed. He may not have killed Cao Cao, but this was still a pretty damn good night.

* * *

"Stand your ground, pretender to faith!" Zhao Yun called in his ringing tenor as he weaved and slashed his way through the enemy that stood between he and Cao Cao. Master of the style known as 'Flying Dragon Spear", the young general's weapon could not be stayed. He drove straight as his foe and when force could not clear him a path, he seemed to simply melt around the obstacle, usually dealing it a lethal strike as he glided by.

Cao Cao fought back furiously, his blade flashing in the moonlight. Taken at unawares, he cursed his inattention. Whichever scouts had allowed the enemy to get this close undetected would certainly feel his wrath.

The Wildcat Riders and remnants of other units guarding him fought back savagely against their attackers, determined to let no one near the Prime Minister. Scores of bodies pressed as the frenzied melee swirled around the man known as the Hero of Chaos, he who sought to bring the Middle Kingdom to heel and reshape it to his own designs.

Zhao Yun kicked a man to the ground and then pinned him to it with his spear. He then used the strong but flexible haft of the long weapon to spring himself forward even deeper into the enemy ranks, not seeming to care not at all that he was surrounded by foes. He spun in a blinding arc, his deadly spear felling any unfortunate enough to be within its reach. Parrying and thrusting all in one fluid motion, he was magnificent to watch. No attack wasn't countered and was usually followed up with a fatal strike before the foe knew what had happened.

But in the furious maelstrom of combat, even his mighty spear could not find its true target. Out of the east horns sounded and Cao Ren arrived, leading his troops from the occupied Jing territories. He slammed into Zhao Yun's troops bodily, swinging his weighted ball and chain about in his desperation to reach his cousin's side.

"My lord!" he called out. "Flee now! Let me deal with these troublesome pests!"

Zhao Yun knew he had no choice but to turn and meet this new threat, lest he and his men be caught between a hammer and an anvil, smashed to pieces and robbed of any victory. His heart pounded with fury as he felt Cao Cao retreating into the darkness of night, even as he leapt high into the air, descending towards Cao Ren, his spear poised for a deadly thrust…

Through the blackness he raced, his horse panting as he nearly flogged it in his urgency to escape. Relieved that Zhao Yun had disengaged in order to meet the threat of Cao Ren, he listened to the noise of hoofs behind him, trying to ascertain how many men he still had with him.

A few hundred at the very least. He smiled grimly and rode on, encouraged by his good fortune. All he needed to do was escape these narrow defiles and break into the wide plains of the north and he would be safe. Once he had reached the plains, there would be no stopping him.

"I almost feel sorry now for Zhuge Liang," he quipped to his men as they rode. "To think we have thwarted his ambush plans and now they will have been for naught. He can report back to Sun Ce and his precious Liu Bei that he had failed in his duty. Such is the fate of those who oppose the will of Heaven."

Fires sprang up and the damnable drums again. Crashing through the woods and onto the path came more troops, led by a young warrior wielding a huge blade; his eyes flashed in the night and his voice rang with defiance.

"For my lord Liu Bei and the honour of my father, I, Guan Ping shall bring your head to them!"

Cao Cao cursed and angled his cavaliers toward the enemy, slamming into them as hard as he could. He slashed and hacked from horseback with his blade, felling anyone stupid enough to get within reach of it. He kicked into his horse's flanks, urging it forward until it was felled by a blow that shattered one of its legs. He tumbled and was lost beneath the press of bodies. He struggled to regain his feet, his lungs cramping as he fought for air in the oppressive whirlwind of violence.

With a cry of desperation he surged up and through the throng, his keen sword briefly clashing with those of the boy warrior, the apparent son of Guan Yu, once his mightiest general and sworn brother of the hated Liu Bei. His urge to cross blades with the whelp, slay him and teach Guan Yu a lesson was almost overwhelming, but he had to escape. He could brook no delay or everything would come undone.

Guan Ping swung his massive blade about and slammed it down, looking to bisect his foe. Cao Cao dodged and Ping thrust forward, determined to follow up his earlier attack with a more successful one. Cao Cao hastily pulled one of the boy's own troopers in front of the strike, impaling the man through the chest but protecting the Prime Minister from harm. Guan Ping shouted in outrage but Cao Cao had already shoved the dead man further down onto the massive blade, slowing his foe who seemingly refused to dishonour the fallen man by simply kicking him off the weapon.

"_And that is why I shall win,"_ Cao Cao thought grimly. _"For I shall not let such niceties stand in the way of my victory."_

He threw a cavalier off his horse and leapt into the saddle, heading north once again, accompanied by scores of his Wildcat Riders who had remained unengaged did the battle. Panting and mouth flecked with foam, the steed could still run but was winded. With any luck they would find a relay station that would have fresh horses.

The sounds of battle behind, they made their way through little-known paths, Cao Cao having determined that secrecy was at this point more important that headlong flight. He nodded and laughed triumphantly.

"And once again, Zhuge Bumpkin fails," he declared. "What more proof should that effete snob from the mountains need that his wits are no match for mine? His ambushes are no more than a pile of dry leaves for us to stroll through, as if on a Fall poetry walk!"

Fire and drums, accompanied by a rhythmic thumping, like that of weapons on shields; terrible and strange chanting in a guttural alien language rang through the hills and he was beset upon by scores of tall, terrible men with pale skin, hair as yellow as straw and blue eyes as merciless as the northern seas. Yelling their war cries, they crashed into his vanguard like a thunderbolt, hewing with their wicked axes and swords.

Cao Cao's eyes flashed in rage as he spied the enemy commander, a huge barbarian with a fierce glare that could cause a lesser man to faint on the spot. He watched in horror as Elryk put his axe through both a rider and his mount before grabbing another who got too close by the reins and literally slamming cavalier and horse to the ground with a brutal yank. He parried a frantic thrust from one of Cao Cao's guards before backhanding the man and sending him flying as he continued towards his prey.

Unwilling to risk the wrath of the white devils, Cao Cao avoided combat and surged forward, seeing enemy troops of considerably smaller stature waiting on the road ahead. He would try his luck there.

And the luck was bad.

"Today's your lucky day," said his foe. "You get to fight the great Gan Ning."

Cao Cao shook off a tremor at the mention of the name and plowed onward, determined to break through this resistance. Leading his guards, he rode forward even as squads and units stated behind, sacrificing themselves to the wrath of the Germans and giving him a chance to escape. Gan Ning strode forward, unafraid of the horses thundering towards him.

Cao Cao slashed and hacked furiously from atop his horse, doing what he could to avoid confronting Gan Ning directly. The notorious pirate felled his foes with ease, cleaving soldier and horse alike with his front-weighted blade. Strong and fluid in his motions, his strikes were merciless and lethal, matched only by the ferocious grin he wore as he slew.

More foes poured out of the dark woods, and, incredibly, almost seemed to drop from the trees. Cao Cao cursed in fury as he recognized the women warriors of Sun Shang Xiang. In their midst was a brawny woman wielding two short swords and at her side another amazon carrying a crossbow.

He kicked away one of Gan Ning's raiders and tried to ride forward. He wheezed suddenly as someone leapt onto the back of his horse and tried to strangle him with a garrotte. He smashed his armoured elbow backwards into the woman's face, knocking her off and then slashed desperately at Fu Chin Ran, who parried the blow almost contemptuously. She thrust forward and up with one of her blades and Cao Cao twisted wildly to avoid certain death. His warhorse reared and tried to stamp on her and she rolled aside. He took the opportunity to surge forward again, veering left to avoid flaming bushes set alight by his foes.

He paled as he spied the crossbow woman standing between himself and escape, leaning into one hip, her weapon resting almost casually in her hand. She smiled slyly as he approached.

"Ah, the great thief of the Middle Kingdom…" she cooed. "If I bring your head to Baifu, do you suppose my lord Sun Ce will reward me with consent to marry the man I desire most dearly?"

Cao Cao pulled hard on the reins and his horse shrieked as it reared up suddenly. He felt the beast shudder as her crossbow bolt pierced its chest and it twisted and thrashed wildly as it died, throwing him. He landed with a crash but scrambled to his feet, knowing that the woman would be right be behind him.

Furious and defiant, he whirled about and met her blade to blade. His sword was much longer and heavier than hers and he used its length to keep her at bay. She weaved, bobbed and dodged around his strikes, looking to get inside the reach of his weapon where her own shorter, stabbing _jian_ could come into play. "My compliments, Prime Minister, you are much more puissant with a blade than I expected," Lian Shi commented. "But my simple ambitions will never be realized if your lofty ones are attained, so I am afraid this is where I must kill you…"

Horns sounded and more of Cao Cao's troops, led by Zhang He, finally caught up, attacking Gan Ning and Fu Chin Ran's troops from the flank. Lian Shi's head turned for the merest of moments to assess the situation before returning her attention to her for. Her eyes widened in amazement as she noticed that Cao Cao was gone. She blinked and looked around, her keen grey eyes peering into the darkness, scanning for him.

"Wow, that man can really run…" she muttered before turning back to assist her comrades and repulsing Zhang He's sudden assault. She may not have slain Cao Cao, but she would still get her man…

* * *

"Sis, you're alright!" Xiao squealed as she launched herself into her sister's arms and gave her a huge kiss. One would have thought they hadn't seen one another in years. Da was not prepared for the loving assault and tumbled onto her back.

"Oof! It's good to see you too, Xiao…" Da wheezed, hoping her eyes would eventually return to their respective sockets. Xiao had her pinned by the wrists and was straddling her, still hugging her and giving her kisses.

"Could you possibly see fit to not straddle and hump me during our greetings?" she queried. "People might get the wrong idea."

"Let them," Xiao declared in a proud and dismissive tone as she sat up, smiling down at her older sibling. "We're Qiaos and nobody's better than us!"

"Someone's assignment went exceedingly well, I am guessing." Da said while trying to get comfortable.

"Sure did! I actually took on Xu Huang." Xiao announced, knowing people all around the makeshift camp would hear her. "Nearly put an arrow right through his fat, misogynistic head. Good thing for him he knows how to dodge."

"Taishi Ci, is what she says true?" Da asked as the huge warrior strode by, tacitly trying to ignore the seemingly incestuous reunion taking place in the middle of their camp.

"Aye, the lady Qiao was most brave in the face of a foe even I would not take lightly," he rumbled. "She is a warrior worthy of the Southlands."

"See?" Xiao beamed. "I had my part in this big victory! Everyone's gonna remember my name! So how did your assignment go?"

"Well, I was alive and well until your ambush, but before then it all went exceedingly well, thank you. My cavalry and I destroyed many enemy bases and depots and we fought a few pitched battles. With a little help from Commander Ding Feng, we won them all handily. Cao Cao's men never had a chance."

"Ooh, Ding Feng, I've heard of him…" Xiao mused. "Big scary-looking guy but apparently he writes really sappy poetry and people think he might be a little light in the sandals, right?"

"I prefer not to think of it either way, I was just glad for his help." Da pointed out. Between my bow and my fans, I can account for just over eighty warriors."

Xiao giggled. "I am proud of you, but I am pretty sure my count this time around is a lot bigger than yours. Our situation was an all-out brawl and it didn't let up until Xu Huang's nerve broke. We actually had to fight on the stairs of the altar while Zhuge- wow, sis, you know from above you have really big boobs…"

"Ack, get off me, you little perv!" Da squealed as she swatted her sister's hands away from her bosom and scrambled to her feet, trying to look somewhat outraged. "We're in public, you little lunatic!"

"Guess I should have waited until we were alone, hm?" Xiao asked. Da just pinched her eyes.

"You should come with me to see Huang Gai," the older girl said, dusting herself off and leading her sister towards the tents where the wounded were being seen to. "Ren Neng is tending to him now but he was nearly dead when Han Dang pulled him out of the river."

"Yeah, I heard about that," Xiao replied, her tone growing serious. "I don't know what I'd do if the old guy bought it. Do you think-"

"Darling, if he survived the beating Ce put on him, then I am sure an arrow won't be enough to do him in." Da assured her. "And everyone else seems to be alright. Gan Ning, Fu Chin Ran and Elryk are engaging in the pursuit but other than that our forces are withdrawing to defensive positions so we can go back across the river."

"I'll be happy to do that," Xiao admitted. "If… if they don't catch Cao Cao, sis… what do you think will happen?"

"Even if he survives, Ce and Zhou Yu think that it will be quite some time before he is ready to make any big moves against us again." Da replied, walking along through the night. "They conservatively estimate that at least a third of his army is destroyed, more likely half. And while it is true that his army, even smashed as it is, still has a significant advantage in numbers over us, the fact is that he cannot deploy it again effectively for an offensive. His soldiers are also his farm labourers and now he will need to defend himself from us, from our allies and from the barbarians beyond the wall."

"So we might have peace for a bit?" the younger girl asked hopefully.

Da smiled and caressed her sister's cheek lovingly. "I think so. We'll still need to keep the pressure on him and fight once in a while, but I think the tide has turned in our favour. We can make sure that the land develops as we intend and people are prosperous and happy."

"Meaning we can finally turn our attention to the courtesan schools," Xiao said brightly. "I have been looking forward to this for so long. I know you and Diao Chan have too."

"What would the Southlands be without properly trained courtesans, love? Civilization needs us every bit as much as it needs warriors and administrators, more perhaps. People need beauty in their lives, they need inspiration, kind words and musical voices. We'll train the best girls the Willow World has ever known."

Xiao nodded in satisfaction.

The field tents were located in a secured area and surrounded by strong sentries. The guards bowed their heads as the sisters entered and made their way to the large tent Ren Neng used. They said a small prayer at the shrine just inside and then waited until one of the healer's students beckoned them over.

They both sighed in relief to see that Huang Gai was alive and his skin, while pale, did not have the pallor of death. His shoulder was bandaged tight and two healers were daubing at his skin with damp cloths. Ren Neng nodded to the sisters.

"You may speak with him but keep it brief, please, for he must recover his strength."

They approached and stood over his litter. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, focusing on the girls. They knelt and touched their foreheads to the ground.

"General," Da said quietly and with reverence. "We thank the gods that you have chosen to remain among us."

"My… lady…" he murmured. "Do not… you must not… kneel… not worthy…"

"You have saved us all from certain doom, general," Xiao added. "You are the greatest hero in the realm and all shall know it."

"You must not kneel… my ladies… not fit…"

They rose and now knelt next to the stricken general. Da took the damp cloth and patted his forehead to soothe him. He sighed and closed his eyes, the world still blurry and his breathing laboured. Da smiled gently as she looked down at him. In spite of how weak he was, he remained in her eyes an indomitable pillar of strength, bulwark of their people.

"Rest now, general, for you must regain your strength. You would not want to appear before the Lord of the Southlands in your current state, would you? The warriors Wu have the right, the privilege and the obligation to stand tall and let their lord see the unwavering devotion and spirit within their eyes. Who better than you, who has served longest of all, to show everyone else how that is done?"

They both kissed his cheeks and then made their departure. Xiao was very subdued as they left the tent.

"Do you… do you think he's gonna be okay, sis?" she asked worriedly.

"I hope to the gods it is so," Da replied grimly. "But he survived what Ce did to him and while I am not trivializing what he suffered, I deem it to be less grievous than what Yu Ji inflicted on my husband."

"Huang Gai may be tough, sis, but I'm not sure anyone except Ce is _that_ tough." Xiao pointed out. "For all his strength, Huang Gai's just a man. Sun Ce's, well… I don't have the words."

Xiao bit her lip and tears began to stream down her cheeks. Da took her hand and pulled her behind a small unused tent. Sinking to their knees, Da clasped her sister's head to her chest and caressed her hair while she cried, letting her anxieties out. She made soothing noises and kissed her gently, giving Xiao the time she needed to deal with what had happened.

"_The wars must end. My sister is not meant to be this, to have to endure this. She was given to us to make us smile, to make us laugh and to see the beauty in what the Heavens have given us. Her tears are meant for songs of love, not loss."_

"_Cao Cao, if you do not die tonight, then I vow in the name of my sister that you will soon enough. There is no room for you in my world anymore. May death take you and hold you forever…"_

* * *

"Get back here, you little runt!" Zhang Fei roared as he slashed back and forth with his massive Viper Spear, bulling his way through Cao Cao's guard. None could stay his wrath and his men fought savagely with their foes, determined to bring the usurper to justice.

"I said get back here!" the huge man bellowed in fury at the Prime Minister's retreating form. "You're not escaping from us again!"

Cao Cao ignored the raging warrior and pressed north, knowing that he was close to safety. How? How had they found him yet again? Could he have underestimated his opponents so badly? Were they really this good? Not even Jia Xu could match his intellect or cunning. How had everything gone so wrong?

Zhang Fei gripped his haft with both hands and shoved it into a squad of men, driving them backward while keeping his eyes firmly on Cao Cao. He was not letting him slip through their grasp. Not again. Not after all the pain he had caused Zhang Fei's brother, hounding him throughout the Middle Kingdom, slaughtering his followers and turning so many in the Imperial court against the noble Liu Bei.

He punched a man clear in his attempt to come to grips with his foe. Plunging the head of his Viper Spear right through a man's torso, he swung his weapon about, knocking others back with the body. He thrust the spear out to the side to impale a cavalier while a grabbed another man by the ankle and began slamming other foes with him brutally. The screeches of terror fell on deaf ears as Zhang Fei surged relentlessly forward. Nothing would stop him.

Cao Cao whirled around the furious strike, parrying with his blade. He fought back against the assault of Liu Bei's youngest brother, praying for a miracle. Exhausted as they were, his Wildcat Riders might not be able to hold the terrifying warrior back. He did not contest his foe's strength, instead he parried and attempted to get inside Zhang Fei's guard, making him fight defensively, buying time. He was not going to let his men die needlessly. If he kept Zhang Fei occupied, they could rally and fight back. Zhang Fei's strength was beyond belief. Cao Cao's heart pounded in terror and he considered his folly, daring to contest this man's power. But he had to risk everything if he was to succeed. Even this monster would not stay his ambition.

His eyes flashing with murderous rage, Zhang Fei cursed and swore as Cao Cao evaded all his blows, swift and lithe as a serpent. He could feel his foe tiring, though, his body not the equal of his iron will. He had only to press a little harder, to wear him down and make the hated Prime Minister despair…

He parried suddenly and wildly as a lethal blade sliced down at him. Roaring with fury, he shoved Xiahou Dun away and slammed his foot into the man's chestplate, sending him flying backwards. The One-Eyed General was not down, however, and sprang back at his foe, raining blows down upon Zhang Fei and forcing him back.

"Go, cousin!" he bellowed. "Leave this drunken swine to me! Zhang Fei of Yan, you are not the only one to fight Lu Bu to a standstill. Come taste the fury of the north!"

And once again, Cao Cao plunged into the night. With no mount and less than ten men to guard him, he melted into the shadows, leaving the enraged Zhang Fei behind.

This _had _to be the end. There was nothing else they could throw at him. He had nothing left. Casting aside his iron intellect, he prayed fervently as he staggered down the darkened trail, imploring the gods to grant him safety and reprieve from these trials.

He was so tired. So very, very tired…

* * *

"So, any word yet?" Ce asked as he stood by the fire, gazing deep into its flickering depths.

"As always, Ren Neng is stoic and not inclined to give all but the briefest of answers," Zhou Yu replied, joining his liege and sworn brother. "But if I had to hazard a guess, I would say his expectation is that Huang Gai will be fine."

"Yeah? Why's that?"

"Three very logical reasons, really," the strategist answered. "First, he stops muttering to himself when things are not going his way with his patients. Second, after Xiao and Da paid their respects, he stopped allowing visitors, something he would not have done if Huang Gai was going to expire. Third, and perhaps most logically, I am not sure Huang Gai can be killed by such conventional means."

"No arguin' that logic!" Ce said, laughing. "It'll be good to see the ol' man up and running again. What about Lu Meng?"

"Like your own, the arrow wound was not deep and easily treated. He's already seeing to the redeployment of his corps along defensive lines until we withdraw across the river. I have left him in overall command of our forces while you and I see to other matters."

Ce nodded. "Yeah, I heard about that," he said grimly. "Liu Bei's troops have seized a good chunk of territory around Jing. In addition to what I agreed to loan him, with Kongming's help he invaded some really good lands."

"I hate to say it, but we've been outmaneuvered," Zhou Yu concluded. "I had heard rumours that Zhuge Liang presented Liu Bei with a 'Three Kingdoms' strategy, a balance of sorts between their own realm, Cao Cao's and ourselves. Obviously the ultimate intent is to have the land united under Liu Bei's banner, but this triumvirate leads to a precarious balance. No one group can triumph over the other two. The first to fall will doubtless be swallowed by the quicker force and then the smaller entity will be forced to surrender."

"I hear it, but I don't buy it," Ce replied, frowning into the fire. "We've withstood Cao Cao's superiority up to this point, if Liu Bei becomes strongest, it doesn't mean he's gonna come out on top. Kongming's not the only one with a devious mind and we have resources Liu Bei would only dream of."

"It is as you say, but I for one mourn the treachery," his friend said quietly. "Liu Bei speaks of virtue, but in doing so must leave subterfuge to those who serve him and turn a blind eye to such a breach of honour."

"Maybe, but I don't have any qualms about bein' underhanded in order to win," Ce determined, taking a burning stick from the flames and examining it. "We have our sorcerers, we can employ assassins and we have our spies. The only thing I will not do is kill innocents and threaten the people."

Zhou Yu was silent for some time. "Do you think that we should take measures against Liu Bei?"

Ce shook his head. "Like you said, we've been had. And we need him, regardless of whether we know what his plans are or not. Without him we are still not strong enough to oppose Cao Cao. One day, maybe, but until then he remains our ally."

They both stared intently into the fire. They had won a victory that would be sung of throughout the ages, but somehow the flames spoke only of enduring strife and hardship.

Peace, however brief, would be a welcome respite.

* * *

He staggered through the night, followed by a mere three guards, none of whom were his Wildcat Riders. All those had bravely given their lives to defend him or still fought on, now far behind on the road to escape; his body was pushed to the limits of exhaustion, parched from lack of water, searing with pain from too many narrow escapes from flame and stinging with countless minor abrasions and wounds. His battle tunic and his clothes, once so regal and resplendent, were now rent and torn, muddied and brutalized. His sword, his great symbol of authority, was notched and chipped, the edge dulled.

His vision swam and his head throbbed. His heart pounded and his lungs burned, every limb aching while his soul cried out for quiet.

"_Control yourself! You are the Hero of Chaos, Master of the Middle Kingdom's Destiny! You're not slave to it nor the caprice of chance and fate! You must see-"_

He stumbled on the road, his face driving into the mud. He gasped and sputtered, struggling to rise. His men assisted him, urging him to run just a little farther. He rose unsteadily and began to walk, but then came to a halt, his eyes dull as they fixed on one final obstacle, one he knew he could not overcome…

Not far away, the unmistakeable form of Guan Yu blocked the road, the mighty halberd Green Dragon in his huge hand. His keen eyes narrowed as he waited. Next to him, the peerless steed Red Hare stood quietly, his eyes blazing like coals.

This was the end. He could not outfight Guan Yu and if he were to flee, Red Hare would certainly run him down. All his plans, all his ambitions, everything had come to this one single moment, a moment that would decide everything. He had been humbled, humiliated, hounded and now trapped, all his designs brought to nothing.

It was Kongming's master stroke.

"Is this how it is all ends?" he murmured, trying to stay upright, willing his body not to collapse. "Guan Yu, was my fate decided the moment you chose to leave me?"

The titan warrior mounted his magnificent steed, his piercing gaze still on Cao Cao. What the Prime Minister saw there burned deep inside him and he hated it.

"Go," Guan Yu said in his deep voice. "It is still not possible for me to forget my debt to you."

Cao Cao gazed up at the man in wonderment. "Is this pity, then?"

"If anything, it is confidence," replied Yunchang. "I truly believe that one day my brother Liu Bei will soar high above this land and bring us all to virtue. Your treachery has no place in my lord's world. Yet I would remember your kindness to me, even if your intent was impure. A debt is a debt."

Cao Cao hardened his eyes and began striding forward, cautiously followed by his men. He stopped suddenly as Guan Yu flicked his hand out and he felt the keen edge of the Green Dragon blade against his throat. He was keenly aware of the sweat beading on his temple. He swallowed in fear.

"But that debt ends here," Guan Yu rumbled. "The next time you oppose my brother Liu Bei, I shall kill you. Remember that, Lord Cao Cao."

The Prime Minister nodded, his voice hard and dark as iron. "I hear thee. So be it…"

The sound of feet, scores of heavy boots, coming from behind them on the road.

Wasting no time, Cao Cao fled into the night.

His ambitions would see the light of day again.

* * *

Gan Ning came sprinting up, panting hard but clearly ready for a fight, followed by dozens of his men. Fu Chin Ran and her amazons joined them. They approached Guan Yu, who was still astride Red Hare, gazing off toward the north and the darkness.

"Where is he?"Gan Ning demanded. "The bastard had to come this way! Where the hell is he?"

Guan Yu said nothing.

"Lord Guan, where is the Prime Minister?" Fu Chin Ran pressed. "On your sworn brother's honour, where is he?"

"Gone." Guan Yu said finally.

"Gone? What the hell does that mean?" spat the pirate.

"I let him go," replied the green-clad warrior. "He is, by now, north with his own troops and beyond our reach."

"What the hell!" Gan Ning shouted, beside himself with fury. "You let him go? After everything we've suffered through, all the men who have died because of him, you fucking let him escape?"

"No," Guan Yu answered quietly. "I had him at the edge of my blade and I let him pass. He did not escape."

Unable to believe what he was hearing, Gan Ning roared in frustration and slashed a tree in half with his blade.

"You stupid son of a bitch!" he bellowed, waving his arms about furiously as he paced back and forth like a tiger. "Hundreds of thousands of men! Dead for nothing but your warped sense of honour! There isn't a fire in hell hot enough for you!"

Fu Chin Ran quietly drew her bow, knowing that it came to blows, she would kill Guan Yu instantly. She would not let her wild-tempered fellow general become another casualty of Cao Cao's folly.

"Where is the traitor?" Elryk asked loudly as he strode up, accompanied by Theudis, Glandyth and his _comitatus_ guard. "We came as quickly as we could but-"

"Gone! He's fucking gone!" Gan Ning raged. "This idiot let him go out of some misplaced sense of obligation! To hell with the hundreds of thousands or millions who have died, his honour needed to be satisfied and he let Cao Cao go!"

Elryk's huge, shaggy head turned and he glared at Guan Yu, his fist tightening on the haft of his blood-stained axe. The mounted warrior did not respond, his gaze still directed north toward the plains.

"What is done, is done, my friends, there is no further cause to fight amongst ourselves," Zhuge Liang said quietly as he approached, his ever-present fan waving in front of him. "We have destroyed Cao Cao's army and hopefully gained a measure of peace."

"Lord Kongming," Guan Yu said, dismounting and kneeling before his brother's strategist, his head bowed. "There is no excuse for allowing Cao Cao to escape and I have committed a grave transgression, jeopardizing our alliance. Whatever punishment awaits me, I accept it."

"I can see to that…" growled Elryk, eyeing Guan Yu's neck.

"We shall return to Lord Liu Bei and he can decide what shall be done," Kongming said. "We should depart, in case Cao Cao finds troops and feels vengeful. Come, let us go."

Without another word, Liu Bei's troops made their way south, leaving Sun Ce's generals behind, bewildered and frustrated. Gan Ning glared into the night, trying hard to control himself.

"Are we _sure_ these bastards are worth allying ourselves with?" he muttered. "Is this what we're in for until these wars are over?"

"It will no doubt prove vexing, I am sure." Fu Chin Ran replied. "I only hope Lord Sun Ce and Zhou Yu know what they are doing."

"His neck was _right_ there," Elryk said, clearly feeling deprived of a legitimate kill. "I should have just ignored the feather-man and lopped the green idiot's head off. Is this what passes for justice amongst your allies?"

They stood silently for some time, silently hoping that just maybe Cao Cao would return with reinforcements.

* * *

The generals and commanders were all gathered in front of Ren Neng's tent, waiting patiently. Before long, Sun Ce emerged and smiled cheerfully at them all before joining the crowd. He stood next to Da Qiao and Zhou Yu. The strategist cast a subtle, sidelong glance at his friend and Ce nodded back. Satisfied, Zhou Yu turned his attention beck toward the tent.

Before long, the old mystic healer Ren Neng came out, followed by two assistants who were supporting Huang Gai between them. Though weak-seeming, the general walked slowly and steadily. Through tired eye he gazed upon the crowd and said nothing as they all bowed low before him, Sun Ce leading the gesture.

"General Huang Gai Gongfu," Ce said in a serious and reverent tone. "On behalf of the people of the Southlands, you have my thanks and my admiration for all you have done. There is no hero in the realm more stalwart, steadfast or worthy of praise than yourself."

"My lord, please," Huang Gai said wearily. "I have only done what is to be expected of a loyal retainer. I am not worthy of your-"

"Huang Gai, just shut the hell up and accept some praise already!" Ce laughed, know sitting up and kneeling. "Is it really so hard to hear that you might've done something everyone else admires?"

Huang Gai exhaled loudly and accepted his lord's cheerful admonition. There was no use in arguing or protesting now, was there? When Sun Ce made up his mind, one simply had to accept the inevitable.

"Cao Cao's defeat was total, old man, and we have you to thank for it." Ce continued. "We couldn't catch the slippery bastard, but it's gonna be some time before he's ready to tangle with us again."

Huang Gai nodded slowly, knowing how unhappy his lord was that they had not managed to finish off Cao Cao once and for all. Yet for all that, they had still won a victory none would forget through all the ages of the world. The people needed hope and the people needed heroes.

"You can protest all you want, big guy, but you're gonna be revered throughout the Southlands. Now I wanna know… if anyone has earned the right to hang up their armour and retire to live a contented life, it's you. Is that what you want or are you itchin' to get back in the field and keep fightin'?"

Huang Gai now gently pushed his attendants aside and stood tall, looking proudly out over the assembly. He seemed his old and indomitable self again as he bowed.

"Great lord, I will stop fighting when your daughter tells me she wishes to hear our tales of glory because life has become so boring. When our children are safe, I will hang up my armour and not even you can convince me of otherwise."

Sun Ce nodded. "That's what I expected. You got it, old man."

Sun Ce beckoned to some troopers waiting nearby. They brought forward Huang Gai's club, recovered from the bottom of the river and polished to a keen shine. They held it in front of the old general and he gazed on it for some time.

"Like my father's sword, which saw so many battles alongside your club, this weapon will be given an honoured place in the Hall of Heroes, so all may know and revere your deeds on their behalf."

Huang Gai reached out a hand to touch the instrument but then withdrew it, knowing his earlier parting on board the fireship had been the proper one. The club belonged to the people of the Southlands now.

"As for what to arm you with now, my wife begged me to find something to occupy your hands other than those fuse bombs…" Ce announced, causing many to chuckle.

Several men now carried forward the huge anchor he had wielded while rampaging through Cao Cao's armada and presented it to him.

"May this new weapon remind you of the nature and the burden of duty, Huang Gai." Ce said in a serious tone. "As an anchor keeps safe a ship in a storm, so shall you remain for Wu in times of war."

Huang Gai took the anchor and hefted it onto his shoulder, with no signs of discomfort. He could not help but notice the subtle engravings recently pressed into its surface, songs and poems praising his martial valour and also prayers and chants of victory and ruin for the enemy.

Sun Ce nodded as he assessed his recovered general. Then he grinned. "Alright, folks, and there's one more thing we managed to liberate from Cao Cao while his ships burned…"

With that, two members of his Night Tigers brought forward a large standard that the unfurled and then stood erect. The wind out of the southwest caught the banner and it billowed regally. The midnight blue field with imperial yellow trim carried designs indicating the royal office of the Prime Minister, holder of the Three Excellencies and sole executor of the Son of Heaven's will.

"Well, I'll be," Gan Ning laughed. "If we can't take his life, we can certainly settle for takin' his dignity, can't we?"

"I'm pretty sure that will look quite splendid in the Trophy Hall, husband-mine." Da Qiao observed.

"An' I ain't too sure I have something that simple in mind for it," Ce said, smiling evilly. "But that's for after we get home. We've got plenty to take care of before we head back to Baifu, so I suggest we get movin'. We've got some last minute plans to make with our allies an' we've gotta set proper sentinels on the border."

Zhou Yu bowed. "My lord, Liu Bei will be joining us by sundown tomorrow. His own troops are deploying against retaliation as we speak and they are relatively unblooded."

"Good," Ce said, knowing Zhou Yu was every bit as bothered by Zhuge Liang's underhanded tactics as he was but not willing to mention it in front of his commanders. "We'll be able to coordinate the defences and we need to make sure that they have any support they might need. They've gotta be settled in an' strong if they're gonna be the allies we need down the road. Let's get movin'. Dismissed."

The generals dispersed while Ren Neng ushered Huang Gai back into the tent so he could continue to convalesce. Ce sighed and looked at the ground, kicking at stone with his shoe. Before long he felt a gentle hand on his arm.

"It is still a great victory, Ce, even if not all our ends were achieved," she said gently. "We aimed for the stars, is it not enough to merely catch the moon?"

"I just hate losin', Da." Ce muttered, knowing he was about to be chided for unyielding ambition, none of which would be forgiven in an enemy like Cao Cao.

"You didn't lose, you stubborn male, you just sought to achieve too many ends at once," she predictably replied. "Now what's really bothering you?"

Ce knew better than to lie. "It's Kongming."

"Oh, yes," Da mused, nodding. "He outsmarted you and Zhou Yu. If you are taking it this hard then I dread to think about what your sworn brother must be putting himself through."

Ce scowled at her. "You here to cheer me up or what?"

"I am just being the voice of reason for you," she said in a soothing tone. "Ce, you are a man of action and ambition and when something does not go your way, you feel no accomplishment in what was achieved, no matter how grand it actually was. Frankly, all the rest of us are just happy to be alive. We took on an army many times the size of ours and achieved the impossible. Would it really hurt to come and actually celebrate with us mere mortals instead of just putting on a cheerful front?"

"Y'know, Da, I'm not gonna put up with this," Ce said somewhat sharply. "It's unacceptable and I won't stand for it. You hear me?"

Da Qiao looked taken aback. "My lord?"

"I'm not kiddin', Da, I won't put up with it…" he warned.

"With…with what?" she asked in consternation.

"With you being right." Ce said, grinning. "How dare you expose my being wrong?"

Da sighed and shook her head. "How will the Middle Kingdom ever survive your reign, you insufferable man?" she asked.

* * *

"Guan Yu is in Jiangling, so recently vacated by Cao Ren." Liu Bei indicated, pointing at the map. "For strategic reasons, I have decided to set up my own headquarters in Fankou. Attacked from any quarter, it is strong and defensible. Should Cao Cao decide to attack, he will certainly be stopped short at that point."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Ce agreed, looking at the map and nodding. "And Liu Cong, while weakened, thinks he can hold against the Prime Minister?"

"I have agreed to succor him as I can," the Scion of the Han answered. "Beyond that, like his father Liu Biao, he is popular in the royal court, so moving against him directly would be precarious for Cao Cao if the conflict lasted longer than it took a messenger to reach Luoyang."

"He can't waste troops against strong fortifications, not yet," mused the warlord of the Southlands. "Even now, other lords, encouraged by our victory, will be renouncing their fealty to him. I hear that the Ma clan in the far northwest is attacking his territories."

"They are fierce warriors, often mingled with the nomadic tribes of the region." Liu Bei answered. "With his army still devastated by losses, he will doubtless seem like tempting prey for the Xiongnu as well. Though the notion of those barbarians crossing the Wall repulses me, at the moment I guess it is the lesser of two evils."

"Anything that put Cao Cao on the defensive is good in my opinion," Ce said. "With Jing ably defended, my troops will now be looking at a campaign into Hefei, to try and liberate the region. The people of the region are tied ethnically, culturally and linguistically to the people of the Southlands, my claim to suzerainty over the land will carry weight."

"Given that the Prime Minister 'liberated' it from the Yuans, I imagine your claim has validity in the eyes of the royal courtiers who fear Cao Cao. Anything we can do to draw him away from Hefei when you engage in your campaign will be done, of course. And once we have-"

Zhou Yu bowed humbly and rose from the table, leaving the two rulers to discuss such extemporanea while he exited the tent to get some air. Mounting his horse, he rode slowly into the dusk, lost in thought. Before long, he noticed another steed approaching from the opposite direction.

Sitting atop the horse was Kongming. They stopped side by side, still along their own courses.

"It was a magnificent victory, Lord Zhou," Zhuge Liang intoned, fanning himself, as he always did. "Your strategy and will to win was sublime."

"Your own victories are every bit as impressive, good sir, though they are of a more subtle nature. One can never be too careful in assessing enemies, can they?" Zhou Yu replied.

"I think we understand one another," Zhuge Liang said, his gaze passive. "There will come a day when we must determine who carries the Mandate of Heaven. If it is not my lord Liu Bei, then I certainly am glad for the alternative."

"I hear thee, Kongming. So be it, my friend."

And with that they parted, going their own separate ways. It would be some time before these minds, keener and more dangerous than any sword, would cross again.

And thus would the Middle Kingdom know some measure of peace.

* * *

The Southlands was a riot of celebration- from the capital of Baifu to the drowsy little fishing village of Hao, everyone praised the valour of their indomitable warriors and thanked the gods for their blessings. Babies were named after heroes, girls consecrated to temples and young boys full of enthusiasm and courage joined the ranks of Wu's army.

Zhou Yu, the master architect of the stunning victory, was lauded throughout the land as the man who beat the hated Prime Minister. It was he who pardoned the lords and advisors who slunk back into the Wu territories begging for forgiveness after they had advocated surrender in the face of Cao Cao's overwhelming might.

Huang Gai, bestowed the honour of _Xiaolian_ ('Filial and Incorrupt'), was designated Lord of the Household of Martial Edge, a position of great prestige which he humbly accepted, along with governance of the Gentleman Cadets.

Lu Meng, doughty master of battle and stalwart tactician, was named Grand Marshall of all the forces of the Southlands. Answering only to Zhou Yu and Sun Ce and assisted by Lu Xun, he was now in charge of the disposition of Sun Ce's armies and their deployment.

Taishi Ci was charged with expanding the Night Tigers escort to a full regiment, three times its current size. Qualifying volunteers from other elite regiments would be admitted and charged with guarding Baifu and the Sun family. Mightiest warrior in the Southlands after his liege, Taishi Ci bowed low.

"Yeah, I also noticed you've been spendin' a lot of time readin' the translations of tactical manuals from beyond the Barrier Mountains along with Da," Ce pointed out as he sat on his throne. "Figured we'd find somethin' that would make you stand out a little…"

The commander of the Night Tiger's new armour reflected the armour of Iskander that Sun Ce had acquired. Forged by the Southlands' most cunning and creative smiths, it harkened to the molded breastplates worn by the officers of Roma while his helm was tall and had a black horsehair crest. If anything, he seemed more intimidating than ever.

As always, Elryk requested nothing other than the plunder they had taken from the battle with Xu Huang, but Ce made sure that gold and other valuables were sent to Erlitou to continue looking after the people of the White Wolf.

Gan Ning was charged with the protection of the realm's waterways and his swift flotillas of ships would guard against intrusion across the Yangtze. He pressed for Sun Ce's blessings to continue to raid the north and the lord of Wu finally relented, acknowledging that keeping the pirate occupied attacking actual foes meant he would not be picking fights with Ling Tong.

Ling Tong had not been present at the battle but defending the southwestern reaches against incursions from Cao Ren in Jing. When the general had withdrawn to join Cao Cao in retreat, Ling Tong had followed closely, harrying him and destroying any troops who lagged behind with his swift, sweeping attacks. Upon Zhou Yu's orders, he had pulled back across the river, plundering great stockpiles of weapons, goods and foodstuffs left behind by the enemy.

Xiao now was summoned forward and while she bowed low, she could not help but grin widely as she looked up at her brother-in-law, whom she absolutely worshipped. Ce beckoned for her to rise and she rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet with her hands behind her back.

"You can't really promote me, you know, nobody in your army is crazy enough to work with me, right?" she pointed out.

"Yeah, not all rewards have to be martial appointments, Xiao." Ce replied. "And while it's a lot of fun to watch you fight, it's even more fun to watch you do what you were born to do."

Servants now brought forward several scrolls and presented them to Xiao. She looked at the title and gaped in wonderment.

"The… the _Tianzi Youlie Fu_…" ('Rhapsody of the Son of Heaven On A Leisurely Hunt') she breathed.

"Yeah, I found those in the archives some time ago," Ce said cheerfully. "I know you've always wanted to recite it, so you'll be doin' exactly that during the harvest festival in two months. Can you do it?"

"Can I?" she exclaimed excitedly. "In my sleep and with time to spare!"

"I'm holdin' you to that."

Xiao squealed in delight and scampered out of the hall, forgetting to bow or excuse herself. Da just shook her head.

Ce now stood and addressed those who remained. "Alright, folks, it was a great victory and we should all be proud and relieved. It'll be some time before Cao Cao can tangle with us, but we'll need to keep the pressure up in order to keep him from effectively rebuilding. We may be busy, but we've bought our people a few years of peace. Let's make sure they get to enjoy it."

He watched as his commanders filed out of the Great Hall, leaving him alone with his wife. She put a gentle hand on his shoulder as he sat back down in his chair and smiled at him.

"Do you really think we could have peace for a while, husband-mine?" she asked.

"Yeah, even if it's just for a few seasons, I'll take it. We've hurt him enough that he'll need to look inward for a bit, making sure all his troops help him harvest and prepare to raise another army. Cao Cao's logistical system had a fatal flaw in that while he could raise a large army quickly, he couldn't sustain it readily and was relying on a quick victory with an overwhelming force. Our army's smaller but we can sustain it. And with our superior training, morale counts for a lot."

"So just maybe my sister, Diao Chan and I can concentrate on getting our courtesan academies running, yes?" she suggested.

"I'm countin' on it." Ce replied. "Just like we're replacin' the Han's system of government, or at the very least improvin' on what it's supposed to do, I need you girls to make the concept of the Willow World better than ever."

"Very brazen of you, my love, to refer to it as such," Da pointed out. "But as this is your desire and you are my lord and master, it shall be as you command. Our plans will sing of our culture, as well as our legitimacy by any dynasty's standards, not to mention spare the girls the unmitigated cruelty that we suffered at the hands of our headmistresses and mentors."

"I like the sound of it already. Begin as soon as you are ready. Has the academy got a name?"

"Well, I was considering 'Amber Lotus', but then I met Commander Ding Feng and he has apparently named one of his battalions as such, so that was a bit of a bust," Da admitted. "Xiao suggested 'Moon Blossom', but Diao Chan was dead set on 'Pearl Dream'. We're still contending about it."

"And how do you plan to resolve your little disagreement?" he queried.

"Best you not ask," she said softly with a hint of firmness that made it abundantly they were not pursuing this line of conversation any further. "Rest assured it will be settled… amicably."

As she exited the hall, Ce leaned back in his chair and sighed, looking at the ceiling. After all the fighting, knowing that he now had a peaceful realm to administrate and look out for seemed almost strange to him.

Cao Cao had escaped. The war was unfinished. How would he build up his forces and have them ready, all the while ensuring prosperity without burdening the people with heavy wartime taxes? Even the enigmatic Cao Cao could not seem to do this.

He and Zhou Yu were gambling so much on improving the Southlands, making the most of their limited manpower by maximizing efficiency. Cheap and expendable labour would be replaced by making almost everyone living within their borders a highly-skilled specialist, supported by superior designs and technological advances.

But could seed drills and single-man irrigation pumps defeat the seemingly inexhaustible armies of the northern plains? Would superior lacquerware keep them from crossing the Yangtze? Even if his steel weapons were stronger than their iron ones, would that be enough to grant him victory?

No. Valour and the will to survive would. The desire to defend everything they hoped to achieve. Men would fight for their lands, their families and their futures- a future so bright that it would be the envy of those not of the Southlands. His people would have everything to live and fight for. He had promised them that.

Liu Bei. How would he deal with Liu Bei? He understood why Cao Cao considered the Scion of the Han a threat. It was not that Sun Ce feared him or what he stood for, but he was keenly aware that Liu Bei's retainers and advisors would not allow him to settle for anything less than total domination of the Middle Kingdom. There could be no compromise- if Liu Bei did not rule a wholly intact land of virtue, then his legitimacy would be rendered completely invalid.

And this would not be tolerated.

Zhuge Liang was dangerous. His cunning and capacity for intrigue rivalled Zhou Yu's and he was not subject to a warrior ethic that demanded he behave as a servant of the Celestial Tiger, the commander of Heaven's armies. His mind was made of metal and wheels, laying plans within plans and outlandish contingencies.

For now they were allies, but Kongming had made his own intentions known. He had dedicated his entire being to Liu Bei's ascendancy and he would stop at nothing to make sure his aim was achieved.

The age of the Three Kingdoms had begun.

* * *

The freehold of Erlitou was loud with celebration, for the heroes of the _Bailangren_ had come home. News of their part in the stunning victory, their resolute ferocity in the face of daunting odds had reached every corner of the realm and they were hailed as matchless warriors.

Led by Elryk and his _comitatus_, the warriors of the White Wolf marched back to their homestead, bashing their weapons upon their stout wooden shields, chanting raucously and with the heavy tread of their sturdy boots echoing throughout the plain. Their people awaited them, alongside the townsfolk of Erlitou proper, their Han brethren.

Elryk's wife Gailavira led her people in bowing to their returning warriors. She looked very proud indeed, for heralds of Lord Sun Ce himself had arrived days before, announcing the glorious deeds of the White Wolves for all to hear. Their part in this magnificent victory could not be overstated- it was rivalled only by the legendary triumph over the Romans in Teutoburg Forest centuries earlier.

One old warrior, lame in one foot but respected by all for his courage, came forward and presented Elryk with a frothing horn of beer. The mighty lord drank and then laughed loudly.

"Certainly a fitting welcome!" he roared, allowing his men to embrace their loved ones finally. He and the other warriors roared with laughter as mighty Glandyth was found and dragged off by his Han maiden, Dian, who had adopted the Germanic name 'Ranihilda' to endear herself to him. Her shirt was already off by the time they reached the hut she chose to stay in.

"So will you see fit to tell us of your deeds, husband, or shall we be forced to wait for the inevitable drunken exaggerations at tonight's feast?" Gailavira asked, smirking.

"No exaggerations would be necessary, my love, for it truly was a splendid victory." Elryk declared, hugging her close. He loved his wife more than any plunder or conquest (a daunting achievement, given his love of fighting and winning) and she had only become more lovely since their arrival in the Southlands and becoming fast friends with Lady Da Qiao, consort of their lord Sun Ce.

"Would that your son had been able to accompany you," she said, remembering Theoderic's disappointment in being forbad joining the army in marching to war. "He did not bear the burden of remaining behind well."

"I missed his presence and yet I must bow to certain realities and conventions, my lady," Elryk replied. "We number so few and if the battle had not gone our way, I would not have my only son slain at my side and our line ended. Theoderic will fight other battles, for he is now of age and will campaign in our lord's name, doing great honour."

"He trains our young men well, you would be proud of him," Gailavira noted, smiling. "Valamir has proven an excellent teacher in the ways of war."

"There are none better in our ranks," the lord of the White Wolves agreed. "Glandyth, Theudis and myself are possibly mightier in arms, but Valamir is my consummate warrior. He is so highly respected in Baifu that Lord Sun Ce has requested he lead one of the so-called 'Warrior Houses' he is establishing throughout the Southlands. It is a great honour and the Lords Zhou Yu and Lu Meng are teaching him tactics."

"A great honour indeed," she said, duly impressed. "He will honour us in their ranks." She had always admired Valamir for his keen mind and ability to seek tactical advantage beyond that of 'furious onslaught'. It was one thing to impress her husband but quite another to catch Lord Zhou Yu's attention.

"Oh, my lady, I wish you could have seen it, for it was a glorious fight. We fought alongside the Night Tigers against the Prime Minister's vaunted general Xu Huang. Along with the Lady Xiao Qiao, we defeated him and forced his flight."

Gailavira raised an eyebrow. "Lady Xiao? You mean the little sister? The one who won't stop eating or moving? How did Glandyth keep from stepping on her?"

"These _walhaz_ are full of surprises, my love, believe me!" he declared cheerfully. "They even used sorcery to conjure a wind and burn the Prime Minister's fleet. No sooner was it in flames that-"

"Father!"

Hala came rushing up and leapt into her towering father's mighty arms and held him tight. Elryk hugged his daughter and tickled her, causing her to squeal and seek safety in her mother's arms.

"They told us all about your victory, father, and how Lord Sun Ce helped you achieve it!" she said proudly. "I told Theoderic that he would get his chance but this was a battle for _real_ warriors, not boys who still must pretend!"

Elryk laughed and ruffled his daughter's hair, never ceasing to be amazed by how light she made his heart, even in the darkest of hours.

"And he can train his younger brother to fight in your name and alongside the Sun family's new sons as well, yes father?" she asked.

Elryk looked at his wife and raised an eyebrow. Gailavira blushed.

"This was not exactly how I planned for you to find out, husband, but yes, I am with child and the mystics are certain it is a boy…" she admitted.

The entire world fell away as he looked at his wife, lost in her incomparable beauty. Lord of the deadliest warriors known to the four corners of the world, husband to a radiant shield-maiden made flesh and come to earth… what had he done to deserve such fortune?

"Have you nothing to say, husband?" she asked again, snapping him out of his reverie.

"Another boy, then?" he asked finally.

"Aye, my lord, another warrior to lead our people and carry on your legacy of glory. Do you have a name in mind?"

Elryk was silent for a few moments and then nodded. "We shall can him Yngvi."

"Yngvi?" she queried. "But he is not our first child, let alone our first boy."

"Mayhap, but he is our first child here in our new realm and our new life here at the edge of the world. He represents our future here."

She took his hand and smiled, her eyes shining with love. "So be it, Lord of the White Wolves. Here in our new home, let our sons and daughters know honour and peace."

* * *

Liu Bei was pensive as he rode towards Fankou, accompanied by his sworn brothers and his strategist, leading many regiments of enthusiastic troops. So much had been achieved and people continued to declare that this was the beginning of his ascendancy, but he could not help feeling reservations about what had transpired in the past season.

"What's bothering you, brother?" Zhang Fei asked in his gravelly voice. "Are you still mad at brother Guan for letting Cao Cao escape?"

"No, not at all, any more that I would be mad at you for allowing Xiapi to be taken by Lu Bu one night while you were drunk." Liu Bei replied.

"Ouch," Zhang Fei grumbled, unhappy to be reminded of the incident. "That's one thing I've always not liked about you, brother… you just can't see a belt without wanting to hit below it."

"What, then, is on your mind, brother?" Guan Yu asked. "A great victory has been won, has it not?"

"Yes, and everyone is cheering for me to take on roles as a ruler, but what part did I play in this triumph? I fought not against Cao Cao's troops, I did not burn his ships, nor did I plan his capture. What, then, is my claim in all of this celebration?"

"No man achieves any useful end alone, my lord." Kongming said quietly, his soothing voice exactly what Liu Bei needed to hear. "The Prime Minister cannot claim this, Sun Ce cannot, why should you be so different? What matters is our future, and only you are capable of leading us there. Others may lay the groundwork, but that is all this victory was. We now have much work to do and people will look to you for guidance."

"Yeah, your time's just beginning, brother," Zhang Fei declared in what he hoped was an encouraging tone. "With Cao Cao out of the way, we can really strengthen our troops and drill 'em hard. They'll be a match for the northerners in no time!"

Liu Bei nodded, but he was still quiet and lost in thought. He thought about what still had to happen, how much had to be done. Could they have peace? Maybe, but if they rested, they would not be ready when Cao Cao inevitably attacked again. They may not be fighting so much, but the war would continue.

The Southlands, perhaps with the help of Liu Bei, had decisively defeated the Prime Minister and his strength was reduced. His armies remained large, but his capacity for war impeded. Even leading up to the battle at Chi Bi, Cao Cao's army had been ravaged by sickness and disease, his soldiers not used to the warm climes of the south or extended marine operations. As Kongming had said, 'Even a powerful arrow at the end of its flight cannot penetrate a silk cloth.'

What of Wu? Kongming, with his far-reaching vision, had promised Liu Bei that all the land would one day be his to rule. Not just some corner of the realm, dedicated to virtue, but the Middle Kingdom in its entirety. What justification would he have in fighting and conquering an allied state as prosperous and beneficent as the Southlands? How was such an act not an affront the tenet of filial piety? Was Sun Ce not a capable and generous ruler? He did not treat his people cruelly and clearly they were flourishing and happy. What right had he to contest that?

His thought drifted to the lovely Shang Xiang, sister of Lord Sun Ce. He felt something stir within as he pictured her on the battlefield, in the throne room and even in the bed chamber…

"Brother? What say you? Brother!"

Liu Bei blinked and came out of his reverie. Zhang Fei was looking at him quizzically.

"You're really out of it tonight, even for you," the massive warrior muttered. "We're gonna stop and make camp soon, what do we want for dinner? It's your turn to pick."

Liu Bei smiled, looking forward to assuming the lordship of Fankou and sleeping in a proper city. Though only a few days away, it could not come soon enough.

A spirited deer sprinted by into the forest, her long, clean limbs and magnificent features so reminiscent of Shang Xiang to him.

"Venison it is!" he called out as he spurred his horse into a gallop and took off after the deer while taking his bow off the saddle baldric. Zhang Fei shouted and tried to keep up. Nodding patiently, Guan Yu shook the reins of the mighty Red Hare and took off after his brother casually, knowing that he would catch up to Hex Mark in no time.

Kongming merely watched, his ever-present fan moving slowly as he pondered their future.

* * *

The winter of the battle of Chibi gave way to an even warmer spring and the Southlands were green and lush. Within his pavilion, Zhou Yu was sitting in a small study, sitting in front of a long piece of delicate paper and composing a solemn poem about the nature of loyalty and the bonds of mutual sacrifice.

"Zhou Yu, darling!" Xiao chirped as she burst into the room, looking excited. He had, mercifully, heard her coming a split second before and rested the brush gently into its holder while his enthusiastic wife bounced up and hugged him.

"I know you're busy doing important things, but I wanted your opinion on something for the recital," she declared. "I'm kinda stuck on a certain part and just wanted a critic's eye so I can get the scene just right."

She assumed a dignified pose, her head cocked slightly to the left with one hand in front of her midriff and the other above her head and facing down. "Now during the recital of the Son of Heaven during the Pheasant Feast, should my poise be this one? Or…"

She now turned the hand over her head to face palm up and turned her head slightly more to the center. "Should it be this one? I know the choice is crucial to the overall enjoyment of the play and I-"

Zhou Yu smiled and listened while his wife basically gave away the plot of the entire poem and then somehow trailed off into a diatribe about how she had ended up having a passionate romance with the spirit of a former student who had wandered the halls of her courtesan academy one night. This was followed by some general musings about whether marital fidelity was compromised by trysts with ghost and spirits and a declaration that it was only bad if the ethereal being in question was of the other gender. Or an animal, even cute little furry ones.

This was what peace was all about.

* * *

Sun Ce strode though the Tiger Glen Garden as the moon shone overhead, lost in thought. The silvery orb reflected on the pond and the buzz of nocturnal insects was the only sound to be heard. A breeze carried the scent of the year's first blossoms to him and he made sure the moment was locked away forever in his heart and mind, for soon enough the wars would come again and he would leave this all behind.

"I know you're there, just show yourself already." Ce mumbled, still looking into the calm surface of the pond.

"Your sensitivity to the empyrean remains as keen as ever, young lord," Zuo Ci observed, standing nearby and bowing, his hands within his voluminous sleeves. His white hair almost shone in the moonlight and the indigo tattoo over his eye was vivid. "What keeps you from sleep?"

"You know as well as I do what does, old man," Ce replied. "The wars with Cao Cao ain't over and after that there's gonna be war with Liu Bei. I don't like havin' to fight my allies."

"Why fight at all?" Zuo Ci asked. "Surely it is plain for all to see that the Southlands are prosperous and content and that there is no need for such strife if the model you have set forward is followed, yes?"

"You an' I both know it ain't that simple," Ce said. "Cao Cao won't stop an' Liu Bei's followers won't let him. No matter how good things are here, someone's gonna want to control it themselves or destroy it."

"Why the wars, then?" the sage queried, stroking his beard thoughtfully. "I see in your eyes you have crossed certain lines and boundaries of honour you find personally distasteful, such as the use of geomancers and _wujen_ on the battlefield and you have endorsed the employment of assassins against Cao Cao. Why, then, do you hesitate to do so against Liu Bei if he is such a threat?"

Ce was silent.

"Do not hundreds of thousands of lives hang in the balance? If Liu Bei falls, will not his followers lose heart and direction? A simple dart in the night and the realm could come that much closer to peace and unity."

Ce drew a deep breath. "Because I can't compromise my ethics for expediency," he said finally, realizing how hard it must have been for Guan Yu to let the Prime Minister go. "I would be no different than Cao Cao then. I'll find a way to save those lives, but I won't sacrifice my principals to do it. One assassin's knife or a million, before long I could rationalize any number of deaths for the greater good and then I am no better than any of the other lords who have used that rationale."

Zuo Ci nodded, smiling. "You never cease to amaze, young lord. Eager to save lives, you chose the hard road for yourself over the easy one because you could not live with yourself if you did otherwise."

"What I did to Huang Gai nearly killed me," Ce said darkly. "And while I'm glad he's gonna recover, a part of me may never."

"Such is the way of true leadership and sacrifice, my lord," the sage pointed out. "The good shepherd is always in greater danger than his sheep because he faces the wolf and tiger before they ever get close to his charges."

"There any particular reason you're botherin' me?" Ce growled. "Bad enough you pester my wife and kid when I ain't around."

Zuo Ci raised an eyebrow. "And how do you know of that?"

"Pretty obvious, they walked around for days with these deep, pensive and ultimately useless expressions on their face after you've been talking to them." Ce replied. "I feel rather blank after enduring your conversations too."

Zuo Ci chuckled, perhaps the first time Ce had ever heard an expression of mirth from the old mystic. "Surely, young lord, my company is not that bad. Is it too much to ask that you entertain an elder with some discourse? Most people have no knowledge of the Tao and are puerile in their understanding of things beyond simple perception."

"An' I imagine you're doin' 'em a favour by not bringin' uncomfortable truths to 'em, right?" Ce challenged. "So I get to listen to your metaphysical jabber?"

Zuo Ci looked thoughtful. "The most merciful thing in the world, my friend, is the inability of the mind of men to correlate all its contents. Betwixt Heaven and Earth lie fabulous wonders and blasphemies that will outlast any realm you seek to build, no matter how beneficent. Men, small-minded men, will lose their way long after you are gone and just maybe the memory of the realm you create will be bright enough to bring them back. Such is the nature of the cosmos and perhaps only Shang-ti knows how it will all unfold, if even he."

"Way to trivialize what we're tryin' to accomplish here, pal," Ce muttered. "If you're gonna have principals, y'don't throw 'em away just because someone down the road is guaranteed to forget 'em. No point havin' 'em if you worry about how everyone else is gonna react. I'm goin' back to my wife. Have fun sleepin' on the roof."

Ce turned and walked out of the garden, but a hint of what might have been a nod or bow of his head was detectable as he left. Zuo Ci watched silently, stroking his beard. He was soon joined by a great tiger that seemed to be made of stars and a horned horse whose body was the wind. They all stared after the retreating form of the Young Conqueror.

"You are sure he cannot be mine, yet?" the tiger growled.

"The Middle Kingdom has need of him right now, general, whereas you have eternity." Zuo Ci replied. "I somehow doubt his spirit will be withered or burned out by the time he comes to you."

"I don't know if that would be my worry," Kilin mused. "Should that mortal come to Heaven, Tiger might find himself subordinate to _him_."

The Celestial Tiger growled and the Kilin smiled and stuck his tongue out in response.

"So that is the sire of our dear little monster," the zephyrous being wondered. "So similar and yet so different. They have the same iron will but his spirit blazes like the sun whereas hers is as deep as the sea. Wherein lies the greater strength?"

"I know not," Zuo Ci admitted. "The child is simpler but more malleable in her principals because she is young. The young lord has even spurned the amorous advances of a spirit girl who lived in a tree."

Tiger frowned. "Why would he do that?"

"Fidelity to his wife, I presume."

Tiger grunted. "The wife must be a demon in the bedchamber if he willingly turns down the love of an immortal. Does he not know that such trysts are not condemned by the Heavens or does he simply not care?"

"He is a man of unwavering principal, to be sure. A rarity, given that most mortal's only sensible scale of value is lessening the agony of their existence." Zuo Ci pointed out. "Most are dulled by the prosaic poison of the life they choose to lead, opening not their senses to what lays beyond the veil. Memories and possibilities are ever more hideous than realities for them."

"I still want him for my armies," Tiger grumped. "We should have need of such a spirit if this God of Night his barbarians brought continues to awaken within our realm."

"Is that fear I detect, general?" Kilin teased.

The debate continued while the great river of stars rolled overhead, ever turning. Men would read signs into them, portents of fortune or ruin, justfications for atrocious acts and declarations of censure from above. Men would sing of deeds that would last until those stars were no more and vainly hope that immortality could be achieved through renown, rather than simple acceptance. When humility was too great a burden, they would turn to glory to substantiate their existence.

And as Sun Ce lay in his bed next to his wife and looking at the ceiling, he knew once and for all, that he would be judged by his actions and not his abstruse principals. He would show men what they could have and what they all desired; they would come for it willingly, not at the edge of a sword.

Out of three kingdoms would come one. And it all began here.

So be it.

_** End of Part II**_

* * *

**Author's Notes: **For the record, the intentional glaring error in the chapter prior was that I had the wind coming out of the southwest rather than the southeast. Sneaky, eh? :P

So, sixty chapters in, approximately 670,000 words and five years later, I have to admit I am still enjoying myself. Lots of up sand downs, terrible pauses due to writer's block and typos galore, but I am gratified that people continue to read and enjoy this little scrawling of an idle mind.

The next arc will still have fight scenes and such, but it will concentrate heavily on character development. A lot of detail will be going into how the Southlands develop and can realistically compete with or at least survive war with the North, not to mention the unexpected development of a third power in Liu Bei. While seed drills, courtesan academies and superior irrigation ditches will not win a war, it's really Wu's best chance to try and pull even. With fierce warriors guarding the borders, will they have long enough for such things to make a difference?

The dynamic of the Three Kingdoms has opened up many possibilities and new characters to me. Wei will remain the principal bad guys and Shu will become the wacky (and hopefully trustworthy) allies. Interactions with Shu will become rather common and some interesting twists are in store. I personally am looking forward to what is gonna happen in the near future.

Don't worry, Tiger and Kilin are not going to be regulars. They just amuse me right now.

So like I said, expect laconic ellipses through peaceful stories punctuated with intense fights and lots of interpersonal drama. Hope you're enjoying this as much as I am.

All my best for the rest of 2011!

Management


	61. Chapter 61

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any other media associated with Koei or its affiliates. The vast majority of the characterizations have been expanded upon by me for the sake of literary format. Individual or minor characters created by me for the purposes of interaction and story depth or my own property. If you wish to know which ones they are please ask.

This is a simple work of fanfiction meant for the entertainment of Dynasty Warriors players and fans, along with those who are familiar with the Chinese epic Sanguo, or 'Three Kingdoms'. Centered around Sun Ce and his family and retainers, it helps to be a Wu-phile if you want to read this story. As always, your reviews are welcome and appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

Sun Ce studied the map with interest, his eyes focusing on the little yellow stones spread around its surface. It was a map of his far-flung territories, and what he assessed now were a series of small rebellions that had appeared without warning or (as far as he could tell) cause.

No one uprising represented a threat of any worrisome scope, nor did they as a whole represent any sort of a military concern. He could certainly quell them using his forces, but he did not want to create an atmosphere or repression or fear in the local populace. What he wanted to know was _why_ this was happening.

"Well the source is obvious, at least," Zhou Yu said quietly, observing the table along with Ce. "The Prime Minister has bribed locals or inserted agents into these regions to foment unrest and cause trouble for us while he rebuilds his forces."

"Yeah, and they're all happening in places where our garrisons are comparatively thin." Ce mused. "They're either in areas that are so far from the wars that they didn't need a garrison or far enough from Baifu that responding will take time."

"He's testing us," Zhou Yu confirmed. "Any other lord would respond by quelling these uprisings with military force. We, however, claim to be above such tactics, so he is making us prove it. Any collateral damage these rebellions cause in the meantime is just an added blessing as far as he is concerned."

"Alright, so how do we suppress rebellions without suppressing them?" Ce wondered. "What if quelling one rebellion helped to cause the others to fade?"

"As long as you don't mean swift and brutal retaliation, then I am sure we can think of something." Zhou Yu replied. "Most of the regions involved are still being assimilated and lack much infrastructure. Deprived of the benefits of what we are striving to achieve, these populations might be easy targets."

"Then I guess we'd better find a way to accelerate development of these regions," Ce concluded. "Still, responding to all these insurrections at once will be a pain."

"We'll send agents into the regions to determine the source of the unrest and then have the ringleaders assassinated. That will leave these rebellions without a head and while they come to grips with what has happened we will send money and trade into the region. Do you concur?" asked the strategist.

"Sounds good," Ce said, nodding. "But we'd better respond to at least one immediately. Word of our inaction'll get out if we delay."

He perused the map and finally pointed at a yellow stone not too distant from Baifu. "That one. What's in that region and why could rebellion happen so close to our capital?"

Zhou Yu frowned at the region the yellow stone sat on and reached into his near-eidetic memory of all the lands within their realm for the answer. "Tradesmen and artisans are still not prominent and the local population is small and of mixed blood, that of Southlanders and some Shanyue. Proper temples have yet to be raised and there are no academies operational. It falls between the borders of the Baifu prefecture and your sister's realm in Fujian."

"Is Shang Xiang back in Fujian yet?"

"No, she is in Wuchang, supervising a visit between Lady Bu and your brother."

Ce smiled and shook his head. "Quan really just needs to marry Lian Shi and get it over with. Waiting is getting painful."

"I think your brother fears trying to take such a useful warrior from Shang Xiang." Zhou Yu said, also smiling. "This would not have been an issue is she had followed ephemeral imperative and become a courtesan, as your wife had wished."

Ce nodded but then paused at what his sworn brother had said. "Zhou Yu, who is in Fujian right now?"

"Cheng Pu."

The young warlord shook his head. "The old man means well, but he's a warrior, he would resort to force to quell the rebellion, contrary to our goals. It ain't fair to thrust that on him. But what you said about courtesans just now…"

Zhou Yu considered what his friend was inferring for less than two seconds before he understood what he was getting at. He liked the idea. It was novel, brilliant and it would absolutely work.

They would fight discord and strife with beauty and harmony.

"Xiao, my love, a moment of your time, please?" he called out.

From a corner of the large chamber where she was playing with a baby monkey, Xiao Qiao looked up as her husband beckoned to her. She put the animal down, sprang up lightly and bounced over to attend the two men she revered more than anything in the world.

"Yes, Zhou Yu, darling?" she asked, her bright eyes sparkling.

"Xiao, my love, were you listening at all to what we were talking about?" Zhou Yu asked.

Xiao snorted. "Get real."

"Very well, let me explain our intent, then," he said. "We want you to head to the town of Bo'ling and suppress a rebellion."

Her eyebrow raised and her face twisted in bemusement. "Are you retarded? Ce, is he retarded? Did he hit his head? Did that technique I used on him last night burst a vessel in his brain and now he's completely gone? Do I have to mush up his food from now on before he eats it?"

Ce laughed. "I doubt it, but remind me to ask you later if Da knows that technique you used."

"Could we focus, please?" Zhou Yu pressed.

He explained the intent to his wife and she nodded and finally squealed and clapped.

"Sounds like fun! I'll do it!"

"Good," Ce said, nodding and slapping his thighs. "Go get your sister and Diao Chan, you gals have your work come out for you."

Xiao bowed and ran out of the room. She raced through the palace to an antechamber and found the door locked. Behind it she heard panting and almost moaning.

She rolled her eyes and rapped with her finger on the locked door. "Hey, you two! If you could possibly be convinced to stop for a few minutes, would you kindly join Lords Sun Ce and Zhou Yu in the Chamber of Pure Thought?"

She waited while there was rustling sounds, followed by the door opening. Da Qiao and Diao Chan exited the room, straightening out their clothing and hair, trying to look dignified before striding down the hall to attend the Lord of Wu. Xiao just followed, shaking her head.

"I'll never figure you two out…"

* * *

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 62- The Magnificent Courtesans**

The plan had been explained to them and the three women sat quietly, pondering what they were being told. Da looked pensive, Diao Chan's expression betrayed no intent while Xiao looked very eager. Ce finished and looked at the three courtesans.

"So, whaddya think?" he asked. "Can you do it?"

Da shrugged. "Oh, husband, I have no doubt such a thing can be done. We are, after all, three of the greatest courtesans in the Middle Kingdom, none rival us."

"Aright, then _will_ you do it?" Ce asked, correcting the question.

"As my lord asks, so I shall obey, of course," Da said. "I look forward to the opportunity."

"As do I." Diao Chan agreed.

"Me too!" Xiao chirped.

Ce nodded, folding his arms. "Now the guard we will be sending with you is minimal, because we don't want this to be a display of force; we will be celebrating the arrival of courtesans in the region and allow the people to embrace our culture. We'll be sending silver and gold with you, along with some scholars. The population of the region is just under ten thousand. How many courtesans, would you assign to it? There are only two families of minor rank."

The girls consulted quietly for a moment, speaking in Latin, as was their tradition when discussing secret matters of the Willow World. Ce made a wry face, wondering when his wife and her bubble-headed sister had time to teach Diao Chan Latin.

Their debate concluded, Da nodded to him. "_Quattor_- I mean, four, my lord."

"Alright," Ce said, nodding. "Find one senior and three junior girls to take with you and assign to the region. You may take a single squad of soldiers with you, mostly to guard the scholars and the money you'll be carrying. We're sending our reserves to deal with other insurrections, so choose carefully."

"Well, we'll have to take Xiao's girls with us, since they won't be separated from her, so that's a given." Da concluded.

"Yes, but pick another squad along with that one." Zhou Yu said earnestly. Even after all this time, his wife's psychotic bodyguards still unnerved him. Only Lord Elryk's terrifying berserkers seemed to not fear them to some degree. Even the Night Tigers, the deadliest warriors in the Southlands, avoided them.

"Well, I could pull an honour unit from my regiment, I suppose." Da mused. Since she had been made a regimental commander (_Tuanzhang_), ten companies had been put at her disposal. To accommodate her preferred style of warfare, they were being trained as cavaliers, adept at skirmishing and hit-and-run raids. They could, of course, fight in stand-up battles, but Da felt most useful eating away at the enemy's flanks, reducing their numbers and their morale with withering bow fire.

She was proud of the fact that she was one of four women holding such a high rank in the Southlands army, the others being Lian Shi, Fu Chin Ran and, of course, Sun Shang Xiang, the Bow-Hipped Princess, who was one of the mightiest living warriors in the realm.

"I could help you choose them, Da, my love." Diao Chan purred. Xiao giggled.

"Not a chance, harlot," Da replied, smirking. "You would choose our guardians based on the size of the weapon between their legs rather than in their sheathes and their prowess in the bedchamber rather than the battlefield. I should get eunuch warriors to accompany us or we will never see you on this expedition."

Diao Chan sighed dramatically. "'tis true, I fear. But thou art a heartless queen, Da Qiao of Baifu, for you and your sister are already well satisfied by the two most noble and… gifted… men in our realm whereas I must make do with the scraps."

Ce and Zhou Yu just watched the exchange in mild disbelief. Did they really trust these three with this propaganda assignment?

"Are you sure I can't borrow him for just one night?"

"No, you'll get him dirty!"

"What about you, darling? Take pity on a shrivelling blossom and let it be watered by-"

"Oh, hell, no!"

"Ladies, please." Zhou Yu said firmly. "Who… will… you… take… with… you?"

The three considered, once again lapsing into Latin. Ce wasn't sure, but he was pretty certain he heard the name 'Gailavira' at one point. Da looked up at him again.

"Husband, is Lord Elryk still camped outside Baifu?" she asked.

Ce considered. "I believe he is. Why?"

"We have concluded that taking my own troops is not the right idea, nor would taking a squad of your Night Tigers, since they represent the Sun family's military might and authority. None of your sister's amazons are available, so I thought maybe to request a contingent of Lord Elryk's White Wolves, along with Lady Gailavira."

Sun Ce considered the suggestion. The White Wolves were ferocious troops, easily a match for any warriors in the Middle Kingdom, but hardly a unit one would use for the suppression of rebellions. Such actions required that the rebels be rooted out of their holes and destroyed, something the imposing and unsubtle Germans were hardly likely to be adept at. They were, on the other hand, exotic and physically the most imposing beings in the empire. Rebels unfortunate to see them were certain to be intimidated.

"And you want Gailavira along because she is exotic and noble-looking in her own barbaric way, yes?" he asked.

"Well, that and she asked me some time ago to help her adapt to the responsibilities of being a noblewoman of the Middle Kingdom." Da replied. "Besides, she is quite formidable in battle, certainly a match for me."

Ce smiled, nodding.

"Hey, I am much tougher than I look!" Da exclaimed, trying to look offended at her husband's silent reply to her assessment of her warrior skills.

"There's no denyin' that, Da." Ce said cheerfully. "I've been thinkin' about something, though… is there or was there ever a style of fighting developed for courtesans? I mean, you gals have trained your body a certain way, isn't there a fighting art that exploits that?"

The three girls looked at one another for a moment and then shrugged. "We'll look into it." Da said finally.

"Alright, I'll ask Elryk if he will lend us some of his warriors and his wife. Get ready because you're headin' out in two days."

The women rose and bowed as Ce and Zhou Yu departed. Da then sat down and huffed, her chin in her hand as she scowled off at the far wall.

"What's wrong, my love?" Dian Chan asked, kneeling in front of her beloved princess and stroking her cheek gently.

"She's miffed because Ce agreed with her about being tougher than she looks." Xiao interjected.

"I fail to see the problem here."

"Because he just nodded, he didn't vocally endorse her statement about how good Gailavira was, thereby her own prowess as a warrior."

Diao Chan laughed, the sound as gentle as falling rain. "And by agreeing that she is tougher than she looks, our mighty lord has also insinuated that it wouldn't take much to do so. He is a genius."

Da shot her dear friend a look. "Oh, please elucidate, my darling."

"It relates to his statement about a form of martial arts related to our profession," Diao Chan ventured. "Da, you're short and you have big breasts. You in no way, shape or form look like a warrior. Perhaps that can be turned to your advantage in a fight?"

"That's hardly an epiphany, my dear, it happens all the time." Da grumbled.

"So why is it not part of your style of fighting?" the northern girl asked. "Why deny yourself such a precious advantage?"

"So you're saying that a courtesan's martial art exploits the fact that we don't look like warriors?" Da posited.

"It would have to, I imagine," replied Diao Chan. "Instead of bemoaning it, we should embrace it. I fight with a completely impractical weapon, you two fight with fans, which is ridiculous… I have never heard of any such art, so why don't we three develop it?"

"Oh, like we aren't busy enough." Xiao hissed.

"But darling, it will be fun, and I am sure your husband will be impressed that his wife developed a martial discipline."

"Wow, really?" Xiao exclaimed. "Alright, I'm in! See you soon!"

And with that, the younger sister dashed out of the hall.

Diao Chan smiled at Da and caressed her cheek again. "Why so determined to be bent out of shape, my love?"

"I guess I think that I should have thought of this idea, pacifying a region with courtesans," Da answered. "Why must Ce and Zhou Yu think of everything?"

"That's who they are and what they do, I imagine." Diao Chan said sweetly. "I would never ask them to do certain things relating to our profession, pacifying the realm just happens to be their area of expertise, both on the battlefield and off. They assigned us, because they couldn't do what is required. They would be forced to use their soldiers and they are trying to avoid that. Darling, _you_ were the one who thought of bringing the White Wolves along for their psychological impact. Even Zhou Yu hadn't considered that option."

Da sighed. "I guess you are right. I am too hard on myself."

Diao Chan nodded. "Of the three of us, you are the only one with any head whatsoever for these types of affairs. Your sister will never advance beyond squad commander, I am a mere courtesan, so only you could be our queen and our empress. Is that really so bad?"

Da looked at her dear friend suspiciously. "You made very little demur to my suggestion of bringing the barbarians along on this trip. What are you up to?"

Diao Chan smirked. "I have heard promising things about the weapons of the White Wolves and I am not so traditional in my thinking as to reject such prospects," she cooed. "Not to mention I look forward to witnessing the bounties of Lady Gailavira when we share a room or a tent."

Da sighed and shook her head. "You are incorrigible," she said, rising and offering her hand to her fellow courtesan. "Come, let us find a way to banish these horny demons from you."

Diao Chan smiled, taking the proffered hand, knowing exactly what Da had in mind. "I accept…"

* * *

As was their practice, the White Wolves had camped outside of Baifu, since they were not accustomed to the size of the city or the press of so many people. In the past few years, the capital had swollen in size, with a population of nearly three hundred thousand. People had readily moved to the region, eager to partake in the opportunities and progress Baifu represented.

Ce had gone to see Elryk and found him, accompanied by his eldest son Theodoric and his ever-present bodyguards, the lithe and dangerous Theudis and the titan berserker Glandyth. They all knelt as Ce approached.

"Hey, Elryk, I have a favour to ask you." Ce said cheerfully as he strode up.

"Of course, my lord," Elryk rumbled in his deep base and awkward Chinese, rising and gesturing for one of his men to bring beer. "Anything you desire, simply name it."

"I want your wife."

Everyone paused. Elryk stared at his liege. "My lord? My wife?"

Ce laughed. "Don't panic, big guy, I just wanted to see your reaction when I said that. What I meant is that I have a duty I would like for your consort to perform in my name."

Gailavira had been standing nearby, giving instructions to some servant girls when she overheard the words 'wife' and 'duty'. Dismissing the girls, she approached and bowed, addressing her husband's lord. "I await your command, Lord of the Southlands."

Ce nodded. "We're havin' a little trouble in a town south of Baifu and I was wonderin' if… hey, how far along are you, Gailavira? Is it a boy or a girl?"

The German woman's eyes widened at his question and she looked at her husband incredulously.

"Don't ask how he knows that sort of thing, I've given up." Elryk grumbled. "Just answer him before he guesses for himself, woman."

"I… just a few months, my lord, and it will be a boy, if the mystics are right. His name will be Yngvi."

Ce thought about the name, trying to ascertain what it meant from the smatterings of Gothic his daughter had taught him. "First-something, right? Well, good name for your first child born here in the Middle Kingdom."

"I assure you it will not interfere with fulfilling anything you task me with, sire." Gailavira said, bowing her head to hide her continued astonishment.

"My wife, her sister and Lady Diao Chan are heading to a town called Bo'ling to deal with a rebellion that has happened there. They requested that you come along."

"I am not sure what purpose I would serve in such a capacity, but I will readily obey the request of the empress." Gailavira said, nodding her head.

Ce smiled. Apparently it was common amongst the _Bailangren_ to refer to he and Da as the emperor and empress of the Southlands, since it helped to legitimize their suzerainty in the minds of the Germans, whose only basis for comparison was the emperors of their foe Roma, the mightiest men in the world beyond the Barrier Mountains.

"If I might ask, lord, why would we risk our wives to defeat a rebellion when we have troops to do so?" Elryk queried, handing a drinking horn full of beer to Ce while having his own filled.

"Because I don't want to defeat it with force of arms," Ce replied, taking a quaff from the horn full of dark brown liquid. He barely had to clear his throat once he had finished the draft. He was getting better at this. "The region is not yet familiar with the culture we're bringin' so I am sending in courtesans to pacify the population."

"A novel idea," Elryk agreed, looking thoughtfully into his massive drinking horn. "And while my wife is certainly a worthy consort, she has never been trained as a courtesan. I do not doubt your intent, nor would I impugn her ability to serve you, but I would respectfully ask your intent in having her go along."

"It was Da's idea," Ce said simply. "She mentioned that Lady Gailavira had once requested that my wife teach her the ways of a noblewoman of the Middle Kingdom and an opportunity arose, even if it is a strange one. That and she considers your wife an excellent warrior, in case things come to blows."

"Well she is handy with a blade," Elryk admitted. "Who are you sending to guard them?"

"Da also requested that you assign twenty of your men," Ce replied. "They'll have a big impact on the region because of how they look and she's hopin' the rebels won't contest them."

The huge chieftain nodded. "As you wish. I can certainly spare any except the _comitatus_."

"Send Theodoric, husband." Gailavira suggested. "He has never commanded men before and this is an ideal trial for him. If it comes to fighting, the situation involves little risk."

Elryk looked at his son. "What say you, boy? If I give you twenty young lads, can you guard your mother and the empress from a group of rebels?"

Theodoric drew himself up to his full height proudly and nodded. Though not nearly of his father's stature, he was easily Sun Ce's height and only eighteen summers old now. "Aye, father. I shall protect my mother and the empress readily."

Theodoric now loped off to round up his volunteers. Elryk observed his son. "I wonder if I should send Valamir along, just in case."

"Nonsense, husband," Gailavira said firmly. "How is Theodoric to prove himself capable and worthy to be your heir if you send one of our mightiest warriors to chaperone him? Send old Hathus the skald if you must, to record your son's deeds and let everyone know how mighty he shall be."

"Aye, my lady, as you say." Elryk agreed. "Your common sense and wisdom exceed my own, as always."

"And don't you forget it, you shag-eared lummox." Gailavira declared as she strode off. Elryk just sighed while Ce chuckled.

"And people think I am the leader of our tribe," the huge German muttered. "Be that as it may, I-"

"Lord Sun Ce!"

Elryk was interrupted by the appearance of his daughter Hala, who sprinted up to Ce and leapt into his arms to give him a huge hug. Ce laughed as he caught her.

"Hey, kid!" he said, ruffling her hair. "Been a while, hasn't it? You're getting' bigger and bigger every time I see you!"

She looked worried for a moment. "Not too big to be friends with Kai-Ying, do you think?"

"Not at all," Ce said in an assuring tone. "She's actually on her way from the palace and she can't wait to see you."

Hala squealed in delight, clapping her hands. "Did my father tell you I have taken a name in your language?"

"No, but I kinda figured, since my daughter took one in yours." Ce replied.

"And a good name it is that she took, too," Hala said, nodding sagely. "She calls herself Amalfrida, which means 'She Who Works For Peace'."

"I like it. So what's your new name?" Ce asked.

"Mingxiu." Hala declared proudly. "It means the clouds at dawn."

"I think it suits you perfectly." Ce said, always impressed with how easily children learned languages. He put her down and she ran off to prepare for Amalfrida's visit. Once she was gone, Ce turned back to Elryk as he took another swig of beer. "I have a question for you."

"Does it involve pounding Cao Cao into the ground? I doubt my men and I are much use in suppressing rebellions."

"Two questions then," Ce corrected. "First, Da once asked me if you had any girls who wanted to be trained as courtesans. Second, yeah, what would you think of pulling a raid or two in the north? I could have Zhou Tai sail you up the coast and strike a few targets."

Elryk grinned wolfishly. "The men will be ecstatic. I shall prepare them. As for the courtesan issue, I shall ask my wife if she knows of any. What must the girls be like?"

"Young enough to accept vigorous training for some years and be willing to separate from their family," Ce replied. "The life of a courtesan is demanding but rewarding, or so I am told by my wife."

"I trust the Lady's judgment implicitly." Elryk mused. "I will happily find her a tithe of our girls for her to work with."

Ce and Elryk conversed for a while longer until Da, Xiao and Diao Chan arrived, with Kai-Ying in tow. Elryk bowed low before the esteemed ladies and waited while Ce's daughter rushed off to find Hala. He then addressed them.

"My wife looks forward to joining you in your mission of pacification and my son and twenty of my youngest warriors shall act as your escorts. Would you find this sufficient, Lady Qiao?"

"Most certainly, lord," Da replied, nodding. "I would be honoured to be guarded by the White Wolves."

"Will your own troops not find this objectionable, though?" he asked.

"The reason for not using standard troops is a political one, so they must accept my judgement on the matter." Da said simply. "They will be sent to war soon enough, I have faith in them."

Gailavira now joined them and bowed. "Empress…" she intoned, causing Xiao to roll her eyes.

"I hear you have agreed to join us, lady of the White Wolves," Diao Chan said, bowing to Gailavira. "I am glad to finally have your company."

"Yours as well, Lady Diao Chan. The empress speaks very highly of you."

"Only in public," Diao Chan said, winking at Da. "I hear you are a warrior maiden of some repute."

"Nothing compared to the Lady Shang Xiang, but I suppose I am capable enough," Gailavira said. "We women of the Wolf must often make war beside the men and defend our homes, be it from the Romans, the Balts, wandering bands of Sarmatian and Scythian horsemen or even other Gothic tribes. We are no strangers to the harsh realities of battle."

"Well you will have no better teacher than the empress to demonstrate for you the way of nobility here in the Ha- I mean, the Middle Kingdom."

Da smiled. Diao Chan was one of them now, but she had been a Han loyalist her entire life before the battle of Xiapi and such habits were heard to break, even if only grammatical. She was well aware of Diao Chan's undying loyalty to herself and Sun Ce. It warmed her heart.

The gathering broke up with the men striding off to discuss war while the women called for an assembly of the girls of Elryk's people. They subtly dismissed those who were not candidates for becoming courtesans, either being too old or not having the right aesthetic. Before long, they were left with seven girls, all between the ages of six and thirteen.

"What say you, Lady Qiao?" Gailavira asked as they surveyed the girls. "I know our people are somewhat rough and overlarge by your standards, but hopefully some of us can meet your needs."

"Oh, I dare say so," Da agreed. "But I will not take these girls without the permission of their parents. We will negotiate with them and a fair sum arrived at if we acquire them."

"That sounds somewhat like slavery, my lady." Gailavira intoned.

"Superficially, perhaps, but the intent is to provide the parents with what is essentially a dowry while we turn their daughters into the most desirable women in the realm. These yellow-haired and blue-eyed maidens will be coveted by all. And yes, they are indeed bought by the worthy man who can pay for them. Such is the reality of the courtesan's life and why I will not take them as a tithe. It _must_ be voluntary."

"I understand now," the German woman said, nodding. "I will explain to the girls and we will see if any show interest."

She now spoke to the girls in own tongue and the three courtesans waited patiently, smiling serenely at the girls while their chieftain's wife expounded on the plan. When she had finished some minutes later, three of the girls raised their hands. The other four were dismissed while the hopefuls approached and bowed low in the Han fashion.

"My lady, these three are Adosinda, Heva and Radegonda. They will consent to let you talk to their parents and see if arrangements can be made."

Da nodded. "We shall see them forthwith, for I brought gold and silver for dowries in anticipation of this. Please have the parents brought to the Silver Crane Pavilion if they are amenable. Make it soon, for we have much to do concerning our mission."

Da and Xiao now bowed and returned to the city while Gailavira went to find the parents. She found it strangely fortuitous that her mighty husband had so recently consented to bring families along when his warriors came to Baifu. Clearly long-ranging plans were in place, though Lord Sun Ce had made it abundantly clear that he would not tolerate seeing the culture of her people sublimated to his own. He intended to have harmony between their people but did not wish to see the _Bailangren_ disappear as their own tribe.

Diao Chan now wandered the camp, casually observing the people closely for the first time. Seeing the White Wolves assembled for war was one thing, but to see the folk who had given rise to such a warrior culture was fascinating indeed. She was composing a poem in her head about them when she saw Elryk addressing someone, along with his brother, the shaman Aengava. The person he conversed with was a young warrior, shorter than and not as muscular as the mighty chieftain, but the family features were unmistakable. Surely this was his eldest son, Theodoric.

Diao Chan smiled as she watched him; tall and clean-limbed, with a noble and impetuous bearing, a youthful appearance with no facial hair, eager to please his heroic father. His muscles were pronounced and taut beneath his white skin, his hand in a firm but casual grip on the long sword he wore on his belt. Yet there was a tension to his body that indicated he had never known a woman's warmth.

Now _that_ she could certainly see to…

* * *

The two days of preparation had passed quickly and Xiao sighed as she knocked on the locked door of the antechamber again, ignoring the panting and other noises emanating from within.

"Hey, are you two coming?" she called, feigning irritation. "I don't want to do this by myself, you know."

As before, Da and Diao Chan emerged, flushed and trying to catch their breath. The smell of sweat from strenuous effort tingled in Xiao's nose. The girls fixed their hair and straightened their clothes.

"Honestly, how much longer is this gonna go on?" she groused. "I mean, I understand and all, but _daily_? Couldn't you at least find a more private locale so that the whole palace doesn't have to listen?"

Da and Diao Chan said nothing as they walked by her, clearly not feeling the need to explain anything. They went at once to the muster ground in front of the palace, where the expedition heading to Bo'ling awaited. Gailavira awaited, along with Theodoric, twenty young warriors of the _Bailangren_ and four young courtesans. Xiao's squad of insane girls stood silently nearby. Also waiting were some administrators Sun Ce had assigned to the region, along with some carts carrying chests of gold, silver and other valuables. The money and goods would be used to stimulate trade, if the region was undergoing hardship. The last member of the mission was the Uyghur scribe Lap, who had agreed to go along and provide translation where necessary.

They all waited patiently while Da Qiao, nominal leader of the expedition, mounted her horse _Xingjuan_ ('Arising Grace') and gave the signal for the little band to move out. People bowed low as they exited the city. Da rode in front with Xiao and Gailavira while the courtesans followed close behind, along with the administrators and finally the Germans, marching at the rear, led by Theodoric.

Diao Chan trailed behind her fellow courtesans, playing her _banhu_, a small, two-stringed instrument one drew a bow across while she sang, no small feat considering she was riding. She was aware of the fact that the eyes of the German warriors were on her and she smiled as Theodoric tripped and fell, so busy was he with watching her.

Gailavira heard her son muttering and uttering threats as he picked himself up while his warriors laughed heartily. She just shook her head.

"I take it the lady Diao Chan intends to make a man of my son?" she said quietly.

Da smiled. "We of the Willow World prefer a different type of manhood to that shown on the battlefield, admittedly. Would you object to her pillowing with him?"

"Not at all, he might relax a little," the lady of the White Wolves said simply. "Hopefully he will perform to her satisfaction."

Xiao giggled. "Even if he does not, she will make sure that all his warriors hear her cries of pleasure, so that he may be elevated and admired in their eyes. It is what we do, to raise men up and give them the world, if only for a short time."

"Well, as long as I don't have to witness it." Gailavira announced.

"And a radical change it will be, too," Da added, "For normally the Lady Diao Chan shares my bed on such excursions, because of her devotion to me."

"Yeah…" Xiao quipped. "Devotion."

"As I was saying," Da continued, ignoring her sister. "Since she will doubtless be staying with your son, at least for a night or two, I would invite you to share my tent, Lady Gailavira."

"Not me?" Xiao whined.

"Not a chance," Da said. "Two days away from your husband and you're like an octopus in your sleep. I never get any rest. You can molest the courtesans."

"Fine." Xiao grumped.

"I would be honoured, lady." Gailavira said.

"At least until Diao Chan turns her attentions towards you." Da added plainly. "Then you might be hard to get an audience with for a few days."

Gailavira didn't know what to say at first. "Lady Diao Chan is… passionate, I take it?"

"It is our training and our nature," Da replied. "Xiao and I were no strangers to love from women; we remained virgins throughout our training as courtesans and had only our fellow students to achieve bliss."

"Affection between courtesans is common, I take it?"

"We are a very tightly knit sisterhood, to be sure," Da agreed. "Are women not so close in your own lands? What happens when your men go to war? To whom do you turn for release?"

"It is not frowned upon as such, but we do not discuss it either, really. Tribes often raid one another for women, so perhaps such things are best left unremarked back in our own lands." Gailavira answered.

Da smiled slyly. "You have at least two servant girls who are unusually devoted to you, my lady. Would you tell me that there is nothing to suspect?"

Gailavira didn't answer but smiled. "I have nothing to say. But just in case, don't tell Elryk."

Da and Xiao laughed gaily. This was promising to be a fun trip.

* * *

"Xiao, you are certain that your girls have scouted the countryside, yes?" Da asked, knowing that they were getting close to their destination. It seemed oddly quiet.

"Yep, and they report no contact with bandits, rebels or just about anyone, to be honest," the younger sister replied, seemingly unconcerned. "I sent them back out, but let's face it, if any of them had run into rebels, they would have come back with the enemy's heads attached to their saddles by now."

"Well, there's no denying the truth in that." Diao Chan said. "Still, it is rather quiet. Maybe the people are afraid?"

They approached the fields that lay beyond the town of Bo'ling, seeing that the land was given over to growing rice and bean curd. They now espied a few peasants tending their crops and the locals all stopped and stared at the strange little band. It was only once they noticed the tall, savage Germanic warriors that they fled.

Da thought about the situation and how to handle it. Courtesans were meant to be celebrated, so perhaps the answer was to celebrate their arrival. She stopped the entourage and had the White Wolf warriors form a protective circle around them all, facing out. She then addressed her fellow courtesans.

"Get changed into your best dresses and get out your instruments," she instructed. "We're going to enter Bo'ling in a grand manner worthy of our position."

With much excitement, they all began to change and put on their best gowns. Da was helping Gailavira into the outfit Da's tailors had made for her when Diao Chan, somehow already fully dressed, shooed her aside.

"Darling, get yourself ready, I shall see to dressing the Lady Gailavira."

Da rolled her eyes and shook her head, noticing that Diao Chan spent and inordinate amount of time tucking Gailavira's impressive breasts into the tight top and then 'fluffing' them for effect.

"You dressed faster than the gods could comprehend, just so you could molest a blonde haired barbarian woman?" Da muttered.

"Oh, worry not, my love," Diao Chan purred, stuffing her hands down the front of Gailavira's bodice to cup her breasts and squeeze them into place. "I'll be helping you next."

"I notice it is taking longer for you to get the lady's breasts into place than it took for you to get your entire self readied."

"This dress is most unusual in design," Diao Chan pointed out. "A blend of our clothing and theirs, it is taking me some time to acclimate and adjust things just so…"

Da noticed that Gailavira was blushing but made no particular demur to getting fondled. Da shrugged it off. After all, she was already familiar with Gailavira's topography.

When the party resumed moving, the three ladies were riding in front, playing their instruments and singing while their students joined in and danced joyously. Behind them came the scholars and the White Wolves, led by Gailavira and Theodoric.

Singing a joyous tune about a wind passing through a vale, they approached Bo'ling and their song echoed across the fields and into the town. Heads began appearing through windows and as they grew near, people had begun to gather near the edge of the town, where the road led through.

Da sang lustily, supported by her sister and Diao Chan. She strummed her harp while Xiao played a flute and Diao Chan drew a bow across her little stringed instrument from the north. The students chorused in, still dancing and trailing silks and decorations around themselves with an almost licentious abandon.

She could see the astonishment in the townspeople's eyes, wondering what exactly was happening. Surely this was not something they were used to seeing and there had been no warning of it.

They came to a stop outside the town, finishing their song as the White Wolves waited behind patiently. If any of the locals had noticed the Germans yet, they were not showing it, still rapt with the spectacle going on before them.

With the clash of cymbals carried by one student, the song and dance came to an end, leaving only the echo of music throughout the region for the briefest of moments and then followed by a pronounced silence. It was what Dao Qiao had expected and now the show would continue. Accompanied by her sister and Diao Chan and followed by the students, she now rode forward a few more steps and gestured grandly to those assembled. By her estimate, the entire village town was watching her.

"People of Bo'ling!" she called out in her melodic voice. "I am Lady Da Qiao, wife of Lord Sun Ce, ruler of the Southlands, accompanied by my sister Xiao, consort of Lord Zhou Yu and the Lady Diao Chan."

The air was silent for several moments but then many of the people dropped to their knees and bowed low. A man who was clearly the village elder moved forward, still bowing and almost crawling.

"My lady," he said in a trembling voice. "What would the great lord of Baifu have of us? Have we given him displeasure?"

Da laughed gaily. "What has given you that idea, my friend? Our song was one of celebration, was it not? Bo'ling, long neglected by the petty rulers of these wide lands, is now under the auspices of one of the most noble and ancient houses in the Middle Kingdom. Lord Sun Ce wishes you prosperity and happiness! To that end, he has commanded me to bring you scholars to teach you Confucian wisdom and, even better, I have brought girls of the Willow World to settle in the region. May they bring you delight and serenity for years to come!"

Most of the people stared, many whispering amongst themselves in amazement. One young man, though, sprang up and sped off through the town, disappearing into the fields beyond. Da Qiao paid him no heed, knowing exactly where he was going and what he meant to do.

The elder now rose, trembling in fear, despite her words. "My lady… this area is currently in the grip of insurrection. Many have declared that they have no fealty to Sun Ce in Baifu and have chosen to find their own path."

"Nonsense," Da said cheerfully, riding still closer. "We bring celebration, learning and bliss. What could your insurgents possibly have to counter such an offer?"

She leapt lightly off her horse now and the people bowed hastily again. Xiao and Diao Chan did likewise and they were followed by their students. Da could sense their fear and it was her job to overcome it with her exquisite arts. So be it.

"Fear not, gentle people of Bo'ling," she said kindly. "We bring gold and silver to stimulate your industry, we bring sage writings and opportunity. We bring a future that will raise you up like the other cities and settlements we have touched. Prosperity and contentment, who could ask for more?"

"Where are your troops?" one rather brazen fellow demanded. "You hear of rebellion and disquiet against your husband and yet you come armed with only courtesans?"

On a signal from Da Qiao, Theodoric now marched his young troops forward and in spite of how few they were, many of the townsfolk cried out in alarm at the sight of the overtall, flaxen-haired barbarians.

"These are warriors of the _Bailangren_, the People of the White Wolf," Da declared. "Steadfast allies to my husband, they are my honour guard while I visit the region. These lands belong to my peerless Lord Sun, I know no fear."

Many people bowed again, trembling at the sight of the barbarian warriors.

"Now then, people of Bo'ling!" she called loudly. "We wish to celebrate and to make this town the wonder of the region! Please find us lodging and we shall show you what we have come to do!"

Clearly at a loss but having little choice, the elder bowed low and began instructing people to prepare the town for visitors. Da could see in his eyes that he was clearly countermanding his own orders and while he may have not been the source or leader of discontent in the region he was certainly complicit with it.

Yet he seemed like a kindly old fellow. What had compelled him to throw in his lot with agents of strife?

"_Lord-husband, you are indeed far-sighted and wise if you could see that military force was not the answer here. Such action would only create resentment in the hearts of these people and make bringing them into the fold harder. We must present them with obvious truths and options that make their rebellion seem ridiculous and then allow them to quietly join with us again, all forgiven and overlooked, as you and Zhou Yu did with those worthless advisors who advocated surrender to Cao Cao and then left your service. Such magnanimity is both unusual and cruel beyond measure."_

"My lady," said the elder, now coming up and bowing. "While we of course appreciate your timely visit, we are unprepared for guests and our accommodations will be somewhat improvised. We lack the housing to keep you ladies together and I would respectfully suggest-"

Da Qiao knew that the elder was trying to separate them from one another, making them easy targets if they needed to be dealt with in a fatal manner. Even if the other people of the town could be coaxed into compliance, this man needed a firm hand. She decided to show a little strength.

"Elder, listen to me very, _very_ carefully," she said in a low and gentle voice laced with iron. "You are correct if you have assessed that Lord Sun Ce knows of your insurrection. Any other lord in this empire would have the ringleaders put to death and the people would be punished heavily. That is what your actions may warrant, but my lord-husband does not deserve to have his honour sullied so. He sent myself and these courtesans to trivialize your little rebellion and show the people what they could have if they so chose…"

The elder listened but trembled slightly, horrified that she could see through him and his intentions so easily.

"Just so you understand, elder, I have already deduced that you are part of the insurrection in this region and you clearly intend to separate us to make us easier to manage and kill if necessary; I assure you this will not be happening. Were anything to happen to me, I dread to think what Lord Sun Ce would do to the people of Bo'ling. He has built this land for me and make no mistake he would destroy it with an ungodly fury if he were deprived of me."

The elder went pale.

"Why you have chosen to throw in your lot with the agents of Cao Cao is beyond me, or maybe you did not know you were being used by them at all, but clearly you care for the people you watch over. I am willing to overlook your part in this travesty against the most noble family in the Middle Kingdom, but it is done on the understanding that your cooperation with my plans is whole-hearted. Am I achieving clarity?"

The man swallowed and nodded.

"Now give me your hand…" she ordered.

The old man held out his long, withered hand. She took it firmly and slid a needle into the web of skin between his thumb and forefinger. It was stained with a red juice and he winced as she pierced his skin.

"What you have had injected into you is the extract of a berry juice the _Bailangren_ brought with them from beyond the Barrier Mountains," she said coldly. "Its effects are lethal and the person so afflicted dies in great and sudden agony after eight days."

The man's eyes widened in terror and she let the air hang heavily between them for several seconds.

"I intend to have vanquished your little rebellion within seven days. If this end has been achieved and you have aided me in every way possible, then I shall administer the antidote to you and you will be fine. The choice is yours."

The man squeezed his eyes shut and shook as he tried to master his fear but finally took a deep breath and kow-towed before her.

"My lady… it… it shall be as you ask in all ways. What would you have of me?"

"As I said earlier, my ladies and I require accommodation. The abandoned _siheyuan _on the far side of town will do nicely. It will allow us to remain together and also gives me a clear view of the forest beyond the fields where the rebels are hiding."

The elder nodded.

"It will need to be refurbished, and quickly. My soldiers can provide brute labour, if necessary and one of my scholars is an accomplished young architect. He will let your people know when all is to my satisfaction. Off with you now."

The man bowed and hurried away. Before long, Diao Chan came strolling up and smiled sweetly. Xiao and the courtesans were sitting on blankets, singing and dancing while the young Wolf warriors guarded them.

"That was clearly a conversation that needed to happen," the northern girl remarked. "Do we have the elder's complicity?"

"Against his wishes, maybe, but I believe we do." Da answered.

"I saw you do something to his hand. I assume you fabricated a lie and told him he was poisoned and going to die if he didn't play nice?"

"I didn't want whoever is the ringleader or agent of the rebellion to have control over someone the people listened so readily to," Da said simply. "He will do as we command, have the people do the same and while this will certainly cause confusion and discord for a time, it can only be to our advantage. When mothers see the advantages we bring their children and men how we can improve life for their families, the will to rebel shall wither."

"Your husband's ancestor the Martial Sage said that the greatest victories were won without fighting," Diao Chan commented cheerfully. "So will we be staying in this field or risking their hospitality?"

"We will stay in the _siheyuan_ on the other side of town. We can stay together there and also it will become the housing for the girls once this issue is settled. There is no fitting compound in the region and it is more than enough for the four of them."

"As you say, my queen." Diao Chan purred, bowing gracefully before they returned to join the courtesans. Da quickly changed into a more practical outfit of a light tunic and sturdy riding breeches before slipping away with Gailavira in tow. The German woman bore a horn and a sword, while Da carried her fans. Certain they were not being noticed by the townsfolk, Da found a tall tree and scurried up the trunk while Gailavira waited at the bottom.

High up in the boughs, Da looked out over the countryside, taking in any details of the region she thought relevant. It suddenly occurred to her that she was surveying with a commander's eye and it pleased her greatly. Maybe, just maybe, she was getting good at this.

She climbed down through the branches and simply dropped the last distance, landing lightly, like a cat. Gailavira made a wry face as she watched her liege descend.

"You move with a grace I cannot fathom, my lady," the larger woman commented. "If I or one of my girls tired such a thing, we would surely break nearly every bone in our bodies."

"You have other advantages I cannot match, I assure you." Da said honestly. "Now that I have seen what I wanted, let us return."

There was much to do before sundown.

* * *

Though somewhat confused by their elder's change of heart, the people set about the task of fixing the _siheyuan_ with a will, especially once the dynamic young scholar and administrator assigned to Bo'ling offered a gold coin to anyone who assisted with the task. Within hours, the manor was cleaned and repaired, not to mention decorated with the silks and beddings and ornamentation Da had brought in the wagons that accompanied their little entourage.

"Now comes the initial difficult part." Da said quietly as she sat in one of the chambers on the upper floor, along with Xiao, Diao Chan, Gailavira, their students and the scholars. The house was guarded well by the White Wolves and Xiao's girls. If any of the townsfolk wanted to get close enough to spy on the little group, they didn't dare. The glowering barbarians and the expressionless warrior-girls deterred any such intent.

"We must acknowledge that there will be a certain amount of risk for us all during these first few days. Even if they dare not admit it, this town is in the throes of rebellion and our unexpected party has given them pause. Doubtless they will try to find ways to deal with us, up to and including murder. It is my insistence that none of us go anywhere alone and unguarded, at least without my direct permission."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"For all that, though, I am looking forward to this," she added, smiling. "We will genuinely win these people over and gain their hearts. As for the rebellion, these are simple peasants and the agents of Cao Cao can only expect so much of them. They are not like the Yellow Turbans of Zhang Jiao, who were ensorcelled and driven into a destructive frenzy. Be genuinely joyous and treat them well. We must show them understanding if we wish to be understood."

The youngest scholar, Ping, now bowed his head. "Great lady, you and your husband have great foresight to deal with these people so benevolently. My fellow administrators and I have been discussing the town itself and its layout. It lacks proper alignment with the principals of _feng shui_ and we would like to begin addressing this with the townsfolk. Not only will it being harmony with the heavens but we believe it will also further disrupt the rebels' hold on the region."

"Oh, this one is _soooo _smart…" Diao Chan cooed, reaching over and pinching Ping's cheek. "Are you sure I can't keep him, my love?" Ping blushed furiously.

"Wouldst thou have the whole world for thy enchanted cave, woman?" Da replied, rolling her eyes. "No, you may not keep him. There are countless young men in the world you may ensnare to sate your appetite."

Diao Chan made a show of pouting and sat silently.

"I agree with your plan, good sir," Da said to Ping. "Draw up plans that you and the people agree to and I will have Baifu send the necessary funds, materials and labour. Have it for me by week's end. As for swaying the people to our side with more immediate and comely means…"

She looked at the courtesan students. "Your safety is paramount at this point in time. If you choose to have a dalliance with a member of the community, please have it within these walls where you can be guarded. If some such thing must happen outside the manor, you must have at least one escort to protect you."

"My lady, what is the intent for our future?" asked one junior student, bowing her head. "We have remained faithfully virgin up to this point in our training, would we still be considered suitable consorts if we were to engage in such activities?"

Da smiled. "Only the great nobility of the realm have such demands of your maidenhood, darling. If you were to choose to cleave to a man or family of the region, I somehow doubt your virginity would be a concern to them, since having a courtesan trained from the schools of the Southlands would certainly add to any clan's prestige. Just do not end up carrying a child unless you intend to marry the man."

The girls all nodded eagerly. Da knew that even if they had no intention yet of finding husbands, since they were all still young, the years of intense training would have raised their ardour and sexual tension to near unbearable levels. Having only had other girls and artificial representations of manhood to sate them, they were eager to taste what the wide world had to offer. Hopefully Bo'ling would be enough for now.

Lin-Mei, the senior student, was intended to run the courtesan house once it was firmly established. It was she who would negotiate for the girls, be it for marriage or simply as entertainers. She was a confident and wilful girl, perfect for the job. Heaven help any man she took as husband.

"We will hold three performances a day for the next seven days, dancing and singing for the populace. We will enchant them so that whatever the insurrection demands of them will seem irrelevant. We will shatter their loyalty to the unrest and let them embrace progress. Rest while you can."

Diao Chan bowed and led the girls away while the scholars returned to their shared room to compare notes. Gailavira was to share Da's chamber and Xiao would stay in a room with her girls who were not on guard duty. Xiao was under orders to make sure they did not terrorize the populace. Gailavira excused herself and went to bathe, leaving the Qiao sisters to themselves. Da couldn't help but notice the downturn at the corners of the younger girl's mouth.

"What's wrong, Xiao?" she queried.

"Why do _you_ always get to share a room with Diao Chan or Gailavira?" grumped the courtesan. "Why am I stuck with my homicidal maniacs?"

"Well, for one, they're _your_ homicidal maniacs, I might point out." Da said reasonably. Aside from that, I am Gailavira's liege, not you, and while Diao Chan loves you, darling, she, well… loves me."

"Oh you are _such_ a princess," Xiao hissed, still scowling. "You're just a Qiao and my sister to me, your highness."

"I fail to see the problem here."

"Why doesn't anyone offer to sleep with me?" Xiao groused.

"It's not like we're joining in any sort of sexual congress when they-"

"Oh, says you," the younger sister interrupted. "I may be an idiot, sis, but I'm not stupid. Go ahead and tell me that nothing has ever happened between you and Diao Chan, you and Gailavira, you and Fu Chin Ran, Lian Shi or, well… any other girl I think of!"

"Are you for real?" Da shot back. "I happen to know for a fact that that you've enjoyed the passion of the cut sleeve with just about everyone you named just now, not to mention or dear sister-in-"

"Not my point," Xiao declared. "What's so different between us aside from the fact that your rack is bigger than mine?"

"Nothing, aside from the fact that I am Lady of the Southlands and their liege, while you are not," Da growled, finally growing tired of her sister's griping. "Now what on earth is bothering you?"

"I am sick of being second best, even if it's to you." Xiao muttered.

"Who said you were?" Da exclaimed, truly surprised by this confession from her sister.

"Nobody, it's just perfectly obvious, wouldn't you say? You're in charge of this expedition, you're the one everyone is devoted to, and you're the one everyone bows to."

"Yes, Xiao, because I am the consort of the Lord of the Southlands," Da stressed. "Are you regretting marrying Zhou Yu and not Sun Ce?"

"Of course not!"

"Do you think Zhou Yu begrudges Ce their positions? Do you _want_ to be the Great Lady of Wu, with all the responsibilities it entails?"

"I… no…" Xiao faltered.

"Come here," Da said finally. "Now…"

Somewhat unsure of what her sister wanted, Xiao moved her chair closer to Da's. Da placed her fingers on the younger girl's wrist, feeling her pulse before laying her palm over her breast and listening to her heart beat. Xiao frowned and bit her lip at the touch.

Finally, Da took her sister by the cheeks, drew her in and kissed her warmly on the lips. Xiao's eyes went wide.

"Oh, for crying out loud," Da complained, almost pushing Xiao away from her. "All this because you're horny? Do something about it then! Honestly… away from Zhou Yu for a week and you would think you'd been stuck in the Taklimakan Desert in a cave unsexed for years. I somehow doubt our students or Diao Chan would spurn your advances, nor Gailavira for that matter. She is more liberated than she-"

"Ah-hah!" Xiao declared triumphantly, almost leaping out of her seat and pointing at her sister. "I knew that you had a more than platonic relationship with her!"

Da just put her head in her hands and shook it wearily. "There's no fooling you, sister-mine. Why, virtually every woman in Baifu and beyond its walls has known my amorous touch."

Xiao paused for a moment, mulling over the veracity of her sister's statement in her mind. She then shook her head, banishing it as a fabrication. "Quit trying to distract me! I'm gonna be better at you than _something_, mark my words."

"Consider your words duly marked." Da answered dully, done with the conversation.

"As a matter of fact, I will be the one to perfect our courtesan martial art!" Xiao announced, nodding her head. "Everyone will remember my name as the Qiao girl who made it possible."

"You're the only Qiao girl who flies around in some absurd contraption that looks like a dragon," Da pointed out. "Isn't that enough?"

"No, because you're not envious of that."

"Well, at least we agree there," Da sighed. Not only did her younger sister fly around the skies in an artificial dragon, but she had named it '_Mengxiang Dong-Dong' _(Dreamy Boom-Boom). Only Xiao could possibly name a dragon something that ridiculous. "But if you're going to perfect our courtesan martial art, oh Mistress of Death, I suggest you get moving on it, because Diao Chan has already begun developing her style."

Xiao went pale. "How… how do you know that?"

"She talks in her sleep." Da replied, smiling evilly, beginning to enjoy herself now.

"Augh!" Xiao spat before spinning on her heel and storming out of the room. She was gone for three seconds before she reappeared in the doorway and bowed stiffly.

"Your highness…"

Da just shook her head wearily and went to lie on her bed. Fighting the rebels _had_ to be easier than this…

* * *

Diao Chan walked quietly through the streets of the town, the only light touching her being that of the moon. The town was quiet although she was sure eyes were on her, watching her every move.

Predictably, she was grabbed by the wrist and pulled into an alleyway. She found herself shoved roughly against a wall, her arms pinned over her head. A stranger glowered at her, his face concealed with cloth.

"Oh… hello there…" she said, trying not to breathe too heavily, somewhat excited.

"Hush, bitch," the man hissed, roughly squeezing her cheeks to shut her mouth. "Don't you dare scream."

"Oh, not unless you make me, big boy," she purred as he released his grip on her face, her eyes dancing. "But come now, do you intend to take me in this dingy alley? Do you intend to ruin my finery and heap shame upon me? I am tingling at the prospect."

The man snarled at her mockery and drew back his hand to strike her. His wrist was suddenly clamped into place and unable to move. He shot a look backward and his eyes widened as he goggled up at the German warrior scowling down at him.

Diao Chan stepped aside, her assailant's grip on her forgotten and the large, blonde man slammed his prey to the ground and then wrenched his arm brutally, almost snapping it out of the socket. He stepped on the man's face to make sure his scream did not echo throughout the town.

"Get this straight, you piece of dogshit," the westerner growled in heavily-accented Chinese. "Run back to your masters and tell them that the Ladies of Baifu are under my protection and I will wear your collective balls in a pouch on my belt if they try to harm us again. Go!"

The man scrambled awkwardly to his feet and loped off in terror, whimpering and holding his arm. Diao Chan now approached her saviour, who bowed awkwardly before looking around for signs of other hostiles.

"Lady Diao Chan," Theodoric said, his voice earnest. "Lady Da Qiao said none of you were supposed to walk about unaccompanied because it is not safe. Not yet, at least."

"Oh, but clearly I am well looked after, wouldn't you say?" Diao Chan said in a low and sultry voice as she approached him and threw her arms around the shocked young warrior and pressing her hips into his.

"My hero…" she purred. "A rescue like that deserves a reward."

Theodoric flushed almost crimson. "I… my lady…"

She smiled slyly and pushed him back against the wall of the alley. Theodoric shuddered, although whether in anticipation or trepidation she could not tell.

"Are… are you courtesans not supposed to be virgins?" he stammered.

"Oh, my darling, I have been married twice and had a child, my days as a blushing virgin are far behind me, I assure you."

Theodoric trembled as her hand slid down to his breeches and she smiled slyly. "Such gifted men, you warriors of the White Wolf tribe."

"This… this is unwise, my lady," Theodoric protested. "I… we must pause."

"Why?" she asked, pouting. "Do you like boys?"

His eyes widened. "I… no! No…" he managed to say. "But it is not safe here. I cannot guard you if I am… if I…"

"Oh, worry not, love, at least two of Lady Xiao's girls are guarding us as we speak…" she whispered softly. "We will not be interrupted."

"Oh…" the young warrior said, trying to sound relieved. "But… here in the darkness and in the open?"

"It wouldn't be the first time, I promise you."

"Oh…" he continued, somewhat at a loss. "Perhaps we should-"

"Oh, just shut up already, Theodoric…" Diao Chan said through a kiss as she deftly removed their clothes.

The rabbit in the moon smiled grandly that night as it watched over Bo'ling.

* * *

Da Qiao and the other courtesans stood in the town's square, guarded by their barbarians and Xiao's girls while they prepared for their first performance. The scholars were making their way through the assembled crowd, asking questions and taking notes about the people's expectations and needs.

Da couldn't help but notice the way that Theodoric was smiling, not to mention walking with a confident gait once might almost consider a swagger.

"Well, at least someone got their basket weaved last night…" Xiao said through her teeth as she smiled and waved to the onlookers.

"You have your own petulance to thank if you did not." Da replied, also smiling and waving. "You have many partners to choose from if you decide to get over yourself."

"Maybe some of us have been working on the courtesan martial art instead of treading the arrow," hissed the younger sister, her radiant smile never failing. "I will be the better warrior of the two of us."

"Dream on, short pants," Da intoned. "You spend so much time griping about not getting pegged that you'll never achieve the focus necessary to perfect so demanding an art."

"Oh, and I suppose you will?" Xiao challenged as she prepared her flute, checking it diligently.

"Since I am not willingly suffering the torments of sexual frustration, I am sure the inspiration will come to me."

There was silence between them as they continued to prepare, still building up the crowd's anticipation.

"I dare you to fight with only one fan!" they hissed simultaneously.

They put aside the grievance as the time came for the performance and Da addressed the people of Bo'ling. She noticed that their numbers seemed to have swollen, meaning that people from the region around the town had clearly heard of their arrival and came to investigate.

She iterated for the people why they had come, thanking the elder for his kindness and cooperation. The man smiled weakly, no doubt aware of the fixed stares he was getting from so many who had followed him into rebellion.

She then began their first song, a local tale about star-crossed lovers. A well-known story to anyone in the region, it established an immediate connection with the people and hopefully engaged their sympathies. And if there was one thing that Da, Xiao and Diao Chan knew how to do better than anyone else, it was win people over.

The three of them sang in harmony while their students danced and played cymbals and small drums to accompany. The townsfolk were rapt by the performance, having never been exposed to the true sublime genius of professional courtesans.

Rather than wait for applause, they immediately moved onto another tune called 'Cold and Raw', this one of a humorous nature and people began to laugh as Da sang about a man trying to buy a peasant girl he fancied who had purposed to sell her body at a local market but would not acquiesce to his proposal of marriage.

Diao Chan then sang about the nomads of the northern wastes, followed by Xiao recounting the tale of the Orphan of House Chao. Through it all, the people's eyes never left the women, as close to ensorcelled as they could come without being ensnared by a practitioner of those forbidden and mystic arts.

By the end of the morning's performance, many were applauding and Da Qiao promised them more that afternoon. Until then, the ladies would circulate amongst the people, attended of course, and get to know those they would be living with and serving.

The three courtesans returned to their manor and talked briefly about the crowd's reaction. They were discussing their afternoon when Theodoric entered, accompanied by the elder. Da thanked the young warrior and dismissed him, but not before Diao Chan blew him a kiss. Theodoric blushed and exited quickly, causing Xiao to roll her eyes.

"My lady, I fear we might have a small interruption," the elder began, bowing humbly. "One of the local noble families, the Gao, led by a man named Hu, are approaching Bo'ling. They are a major source of the insurrection in the region and they have been informed of the rather minute size of your entourage. They come with troops, not only their house retainers, but those of the local rebellion. They are just down the road to our south."

Da went to a shuttered window and peered through the ornate wooden slats. Sure enough, she could see several people on horseback approaching, followed by a rather motley assortment of troops. They might have numbered upward of a hundred.

"Hmmmm, there's about a hundred of them," she mused. "What do you think, Xiao? Have you practiced your courtesan martial skills enough to perhaps have an impression on our unannounced guests?"

Xiao considered. "Worth a try. I have twenty blond barbarians as backup if I get in over my head, not to mention my girls."

"I should also inform the lady that they will take much issue with me now," the elder interjected, clearly worried about his safety now that he had turned his back on the rebellion. "I was to turn Bo'ling's population against your husband and now I am encouraging them to embrace Lord Sun Ce. This will doubtless be seen as an unforgiveable betrayal."

"Pledging yourself to what is right is never betrayal, elder." Da said firmly, fixing him with a look. "You have turned your back on chaos and the defiance of Heaven, you owe them nothing. You are now under my protection and no harm shall come to you if you are faithful in this duty."

She turned to her sister. "We'll be watching carefully, as will the townsfolk no doubt. Take your girls out and meet them. Do what you must to either gain their compliance or, if necessary, convince them to leave. Slay the lord of the clan first, if it comes to blows. Without him, they will waver. Just make sure it is ridiculously easy."

Xiao nodded confidently. She bowed and scampered out of the room. Da now turned to Gailavira.

"My lady, please make sure your son's troops are ready to assist, but their primary duty remains the safety of our girls and ourselves. Our girls may remain in the street, but make sure they engage the crowd in cheering for Xiao."

Gailavira nodded and went to find her son. Da and Diao Chan now peered through the window together.

"What now, my love?" the northerner asked, sliding her hand around Da's waist.

"There is no time for that, you vixen," Da replied, watching as he sister walked out through the gates to meet their guests. "Love you as I do, I have eyes only for my sister at the moment."

"On that point we can agree." Diao Chan murmured, settling in to watch the proceedings.

Xiao waited patiently while the entourage approached, her squad of girls standing silently some distance behind her, wearing their habitual black cloaks that concealed their bodies. It was, in some ways, even more unnerving than the presence of the tall and brawny warriors of the White Wolves.

She rocked back and forth on her heels, her hands folded behind her back and a smile on her face. As the man known as Gao Hu approached, he was clearly confused by what he was seeing. He scowled and plainly meant to say something when Xiao waved cheerfully.

"Hi!" she called out. "I'm Xiao Qiao, wife of Lord Zhou Yu and I'm here with my sister Da, who's the consort of Lord Sun Ce! We've come to bring bliss to the region with our courtesans and-"

"I care not!" Gao Hu interrupted haughtily, sneering at her. "I am the hereditary lord of this region, and on that authority, I demand that you and your people withdraw from my lands forthwith or you shall declare your lives forfeit!"

"Oh! Rude!" Xiao exclaimed, scowling at the upstart noble. "Didn't your mother teach you that it's not polite to interrupt people while they're announcing themselves?"

"Did she really just say that?" Diao Chan whispered to Da as they watched. "Did she really just engage in such florid hypocrisy? She interrupts people all the time."

"Shhh…" was Da's only reply.

Gao Hu's face contorted in anger. "Witless harlot!" he spat. "I'll send my most base servant to deal with you! Fu Bi Ti! Teach this ignoble slut a lesson! Go!"

With a swat from his master's ceremonial fan, a young man leapt forward and advanced toward Xiao, trembling in fear. Seemingly he was afraid of his lord and seemed compelled to do as he was ordered, the consequences of not obeying clearly a source of dread to him.

Xiao watched as the man known as Fu Bi Ti ('Tiger Snot') approached her, not exactly sure what he was supposed to do. She felt genuinely bad for him and decided to make this as painless as possible.

"It's okay," she whispered just loud enough for him to hear. "Attack me and I'll make sure that you don't feel it at all when I knock you out."

"Thank you…" he whispered back as he drew his knife and charged at her. He thrust the weapon forward clumsily and she sidestepped gracefully and thumped him on the side of the neck with her little fist. True to her promise, he was unconscious before he hit the ground.

She now looked up at Gao Hu and smirked. "Well, he's a braver man than you are. Anything else you have to say?"

Gao Hu snarled and waved with his fan, sending three men on horseback trotting forward. Xiao nodded and opened her fan as they approached.

"Oh gods, she took only one fan," Da breathed. "The little idiot, I didn't think she would actually do it."

"What, it's _your _fault she left her other one over there in the corner?" Diao Chan asked, gesturing to the neglected weapon. "And here I thought she had just been a moron and left it behind by accident. One can never tell with you two."

Xiao made a subtle gesture for her girls to not interfere as the horsemen bore down on her. One man swept a curved blade out and slashed at her. She pirouetted out of the way and responded with a wide and blindingly fast strike of her own. The man howled as the blade and most of his fingers tumbled through the air and to the ground, forcing him to turn his mount around and retreat.

Another man leaned over and struck at her midsection but she sprang up lightly onto the saddle and rammed her knee into his face, knocking him off the horse. He fell hard but got up quickly, still holding his sword. He lunged in and she almost playfully batted the attack aside before striking with her fan in a beautiful arc that felled him. It almost looked like he had gone to sleep.

Aware of the third cavalier now behind her, she somersaulted backward on the outside of his intended line of attack and swatted his steed across its hind end, hard. The beast reared in pain and fright, throwing the rider. Xiao spun and kicked him before he hit the ground, sending him tumbling amidst her girls. The tallest girl, Shing, scowled and stamped on the man's sternum forcefully. He didn't get up.

Gao Hu clearly had had all he could take of this puny girl's insolence and he roared in fury as he gestured for his troops to advance, throwing down his fan and sweeping out his straight-bladed sword, an heirloom of his family for generations. The foot-soldiers advanced in a mob, shouting curses and threats at Xiao. She bowed gracefully and then did the unexpected, heading forward to meet them.

Her movements were like a dance, elegant and sublime. She was in their midst before they were ready and she twirled and spun, her fan trailing ribbons of crimson as it felled her foes.

"Look mom! I'm dancing! I'm dancing!" she called out gaily, seemingly unperturbed by the maelstrom of violence surrounding her.

A man hacked down at her and she snapped her fan shut to catch the blow before ramming the end into his groin. With her foe doubled over, she kicked him in the chin as she flipped backward, landing behind the foes who had tried to get in her rear. She swiped again and again with her fan, concentrating not only on the dance she created for herself, but something new… as a courtesan, she was the center and focus of her partner's world, their very essence tied to hers in many ways. While a courtesan could give, they could also take, and she almost breathed in her foes' emotions, be they anger, terror, confusion or desperation.

"I get it now!" she said to no one in particular, her body radiating a heat she had not known before. If she didn't get rid of it soon, she might start sweating. And she hated sweating.

She struck deliberately with her fan twice more and then hurled it from herself, watching almost in slow motion as it spun about, low to the ground and sweeping or shearing the legs off of her foes before returning mystically (but naturally) to her hand.

"Ha!" she shouted as she thrust her palm forward, forcing all the energy and violence she had absorbed from the enemy into a lance of pure and dazzling light. The air hissed and an aura almost like flower petals surrounded her. The energy she released had a devastating effect on her foes- many were knocked flying while other who unfortunately happened to be directly in the beam's path were slain. It punched through the chest of one rebel and struck another. The first man wailed as he shone radiantly and then simply disappeared from view, his body no more.

"Oh my…" Diao Chan murmured as she watched the massacre. "I hate to say it, darling, but I think she figured it out first."

Da just watched quietly as her sister cut her way through the rebel forces, always trying to find their commander, the nobleman, but never quite able to catch up with him as he hid behind his men.

"Get back here!" she hissed as she chased him. "You call yourself a nobleman, hiding like this? What are you, a Yuan? C'mon, fraidy-cat, you scared of a little girl?"

She struck down more men as she rampaged about. If anyone got behind her, they were swiftly killed by an arrow shot by one of her girls, who waited patiently nearby, as were their orders. At one point a foe died with eight arrows in his back after her squad forgot whose turn it was to shoot. The nobleman squealed in terror as the man fell, dangerously close to him.

"Gotcha!" she hooted in triumph as she finally caught up with him and struck. The man parried but was thrown from his mount, which shrieked and dashed off. The noble tried to get up but was suddenly pinned in place- his eyes goggled up at Xiao as she put her foot on his chest and pointed her fan down at him. What rebels who yet lived and able to move kept their distance, watching warily.

"Anything else you wanna discuss, big boy?" she asked as she glowered down with him. "Because I have half a mind to take my fan and… wait… I was gonna take it and… damn, I had this whole speech worked out about what I was gonna do after I beat you and then explain the evils of rebellion and the follies of opposing the Sun family, but I kinda forgot it now… stay there while I-"

With Xiao distracted, Gao Hu threw her foot off his chest and scrambled away, racing after his horse and fleeing back towards the woods, soon joined by his remaining men. Xiao just shrugged and waved after him.

"Come back and try again later!" she called out.

Sighing happily, she turned about and skipped back toward the gates, seeming to not notice the bodies strewn about. She nodded to her girls and they came back through the gates. Theodoric and his warriors began clashing their weapons on their shields to acknowledge her triumph while the townspeople all looked stunned. She stood in front of them all, leaning into one hip and looking skeptical.

"Those are your rebels? Really?" she sneered. "I'm just a girl with a fan and I took that lot out. Are you people _sure_ you want their protection instead of Sun Ce's? Really?"

She was about to return to the manor when a woman rushed up and kow-towed in front of her.

"Lady Qiao!" the woman said, trembling. "Please, I beg of you… allow me to go and retrieve my son from the field you fought on! I can see he yet lives!"

Xiao looked confused for a moment. "Hm? Oh… oh! Oh, yeah, go ahead folks and get your kids back. They're probably kinda hurt and some of them might be dead. Sorry about that."

Dozens of people raced by her as they streamed out to the sight of the brawl and began looking for their loved ones. The vast majority of those stricken were alive, except for the ones shot by Xiao's girls or the man vaporized by her _kathexis_ display.

"I hope they have some healers handy," Xiao commented to Gailavira as the German woman came up to her. "I didn't expect to drop that many of them to be honest."

"I don't think anyone expected anything like what just happened," Gailavira replied. "But go now, my lady, and see your sister. Your girls and my son shall guard the manor."

Xiao nodded and entered the _siheyuan_, racing up the steps in excitement and burst into the room Da and Diao Chan had remained in.

"Da, did she see?" she exclaimed in delight as she leapt into her sister's arms and hugged her tight. "I beat them all! I was great!"

"You were indeed, darling," Da said quietly as she held Xiao, trembling in relief that her little sister was alright. "I am so sorry I made that stupid dare with you, I shouldn't have-"

"Are you kidding?" Xiao asked, beaming. "I figured it out and now I'll be better than ever on the battlefield because I fight like a courtesan! Two fans, one fan, Lu Fan… I can use almost anything as a weapon now!"

Da giggled and smiled lovingly at her sister. "I am glad, Xiao."

"And I can't wait to see how you do with only one fan now that we know what can be done." Xiao announced as she turned to hug Diao Chan.

Da blinked. "Ummm… excuse me?"

"Well, you didn't think you were off the hook for following through on our little dare now, did you?" Xiao asked. "I mean, a dare's a dare and we've never backed down on one another's dares before, have we?"

"Well… no…" Da said somewhat falteringly.

"Goodness," Diao Chan injected, smiling slyly. "Given how perverted you Qiao girls can get, there are no doubt many interesting stories related to Xiao's statement, I surmise."

"You're not helping here, Diao Chan." Da muttered darkly. "You're really going to make me fight with only one fan?"

"Yes, your highness." Xiao replied, nodding in affirmation.

Da sighed. Bo'ling was going to be the death of her.

* * *

With the help of her scholars and the town's elder, Da Qiao began to ascertain what exactly was fomenting the unrest in the region. It was not poor, to be sure, but affluence was rather unknown to them, at least for the past few generations. The town of Bo'ling had a population of close to two thousand, nearly one fifth of the inhabitants in the area. As the only major settlement, it was the center of the unrest, although most of the rebels had come from the rural parts of the region.

Most of the townsfolk could not say why the insurrection had been mounted, outside of the fact that the elder had said that Lord Sun Ce's rule would be bad and tyrannical. They had been told that he used force to quell regions and taxed the people heavily. They had heard that attractive girls were taken to Baifu to serve in harems while men were pressed into military service.

"But do you have any proof to substantiate these allegations?" the young scholar named Ping asked as he stood in the town square, addressing a crowd of people. "The Sun family were once the rulers of these lands, generations ago. Were they despotic back then? Have any of your women or men been taken away?"

No one answered.

"My friends, you have all heard of the wars happening in the north, how our Lord Sun Ce fights against the Prime Minister who seeks domination over all the land." Ping continued. "It is Cao Cao's agents that have stirred up rebellion in your region and nearly two dozen others within the realm of Wu. He cares not for your well-being, he only wishes to see the Sun family weakened and discredited so that he may take the entire Middle Kingdom within his grasp. What transgression, I ask you, has the Lord of the Southlands ever inflicted upon you?"

"Should we not be left to determine our own fate and our own way?" one man called out.

"If anyone can give it to you, it is Lord Sun Ce," replied Ping. "Before the Sun family returned to these wide lands, did you not live in fear of the corrupt and greedy bandits who called themselves lords? If the Sun family is defeated, do you think that Cao Cao will leave you to live as you see fit?"

"Lord Sun Ce sends not troops but money and learning and courtesans in response to your call for help. These far-flung lands have developed so quickly in these past few years. The mighty city of Baifu sits where once there was a dilapidated fishing village. Its walls are strong, its towers tall and its temples sacrosanct. The academies of Kongfuzi are growing in number and courtesan schools are soon to be plentiful, representing the pinnacle of culture. Your children could become scholars and administrators if they showed aptitude."

"We bring you advanced farming techniques to increase crop production and knowledge for the making of goods and wares. This town and this region can thrive but not if you insist on going it alone. Lord Sun Ce swore an oath that every man and woman in his realm would have a chance to be happy and he would keep them safe, as only the mighty warriors of the Sun can! Why would you turn your back on this possibility?"

"The elder told us to rebel!" one man cried out. "He was our elder, of course we listened to him! How would we know not to?"

"You heard his words and you allowed him to think for you and play on your fears, my friends." Ping pointed out, feeling sorry for these people. "Without so much as a hint of evidence, he convinced you to rebel and to shut your minds and ears against reason. This is why the Confucian academies are so desperately needed, so that you are empowered to think for yourselves and without being ruled by fear."

"If the elder misled us then it is he who should be punished!" another man called. "Why should we suffer for his conniving words?"

"How is it that you suffer?" Ping reasoned. "Do you consider the arrival of courtesans, scholars and money into your town punishment? I dread to consider the reward you would ask of us for exemplary behaviour."

A few people in the crowd chuckled in response to Ping's gentle chiding.

"But many of our loved ones have taken up arms against Lord Sun Ce already," a woman said. "Of the people slain yesterday by Lady Qiao, two were young men of this town and six are amongst the injured. What can we do to prevent further bloodshed?"

"I promise you that the Ladies Qiao did not come to fight, good people of Bo'ling," Ping declared in an assuring tone. "If you wish to end the armed rebellion, then make sure those who have taken up arms clearly see that none here want anything more to do with it. Embrace what we bring and let prosperity and happiness do the rest."

"And if those who reject what you bring force the issue?" asked a man dressed as a blacksmith.

Ping's face was serious as he spoke. "Then your town will be protected from those that mean it harm. You have our word."

The battle lines for Bo'ling would soon be drawn.

* * *

The morning of the fourth day had arrived and the citizenry was beginning to receive the little band warmly, even the exotic and terrifying barbarians. Most of the city watch had joined the rebellion and any left behind had soon fled to the rebel's strongholds once Da had announced her intention to stay.

The courtesans entertained the citizens daily, not only performing but teaching them to dance and play instruments. The scholars addressed the matters of implementing laws consistent with not only Confucian principal but also honouring the traditions of the town. There was some resistance to the notion of realigning the settlement to meet the principals of _feng shui_ but these were eventually overcome when the economic benefits became glaringly obvious to all.

Da also made the bold promise to the people of Bo'ling that the current nobles of the region would be deposed for rebelling and at least three families would be granted titles within a generation, depending on who proved wisest and most benevolent, along with passing the academy exams. She promised it would be open to any, regardless of their origin. Such was the way of the Sun family.

She sat now inside a chamber in the manor while four families knelt before her. The fathers bowed humbly.

"Lady Qiao, we wish to speak to you of our daughters," began one man. "Some of us would seek prosperity even when our children do not meet the qualifications of the Confucian academies. We understand that the dowry for an accomplished courtesan can be a considerable boon for a family. Is it not so?"

"It can be," Da replied, nodding. "Lord Sun Jian, the Great Patriarch, paid a very pretty brideprice to my father in return for allowing his son to marry me. I would not expect most suitors to try and match what was paid for me, but yes, it is possible. It would certainly never be a trifle."

"Do you think that maybe some of our daughters could be considered eligible students for the courtesan academies you intend to build?" asked another, bowing.

"It will be a few years before the courtesan's academy we build in the region will be ready, so if we found any suitable candidates amongst your daughters, you would need to say farewell to them for considerable lengths of time," Da pointed out. "They could be sent to Jade Butterfly in Wuchang, Amber Lotus in Baifu, Pearl Dream in Changsha or Moon Blossom in Fujian. The dowry for these girls would be high, I see it as unlikely that anyone in this region would be able to meet the sums, at least for now. You must not entertain any notions of a certain marriage within Bo'ling."

One man smiled. "The notion of my daughter possibly becoming the consort of a powerful and noble family is more than enough, my lady."

Da nodded and beckoned his young daughter forward. The girl, who could not have been more than nine, came forward timidly, but Da took her hand gently and examined her and with a discerning eye.

"She has fair skin for a girl from this far south," she commented casually. "It is a desirable trait."

"Oh, her mother, Heavens rest her gentle soul, was from a northern family, my lady," the father said, seemingly pleased by Da's words.

"Indeed. And her bones are delicate, her facial features sleek and becoming. Her hair is thick and lustrous. In my estimate, good sir, she has the makings of a courtesan, and a fine one at that."

"Really, my lady?" the man asked, excited.

"Aye. If you wish for this to be her future, though, you must protect her from excessive toil and physical labour, lest she lose the potential for the grace she could develop. Make sure she eats not only well but properly and I will instruct my students who will be the courtesans of Bo'ling to associate with her. Within two years I will send for her and we will assess her worthiness at that time."

The man bowed gratefully. Da examined the other three girls that had been brought and her assessments were honest and thorough. One girl, nearly thirteen, she was impressed enough with that she told the father that the girl should move into the manor with her courtesans as soon as possible to receive informal training until she could be sent to Moon Blossom, where she would become a ward and concubine of Lady Shang Xiang, for she saw not only the makings of a courtesan but a warrior in the girl, and who better than the Bow-hipped Princess to see her reach her full potential?

The supplicants had exited and Da Qiao now sat inside the large wooden bath that had been constructed for her use. She was relaxing and letting the water soothe her skin when a gentle rustle of wind indicated someone had entered. She smiled as an intoxicating mixture of jasmine and cinnamon scents reached her nose and then sighed as Diao Chan slid into the tub with her, her delicate feet caressing Da's.

"Recruiting already, my love?" cooed the northerner.

"Just another way of showing these people that we have more to offer than meaningless rebellion ever will," Da replied, not opening her eyes. "Aside from our young champion Theodoric, I noticed you have taken to the company of some other comely members of our host city."

"Indeed, it is one of the benefits of not being vested in a connubial contract as you are," Diao Chan said airily. "But darling, be honest with me. Though you love your husband and he is certainly more than puissant enough in pillowing, surely you must miss the… oh, what's the word…"

"Promiscuity?" Da teased. "While it is true that our profession does train a woman's body to crave bliss, I would remind you that Lord Sun Ce was my first and only man and remains so to this day. I had to deal with the yearnings but never was allowed to 'play the field', to borrow the Chui-wan term."

"Oh, you are awful to me, my love," Diao Chan sighed, slowly spreading the scented water over her wet breasts. "Would that there was another man like yours within our realm, for surely I would make him mine."

"Any man would be so lucky to have you, I promise you. Were I a dowager-queen with no husband, I would certainly have taken you as a consort of my own. But are you enjoying your time here?"

"Insofar as we have not encountered real danger and the townsfolk seem to be over their simmering desire to assassinate us, then yes, I am quite happy with our progress." Diao Chan said lazily, continuing to massage her pale, silken body while she bathed. "We seem to have stalled the rebellion within Bo'ling and people are reluctantly accepting the truth of what we offer. I would not be surprised, though, if we did have to fight at least one battle with the rebels. Cao Cao's agents will not accept their mission withering away with nary a whimper."

"Then we will have to make sure it is a decisive battle and hopefully not a costly one," Da replied. "We injured and slew a few of the young men of the town during Xiao's foray against the rebels, I am loathe to inflict further heartbreak on the people of Bo'ling."

"Then the people will need to do what they can to make sure their loved ones who have taken up arms see no further need to rebel," Diao Chan mused, now moving around the tub to sit behind Da and massage her shoulders gently. "Soon enough, parents will be angrily ordering their errant sons to quit playing at being a hero and demanding that they join your husband's armies if they wish to prove themselves."

"Mmmmmmm, we should be so lucky," Da sighed as she let her head fall forward and feel Diao Chan's exquisite fingers knead the tension out of her body. She may have had some aptitude for these sort of battlefield and administrative decisions, but they still wore on her. "Then again, my husband would not have sent us if he thought we could not handle the job. And let's face it, this should be a walk in the park, yes?"

"Only as easy as we choose to be and as pleasurable as we make it, your highness," Diao Chan purred, deftly flexing her fingers along the pressure points of Da's neck. "It pains me to see how these wars affect you, your body screams for soothing attention."

"A necessary evil, I guess," Da said softly. "I cannot begin to imagine how it tore you apart to be stuck with the intrigues of the imperial court. You are a strong woman to have survived it and remained beautiful, darling."

"Is this a private party or can anyone join?" chirped Xiao as she came into the room. Before either of them could answer, she had undressed and joined them in the large tub, but it was now somewhat of a snug fit, aided only by the slippery oils added to their water.

Diao Chan sighed, shaking her head and smiling. "Well now, if it isn't our invincible champion. Great lady of battle, how fare thee?"

"Fine, I suppose," Xiao replied, squirming to untangle her legs from her sister's. "I've been solicited for my services at least twelve times today, it's like people don't believe I'm the wife of Zhou Yu. I mean, I'm flattered and all, but c'mon, give a girl a break already."

"And how did you extricate yourself from this licentious hell you found yourself in?" Diao Chan asked teasingly, still massaging Da's neck and shoulders.

"I sicced Jun and Lian on them, they've both been a little horny lately." Xiao said simply.

Diao Chan paused in massaging Da. "I… Xiao, love, aren't Jun and Lian two of your girls? Don't they just stare at everything or kill everything?"

"Fat lot you know, obviously," Xiao scoffed, clearly not impressed with her colleague's assessment of her squad's personality, or lack thereof. "Not that it's any of your business, but my girls have their own lives and passions and interests."

"We know, Xiao, it's the interests that have nothing to do with shooting people dead or stabbing them in the face that we are not familiar with." Da mumbled, grimacing as her younger sister continued to squirm around in an attempt to get comfortable.

Xiao ignored Da's jibe. "In any event, those two saw fit to take a few of my more persistent suitors off my hands; a dear blessing, I will have you know."

"A few?" Diao Chan asked, raising an eyebrow. "As in 'a few of your more persistent suitors all at once' or spaced over a period of time? No, never mind, I don't want to know."

"Well, if any young men of the town are found half-eaten in an alleyway tonight, at least we'll know who to blame." Da added.

"And a number of people inquired about how girls might become courtesans," Xiao continued. "I think we really- um, can we please switch around? I'm kinda polishing mirrors here."

Ever long-suffering, Da and Diao Chan joined Xiao in slithering around inside the wooden basin, trying to find an arrangement that would suit the youngest girl and get her to quit inadvertently molesting everyone. The experiment ended poorly, with Da Qiao kneeling facing out of the tub, resting her chin on her arms and sighing while Diao Chan was perched awkwardly on her behind and Xiao was nestled into Diao Chan's lap, blushing.

"How did you win that battle yesterday, you nitwit?" Da growled. Xiao pouted.

"I am sorry about this darling," Diao Chan said soothingly. She squirmed her rear end around for a moment on top of Da's. "I guess I could still sort of massage you."

"That's it, I'm out of here," Da groused, extricating herself from the Sapphic catastrophe, climbing out of the tub and wrapping herself in a nearby silk robe. "How's a person supposed to relax with you two libertines always cluttering things up?"

She turned on her heel and exited the chamber. Xiao and Diao Chan just watched her leave, the younger sister still straddling the northerner's lap.

"Wow, what's her problem?" Xiao remarked, making a wry face.

"She's… just a little high-strung at the moment, methinks." Diao Chan answered.

"She needs to get laid." Xiao concluded, wondering why her sister chose to be so grumpy.

* * *

Da was singing a song about Emperor Huang Di, founder of the Qin Dynasty, when the gates south of the town opened and several of Xiao's girls rode in, clearly in haste. Da paused in her performance as the girls leapt off their mounts and knelt before her, fists clasped into their hands. Da noticed they were genuflecting to her and not Xiao. There might have been hope for these girls yet.

"My lady," Shing said, having led the scouting mission. "An armed force approaches from the south and from the west, doubtless the rebel forces, judging by their haphazard appearance. There is some cavalry but mostly men on foot. The fool who calls himself a noble, the one named Gao Hu leads the group from the south while another man we do not know leads the forces from the west."

"That would be Lai Er," the elder said, approaching and bowing his head. "It is he who came to this region and began sowing the seeds of discord and it is he who I shamefully was in league with against your mighty husband."

"Then he must be Cao Cao's agent," Da determined, putting down her harp and considering what she was being told. "Shing, how many of them are there?"

"The group from the west is the larger one, but all told they cannot number more than a thousand." Shing replied.

"You took on ten thousand of Cao Cao's troops at the battle of Erli-tou." Diao Chan remarked.

"Yes, but it was me along with four hundred White Wolves, the Valiant Cavaliers and the Iron Fists, not to mention a squad of Ce's Night Tigers and a timely assist from Gan Ning." Da pointed out. "For all that, though, these are townsfolk and farmers, there are unlikely to be any trained warriors amongst them."

"Maybe our town watch who threw in their lot with the rebels, but their training was not exactly extensive," the town's blacksmith offered. "But even if you can beat them, the loss of these people, errant though their motives might be, will be devastating to us, my lady. What do we do?"

Da thought hard and then stood atop the stage that had been built in the town square, looking out at the people of Bo'ling. "I promised you we would defend you and I will hold to that! But perhaps it is _you _who can see this rebellion come to an end. They will not assault the town for fear of slaying their own families, but they will doubtless expect you to surrender us to them. Take now to the walls of the town and call out to your sons, brothers and husbands. Let them know that they need not fight and no blood need be spilled. It may come to blows, but I would weaken their resolve first and keep the fighting out of the city!"

The more resolute members of the community nodded and immediately sped to the walls, looking out for loved ones, followed by those who feared the potential violence, but before long, several hundred people had lined the wooden palisade surrounding the city. Da now consulted with her sister and Theodoric.

"Xiao, take your girls and ten of the White Wolves, along with Gailavira. You'll be facing off against Gao Hu again, since he has lost to you once already. Diao Chan, Theodoric and his ten warriors will accompany me to face Lai Er."

She now addressed the scholars and their students. "Get into the apothecary in the center of the city and stay there until this is over."

"Not the _siheyuan_, my lady?" asked one girl.

"No, it is near the palisade and they doubtless know that is where we are staying. They might try to get lucky with torches or fire arrows, I won't risk you. Go now!"

Da turned to her companions and nodded. "Now comes the test. I will not lie, I am obviously nervous and I would give countless pearls to have either my husband or Lord Elryk on our side, but this is not the case. We must fight bravely but also show restraint, for we do not wish to slay our foes if we can avoid it."

"Then we will ridicule them, I guess." Diao Chan said.

"Hey, Da, don't forget to fight with just one fan!" Xiao called to her as she and her moderate forces trooped out of the southern gates. Da couldn't help but notice that her sister was brandishing both of her fans.

"A deal's a deal, my love," Diao Chan agreed, holding out her hand, clearly expecting Da to surrender one of her weapons. "If it makes you feel any better, I promise to fight with only one whip."

"You only ever fight with one whip, woman, that's no sacrifice." Da commented tersely as she handed over one of her fans to her beloved friend. Diao Chan then gave it to one of their students for safe keeping and the girl sped off to keep it safe in the apothecary.

"You just have to see the negative in everything, don't you?" Diao Chan said in tone of mocking despair as she followed Da towards the western gate. They noticed that many people were already atop the gate and the wall, looking out for signs of the rebels.

"This may very well be the most absurd battle in the history of the Middle Kingdom." Da muttered as she exited the gate and waited patiently before it.

"Any battle where a girl in a silk dress fights with a fan is likely to be the most absurd battle in the history of the Middle Kingdom, my dearest," Diao Chan pointed out. "A town defended by a trio of courtesans."

"Along with several straw-haired, big-eyed and big-footed barbarians..." Da added, trying to make the odds sound more even in her head.

"Well, they're big all over, to be honest," Diao Chan commented. "The big feet are just indicative of-"

"Tell me some other time, you shameless harlot," Da hissed, her fingers flexing anxiously on her one fan. "We could be in the midst of battle and you'd still be thinking about sex."

"We had a secret motto at the Amethyst Cloud school, darling," Diao Chan said, pulling her whip out from somewhere beneath her dress. "_It is a foolish dimwit who does not realize that a thing is a complete waste of time unless it concerns fucking_."

In spite of herself, Da broke into laughter at Diao Chan's use of such earthy language, especially right before a battle. When she had mastered her laughter and was no longer doubled over from it, she drew Diao Chan to her and kissed her lovingly. Theodoric blushed and looked away.

"You, my love, are too much," Da said cheerfully. "A team as deranged as ours cannot lose, certainly not to a rabble such as this."

She now stood and faced out toward the distant enemy, confident in their victory. Diao Chan sucked in a deep breath and smiled. "Remind me to talk dirty around you more often."

She now turned to the tall German warrior next to her. "Don't think I've forgotten about my saviour, though," she said lustily. "Make sure you survive, my god of war, so that I may thank you properly for the rescue the other night."

Theodoric, who's Chinese was not yet good enough to follow the nuances of everything she had just said, was about to reply when she crushed herself against him and kissed him deeply and so loudly that even the people on the wall stared down at them.

_*SMERP!*_

Diao Chan then relinquished her grip on the young warrior and faced out, unraveling her whip between her fingers. Theodoric seemed initially too stunned to react but eventually a wide grin spread across his face and he too faced down the approaching horde, bouncing on the balls of his feet, sword in hand.

"Oh, Theodoric, no, no, no, bad barbarian!" Da said hastily, finally noticing the rather intimidating blade the German warrior was brandishing. She had forgotten that minor detail. "Put your sword away and find a stick or something to hit them with, we're trying not to kill them, remember?"

Theodoric looked at her in confusion and then at Lap, the Uyghur scribe, who was atop the wall, watching out over the field. The scribe yelled out in the German's alien, guttural language and Theodoric yelled back for a moment before sighing and sheathing his sword, ordering his men to do the same. A few protested but a harsh command from Elryk's son got them to comply. Seeing that the valiant barbarians intended to fight without weapons, the people atop the walls began throwing implements down to them, ranging from walking sticks to cauldron ladles and wheat flails.

One of the more adventurous Germans picked up a flail and examined it. He had seen the warrior named Ling Tong use them to devastating effect once and he tried to spin them about in the prerequisite manner. He struck himself across the forehead with one end and sat down cross-legged on the grass, holding his head and griping loudly in their unfathomable tongue.

"Lap, make sure that the _Bailangren_ fighting with my sister know to try and not kill anyone!" Da called up to the Uyghur, counting on him as the one sane individual in their entire entourage, herself excluded, of course.

"Including themselves, apparently," Diao Chan remarked, kneeling down next to the stricken German and caressing his shoulder, wondering if she had time to make him feel better before things got too hectic. "Poor baby."

"He'll be fine, keep your eyes and your breasts pointed at the enemy," Da growled, sensing her friend's well-meant but ill-timed intent. "I'm getting to the place where I am considering letting you borrow Ce for a night just to get your libido under control."

Diao Chan's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Of course not," Da scoffed. "But it got your mind off sex with my troops, didn't it?"

Diao Chan huffed indignantly and swatted Da's behind with the handle of her whip. "You are evil incarnate."

Da ignored the assault on her posterior as the enemy approached, now a little less than a _li_ away. They numbered some hundreds, led by some horsemen. The man who led them was non-descript but had a certain air of authority and the men who came behind looked self-righteously proud of themselves and their cause.

And then, from the palisade behind and above her, a woman called out loudly, addressing her son, whom she had clearly espied in the enemy rabble.

"Qun!" she shouted, waving frantically. "Qun, over here! It's mommy! There is no need for this! The rebellion was a lie, son! Come home and leave this behind! We are having fish with grated radish and bean curd tonight, your favourite!"

Other parents and family members soon took up the call, imploring their kin to renounce the rebellion and return to the city, free of harm. Da could distantly hear similar calls from the southern gates. This was getting interesting.

If the agent of discord known as Lai Er was fazed by the pleas coming from the wall, he didn't show it. He kept on riding and those who accompanied him on horseback did not seem to care either. On they came at a slow and deliberate walk, as if they were returning heroes, come to rescue their homes from invaders.

They were not more than fifty paces away when Da raised her fan in the air, calling for quiet. The people eventually complied and she addressed her foe.

"Let me guess," she said in a clear voice. "You must be Liar."

"My name is Lai Er," the man said, his face colouring instantly. She had apparently struck a nerve. "Do you mean to stand against my army with your pathetic little band? Is Sun Ce's arrogance such that he would mock the people of these lands by sending whores and barbarians to cow them into slavery instead of sending real troops?"

"These poor people have been duped and are at risk for the sake of your master Cao Cao's ambitions." Da said coldly, buying time and assessing their numbers and disposition. Most of them were young men and clearly peasants, used to working in the fields. Some held spears or swords while many more carried pitchforks, clubs or simple hunting knives. They had numbers but they were poorly equipped and their morale was shaky, the closer they got to the town and their loved ones.

"These brave people seek only to throw off the yoke of domination that has been so cruelly heaped upon them." Lai Er countered, his words clearly meant to inspire his troops. "You represent the oppression of the Sun family and indeed all of the corrupt and jaded noble families of the Han. You bring slavery and forced obedience to a people who desire only liberty and the simple freedom to choose their own way. Would you see them slain for this?"

"They have been deceived by an agent of the lord of chaos, for you have played on their fears and what you promise them will come to naught if Cao Cao ever comes to control these lands!" Da shot back. "You speak of my Lord Sun Ce as you would any other jaded bureaucrat or noble of the Middle Kingdom, causing these people to panic and react emotionally to a threat that doesn't actually exist and when we bring the truth you march on them in force? Who here is the true threat to the people of Bo'ling, Liar?"

"Insolent bitch!" snarled one of the men on horseback, a younger man with a creased cheek and carrying a cudgel. "I will strike your head from your body before I let you hurt our people!"

"Cu!" shouted a woman from the wall. "Don't you _dare_ take that tone with Lady Da Qiao, you little ingrate! You wouldn't have even joined this stupid rebellion if you had washed the dirt out of your ears so you could hear clearly!"

"And you, Pan!" shouted another mother. "What do you think you're doing, marching around playing soldier? Your dear old grandfather needs help drying the hemp and weaving the mats! Since you left he has fallen behind and is getting ill from exhausting himself working sunup to sundown! Is this how you repay his kindness?"

"M-mom…" the rebel clearly named Pan stammered, not expecting to be reproached in front of his peers. "I… I'm doing important things now and I-"

"What you are doing is being a selfish brat!" his mother shouted angrily as she stamped down the stairs off the wall and through the gate, standing now close to Da. The woman leveled a wooden spoon at her son, glaring balefully.

"Do I need to break another one of these spoons over your sorry ass, young man?" she demanded loudly.

"You need to be put in your place, old woman!" snapped another boy on horseback, unsheathing a rusted but serviceable straight-bladed _jian _from his belt.

"Don't you threaten my mother!" Pan howled as he lunged and struck the other boy from behind with the makeshift club he carried, knocking him off his mount. A tussle with several other rebels began and more townspeople came down off the walls and streamed onto the field, imploring or threatening their wayward kin to return to Bo'ling.

Lai Er could see that the situation was degenerating rapidly and he let out a loud call for a charge. Those rebels not of Bo'ling but native to the countryside all shouted and charged, while those with from the town sought to stop them.

A confused brawl broke out and Da Qiao took advantage of it to race forward, accompanied by Diao Chan and the Germans. She made her way directly toward Lai Er, determined to deal with the problem at the source.

"So, you would slay them all to achieve your ends?" the agent called out, knowing that his loyal troops and any townsfolk still harbouring doubts could hear him.

"No, Liar, just you." Da replied as she advanced steadily. Between herself and her target stood a small squad of burly and rather ugly youths, all of whom looked disturbingly alike, with broad foreheads and large ears. Were the families of this region _that_ close?

Confucian morals could not come soon enough, obviously.

The ugly boys charged, brandishing sticks and clubs and even a pitchfork or two. Da swatted one of them aside almost contemptuously before striking down two more, spinning in a low and blindingly fast arc. Before her foes could react she had drawn them all into a swirling vortex of their own anger and confusion and with a flourish she slammed her fan down at the ground in an explosion of wind, sound and ethereal cherry blossom petals. Her foes were sent flying and she recovered, clearly pleased with herself.

She spared a glance over at Diao Chan, who was spinning about gracefully, alternating strikes with her whip and then her foot, never in one place long enough for those who surrounded her to strike effectively.

"Come to me, my loves!" the courtesan cried out gaily, leaping into the air and then descending upon one hapless man who goggled up at her in shock. He disappeared beneath her dress as she settled on top of him, sending the wretch to the earth. When she leapt away, intent on another foe, he was starting up at the sky, his eyes wide and his body in a state of what looked like rictus. Da never noticed if the man moved again. Parts of him were stiff as a tree, to be sure…

Da spun aside as Theodoric charged through, holding a man in a headlock and dragging his knuckles back and forth rapidly and viciously across the top his foe's head. The victim's shrieks of protest fell on deaf (or at least uncomprehending) ears.

The White Wolf warriors, under strict orders to not kill the little yellow people, were improvising as best they could- some had simply taken to punching and kicking at their enemies, pummeling them into submission, while others were attempting to use the various prosaic and mundane tools so helpfully thrown to them by those atop the wall. One barbarian warrior was attempting to parry the thrusts of a wooden pitchfork with a bent ladle. When the defense failed and he got stabbed in the shoulder with the tines of the farming implement, he howled in rage, grabbed hold of the tool to keep his foe in place and then punched him hard enough to send him flying back into his fellow rebels. He then pulled the tines free, turned the pitchfork around and began beating on people with it like it was a long stick, sending peasants scurrying in terror.

More and more angry townsfolk poured into the melee, leaving the safety of the walls to straighten out their wayward children. One mother had two young men by their ears, twisting harshly as she berated them. She was knocked to the ground by a third man and the two she had been disciplining howled in fury and jumped their former ally, beating him savagely for daring to lay hands on their mother.

Through the maelstrom, Da pushed ever closer toward Lai Er, praying that she would get to him before he tried to escape.

She would not fail the people of Bo'ling.

* * *

Xiao had learned this time around and had knocked a man off his horse, leapt into the saddle and was now chasing Gao Hu through the fracas, cackling as she made him flee yet again before her might. Gailavira was leading the German warriors, wielding a staff to great effect as she exhorted her charges to great feats of courage in the face of overwhelming numbers. Xiao's girls wore their long, concealing cloaks and strode up to their foes- she could not see what exactly was happening, but every time they confronted a foe, the person dropped to the ground, felled by some invisible force or weapon.

As long as the rebels weren't dead, Xiao didn't care.

People from the town streamed out to join the hectic brawl, seeking out their children and loved ones, often getting in over their heads and requiring rescue; but all in all, she believed that the battle was decidedly _not _going in the rebel's favour.

She rode by a man carrying a spear and smacked him across the back of the head with her shut fan, sending him tumbling to the earth.

"That's gotta hurt!" she called out to him, watching as an irate father, the blacksmith of the town, picked up the prostrate boy and carried him off the field, lecturing the unconscious body.

She heard a scream of pain nearby and gaped in horror as Gao Hu pulled his sword out of the torso of a woman who had gotten in his way. He kicked the body away with a sneer and then struck at another people, leaving a deep wound in their shoulder.

Shouting in fury, Xiao Qiao vaulted through the air off the back of her horse, descending towards Gao Hu, her eyes blazing with wrath. He looked up and his eyes went wide. At just that moment his horse reared and he was fatally exposed.

Xiao's assault knocked him off his mount and she crushed him to the ground beneath her, pressing down hard with her closed fan into his throat until she heard his larynx crack and his broken body began to twitch and thrash while the life bled out of him.

With their leader gone, those who were still fighting began to surrender. Most were swept off the field by their families, to endure their pending humiliation behind closed doors. Many more that were not of Bo'ling began to flee, seeking the safety of the woods; others just threw down their weapons and begged for mercy.

Xiao directed the rout, along with Gailavira, who mostly spent the next several minutes explaining repeatedly to her warriors that they could not keep anything they found as plunder. Several severe cuffs across their thick skulls later, they seemed to understand.

The people still on the battlefield were cheering as they saw the foe in full flight, elated by their unexpected victory. They surrounded Xiao Qiao and praised her as a matchless warrior, victor over the corrupt and evil Gao Hu, so long a blight upon their loyal town.

At least for now, she was willing to let them rewrite history. One obstacle at a time, right?

* * *

The rebels Da Qiao was facing were both more numerous and seemed to be of sterner stuff- they fought back readily, indicating that many of them were not of Bo'ling nor had any relatives to worry about within its walls. Still convinced of the lies they had been told, they fought on with the grim resolution of a people not willing to face the choices they had made.

The fighting had moved away from the walls of the town, to her relief, not only because she wanted to keep the people safe, but because she hated feeling penned in, with nowhere to retreat to, should the need arise. She also knew that some rebel troops had made it through the gates and into the town, but they would be dealt with by the residents swiftly, no doubt.

She seemed to be watching herself from inside her own head, fascinated by how she moved and fought now that she had devoted herself to the notion of this courtesan martial art. None of the principals she now fought with were exactly new to her, but she appreciated them on a totally different level now. She could see, feel and understand how the energies of the foe could be used against them and her own _ki_ could be used to disrupt or unbalance theirs.

It was the strangest of things, but she felt… seductive. Not even Diao Chan could have convinced her a week ago that a courtesan's sexual energies would prove a decisive weapon on the battlefield, but here she was, her own empirical evidence to the contrary.

And she was winning. Handily.

She felt the _ki_ swelling inside her, an almost giddy anticipation of what would come, even though she didn't exactly know what that was yet. She struck, blocked and countered, smiling serenely as she felled her foes, acutely aware of the buildup of swirling, unseen energies around her.

She ducked as Diao Chan kicked over her head, knocking a foe back. Da smiled and winked at her friend before twirling prettily around a foe, striking him several times in less than a second, leaving him standing and paralysed for a moment before she smacked him carelessly on the back of his head with her closed fan- he shuddered and fell over, his eyes rolling into his head.

"Such strength…" he slurred as consciousness fled far from him.

Lai Er's horse had been brought down in a savage fight with Theodoric and his warriors and the agent now stood behind a wall of men carrying spears. They thrust and shoved at the Germans, who kept a respectful distance. Theodoric shouted angrily as Lai Er made to escape.

"Oh, I don't think so…" Da declared. She released the energy she had so carefully nurtured throughout the battle and with several wide sweeps of her fans she conjured a wind that lifted Lai Er and his guards into the air. Men shrieked in confusion and terror as Da swung them back and forth in the cyclone like rag dolls overhead. The guards released their weapons, pleading for her to stop and she gladly complied, sending them flying.

For Lai Er, though, there was no mercy. Forcing all compassion from her heart, she directed the winds back down to the ground, slamming the man into the earth, hard. The sound of nearly every bone in his body shattering was enough to cause everyone nearby to pause in what they were doing, even fighting.

She was not done, though and the stricken man watched with wide eyes as Da brought the still-soaring spears of his guard straight down, impaling his body in several places. He was mercifully dead before the last one struck.

The silence of the battlefield was almost deafening as everyone still present knelt, acknowledging the great victor of the Battle of Bo'ling.

* * *

"I am sorry to say that I have done all I can for him," the apothecary said sadly to Da, Xiao and Diao Chan. "I was just too late in arriving and he was frail to begin with."

Da looked down at the prostrate form of the town's elder, held in the lap of her senior courtesan student. Her crystalline tears dripped onto the sallow skin of his face. A cloth was over the gaping wound in his torso but it was perfectly obvious that this was insufficient and moments from now he would join his ancestors.

"In all the confusion some of the enemy got in through the gates," Lin-Mei said in a trembling voice. "They saw us by the apothecary and the came after us but the elder leapt into their path, brandishing a butcher knife. He fought them until some loyal city watchmen drove them off, but not before they had done this to him…"

The elder stirred now, his eyes fluttering open and upon seeing Da Qiao he smiled weakly.

"A great irony that I fall defending your cause, my lady," he said in a scratchy voice. "I joined the rebellion not because I believed in it but because I have a grave illness and Lai Er promised me that Cao Cao's healers could make me well. I was such a fool to be so selfish and let my people come to harm. Forgive me."

"And yet in the end you chose to fight for what you knew to be right, even if it meant no cure to your ailment," Da said, kneeling next to him now. "Know that you are redeemed in the eyes not only of the Sun family, but also, more importantly, those you hold most dear, the people of Bo'ling."

The old man smiled and then spasmed in pain suddenly. Lin-Mei stroked his face, making soothing sounds to calm his weary spirit.

"I beg of you, elder, do not depart, for while Cao Cao's agents may have lied to you, we have healers back in Baifu who could very well-"

"It is alright, my lady," the elder mumbled, smiling again. "One cannot commit such a betrayal as mine and not expect there to be consequences, even if those I have transgressed against forgive me. Maybe, had I not acted selfishly to begin with, there might have been time for Baifu…"

His eyes trailed up to the blue sky overhead and the white clouds. He smiled again at something only he could see.

"The Heavens are indeed merciful…" he whispered before he shivered and went still. Lin-Mei bowed her head and wept while Da slowly drew her palm over his eyes, closing them. After a silent prayer, she stood and sighed.

"Make plans for a shrine to be erected in the elder's name," she instructed to the scholars. "Also, summon the blacksmith, for while Bo'ling now has scholars, they will also need a new and wise elder. I believe he is just the man for the job."

Change was never easy, but sometimes it just happened, whether one willed it or not. Growth could not happen without change and Bo'ling's growing pains had not yet begun.

* * *

Da Qiao decided to stay another week, not only to make sure that the rebellion was well and truly quelled but also take sure that the preparations to expand and realign the city were in place. Change and sure signs of progress were what the people needed now and between the scholars and her courtesans, the people were off to a splendid start.

The battle had been a decisive one, if rather bizarre, but all signs of unrest in the region disappeared rapidly after the death of Cao Cao's agent and also Bo'ling's vocal change of heart and condemnation of further insurrection against Lord Sun Ce. With news of the changes and improvements planned, people came from the farming communities and villages to hear more. People were greeted eagerly and without censure and left with high hopes and spirits.

Less than ten people had perished in what would become known as the Scouring of Bo'ling and those injured were ably seen to, even if they were not of the town. Da, Xiao and Diao Chan assisted in tending to the wounded while their students began to gradually assume their proper roles as the courtesans of the town.

Dozens of those who had fought against Da and the townspeople in the battle were brought before her by their parents, already thoroughly chastised but now forced to apologize to her for daring to raise their hand against the great Lady of Wu. Da gracefully accepted their apologies and their fealty, even if the more petulant required some swats to the back of their head from glowering family members.

"What about him?" Xiao asked, thumbing over at the servant known as 'Tiger Snot'. "He apparently has no friends or family, he was indentured to Gao Hu directly."

"Kind sir, a moment of your time!" Da called out to the man, beckoning him over. He approached and bowed awkwardly, wondering if some punishment or retribution awaited him for his part in the rebellion.

"Might I know your name in Buddha, please?" she asked.

He blinked. "I… my name is known to you, my lady. It is Fu Bi Ti."

"Oh, c'mon!" Xiao scoffed. "Your real name isn't Tiger Snot."

"It is, Lady Qiao," he replied, bowing hastily. "Long have I lived with it and that is simply as things are. Born to a servant girl of Gao Hu with whom he had a tryst, I have ever been a source of shame to my father, may the Heavens grant him the wisdom he lacked here on earth."

"He called you Tiger Snot?" Xiao muttered, still seemingly in disbelief and fixated on the issue. "Tiger Snot…"

"Please, darling," Da said gently, raising up a hand and imploring her sister to stop talking. "Sir, since you have no family in this town and none to speak of with the fall of the Gao clan, would you consider returning to Baifu with us and from there maybe we can see to your destiny?"

Tiger Snot bowed low. "Of course, Lady Qiao. I am indebted to your kindness and generosity."

"Excellent," Da concluded. "My sister shall see to all your arrangements."

Xiao blinked. "Me? Why me?"

"Simple, you defeated him in battle and killed his father," Da replied reasonably. "Therefore his life is your responsibility. When we return to Baifu, please have him tested for any aptitudes or talents and see him assigned accordingly."

"Punished for winning a battle," Xiao muttered. "Any other reasons I am being punished that I should know about?"

Da thought about that. "Well, you did name that dragon contraption you fly around in Dreamy Boom-Boom, which just might be the worst name I have ever-"

The younger sister sighed wearily. "Alright, alright. Geez, why don't you just get a broom for my butt so I can sweep the floor on the way out?" she grumbled, waving for him to follow her. "C'mon, Snot…"

Da now consulted with her scholars. "So much now rests on your wise shoulders, my friends," she said, smiling at them. "What are your intents for this region?"

The tall one called Shou bowed. "We have agreed that Ping will remain here in the town of Bo'ling and administer to it, since he is the most adept of us at civil engineering and planning. I am moving to a small settlement called Yao while Tan will take up residence in Guai, where the Gao family held sway and act as senior administrator. This arrangement suits the three of us perfectly."

Ping bowed. "The people of the town have insisted I move into the house occupied by the elder, because it is near the town square and I will be accessible to them, something I promised would be key to our administration."

"Then we will speak again before my departure but it sounds like you all have much to do. Until then…"

She bowed and dismissed the scholars, confident in their ability to make the region prosper. Finally she summoned her students and they all bowed low.

"The challenges that await you now, while different from the stresses and discipline you endured while at Jade Butterfly, shall prove no less trying in their own way. Just remember that you serve the people of this region, but do so with the dignity and grace that only we can bring. Lift them up from the prosaic, show them what comes of culture and sophistication. Dance, sing, act and give them bliss, for this is your sacred charge now, in the name of the Sun family and all your sisters."

She gestured now to the _siheyuan_ they stood in. "More furniture and décor will be arriving from Baifu within a fortnight, such as we have agreed on and you requested. You have said what we brought will be more than sufficient until then. Each of you has a private assigned room with bathing chambers, there is a dedicated office and common areas where you may dine and entertain. One day we will need to expand out of this manor, but until then it shall more than suffice."

She kissed each of them, wiping the tears from their eyes. "Go now and bring joy to the people."

Da sat in silence for some time before she heard cheerful laughter from outside the walls, including the lyrical tittering of Diao Chan. She looked out a window but found her view of the proceedings obscured by a cluster of blossoming peach trees. Intrigued, she climbed out the window and descended nimbly through the branches. She half-expected to find her friend naked and in the embrace of Theodoric (and perhaps others), but paused as she saw the courtesan and several people of the town holding small clay or stone balls and tossing or rolling them down a stretch of flat, short grass. At the end of the stretch, several oddly-shaped wooden pegs were arranged and the participants seemed intent on finding out who could knock down the most with as few balls as possible.

Da dropped lightly from the branches of the tree and those assembled bowed.

"This game is actually fun, love," Diao Chan said brightly, holding up a stone ball decorated in bright colours for her friend's perusal. "They have played it here for generations but have never given it a name. What say you? Do you think it could catch on?"

Many years later, Da and Diao Chan were still avid players of the nameless game they had discovered in Bo'ling.

* * *

The ride back to Baifu was uneventful, although the little band was in high spirits. Without the courtesans or scholars and now accompanied by Tiger Snot, they moved swiftly, taking breaks only twice a day along with meals. Gailavira spent much time in Da's company, talking about the responsibilities of the ladies of the Middle Kingdom, learning social niceties and also speaking of their own culture.

Diao Chan, of course, continued to make a man out of Theodoric, which elevated him in the eyes of his peers almost to the point of reverence. Xiao mostly whined about the distinct lack of servicing she was receiving and how easy it was for everyone else to get their basket weaved while she suffered on silently like an aged spinster.

They entered Baifu Prefecture and were greeted with cheers and enthusiasm, the heroes of Bo'ling. They reported their findings and gave Zhou Yu the reports and requests, the materials and supplies for which he had dispatched immediately.

As Da lay in her husband's arms that night she reflected on all they had accomplished- to quell a rebellion without significant armed force was actually impressive in retrospect. Cao Cao had challenged them to suppress the uprisings and they had dealt with them on their own terms, not giving in to conventional dictates. Other rebellions in other regions remained, but they would also be seen to.

"Y'did good, Da," she said, stroking her back as he held her to him. "Even Zhou Yu was impressed. We kinda expected things to get a little bloodier but if anyone could pull it off without death, it had to be you."

"Your faith in me is most gratifying, my love." Da murmured, snuggling into him. "The ruling and administration of a realm is no easy thing, is it?"

"So I've been told." Ce replied, looking at the ceiling. "Sometimes you've gotta rule without ruling. You make things possible for the people, you defend their right to do those things and you do what can to not interfere."

"Does that not create distance between yourself and your subjects, my lord?" Da asked, trailing a fingernail over his broad and powerful chest. "Was this not the crime of the Han imperial court, their aloofness?"

"It's one thing to ignore the people but another one to give them the room they need to live their lives happily and without interference," Ce answered. "They'll know the Sun family in Baifu is in charge and that we will protect them, but we're improving the regions to make sure they do not require our constant attention. That way we can concentrate on the matters that affect us all, like defending the borders and regulating trade with other nations or stockpiling supplies for years of crisis."

"Ruling without ruling," Da mused. "Like training my students and then letting them out on their own, occasionally checking in on them to make sure all is well."

"I think you've got it," Ce said, stroking her hair. "And you were all worried about your ability to be the great Lady of the Southlands."

There were times that Da was quite happy to be proven wrong.

* * *

Da spun low and struck with her fan, knowing that her opponent would jump lightly over the attack and she was ready. She rose up and lashed out with a spearhand. Diao Chan caught the blow with a crossblock of her forearms and pushed up, exposing Da's torso to a counterattack. Da twisted to avoid her foe's knee in her chest and they tussled for leverage, now off balance. They fell away from one another and regained their composure, eying one another warily. Da was fighting with one fan today while Diao Chan's whip was held taught between her fingers.

Both girls dashed in and spun into kicks, their legs coming to a dead stop as they slammed into one another. The combatants yelped in shock and discomfort, stumbling for a moment and glowering. Diao Chan's whip sped through the air and Da avoided it deftly, rapping her closed fan across the other girl's wrist and causing her to drop the weapon. She darted in now and struck again but Diao Chan clamped her hands down on the fan and they wrestled for control.

Da exerted herself against her opponent, trying to bend Diao Chan's spine backward but the courtesan twisted and they fell in a tangled heap. They grappled and writhed, determined to prove superior. Da was panting loudly with the effort and she finally managed to get a grip on Diao Chan's neck. Her foe groaned in discomfort and thrashed to escape. She reached back and pulled Da Qiao down and they rolled across the floor. Their clothes were torn and their normally immaculate hair dishevelled.

Unable to triumph over one another, they ceased fighting and lay side-by-side, looking at the ceiling and panting from their exertions.

"Your endurance… for combat… is beginning to exceed my own…" Diao Chan remarked, breathing heavily.

"Well you certainly do not make it easy, darling…" Da replied, her chest heaving. Her skin was flushed with warmth and bore the red marks of her friend's strikes. Little scratches stung around her body but she barely noticed them, aware only of her exhaustion and that of Diao Chan lying next to her, as splayed and helpless as herself.

"This contest does not exactly play to either of our strengths," Diao Chan pointed out. "Perhaps a different way of contesting the issue?"

"That sounds wonderful, but it would solve nothing," Da said wearily, wishing that it would. "Heavens only know, it would certainly be easier on the two of us."

"Poor darling…" Diao Chan murmured before turning onto her side and kissing a scratch on Da's cheek to soothe it. She then returned to her back and stared blankly at the ceiling.

A knock on the chamber door and Xiao entered, looking at them in bemusement.

"Honestly, you two, _again_?" she asked, exasperated. "It's been how long since your inconclusive duel at Xiapi and you still can't let it go? I'm pretty sure even Ce and Lu Bu would have forgotten by now."

Da and Diao Chan said nothing, just reaching out to clasp one another's hand feebly and share their delicious fatigue.

"You guys are ridiculous." Xiao sneered. "Your misdirected sexual anxieties aside, you've been summoned to see Lord High Everything. There is a rebellion that needs quelling and this one is being succored by marauders and bandits, so there's gonna be fighting. You in?"

The two courtesans slowly rose to their feet and began trying to adjust themselves as they exited the chamber, followed by Xiao, who continued her litany of chidings about their behaviour.

The conclusion of their duel would have to wait.

* * *

Fu Bi Ti sorted the sheaves of papers that were heaped in piles around the room. They were reports of various natures from such regions as Wuchang, Changsha and Dong Ting, some of them decades old. They needed to be classified and archived for effective storage, should the need to ever consult them ever arise.

He was duly impressed with the industry of the Southlanders and the Sun family; they were working hard to make sure that the lands developed swiftly and with as little trouble for the citizenry as possible. He would prove efficient at his assigned duties, eschewing rapid promotion, lest he be exposed and his actual origins questioned.

His initial mission might have been a failure but he, like the Prime Minister, had plans within plans and was too resourceful to let an opportunity go to waste. Against all odds he had been brought to Baifu and allowed to work within the city. His current position granted him no access to vital secrets, but he had ways of hearing what he needed to know and then methods of relaying it to those that needed the information. His trusted subordinate, Lai Er, the rebellion's charismatic 'instigator' was a sore loss, for he had liked the man and his ignoble death at the hands of a courtesan would be hard to explain. One day, maybe, he would have a chance to avenge the man. Until then, he would be patient. He would learn what these mighty people had planned and he would make sure that Lord Cao Cao was prepared.

He had already heard whispers of a mighty army being prepared to invade a region called Hefei…

* * *

**Author's Notes:** Obligatory explanations first, I was out over the winter with a severe ulcer that nearly killed me, literally. Better now though, and my muse is stirring. Aside from that and some other personal tragedies, the past few weeks or so have been devoted to Skyrim and finding a new job, since my employer decided to term me while I was out sick. Nice, eh? I am sure Cao Cao would approve of such methodology.

Sorry, I couldn't resist the bowling thing.

Twenty-six thousand words to describe a non-rebellion. As spring rolls on, I find I am spending more time distracted by matters other than writing. An entire winter without an update is rather harsh, but I have been looking for another job and other sundry matters have arisen. Appy-polly-logies.

Concerning Diao Chan's remark about foolish dimwits and fornicating, the quote actually belongs to the renowned Renaissance Italian philosopher and libertine Pietro Aretino, circa 1525 AD, but I felt like attributing it to her, just because. I am sure he won't mind.

Fu Bi Ti is the Chinese painting name of a friend of mine. I am sure they will be just delighted to know I have included them in the story. Not.

Many of you have pointed out that the girls have come across as rather oddly sexually repressed and I should find ways of addressing it without compromising their fidelity to their husbands. An implied Sapphic arc helped to alleviate the situation, along with providing some wonderful comedic moments and innuendo.

You have to admit, lingering sexual tension between Da and Diao Chan, after so many unresolved issues, seems both logical and necessary. As always, I have no intention of lemonizing the fic, but this seemed a good compromise, not to mention I really love the dynamics between the three girls. They have a bond like the one between Ce and Zhou Yu or the Peach Garden Oath brothers.

*cracks up* Dreamy Boom-Boom. Only you, Xiao. Only you…

I am aware of the fact that the Chinese word for 'liar' would not sound the same as the name Lai Er. Take it up with Da, it was her joke.

The interactions with Gailavira are meant to help develop her away from being a peripheral character and make her a little more central to the story as befits her husband. While Elryk will always remain the noble savage, I want to have a character aside from Hala who adapts and represents a fusion of the two ways of life. Gailavira should fill this role nicely.

This chapter may seem somewhat ridiculous, but I blame that on the fact that I have been listening to the steampunk/swing/funk music of Dr Steel, whose Army of Toy Soldiers I have been a member of for some time now. Check out his stuff on YouTube or his website because he is kinda neat. No, this was not a paid plug.

While recovering I _did_ begin a small project fic about the game Wet, starring the wholly unlikeable heroine Rubi Malone. Check it out if you feel so inclined, it is here on those site and called 'Rubi's War'.

Don't worry, I am not so banal as to try and write Skyrim fanfiction, there are doubtless plenty of nerks out there to handle it. What _is_ fun, however, is to find a giant who is standing there mourning the death of his pet mammoth, lining yourself up behind him and using your unrelenting force shout to send the poor sap FLYING into a muddy hot spring and then running like hell, giggling evilly. I must've done that about thirty times. I'm such a douche.

And now for my assessment and analysis of Dynasty Warriors 7: Xtreme Legends- 

AW, SUNUVA… really? They created a scenario where Xiao helps defend Zhuge Liang's altar at Chi Bi? REALLY?

You all remember that I did that first. I am not saying that they copied me (there was no way for myself or Koei to know what the other was doing, obviously), but that is the second time they have done that to me. The first time was when 6 came out- I had recently given Ce the armour of Alexander the Great and then a few months later, Ce shows up in the new game wearing a Greek-style cuirass.

If Germans appear in any new installments, I'm lawyering up. Just saying.

The new Legend mode is alright, it provides a nifty little twist on the game. It gets a little repetitive after a while, and the true fun is actually screwing around with the Adjutants, to see who makes a worthwhile one. Having Xiao as one for Da the Prefect is rather interesting. I might try Xu Zhu or Wei Yan next, just for funsies. Concerning the new characters, welcome back Pang De, with your name properly pronounced. He now wears more Chinese-styled armour (seemingly modeled after King Caesar from 1975's '_Godzilla vs Mechagodzilla_') instead of that Western knight crap from 5. He wields two halberds again and is sadly relegated to the bitch position of Zhang Liao's motion clone…

Which is funny, because Pang De did the double halberd thing first, back in 5.

Unless you read the novel, in which case it was actually Dian Wei who wielded two halberds, just never in the video games, where he uses a single axe, a wrecking ball or severe lactose intolerance to fell the enemy.

Either way, Pang-a-lang, welcome back.

Wang Wi looks and acts like Zhang He's younger, creepy undead sister. Can't wait to include her.

Move over, Ma Dai, you have officially lost your title of 'Stupidest Weapon Used', and that is including Shamisen Boy and Ball-In-A-Cup Girl from Samurai Warriors… Guo Jia, the third of the new characters is our new champion. He fights with…

(wait for it…)

A freaking pool cue.

No, really. It's a pool cue, complete with mystical billiard balls that surround and 'clackety-clack!' his foes to death. I am not quite sure what it is in the Japanese psyche that requires these androgynous boys to wield such ridiculous weaponry, but Koei has really outdone itself this time. Is it asking too much for Shang Xiang to have her personality back instead?

I am just glad the little twerp is dead by this point in the story so that I don't have to write him. Don't worry, I won't let Ma Dai fight with a paintbrush, I promise. If he did, it was because I planned to kill him (Ma Die?) so consider yourselves warned.

Is it just me or does Jiang Wei get more batshit crazy with every installment of this series? Really, he's bordering on 'obsessed illegal teen girlfriend' crazy. If you thought Shampoo, Ukyo Kuonji or Kodachi Kuno were bad, they're nothing on this fruitcake- even Gary Busey would think Jiang Wei was loco.

A quick review of the live 2010 remake of Uchuu Senkan Yamato:

I promise you I intend to buy it when it does come available, but in the meantime I pirated it to see exactly what went down- I am afraid to say that overall I was disappointed. The plot was a HUGE and unnecessary divergence from the 1974 original series. Details are not required, in case you want to see it for yourself. I will tell you that I was not pleased with them making Yuki Mori a combat pilot instead of a nurse, but thirty-five years later I guess audiences want women in combat roles and possessing more aggressive personalities.

Unless their name is Sun Shang Xiang. *grumbles*

The Yamato itself looks wonderful. The special effects are just fine. No complaints from that point of view.

The revamp of the Gamilas/Gamelons and the Iscandarians bothered me a lot too; I found their new personas reminded me of the Cylons from the recent Battlestar Galactica series. I preferred the old series Gamilas, the ruthless neo-Roman warrior culture, led by the despotic, Hitlerian Desslar. They were bad guys, but you could identify with them. These Gamilas, while justifiably alien, have the same level of character as the bugs from Starship Troopers. The new organic feel to their warships and technology is rather unwelcome too. Reminds me too much of the Tyranids from 40k.

The guy from SMAP who plays the lead role of Susumu Kodai did an admirable job with the role he was given, especially when one takes into account that he is probably twenty years too old for the damn role but pulls it off.

It's weird to have a Yuki Mori who isn't blonde and looks decidedly Japanese. The robot crew member, Analyzer, looked pretty much how he did in the original series, but now he has some serious Autobot-style transformations that allow him to mow down legions of Gamilas soldiers like Xiao Qiao goes through dumplings.

Which begs the question, if he kicks so much ass, why didn't they just send him? Well, watch the movie and you will find out. God knows I wasn't pleased.

My next act of piracy will be 'The Lost Bladesman', as soon as I can find it. It is the (hopefully not too straying from the original) tale of Guan Yu's escape through the seven gates to reach Liu Bei.

If Germans appear in the movie I am lawyering up. Just saying.

Management


	62. Chapter 62

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any other media associated with Koei or its affiliates. The vast majority of the characterizations have been expanded upon by me for the sake of literary format. Individual or minor characters created by me for the purposes of interaction and story depth or my own property. If you wish to know which ones they are please ask.

This is a simple work of fanfiction meant for the entertainment of Dynasty Warriors players and fans, along with those who are familiar with the Chinese epic Sanguo, or 'Three Kingdoms'. Centred around Sun Ce and his family and retainers, it helps to be a Wu-phile if you want to read this story. As always, your reviews are welcome and appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

The titanic inferno roiled and howled into the night sky, the remains of his invincible fleet little more than a funeral pyre for untold thousands, a testament to his limitless ambition and the will of others to resist him.

He walked forward toward the conflagration, barely feeling the terrible heat on his skin, countless embers drifting on the hateful wind around him. Faces in the flames mocked him before dissipating, free of his seemingly heinous presence. Wide-eyed, he watched helplessly as the fires opened a vista of hateful memories and occurrences, events he could not seem to stop or look away from.

Forced to watch, unable to turn away, he allowed the malignant, accusing pageant to open before him.

Dian Wei, his mighty, trusted and utterly loyal bodyguard stood before him, facing away, his arms outstretched protectively. He watched in horror as arrows riddled the huge man's body and yet he would not be moved. Frozen into inaction, desperate to help but completely impotent, all he could do was let Dian Wei be slain, endless missiles plunging deep into him.

"Dian Wei!" he cried about as he saw the herculean man topple backwards, his bald head turning to look at his lord at the last moment- his eyes were like pools of fire, blazing with recrimination.

Dian Wei was gone in a swirl of flame, replaced by peasants who recoiled from him in terror. Perplexed by their reaction, he reached out to them almost imploringly but they screamed as the fled.

"No! It's a demon! Run! Lord Liu Bei, save us!" one shrieked as he raced back into the inferno.

_Why do you reject the world I seek to create?_

A powerful warrior dressed in scarlet and gold stepped out of the fires, his battle aura ferocious and primal, like that of a tiger. His words were haughty and full of disdain.

"You call that ruling, pal? Is intimidation and ruthlessness all you've got to work with? Make way for the Sun family, pretender!"

A huge figure appeared out of the darkness and a mighty halberd whirled about their head before the blade sliced down, coming to a stop a mere inch from his throat. His eyes widened in shock and then narrowed as the assailant came into view.

"One day, your head shall be mine…" Guan Yu boomed.

The flames reached out to engulf him.

"Parry! Thrust! Sweep! Thrust! Is that all you lot have?"

The sound of his cousin's voice stirred him and he slowly opened his eyes. Xiahou Dun was drilling the recruits in the small courtyard, replacements for the Wildcat Riders who had perished at Chi Bi.

"Remember the shame of Chi Bi! Never again!" Xiahou Dun growled as he pushed them. "You want to be Wildcat Riders with discipline and skills like those? Again!"

The one-eyed general turned his head and approached, leaning over his cousin, scrutinizing him.

"My lord?" he queried.

"I was dreaming…" Cao Cao murmured.

"I thought you were distressed by Chi Bi," Xiahou Dun mused, standing up now. "But I can see you are fit enough to sleep."

"There is no use crying over what is past…" Cao Cao said heavily, his tone still lethargic. "Now is the time for sleeping… eating… and training… for our next battle."

Xiahou Dun nodded.

"And yes, cousin, there will be a next battle, most certainly …" the Prime Minister assured. "Our plans may have been delayed, but a destiny such as ours cannot be thwarted. This day will be ours…"

With that he drifted back off into slumber, contesting his dreams and the will of the heavens. Xiahou Dun chuckled and strode back to supervise the drills.

There was still much to do.

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 61- Where There's A Whip, There's A Wei**

The sky was a dull grey and the rain had not let up for nearly three days now. He stood atop the watch tower and gazed across the river, toward the south. It was somewhat surreal to him that across the single thread of blue waters stood a deadly enemy intent on their demise.

He sighed and shook his head. He would never understand why sensible people willingly resisted the change and reform that his cousin sought to bring to the Middle Kingdom. Had it not been amply proven that the Han Dynasty had been responsible for the suffering and misery of the people? And now, when they were poised to make sure that the issue was rectified, that the right people were in the right places, they objected?

Xiahou Yuan was absolutely convinced of the rightness of their cause, and he understood the need for harsh measures against those who would resist, those who prolonged the suffering and the chaos. But what of the innocents who were swept into the whirlwind of violence created? He thought back to the battle of Chang Ban, where his cousin had seen to the remorseless deaths of thousands of peasants who had fled along with Liu Bei. Unable to protect them all, the man known as the Scion of the Han had been forced to leave many behind, lest none of them escape. Xiahou Dun had made an example of those they caught. Those unlucky enough to be left alive were sent to labour in the salt mines or other dismal and hazardous work.

Across the river was Jing, held in tandem by the Sun and the Liu families. Actually a part of the Southlands, Sun Ce had granted the use of it to Liu Bei while he stabilized his holdings and established himself. Since Chi Bi, Liu Bei had taken several other smaller territories, often on the advice of Zhuge Liang and at the expense of the Southlands.

Xiahou Yuan smirked as he pondered that alliance-Liu Bei may have been a man of virtue, but his politics would have to be treacherous indeed to survive these wars. It would not be long before there was conflict between the allies, for the Sun family would not tolerate Kongming's duplicity for long. Liu Bei's virtue would ultimately prove no match for the martial valour of the Southlands, which in turn would not be able to forever contest the overwhelming might of Cao Cao.

It was simply a question of time and will.

He descended from the tower and strode through the muck of the camp's open drill square, heading toward a large tent. The flaps were open and he could see the scrawny form of Jia Xu at a table, perusing something.

The strategist was frowning as he examined a map scroll he held in his hand, not initially noticing the smiling visage of the bulky general standing next to him. When he did, though, he scowled and turned away, clearly not amused with the cheerful intrusion.

"Perhaps it is just fatigue, but I believe our lord has lost his edge." Jia Xu said in his soft, almost hissing tone.

"Yeah, well… isn't it the job of a strategist to cover for that sorta thing?" Xiahou Yuan asked.

"Tch, it is difficult for even one such as I when our lord does too much…" the man in purple replied.

"Maybe, but as I recall, our lord agreed to let you live as long as you managed to keep up with him, right?" Xiahou Yuan ventured, giving the knife a twist. Cao Cao had indeed agreed to spare Jia Xiu if the man would work as his strategist, now that the highly-admired Guo Jia was no more. Jia Xu had once served another lord who resisted Cao Cao and his complex and vicious strategies had defeated Cao Cao on several occasions, even leading to the death of his bodyguard, Dian Wei, something Cao Cao never forgave and was determined to make Jia Xu pay for.

The strategist placed the scroll on the table forcefully and took a deep breath. "What can I do for you, general?"

"Well, I was kinda hoping that you had some idea of what we were going to do," Xiahou Yuan replied. "Cao Cao assigned us to this place to conduct raids and keep the enemy off-balance, right? So what's the plan?"

"Your keen mind belies your bovine expression, general," Jia Xu sneered. "But indeed I am coming up with the plans for a devastating raid across the Xiang River. While you and your forces strike against and confuse the enemy stationed in Hua Rong, my troops and I shall be heading to Mian Yang, a nearby settlement."

"Oh yeah? What's in Mian Yang?" the general asked.

"Peasants." Jia Xu replied simply.

Xiahou Yuan paused for a moment. "You're just going to massacre a bunch of innocent peasants?"

"Innocent?" the strategist snorted. "How, exactly, are they innocent, general? They made a choice to cleave to Liu Bei. They could have done the right thing and sworn fealty to our lord, but instead they chose to be swayed by the soothing and unrealistic promises of that dreamer who claims descent from the imperial family. They have fought against us and perpetuated the chaos we seek to end. How are they any more innocent than you and I?"

Xiahou Yuan made a wry face, not totally convinced.

"_If_ it turns out that the Sun family or Liu Bei has the Mandate of the Heavens, what then, general?" Jia Xu pointed out. "Would you beg for your life and plead, saying you were misled? What excuses would you use to prove your innocence in light of the thousands that had died at the hands of you and your troops?"

Xiahou Yuan said nothing.

"No, general, if we are to not be judged harshly for the things we have done, we must prove ourselves right first," concluded the strategist. "I would rather put our foes on trial for defying the will of the Heavens than be the one on trial."

"What's all this got to do with killing peasants in Mian Yang?" Xiahou Yuan asked.

"This entire region is garrisoned by a general named Wei Yan, who is based in Hua Rong." Jia Xu said, pointing at the map. He may have found Xiahou Yuan annoying on a personal level, but he did appreciate the general's keen tactical mind and perception. "We have discovered a gap in the defences and we plan to strike through it. While you draw off Wei Yan's forces and harass them, my men and I will pay a small visit to Mian Yang in the middle of the night."

"Mian Yang is under the protection of Liu Bei," Xiahou Yuan mused. "If we deal with the peasants in the town, their faith in Liu Bei's ability and promise to protect them will be compromised. Word will spread and people will begin to doubt him."

"Precisely." Jia Xu agreed, nodding.

"Let's hope this works better than our efforts against the Sun family," Xiahou Yuan muttered. "We started nearly a dozen rebellions in the Southlands and not a single one amounted to anything. I heard they put down one of them using only courtesans."

"I too have heard that rumour, though I am not inclined to believe it," Jia Xu sneered. "Do not give credence to everything you hear, general. As to when we are making our strike, it will be within four days, once the rain has ceased. We will attack in the dead of night, a specialty of yours, I am told."

"So soon?"

"There is one other little reason for getting this done quickly, general, and that is that spies have told me General Guan Yu is coming to the region with ten thousand fresh troops within seven days."

"Hm, Guan Yu, eh? So by razing Mian Yang, we not only sully Liu Bei's reputation but blacken the eye of his most famous and valiant general. The peasants will be wondering why the mighty Guan Yu didn't arrive sooner. If this raid had been possible, why were they not aware of it? That sort of thing."

"You have a keen analytical mind, general; make sure you are not overlooked for it in the future." Jia Xu said plainly. "You should take your fastest regiments and engage in running battles with Wei Yan, keeping him away from my troops and I. Messengers will inform you of when we have reached Mian Yang and then you can disengage the foe. What I have to do will not take long."

Xiahou Yuan didn't like the sound of that but nodded. It was a thorough plan and no doubt carried his cousin's approval anyway. They had to do everything they could to keep their foes off-balance while they recovered from Chi Bi. True, they were still strongest, but the unmitigated disaster of that battle had hindered their operational capacities and emboldened several regional lords to rebel against Cao Cao's rule. More than that, this perceived vulnerability had led the Xiongnu beyond the Great Wall to begin attacking, as well as the Ma clan in the far west. Fierce warriors on horseback and often with mixed nomad heritage, they were implacable foes on the battlefield. Led by a warlord named Ma Teng and his son Chao, they had begun making incursions into Cao Cao's territories as far as Jie Ting. Sooner or later they would have to be dealt with, permanently.

"But Liu Bei is not a real threat yet, so why are we not striking against Sun Ce?" Xiahou Yuan asked.

"Simply put, the Southlands are too well-organized and strong for us to attack so soon and hope for productive results, even with raids." Jia Xu replied. "Their borders are well-defended along the river and they have undisputed mastery of the waters. We cannot match them. So we will strike where the pickings are easiest. It is a basic tenet of war, general, strike where the enemy is soft and unprepared. There is no such vulnerability in Sun Ce's lands at the moment."

They both examined the map intently.

"Your command of logistics is most impressive, general," the strategist observed. "In spite of our losses of manpower and materiel at Chi Bi, you have managed to keep our line of communication and supply open and we have re-equipped our forces swiftly. In a few months it will almost seem as if Chi Bi never happened."

"Well I wouldn't go that far," Xiahou Yuan answered. "I think we were lucky more than anything that they couldn't or didn't follow up."

He pointed at the lands along the banks of the Yangtze. "Maybe we should withdraw from the lands along the river," he suggested. "They're desolate now due to the constant warring and the enemy can strike across the river and withdraw. If we abandon them, it might for Sun Ce to send troops to guard the remaining peasants and then the initiative to strike will be ours. They cannot garrison the riverbanks on both sides adequately and if we do attack, they'll be pressed up against the Yangtze."

"That was indeed going to be one of my suggestions to our lord," Jia Xu agreed. "Very well, we shall make the proposal together. It will carry more weight with the Prime Minister if it comes from two people. Now if you will excuse me…"

The strategist nodded curtly and exited the tent.

"_Gone off to eat a kitten, or whatever he does to keep himself that thin and mean…"_ Xiahou Yuan thought to himself. He never wanted to be one Jia Xu's bad side, the man had the instincts of a viper and the heart of a scorpion. Thank the heavens he was on Cao Cao's staff now.

"Speaking of eating…" he announced to no one in particular and patted his stomach through his armour. He strode out into the rain and made his way to the tent he had set up for himself at the center of the camp. Erected around the trunk of a tall old _chunchu_ tree, he enjoyed great privacy and few interruptions due to the rather strong odour the tree emitted while in bloom. He was protected from the smell by his tent and happily chose the spot. Only people who _actually _needed his attention came to see him and most of the senior officers preferred their tents to be upwind.

The tree acted as a central pillar and his tent was actually four large tents spaced around the trunk- one tent, the one people entered through, held a long table and several chairs, where he discussed tactical situations with his commanding officers. The second one on the left was where he stored his plunder and spoils of war. The third was where he dined, centered around a low table and cushions while the fourth tent at the back acted as his personal quarters, opulently appointed for himself and his wives and concubines. The felt walls of all four tents were reinforced with boiled leather hides between the layers, to prevent an assassin's dart from finding him.

The front tent was empty and he removed his armour in the trophy room before heading to the dining wing tent, where his wife Lady Ding and his favourite concubine Gao awaited him. They both smiled warmly as he entered, bowing and making sure everything was set for his evening meal.

He grinned happily as he observed the fare laid out before him- a rice gruel to begin, along with dumplings and exotic _airak_ cheeses from beyond the Great Wall, followed by sticky red bean cakes and preserved duck eggs, strong-smelling and glossy blue-black, just how he liked them. The main course was a fried fish and wild boar, stuffed with a spicy millet mixture.

In true artistry, all the foods had been set out in the proper order and at just the proper time to make sure that their aromas complimented and compounded one another. Lady Ding's cooks were renowned for their gustatory coquetry and he had never fallen out of love with her because of it. She fed him now while Gao played the _guzheng _from a corner. The sounds of the activity around the camp fell away, as did the rain on the tent roof, lost before the splendour of his dinner time.

_Knowing a thing is not as good as liking a thing; liking it as not as good as loving it._

He somehow doubted that Confucius had been referring to dinner when he had said that, but Xiahou Yuan figured that the principal still applied. He masticated thoughtfully on his fare, turning over the strategy for the raids in his mind. He held no doubt the plan would succeed, for Jia Xu was not the type to take unnecessary risks. He may have found the plan's true intent somewhat unsettling, but that was neither his assignment nor his decision to make. He had his orders and he would carry them out dutifully.

He heard horses ride into the camp and one stopped in front of his quarters. The footsteps in the front tent indicated someone of youthful enthusiasm and he grinned as his second son, Ba, bowed low at the entrance to the dining area.

"Ba, my boy!" the father said cheerfully. "Come and join your old man for some food and drink!"

The boy, not more than sixteen, bowed again and sat opposite his father on a small cushion. He did not partake until the older man indicated, at which point he helped himself readily. He _loved _preserved duck eggs.

"So what brings you out to Zhang Ling, son?" Xiahou Yuan asked as he slurped at some heated plum wine.

Ba nodded his head respectfully. "The Prime Minister was sending supplies your way and I asked if I could accompany the train. I have been looking to get away from Xuchang, admittedly."

"You must have been on the trail for nearly three weeks, then," mused the father. "Even at a brisk pace for the horses, it is still a considerable length of a ride. You're getting good in the saddle, eh?"

Ba blushed. "I do not know about that, father, but I am adequate to such a journey."

"Glad to hear it, but you haven't been ignoring your studies, have you?" Xiahou Yuan asked, looking at his son pointedly.

"No, father, both martial and scholastic studies have had my attention, although I think I am better at the former, admittedly." Ba replied.

The general nodded. Of his seven sons, only Ba and the third son, Cheng, showed any interest or aptitude for military endeavours while the rest, eldest Heng, along with Wei, Rong, Hui and He, all intended to become scholars and administrator's in Cao Cao's realm of order and law. They had a sister but she had been lost several years ago while gathering wood in the forest. Rumour had reached him that she had been captured by the troops of Liu Bei's sworn brother and General Zhang Fei and married to him, but he had no proof of this at the moment.

"So, then, what is wrong with Liu Bei's vision of the future, according to the Great Sage?" Xiahou Yuan queried.

Ba thought for several moments, considering what his father meant. "The people can be made to follow a path of action but they cannot be made to understand it."

"Exactly," his father said, clearly pleased. "Liu Bei keeps filling the common peasant's head with nonsense they cannot possibly understand, talking about virtue and other things only great men can truly comprehend. The man of virtue must make sure that everyone is in their place so that order can reign. We will be a nation of laws, not of men."

"But how do we fight his ideas, father?" Ba asked, popping a piece of boar meat into his mouth. "The people believe what he tells them, just like you said the Yellow Turbans believed the words of the sorcerer Zhang Jiao. How do you fight an idea?"

"You don't fight it, boy, you just make it look stupid and present the people with a more sensible option." Xiahou Yuan replied, pointing at Ba absently with the thigh bone of the boar he was eating. "Will people care about virtue if you promise them order and stable government? Will they choose an abstruse concept like virtue over food on their table?"

"I would hope not," Ba said. "But because they do not understand, they will fight."

"Unfortunately, yes. Hopefully not too many will perish in this absurd war." Xiahou Yuan muttered. He may have been a skilled general and excellent warrior, but he did not relish the killing of peasants.

"Father, may I train with you?" the son asked.

"We will try to fit the time in, though this damned weather makes the training itself unpleasant. Also, I am going into the field in four days to conduct raids against the enemy across the river. But I will certainly try to find the time."

The son seemed pleased and Xiahou Yuan reflected on the fact that he had metal workers and armourers create an exquisite suit of armour for the boy once he was ready to take to the field.

"The enemy across the river…" Xiahou Ba mused. "Some scouts told us about a general named Wei Yan who stands opposite our position. He is supposed to be very strong. Have you faced him, father?"

"Nope, but a man is only as tough as his armour and his armour is as weak as the gaps my arrows find." Xiahou Yuan declared confidently. "No one escapes my bow. I managed to tag Sun Ce at Chi Bi, I am pretty sure I can find Wei Yan's weak spot."

"If he is that important a general, killing him might be as big a prize as any other objectives." Xiahou Ba concluded. He then nodded to his father and turned to bow to Lady Ding. "Mother, since father is busy, would you allow me to attend you?"

Xiahou Yuan's concubine, Gao, smiled warmly. She had been very involved in raising her lord's son and she loved him dearly. "Such a diligent and attentive son, my lord. See, he has not neglected his studies, he is a model of filial virtue and piety."

Lady Ding nodded approvingly. "Indeed my lady Gao is correct. Ba, you honour your father in your behaviour. I would be most happy to have you attend me."

Xiahou Yuan sighed happily and nodded in satisfaction. If he ever got his daughter back, he would be the happiest man in the world.

* * *

Xu Zhu sighed forlornly as he sat on the steps of the private garden, his chin in his hand and his eyes distant. He loved this little garden and all its lovely colours but today it seemed somehow grey and unhappy to him. He didn't even feel like eating.

"What's wrong, darling?" asked a light and airy tenor from behind him. Xu Zhu just sighed heavily and didn't look as Zhang He approached and squatted down next to him. The slender man smiled and patted him on his meaty shoulder.

"Oh, I just miss Dian Wei…" he moped. "He was my friend and he understood me."

"It is a very good friend who can understand a person, forgive their faults and see their beauty," Zhang He cooed. "I never met our lord's other bodyguard, but if he looks like the statues and the paintings I have seen of him, he was a magnificent man indeed."

"I was going to teach him how to plow a field." Xu Zhu said.

"He could certainly have plowed mine," Zhang He replied airily. "But I hate seeing you like this, love… I have an idea. Why don't you ask our lord if we can hold a feast in Dian Wei's honour and then you can tell me all about him, yes?"

Xu Zhu brightened up immediately, stood and waddled as fast as he could into the palace. Zhang He waited patiently, gazing out at the single ornamental cherry blossom tree in the middle of the carefully manicured rectangle of grass. The walls of the garden were made of uniform grey stone, carved with dragons that had rubies for eyes. Lining the walls were short plum trees with their purple blossoms. The contrast of the purple petals along with those of the cherry pink, floating delicately on the breeze, touched his mind with a pure, unadulterated elegance- it reminded him of the lovely spray of blood as his claws cut through his foes…

His reverie was interrupted by the excited yet dull _thud_ of what could only be Xu Zhu running. The rotund bodyguard appeared in the doorway and clapped his hands excitedly.

"Lord Cao Cao says we can hold a banquet when Xiahou Yuan gets back from his mission and Cao Pi is back from Jie Ting! I am so happy!"

The huge man then lumbered off back into the palace, singing a carefree tune to himself.

Zhang He nodded to himself and returned his attentions back to the trees and the gentle wind. The emerald grass rippled delicately beneath the zephyr's breath and the petals tumbled and flitted playfully. He allowed one to alight on the tip of his finger. He strode onto the grass and knelt to listen to the beauty of the garden's melody. It was so quiet. Even the birds were not singing.

In the small ornamental pond in one corner, a gold and scarlet carp jumped out the water.

Without hesitation, Zhang He calmly drew an elegant hairpin from his head and flung it into the boughs of a nearby plum tree. He was rewarded with a gasp, followed by a wretched gurgling sound and then a man clothed in black and wearing a wrap around his face tumbled out of the tree and sprawled on the flagstones of the path.

Without turning, Zhang He thrust a kick behind himself and felt the man who had been sneaking up behind him try to block the blow to his midriff. He staggered backward and glared as the tall, slender and pale general turned to face him, smiling.

"Impossible!" the man hissed. "How did you sense us?"

"Your intent, while beautiful, lacks elegance, and therefore I must remove you," Zhang He replied almost sadly. "May you know the true meaning of beauty in the next life."

The man lunged in, a long knife in each hand. He slashed at his target but Zhang He spun around him gracefully and took both his wrists, crossing them and twisting so the knives were pointed at the assassin's throat. The man struggled desperately but Zhang He was taller and obviously stronger than he looked. The general smiled as he forced the blades through the skin of the man's neck, causing him to go rigid in shock while the toxins that coated the blade spread through him. Zhang He took the killer gently in his arms, making whispering and making soothing sounds as his foe died.

The terror in the man's eyes was a thing of beauty.

Bronze gongs began to sound around the palace. Zhang He laid the body on the cool grass and sprinted through the doors. There were more men to be found! Beautiful!

An assassin in black lunged out of an alcove, his knife coming down and Zhang He's head in a lethal arc. The general caught the man's wrist and held it while he rammed his knee into the foe's chin, snapping his neck. He kept the weapon as the man flopped to the floor and resumed his race toward his target.

He was sorry he would have no chance to retrieve either his claws or his long, elegant halberd, but time was clearly of the essence. His personal preference was his claws, but today's boots, with their lovely reverse heels, would have made the combat style impractical and inelegant. His halberd, with its forward weight for balance, would have been much more suitable, but once again he had no chance to fetch the weapon.

Now he just needed a playmate…

* * *

Xiahou Dun cursed as he blocked opponent's blows furiously, the man's smaller, faster blade nearly getting inside his defences. Whoever these assassins were, they were very skilled. He had seen many guards dead around the palace, either slain before they were aware of their assailant or bested in a quick fight. Given the way some of the guards twitched, he surmised that their foes' blades were poisoned.

The assassin's blade tore along his sleeve and Xiahou Dun used the near-fatal strike to counterattack. He hit the man across the jaw, snapping his head to one side before driving his boot into the man's sternum. The assassin fell backwards, his chest caved in by the general's iron boot.

He immediately raced toward the throne room, which is where he last knew Cao Cao to be. He held no doubt that his cousin was the principal target and it was his duty to make sure the Prime Minister was safe, even if it cost him his life.

He tilted his head to one side as a knife sped out of the darkness of an alcove, barely missing his neck. In response he threw his mighty blade, the feared Kirin Fang at the unseen assassin and was rewarded with a cry of shock and pain. He made to retrieve his sword when another man leapt into view, his knife flashing down at Xiahou Dun's throat.

He caught the man's wrists and they wrestled for control, but the assassin had leverage, trying to break his foe's balance by bending him backwards. They were silent as they strained against one another, the assassin's eyes narrowing behind his cowl, pressing the knife closer to Xiahou Dun's neck.

Xiahou Dun's nostril's stung with the scent of the toxin on the blade; it had a sharp, almost herbal reek to it. His face was turning purple from the effort of wrestling his foe and keeping his balance. He clenched his teeth in fury as he fought for control. The assassin was powerful but lithe, unhindered by heavy armour in such close quarters. Beneath his clothes he was wearing at best thick quilted armour, meant to protect him from darts and not much more. His mastery of agility and concealment was what kept him alive, not impenetrable metals.

Xiahou Dun collapsed backward and twisted violently, taking them both to the ground. He shuddered at the sound of a knife blade cracking through bone and plunging into tender flesh. He lay still for a moment in shock while his opponent slumped down on top of him, twitching before going still. With a grunt Xiahou Dun rolled the dead man off himself and scowled down at the corpse, the knife buried deep in his sternum. Only by the merest of margins had he managed to gain control of the weapon as they tumbled and turned it on the foe.

It could very easily have been him.

He recovered his blade and resumed his race to the throne room. Throughout the palace, the clash of battle reached him and the bronze gongs sounded frantically. He almost wished that the person ringing the damned thing was killed so he wouldn't have to listen to it.

Three assassins leapt out in front of him and he used his speed and his size to bull through them and keep running. Off-balance and surprised by his refusal to stand and fight, the assassins leapt after him, determined to fell their prey.

He sprinted as fast and as hard as he could, dodging as much as possible without slowing down; a dart bounced off his pauldron and another grazed his hair. He felt a knife tear through his cloak and his trailed behind him. He swung backward with his long blade and one of the assassins gasped and fell to the ground as it bit into his neck. The other two kept their distance but continued to try and bring him down in a hail of darts and throwing knives.

He turned and corner and ran hard, the great, wide doors of the throne room before him. His pursuers skidded around the corner and gave chase, determined to stop him from reaching his destination. He grimaced as he felt a dart wedge itself in the calf of his boot and an uncomfortable, almost scratching pressure against the skin. The tip of the blade could penetrate his flesh at any moment but it mattered not as long as he got to Cao Cao.

He strayed suddenly to the left wall and stamped hard on a particular tile while he ran and then threw himself flat, hearing the springs and levers of the mechanism beneath the polished stone activate. As he hit the floor, the walls on either side of the door opened to reveal a series of tubes. Spring-mounted crossbow bolts sped out of the death trap and down the hall. One barely missed Xiahou Dun but those giving chase were not so lucky and died, their light armour unable to withstand the force of the missiles.

He sprang up and reached the doors, which were shut tight. From within he could hear the cacophony of a frantic battle. He took hold of one of the great iron rings and executed a series of twists until the mechanism within freed the locks. He shoved hard and raced into the throne room.

Those responsible would answer to him with their lives.

* * *

Cao Ren grimaced as he swung his meteor hammer around with all his might, watching as the metal ball at the end of the chain smashed into his opponent and sent him hurtling backward and into a wall, every bone in his body doubtless shuttered by the brutal twin impacts.

Another assassin leapt in from his left and the shriek of the man's knife blade across his stout armour echoed in the hallway. Cao Ren whirled about and punched him, hard. His mailed fist sent the man flying while he recovered his meteor hammer and continued running down the hallway. How? How had their security lapsed so badly? Things seemed to have come unglued since the debacle at Chi Bi.

Another foe sprang out of seemingly nowhere and Cao Ren blocked the strike with the chain of his weapon. Faster than a serpent he twisted the chain about and pulled his assailant in, the dark iron links of his weapon wrapped around the assassin's neck. The man struggled and writhed, the Wei general's brute strength holding him off the ground. His feet flailed wildly as he grasped at the chain. Unwilling to see his foe suffer any further, Cao Ren gave the chain a terrible wrench and snapped his adversary's neck, killing him instantly.

The sounds of battle echoed around the palace and he cursed their lapse in discipline and caution. It mattered not how many enemies there were, he would not allow his cousin to be harmed. Two men stood in his path, their short, straight-bladed swords glaring balefully in the torchlight of the hallway. He tilted one shoulder forward and bulled his way through, knocking them both flying. One man hit the wall with his neck at an awkward angle and crumpled to the floor, never to rise. The other was stunned but staggered to his feet unsteadily and gave chase.

The swift assassin caught up with him and struck again and again but Cao Ren's thick steel shell would not be penetrated. He ignored the temptation to waste time by swatting the insect away and trusted in the strength of his armour to let him reach the grand hall.

He heard maids calling for help, saying that Lady Zhen Ji was in danger. He was torn for a fleet moment about what to do when he saw General Zhang He race by down the hall toward the call of distress, but not before the lithe and elegant warrior flung a hairpin past him and into the eye of his pursuer. Knowing that Lady Zhen was in good hands, he pushed the issue from his mind and continued on toward the throne room.

* * *

Zhen Ji glared at her assailants, who had surrounded her and her maids in her personal quarters. She did not know how these mongrels had gotten here but whoever was responsible for this lapse in security had much to answer for.

Still in her diaphanous and revealing bedclothes, she watched her foe warily as he circled her; he lunged in with his knife and she twisted to one side and jammed the reinforced mouthpiece of her elegant flute into his throat. The man collapsed and shuddered, his larynx shattered and he slowly suffocated, his death ignored by his killer.

Zhen Ji raised the flute to her lips and began playing a haunting tune. The assassins paused, her melody clouding their brains. One died as a maid rammed a small knife into his midriff. The leader of the squad was undeterred, however and leapt at his target, the daughter-in-law of the Prime Minister. Zhen Ji parried the thrust of his knife and struck back angrily. They whirled in a deadly duel as the other intruders recovered from their stupor. One of her maids died with a poisoned blade in her heart. They were charged with protecting their mistress but they were no match for these trained professionals.

The squad leader's blade tore open the side of Zhen Ji's light robe and she hissed angrily at the violation. Her flute cracked across the side of his head and spun him away. A maid lunged after him and buried a knife in his sternum before she herself was felled by another assassin who stabbed her in the neck. She moaned as blood spurted from the wound and she sank to the floor.

She heard footsteps racing down the hallway and raised her flute to her lips again, playing a lingering tune that slowed her assailants, their limbs moving sluggishly and their minds addled. Ensorcelled by her bewitching beauty, their struggled to act but could not. Trained to kill their targets or die trying, they were confounded by the reality-warping strains of her languorous song.

Zhang He was in the room like a flash and attacked the assassins eagerly. Their leader had broken free of Zhen Ji's spell and was a split second away from her when the lithe and cruel general intercepted him. A whirling melee broke out, the fleet combatants vying for advantage. Zhang He was taller and had the greater reach but seemed intent on getting as close to his foe as possible. The assassin dodged and weaved but found himself forced back by the unorthodox and unwanted aggression of his foe. He cursed several times when he was sure that his knife had struck home, only to be greeted by the sight of Zhang He's mocking smile.

The man felt a burning pain spread through him from his stomach and realized her had somehow been hit. His foe didn't even seem to have a weapon in hand. What had happened? How had he been injured. The pain crept along his limbs and he knew he was dying. Undeterred by fear of oblivion and desperate only to do his sacred duty, he fought back harder than ever, but Zhang He seemed to be slipping from his grasp, ever more distant. The general's soft tenor voice became more distant and his form blurry. The last thing the assassin saw was that cruel smile and then a single finger driving straight at his eye…

Zhen Ji snarled in outrage as another assassin rushed her and tackled her to the floor. For all his single-minded persistence, though, she knew him to be but a man and she would use this to her advantage. Her long and flexible legs snaked around him and she slid the soft skin of her exposed body along him. There was the slightest pause on the killer's part, enough of a winder for her to seal his fate. Her poisoned fingernail slid into the side of his neck and he went rigid. She rolled him onto his back, her eyes burning with an accusing and hateful fury as she straddled him, making sure he died. She stood and regarded the corpse coldly, pulling the torn robe around her exposed form.

"I do not consort with foul beasts such as yourself…" she declared disdainfully.

"You are not harmed, my lady?" Zhang He inquired as he grabbed an assassin's wrist and pulled him forward while thrusting out a kick that snapped the man's neck, killing him instantly.

"With little or no thanks to your timely arrival, general." Zhen Ji said indignantly, surveying the deplorable state of her chambers- there was blood and the bodies of assassins and maids everywhere. Several tiles on her floor and walls were scratched up and would need replacing. "What manner of protection is this for a lady of the highest quality?"

Zhang He made no demur at the chiding but stooped to turn his last victim over and removed his hood. He nudged the man's head to one side and examined his neck. There was a sinister tattoo to be found there…

The One Hundred and Eight Dragons.

The most feared assassins in China had come for Cao Cao and his family. But on whose orders?

Answers would have to wait, there were enemies to kill.

"You should stay here, my lady, I believe it will be safe now," the general remarked. "They are after your father-in-law, they will not be able to spare any others to deal with us."

"Unacceptable," Zhen Ji said haughtily as she slipped on another robe, assisted by her remaining maid. "I intend to make these swine pay for their violations and I want to see the humiliation and fear in their eyes as they die."

Zhang He bowed and gestured to the door. He followed Zhen Ji into the hallway and then toward the throne room, never ceasing to be amazed and slightly jealous by how well the little coquette ran in high heels…

* * *

Cao Cao blocked furiously with his sword as two assassins pressed in on him. His great blade, meant for open combat on the battlefield and ceremonial pomp, was almost too slow to keep his attackers at bay. They were attacking from oblique angles, making sure that one of them was almost always out of his field of vision when he faced the other. Only his superlative skill with his sword was preventing an untimely death.

They had come out of nowhere and descended upon him. Several of his guards had died before anyone was aware of their presence. Though these men charged with his protection were good, they lacked the experience of his original contingent of Wildcat Riders, all of whom had nearly died to a man in the disastrous pursuit after Chi Bi. Recruited from other regiments and drilled by Xiahou Dun, they were obviously not quite up to the task of defending him from a sudden assassination attempt.

And he had a fairly good idea who was behind this assault.

He ducked and slashed, forcing one of his foes to spin away to avoid getting bifurcated. He felt another enemy's swift blade shear the edge of his ornate blue robe's shoulder. He snarled in anger and drove the man black with a furious counter assault, hopefully giving himself some space to swing his weapon.

He was thankful that Cao Pi and his other sons were away in the north or the west, facing the Xiongnu or the Ma clan. While both enemies were formidable, it was unlikely that assassins would be employed against his offspring.

His bodyguard, Xu Zhu, roared like an enraged bull and swing his giant maul about, smashing one unlucky assassin straight out a window. He caught the strike of an assassin's blade on the thick haft of his mighty weapon and then slammed the business end down with astonishing speed, right onto the man's head. Cao Cao was thankful he had turned away before he witnessed the grim result, but the sound still turned his stomach.

Sima Yi, one of his newer strategists from a prominent clan, blocked a strike hastily with his ornamental fan and then rammed a knife into his foe's midriff. Though clearly not used to melee combat, he was giving a good account of himself, using his unwarrior-like appearance to make the foe think he was an easy target and miscalculate. Cao Cao was the principal target and the assassins were clearly conserving their energy and best efforts to deal with him, and perhaps his rotund and ferocious bodyguard.

He parried another stroke and slashed his foe across the chest. The man died silently, uttering no shouts of pain or fear. He even tried to strike again as he fell. Who were these assassins? Their ruthlessness and dedication was astonishing.

He was knocked to the ground by a foe and it was only the intervention of General Xu Huang that saved him from certain death. The steadfast warrior dispatched Cao Cao's assailant with a swift stroke of his poleaxe and stood in front of his lord, glaring defiantly at the intruders. Without pause, more of the assassins, possibly five of them, leapt in, all attempting to get past Xu Huang, but he kept them all at bay with his long weapon, no matter which angle they attacked from or no matter how hard they tried to slip past his guard to get to Cao Cao. The Prime minister was in awe of the general's skill.

With men such as this, how could he lose?

He cursed as more assassins seemed to emerge from the shadows but then shouted in jubilation as Cao Ren burst into the hall from a small side-entrance, swinging his meteor hammer about and catching the foe by surprise. Xiahou Dun emerged from the great doors seconds later and the fight had suddenly taken on a whole new dimension. The black-robed assassins were now on the defensive, despite their numerical superiority. Zhang He and Lady Zhen Ji were not far behind, having collected some of the remaining palace guards along the way.

The battle took on an even more desperate note as the assassins began to employ every tactic and weapon in their arsenal, now sacrificing themselves to make sure that Cao Cao died. Every other target was secondary. Unfortunately, his generals and retainers had drawn in about him and were presenting an almost impenetrable shield that could not be broken through.

Almost impenetrable.

Three made it through the defensive wall while the others kept Cao Cao's defenders busy. One of them died when Cao Cao hewed his head from his shoulders as he burst through. The remaining two attacked simultaneously from oblique angles.

Cao Cao staggered and fell to one knee as he felt a foot jam into the small of his back. It was almost happening faster than he could think. He knew he was open and that his life was about to be extinguished, his ambitions forever thwarted and the realm doomed to chaos.

_No! Not like this! Not now! I have so much left to do! Please, don't let it end like this! _

With a hope against hope, he felt himself swinging his sword backward to parry the stroke he could not see but knew was coming. A fool's hope, but it was all he had…

The sickening ball of ice forming in his stomach vanished as he felt himself block the foe's strike. He heard himself yell in triumph and slowly, oh so slowly, whirl about and slay his attacker, who had failed to capitalise on the advantage. Cao Cao clenched his teeth as he swung his sword in a wide arc and felt it bite into the skin of his other foe, the keen blade cleaving flesh and bone before drinking deep of its prey's life.

He ignored the searing spatter of blood on his skin and leapt forward, taking the fight to his foes. Sensing his impetus, his companions also surged into the assassins, following his lead. This fight would be won with outright aggression, not defensive tactics. Boldness was all that remained to them, and Cao Cao knew bold better than just about anyone.

Xu Zhu tossed a man into the air and then leapt after him, spiking the hapless fool into a wall and shattering every bone in his body. The stone broke where his body had impacted with a sickening crunch. The titanic man then ran forward and over another assassin, driving him into the floor. The bodyguard's normally docile eyes flashed with a fury that few ever survived.

Cao Cao ran his great blade through the chest of another foe and kicked him off of the sword savagely. Nearby, Xu Huang bisected a foe with his pole-axe while Zhang He struck down another who was ensorcelled by the melody of Zhen Ji's flute.

"Clear!" Xiahou Dun yelled, holding his Kirin Fang sword high overhead.

"Clear!" shouted the other generals and guardians in response. The silence that followed was deafening. All Cao Cao could hear was his heart thundering in his chest and his breath, which sounded like the bellows of a mighty forge.

He sheathed his sword and nodded curtly, maintaining an air of icy control. "Find me a survivor!" he said curtly. Even Zhen Ji bowed and began examining the foes for any that might still live. Cao Cao waited, guarded by the massive form of Xu Zhu, who loomed over his liege possessively.

"There's one over here," called out Cao Ren from a corner. "But not for very long."

Cao Cao strode over and gazed down coldly at the assassin, whose broken and twisted form twitched and spasmed erratically. His rib cage had been perforated by a lethal sword strike and pink bubbles now welled up through the wound as he struggled to breathe. From behind the cowl he wore, his eyes flashed accusingly.

The Prime Minister knelt while Cao Ren removed the man's head wrap. The general grunted upon seeing the tattoo of the One Hundred and Eight Dragons.

"You are going to die," Cao Cao said plainly to the stricken man. "What remains to be seen is if I let you die quickly or if I engage my people make sure your death is slow and agonising. The choice is yours."

The man glared, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. He attempted to move his head, a juddering action that made his body scream in protest.

"Traitor to the Han…" he snarled venomously, trying to fix his gaze on his intended target. "Though I have failed, your life is still forfeit!"

"Some other day, maybe, but not today." Cao Cao replied coolly. "There is no need to prolong your pain and your journey to join your ancestors. Tell me what I want to know."

"Never… fiend…" the assassin gurgled, struggling to stay focused.

"Tell me or you will never join them!" Cao Cao pressed, his voice like cold steel.

The man tried to breathe, to come to terms with what he had to do. He prepared himself, willing his vision not to fade. The blurred shape staring down at him moved closer.

The assassin bit down on the hollow tooth in his mouth and exhaled as hard as he could. The poisonous gas wafted up and enveloped the face of his target. Half a second later, darkness took him and he felt no more…

Cao Cao reared back, pulled away by Xu Zhu while the assassin's vapour blew over the Wildcat Rider who had been kneeling next to him. The man barely had time to react before he collapsed, the life seeping from his body as poison coursed through his veins.

Wide-eyed, nearly unnerved by the near-miss, Cao Cao scrambled to his feet several feet away from the now headless corpse, once Xiahou Dun had interceded. No one except maybe Xu Zhu noticed him squeeze his eyes shut and clench his trembling hands as he fought for control.

Too close. That had been too close…

"Find the bodies of the other assassins and behead them immediately!" Xiahou Dun roared, causing the guards and other generals to scamper away. He strode to his cousin and knelt before him.

"Forgive me, my lord…" he said, bowing his head in shame. "This lapse in security is my fault, there is no excuse for any foe to get so close to you."

"Nonsense, cousin, none of us are blameless and none are to be blamed except the perpetrator of this attack." Cao Cao replied, not terribly interested in his cousin's baseless acceptance of responsibility. "What remains is how to respond to this outrage."

"But Lord Cao Cao, the assassin never told us who sent him." Xu Zhu pointed out, scratching his pear-shaped head. The huge man was so distracted by the attack that he wasn't even thinking about eating.

"Oh, but he did, my monolithic friend," Cao Cao replied, his mind clearly several steps ahead of his retainers. He beckoned over Sima Yi, who came swiftly and bowed, still holding his strategist's fan.

"My lord?"

"Sima Yi, who would want me dead?" Cao Cao asked.

The strategist cleared his throat. "It might take less time, Prime Minister, if I were to simply relate who _didn't_ want you dead. But if one rules out treachery from within…"

"Which I have." Cao Cao said firmly.

"Then we must consider who could possibly have the resources to engage the services of what looks to be the entire One Hundred and Eight Dragons clan of assassins." Sima Yi continued.

"That would limit the number of suspects significantly." Xiahou Dun growled, promising himself that whoever was responsible would pay with their life and the lives of their family for generations to come.

"Sun Ce is an obvious choice," Sima Yi posited. "The Southlands certainly has the motivation and also the funds to attempt this."

"Yet Sun Ce would not do such a thing, he is a warrior," Cao Cao muttered. "His strategist Zhou Yu might conceivably attempt it but he would never get it by his liege. No, it was not the Sun family."

"Such clans still surviving of the Yuan family might have the resources and certainly have the motivation," Sima Yi mused.

"And yet you clearly do not believe this either," the Prime Minister replied. "So if not the Sun or the Yuans…"

"Liu Bei might attempt it, but he lacks the resources to engage the entire clan of assassins. Were he able to, he would have a land of his own by now and be a more significant threat." Sima Yi concluded.

"But… the alternative…" Xiahou Dun said almost in horror.

"The assassin _did _call our lord a traitor to the Han." Sima Yi pointed out.

Cao Cao strode over to a window and gazed out over the city. Across the grand square sat the palace wherein lived the emperor of the Han. The collection of buildings seemed distant, cold and hostile to him now.

"Xiahou Dun, make sure the palace is secure," he said grimly, turning and walking out of the throne room. "I think it's about time I went and had a word or two with his majesty…"

* * *

Xiahou Ba swung his great sword about in a wide arc and then slammed it down, cutting the dummy neatly in half. He panted and stood, wiping the heard-earned sweat from his brow. He turned and looked at his father, clearly pleased with the results of his efforts.

"Not bad, boy," Xiahou Yuan said, walking up to his son. "If you are indeed committed to using such a big weapon, you're gonna have to make sure you are strong enough to swing it about quickly, though. If you miss with one of those big cuts or slashes, it'll leave you wide open and you'll never recover in time to parry the counterstroke."

Xiahou Ba nodded, knowing the truth in his father's words. More than once his trainers had giving him a scratch or a good welt to remember that particular lesson by. If he missed and didn't recover quickly, they made him pay for it. This absurdly large sword was his choice, so I he intended to use it, he had better get it right.

"You'll need heavy armour, of course, to protect you if you're going to be dragging that thing around on the battlefield." Xiahou Yuan remarked.

"But father, would not light armour be more to my advantage?" Ba asked. "Would it not give me some sort of edge in mobility?"

"Your weapon is too ponderous to worry about mobility, Ba," the father said firmly, shaking his head. No, if you are going to have a sword like that, you will be in the thick of the heaviest fighting or smashing into the enemy's lines as part of an assault unit. You will get hit and your armour needs to shrug off those blows as much as possible. Your sword will not allow for skirmishing."

"Of course you are right, father," Ba said, blushing and bowing his head. It was really quite logical and he was embarrassed for not having figured that out himself. "Forgive me."

"Don't worry about it, Ba, m'boy," Xiahou Yuan said cheerfully, clapping his son on the shoulder. "I made some pretty dumb rookie assumptions and mistakes when I was young; it's all part of the process."

"Yes, father."

Their training was intruded upon by Jia Xu, who nodded to them both curtly. "General, we must move out within the next eight hours. We will be using a storm to our advantage and hitting them hard. Please be ready with your troops, there is much to do."

"No problem." Xiahou Yuan replied to the strategist's retreating back. Jia Xu had not even waited for a reply. The general just shook his head while Xiahou Ba wrinkled his nose in distaste.

"He's not a polite man at all, father, is he?" the boy pointed out.

"My cousin doesn't keep him alive for politeness, nor any of us, for that matter." Xiahou Yuan muttered. "Jia Xu lives because he is devious and deadly as a serpent, but without the creature's charm. Trust me, he's got no time to waste on being polite if he wants to keep his head."

"Uncle Cao Cao is a hard man," Ba mused. "If he has no need of someone… but, what of us, father? We are his kin, are we not? I have heard he was actually born a Xiahou."

Yuan chuckled. "If you are worried that one day you might disappear if you do not prove useful, boy, I think it is safe for me to say that no such thing would happen to you. Your uncle Cao Cao might sweep you off to the side as some administrator for some unimportant region, but he would not take your head unless you betrayed him. No, it is good to be a member of Cao Cao's family."

"That's encouraging, I guess," the boy said, relieved. He then turned and prostrated himself before his father. "But please, father, I beg you… let me go with you into battle! I am ready!"

Xiahou Yuan raised an eyebrow. "Are you kidding me? This is going to be dangerous, Ba."

"When is battle not, father?" implored the son, now looking up. "Would you ever be proud of me as a warrior if I did not risk myself in anything but the easiest of fights? My mother has even put aside a stipend for me to buy my own armour. I am sure the quartermaster can find me something fitting."

He reached out and touched his father's shoe in a gesture of utmost humility. "To fight by your side… what more could a son ask for?"

Xiahou Yuan sighed. His wife was indeed a clever woman- she knew he was having the armour for Ba crafted and she had allowed it to stay a surprise by promising the boy money to buy some, throwing him off the trail. The general smiled warmly at the thought of the women he loved. Ladies Ding and Gao were a wonderful match for him.

"Forget about the armour, son," he said gruffly, gesturing for the boy to rise. "Just follow me…"

He led his son to the quartermaster's tents and went to a corner where a large swathe of blue silk was thrown over some object to conceal it. He pulled the silk back to reveal a wooden dummy on which was arrayed a set of heavy armour, gilded and shining like a star. The high-peaked helmet had a crème-coloured plume on it and crystals that glittered brightly were set into the gleaming metal. Ba's jaw was wide as he gazed on it.

"I had this commissioned a while ago in anticipation of the day you would take to the field," Yuan said, smirking as he watched his son gawk at the armour. "So here's the deal… the armour is crafted and fitted for someone who is in really good shape, their physical prime. If you can squeeze your lazy bones into it and still move, I'll give you a field commission as a soldier and you can come with me. You game?"

Ba nodded almost absently, still staring in wonder at the armour.

"Well, get moving, boy," Yuan said, nudging his progeny. "We leave in eight hours and that armour isn't going to strap itself on you."

Ba came back to himself, bowed quickly as dashed off to find a battle tunic to wear under his new armour. Yuan just shook his head again and went to see his wives for a while before deploying. Eight hours should be enough time for the three of them to indulge in some recreation…

* * *

The night was dark with storm clouds and the wind was stiff, creating enough noise to hopefully help cover their approach. Surrounded by his bodyguard squad, he stood on the deck of the ship that was swiftly ferrying them across the river.

His mighty bow was on his back, his wide, curved-blade sword on his hip. Somewhere behind him, on another vessel, his son Ba stood with an experienced assault squad, strong men who had been assigned the task of destroying a small defensive camp. He had briefly considered allowing Ba to accompany Jia Xu to assault the town of Mian Yang, an infinitely easier prospect, but he did not want the deaths of innocent peasants on his son's soul; therefore he opted for the more risky assignment. Besides, Ba would never have forgiven his father if he thought the old man was taking pains to keep him safe from harm.

Every available boat was being used to get his troops across the river as swiftly as possible. They had to hit fast and hard, before the enemy could determine what was happening. This encounter was a diversion from the massacre that was to happen at Mian Yang. Even if the enemy managed to engage Xiahou Yuan in pitched battle and he inflicted losses upon them, the deaths of soldiers was still secondary to the peasants losing faith in Liu Bei because he wasn't there to protect them, as promised.

But now it was reported that none other than Guan Yu was coming to reinforce the region. Kongming had doubtless seen the gap in the defences and was plugging them quickly, in anticipation of exactly what Xiahou Yuan and Jia Xu were setting out to accomplish here.

They just had to be quicker than that great bearded bastard who was on his way.

"_Son, do exactly as you are told by your squad commander and comport yourself well on the battlefield," _ he had said to Ba before they parted to head for their individual ships. _"Your arm is strong, your weapon is keep and your armour stout. Do not let the rashness of youth overwhelm you and remember that you answer to a chain of command, no matter how high your spirit soars. Glory is not the objective of this mission, understand?"_

The boy had nodded and Xiahou Yuan was confident he could be taken at his word. Ba's life was now in someone else's hands until the engagement was over and they were back across the river. He put it from his mind and concentrated on his own mission.

The enemy commander, Wei Yan, was supposed to be strong fighter, a rather barbaric warrior prone to unpredictable rages on the field that turned him into a whirlwind of destruction. It was also rumoured that Zhuge Liang disliked and distrusted the general, in spite of Liu Bei's endorsement of his character. Kongming therefor dutifully allowed Wei Yan to continue is his assigned role as general, even if he had misgivings.

If Xiahou Yuan and Jia Xu played their tiles right, not only would this look bad for Guan Yu, but it might also further damage Wei Yan's reputation, at least in Zhuge Liang's eyes. A rift between strategist and general could only be beneficial to Cao Cao, after all.

The helmsman whispered loudly that they were about to put to shore and Xiahou Yuan braced himself against a sturdy beam. The boat slowed in its approach, not only to avoid damage once it hit the shore but also to help reduce the noise they would make and hopefully not tip off the enemy.

His grip tightened as the ship ground and shook, slowing to a complete halt. Without waiting for the ramp to drop, Xiahou Yuan leapt over the side and into the shallow water, his bow already out and crouching, searching the darkness for enemies. No telltale signs of a foe as other ships ground up onto the shore and released their cargoes of warriors.

His horse was brought to him from another vessel and he mounted it swiftly, surrounded by his troops. He nodded and they began to move out. Not a single torch had been lit; everything had been done by the fitful light of a dim moon, usually hidden behind black clouds. It was an auspicious start.

The timing had to be precise, so that the enemy was not able to organize and respond to any of their strikes, drawing out the battle. However, they also had to engage enough of Wei Yan's forces to keep them from rescuing Mian Yang from its fate. Master of the lightning attack and logistical paradigm, Xiahou Yuan was confident his plans would work as long as everyone did their part without question, including the enemy.

He would hit them hard enough to make them think they were being attacked by a large force intent on invasion, but he wanted to be able to retreat before a measured response was in place. Burn the supplies, confuse the men, much as they had done at Guan Du to Yuan Shao, that epic battle that confirmed Cao Cao as master of the north, from the Great Wall to the Yangtze and from the eastern sea to Jie Ting. The disaster at Chi Bi was a mere hiccough in their plan.

Three hundred riders now left the beach head with him, heading west toward Hua Rong, where Wei Yan was stationed. If their estimates were correct, the region had maybe ten thousand troops stationed, roughly half of them professional soldiers while the rest were volunteers, farmers and tradesmen who were enchanted by Liu Bei's dreamy words of an impractical future.

So what if Liu Bei offered a realm of virtue? What was virtue to the peasant who couldn't feed his family or cure his ailing wife? Were afflictions and bad things just going to stop happening, simply because some guy with really wide-spaced eyes and droopy ears was on the throne?

Words, words, words. All Liu Bei ever offered the people were his honeyed words. Xiahou Yuan harboured no doubt that the Imperial Uncle meant them, but he certainly had no way of bringing it about. When the peace he promised was torn apart by the realities of an uncaring world, by famine and disease or barbarian horsemen and the people felt betrayed, how would he handle it?

With force, the only way left to him since his words were now ashes in the peasant's mouths. His sworn brothers, those mighty warriors and killers of men, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, would lead armies to supress the insurrections that would spring up and peasants would die, just like in the Yellow Turban Rebellion.

Xiahou Yuan had to admit he _much_ preferred the approach of the Sun family in the Southlands- noble, charismatic and dynamic, they kept control of their lands, made them profitable and the people were well-fed and happy. They glorified the warrior principal, making sure that recruits were always pouring in, and yet they took care to minimize their casualties and spare their people the pain of a loved one's death in these awful wars.

He remembered the discussions amongst Cao Cao's council members back in Xuchang, discussing the intelligence they had gathered about the Wu state. Sun Ce was developing a national economy of terrifying potential. He was building a system of unifying roads, something the Han had banned to discourage insurrection, had completed a Grand Canal and established a standard of trade and currency across his realm- a jade carving would fetch the same price anywhere in Wu, based on its dialectic quality, not regional considerations.

The Wu government had three supreme heads- Sun Ce himself, living in the central city of Baifu, Sun Quan, holding court in the hereditary city of Wuchang and Sun Shang Xiang, presiding over the south in Fujian. Ultimately Sun Ce was in charge, but the younger siblings frequently spoke and administered on his behalf. They were supported by the four clans of Wu, all of whom were committed to the Sun family and their ideals. It was as strong a system as anyone else could offer, even Cao Cao.

The problem, though, as Xiahou Yuan saw it, was that it would never work on the scale of the entire Middle Kingdom. The Sun family and the clans that supported them were bound by degrees of blood and cultural and ethnic similitudes. Bereft of these strengths beyond the borders of Wu, the system would break down, unless Sun Ce deposed every noble family in the empire and placed one of his own relatives in charge of a region, which would also foment unrest.

If Wu did not attempt to grow, it would stay strong, but ultimately not strong enough to defeat Cao Cao, who would control the rest of the empire before long. If Sun Ce _did_ attempt to expand his borders, his system and his realm would fray at the edges and eventually unravel. It was simple logic.

Xiahou Yuan was not sure if his admiration of Wu and Sun Ce bothered him or not- he certainly liked Sun Quan on a personal level, probably because the two of them were so dissimilar. He respected the warrior-princess Shang Xiang for her extraordinary martial abilities and knew her to be a fighter of peerless skill. Others may have disparaged her based on her gender, but he was no fool.

Sun Ce, Sun Ce… one of the three most dangerous men in the Middle Kingdom, without question. He was a consummate warrior, nearly able to best Cao Cao's Wildcat Riders bodyguard _and_ his generals single-handedly, something even Lu Bu would have been given pause by. He had a keen intellect and flawless intuition and was charismatic in a way that Liu Bei would be impressed by. His only downfall was that even if he was capable of ruthlessness, he was loath or unwilling to use it, which is why he would not be able to best Cao Cao, unless it came to a clash of blades.

"_We will win, no mistake. But the question is, how long will it take and how much will we suffer for it?"_

He heard a scout's call, a warble similar to that of a thrush native to the region, indicating that their target was just ahead. He praised his good fortune in not being d detected and drew his bow from his back. His cavaliers did likewise and the oiled and flammable arrows they carried were prepared for the initial assault.

He had his horse break into a trot, once the arrowhead was lit. Hundreds of small but bright, licking flames bounced through the darkness. The noise of hoofs would certainly be noticeable now and timing was more crucial than ever. He pointed the arrow skyward, waiting for the scout's signal…

A horn call indicated they had reached optimal range and he released his flaming projectile, those of his cavaliers sailing into the sky a split-second later. The winds worked in their favour and the arrows landed in the camps surrounding Hua Rong, igniting everything they touch and created instant confusion.

He smiled grimly as he saw the parallel one could draw to the battle of Chi Bi, where fire and the winds had been used _against _Cao Cao to annihilate his mighty army. Turnabout was fair play, he guessed, even if this was nothing like the same skill. It was still somewhat gratifying. The fires they created began to lick the blackness of the sky and he drew his sword.

This was vengeance.

* * *

Xiahou Ba ran alongside his squad mates as they hurried to their target. They were flanked by groups of skirmishers whose job it was to clear the way for the heavy troops to collide with their target and destroy it before an effective defence could be organized.

The squad leader, a toughened and grizzled sergeant who had seen many years of war, carried his _Dadao _at the ready. Many of the other soldiers did as well, either expecting trouble or not at all fatigued by carrying their weapons in such a manner.

Ba, on the other hand, was wielding a sword so large that many of the man had made disparaging remarks about what he might have been compensating for. Harsh words from the sergeant might have quelled such uncalled-for insults, but he still felt out of place. Not only were these experienced fighters, but he stuck out like a sore thumb, in his brilliantly shining armour and with his oversized blade. It was exactly how he had pictured his first military engagement, but he shrugged it off- he was here to please his father and prove himself, not these lugs.

The sergeant spotted a guard up ahead and was on him before the man could call out an alarm- the _dadao_ struck the man's head from his shoulders and the sergeant just kept running. Ba ignored the severed head and the look of shock still on the guard's face as he sprinted by.

He was getting weary. This armour was heavy and he was unused to it. But he would not let it defeat him, nor would the enemy. His first engagement would be an exemplary one, he swore it. He ignored the metal and his muscles and kept running.

Then they were at the enemy camp. They burst into the perimeter and all hell broke loose. His squad mates scattered as they attacked the defenders fiercely, cutting down any who attempted to stand their ground. Ba had drawn his sword from his back and charged right at the enemy commander, standing near a central fire.

Most of these men wore armour but seemed to be armed with spears and bows, a flexible defensive unit. Their mail proved of little use against the _dadaos_ and hammers or clubs his squad mates fought with. The enemy had numbers initially, but their advantage dwindled quickly as the experienced northerners struck them down, determined to leave none alive.

Eager for battle, Ba swung at the commander, who leapt lightly out of the way of his slash and lunged in with a long knife. Ba gasped in panic as the blade struck home but was deflected by the cunningly-designed armour he was encased in. He jammed out with his elbow and forced the commander away until he could swing his great weapon about again.

Clearly not eager to be bifurcated and with no weapon that would stand against a blow from Ba's sword, the commander leapt aside again, trying to get around his foe and out of Ba's line of sight. Ba swung his sword in a great arc, even without turning, and kept the man at bay. But he could not keep this up forever; he was far more likely to tire before his lightly-armoured opponent was. He had to do something to force his foe's hand…

The commander darted in and Ba staggered as a blow rang against his high-peaked helmet, knocking it askew and obscuring his vision. He cursed in panic, knowing his foe would strike again before he could recover. Not knowing what else to do, he ducked and heard the swish of the knife as it passed over his head. He punched out with his armoured fist and struck his enemy in the thigh, causing him to hobble back in pain. Still not able to see, he charged at the commander and grappled with him, wrestling for the long knife.

Ba could hear the man grunting with effort right in front of him and slammed his helmet into the man's face, breaking his nose and many teeth. Ba wrench the blade out of his foe's hands as he reeled back, stunned. Without pause, Ba drove the deadly blade deep into the man's chest, breaking through the scale armour and the point bursting out his back. The man slumped, holding on to Xiahou Ba for as long as he could before collapsing, his eyes wide and unseeing.

Unable to breathe and with his heart pounding from his close call, Ba snarled and tore his helmet off his head, trying not to panic as he sucked in lungfuls of air. He could smell blood, he could smell sweat and the rather absurd notion of burnt metal. The coppery tang of blood in his mouth drove him to fury and he threw down the long knife and picked up his great blade, charging into the midst of the battle.

"_Father! Let me show you what I can do!"_

* * *

Xiahou Yuan rampaged on horseback, slashing left and right with his wide blade and felling foes. His keen eyes saw an archer in a tower, aiming down at men on the ground. He whipped his bow from his back and fired off an arrow before anyone else could have blinked. The dart sped up and buried itself in the man's eye. So powerful was the shot, though, that the archer was knocked backwards out of the tower and pitched to the ground below.

Grunting in satisfaction, Yuan resumed hacking and slashing at the enemy around him. The night sky was red with flames, the flickering illumination allowing him to take stock of how the battle progressed. The main camp was ablaze and they had caught the defenders completely at unawares. Their numbers would count for little if they could not get organized. His cavaliers, all disciplined soldiers, were under strict orders to not get caught up fighting or looting, since this battle was just a diversion from the real objective.

Mian Yang was many _li _to his east and he had set up a long network of signallers with horns to communicate when it would time to retreat. The heralds were back away from the fighting, spread in a concave arc from Mian Yang to Hua Rong. He was taking no chances with a missed signal.

He dismounted his horse as he came across ground strewn with burning supplies and wreckage. The steed sprinted back some distance dutifully while he grabbed a beam that was on fire and thrust it deep into a series of tents, igniting them and destroying their contents. A panicked enemy trooper tried to run past him and the hefty Wei general chuckled as he struck the man across the head with his beam, knocking him from his feet and rendering him mercifully unconscious while the world burned around him.

"You'll be feeling that in the morning, pal." Xiahou Yuan jeered. "Good luck getting your wife to ever look at you or ask you to smile again."

Then a rather disconcerting shout echoed through the air and he turned to see what the commotion was- several of his warriors were backing up hurriedly as a massive man dressed in what appeared to be bone armour charged into them bodily, wielding a double-headed voulge. His muscles were rippling beneath his skin and the tendons in his neck were taught. His eyes were blood-shot with a berserker fury as he slashed and thrust with wild abandon at his prey.

Surely this was Wei Yan.

"Crush you now!" the man bellowed as he cut down Xiahou Yuan's cavaliers with savage strikes.

The last surviving man made a desperate thrust with his sword but the wily berserker dodged and then rammed his voulge deep into his foe. He then lifted the blade into the air with one hand, his victim wailing in agony as he slid down the haft. Wei Yan then slammed the man into the ground with bone-shattering force, twice, before flinging him contemptuously off the weapon and into the night.

Xiahou Yuan watched in fascination as the enemy general stood still, his chest heaving and looking for foes, his muscular form silhouetted by the conflagration. His mighty hand gripped and flexed on his idle weapon.

Then Wei Yan sensed something and turned slowly, his burning eyes locking with Xiahou Yuan's. He turned and began striding toward his new target, his teeth clenching in anticipation of battle.

"Alright, bring it on!" Xiahou Yuan declared, stamping and going down into a low crouch. "I've more than earned my reputation!"

He waited while Wei Yan charged toward him, his eyes never leaving his foe's. Wei Yan surged forward, his weapon held behind him and letting out a terrifying shout. The only thing that kept him from being unnerved by this perilous foe was that he had survived an encounter with the White Wolves of Sun Ce, the barbarian tribal warriors from beyond the Barrier Mountains. Berserkers possessed of a savagery almost none in the Middle Kingdom could comprehend, they could shatter the morale of entire armies even before it came to blows.

Wei Yan reminded him of these white devils, but he was ready. Mindless rage would be met with brutal cunning.

"_Let's see Sun Shang Xiang do this…"_ he thought as he swept up his bow and nocked two arrows into it at once. Aiming carefully, he released the string and the missiles flashed forward, each one striking and burying itself in one of Wei Yan's pauldrons. The general faltered slightly for a moment but then charged in again, undeterred by his foe's clever archery. Xiahou Yuan shot two more arrows, this time piercing Wei Yan's greaves.

Enraged and now in close, Wei Yan slashed savagely with one end of his voulge before spinning and striking with the other, almost faster than the eye could follow. Xiahou Yuan was ready, though, and twisted along with the strikes, parrying with his broad-bladed sword. He side-stepped an attempt to pin him to the ground and struck, his blow caught on the haft of Wei Yan's weapon.

As the camp blazed in ruin the two men fought, determined to destroy one another. Xiahou Yuan would not move before Wei Yan's ferocity, determined to show the soldiers under his command that this dreaded foe could be defeated or at least was not to be feared.

Wei Yan whirled his weapon about in a relentless frenzy, his war cry louder than any other sound of the battle. His prey fought cunningly, not attacking but dodging, deflecting or parrying his attacks. He could not get inside his foe's masterful defence. The arrows in his shoulder and knee armour had not penetrated to his flesh but they were hampering his movement, making him slower than he might have been. He struck harder and harder, determined to bathe in this man's blood.

Xiahou Yuan stood his ground, knowing that time would not be on his men's side much longer. He hoped that whatever Jia Xu meant to accomplish that it happened soon.

* * *

Jia Xu scowled as his men streamed into the town, laying waste to everything they saw and putting everyone to the sword. Men, women, children, the elderly… none were spared. Some might have suggested that taking the men back to work in the mines or fields of the north made more sense, but under the circumstances this was impractical. They were under a time constraint and what mattered was the psychological impact of this devastating pogrom.

It was true, not _all_ the people of Mian Yang were to be killed, just the vast majority of them. A few unlucky survivors would be wounded almost unto death and left to see their rescuers arrive too late. Surrounded by carnage and the bodies of their loved ones, they would take no solace in Guan Yu's arrival or Liu Bei's words. They might hate the north, but he was willing to bet that their principal resentment would be directed toward the Scion of the Han, who promised them safety and gave them nothing.

He strode into the town and assisted his men- these particular individuals were part of a new cadre of soldiery Cao Cao had begun to employ, colloquially called 'chain gangs'. These units were made up of hardened criminals or soldiers convicted of insubordination. Every one of them had a death sentence of their head and the only thing that kept it from being carried out was service in the chain gangs. They were given the most dangerous or distasteful assignments, like the wanton slaughter of civilians and Cao Cao tacitly looked the other way to any atrocities that might happen. Rape and murder or worse would be overlooked, as long as they did their job without question.

Jia Xu could relate to their plight, since he only continued to live at Cao Cao's pleasure. He therefore encouraged these scum to be as effective as possible, since they would be dead the moment they proved not so. They could not loot and they were not paid- they only payment was living another day. If they died in battle, no one cared, they got what they deserved. But it was completely up to them as to how long they lived.

A peasant ran by screaming in terror and Jia Xu's chain-sickle sped out and speared him through the back. With a brutal yank he pulled it free, ignoring the screams of the man as he collapsed. He saw two of his men drag a shrieking woman into a small, ramshackle house that was not on fire, both laughing evilly. He sneered and walked up to the outside of the edifice and tossed a burning torch unto the thatch roof. It caught fire quickly and collapsed, trapping the victims inside. The men could be replaced and it was probably a mercy to the woman.

A small town watch had managed to organize itself and was attempting a defence. Determined to break them quickly, he made his way directly toward their position. They saw him coming and prepared to attack. He whirled his chain sickle overhead and then sent it sailing out to lodge in the joists of a burning roof near them. He sneered at them and gave the sickle a brutal yank, pulling it free and causing the structure to collapse outward, crushing several of the men beneath burning wreckage. The rest cried out in terror and fled, their loyalty to the strangely absent Liu Bei forgotten.

But Jia Xu would not let them escape. They had made their choice and he would see that they died with it. He was among them as swiftly as a serpent and he whirled and struck mercilessly, his eyes cold and pitiless. Two men stood their ground and attacked him but they were no match for him. He ducked and slashed with his blade, taking one man's leg clean off. The soldier had barely collapsed before Jia Xu pinned him to the ground with the point of his weapon.

The remaining man backed up, his eyes wide with fear. Jia Xu rose and advanced slowly on his target. Without looking, he struck down another foe that ran by, his tunic on fire. He continued to move toward the soldier. The watchman bumped back into the wall of a house and dropped his shield and spear. Jia Xu reached out and grabbed him by the neck before plunging his blade deep into the man's stomach. The watchman shuddered and went rigid, his mouth and eyes wide. Blood seeped from the corner of his lips while Jia Xu glared into his eyes. He pushed the blade in further until he felt it hit the wood of the house behind. The dying man's eyes rolled up into his head and he collapsed, blood spreading over the dirt from the gaping wound in his abdomen.

Jia Xu looked at his aide, who nodded. With a dismissive wave, the strategist indicated that the signals be sent. Conch horns began blaring, sounding the retreat. His murderers started to exit the town rapidly, dropping whatever they had been doing and heading back to the ships.

One man, however, was clearly not finished with what he had started and his orders be damned. He had a young, naked woman pressed up against a wall and ignored the clarion calls as he had his way with her. She screamed and beat at his shoulders feebly, unable to fight him off.

Snarling in anger, Jia Xu stamped up behind the man and grabbed him by the hair, pulling it back and exposing his neck. He slashed his sickle blade across the man's throat, leaving him to die choking on his own blood. He assessed the woman coldly before striking her to the ground with her fist, knocking her unconscious.

There should be a _few_ survivors, after all. Who could recall the brutality of this assault of everyone was dead? In addition to that, some of Cao Cao's agents were already infiltrating the region, ready to pose as distraught survivors or relatives of the slain who would begin a tirade of accusations against Liu Bei.

Mian Yong was in flames and its population massacred. No more than eight survivors would remain. Hooking his chain sickle onto his belt, he exited the town and headed back to his ship. He could hear the conch shells echoing along the shoreline, heading went to Hua Rong. If Xiahou Yuan reacted swiftly, they would all be across the river and safe from reprisal before morning.

* * *

Xiahou Yuan spun and struck, his blade grinding against Wei Yan's. They strained against one another and the camp roiled and burned about them. The Wei general slid his sword down the haft of his foe's weapon. Wei Yan was forced to release his weapon but he slammed his fist across Xiahou Yuan's head. The northerner staggered away but before Wei Yan could follow up, Xiahou Yuan had his bow out and shot him in the flank.

Wei Yan growled and held his side while Xiahou Yuan sprinted away. The calls of horns reached him and he realized he had been outmaneuvered. He roared in fury and gave chase, but it was futile. In spite of his bulk, Xiahou Yuan could really run and disappeared into the night.

"Kill them all!" he shouted, directing his men to pursue. "Leave none alive!"

How would he explain this to Guan Yu?

* * *

Xiahou Ba and his unit fought hard. They had heard the calls to retreat and indeed they had destroyed their assigned target, but seconds later, another call went up, this signalling an enemy they were hoping not to face. Advance elements of Guan Yu's contingent were being encountered and a fighting withdrawal ordered. As one of the heavier squads located between Mian Yang and Hua Rong, Ba and his fellow soldiers were bringing up the rear, supported by their skirmishing archers units on the flanks.

A unit of light swordsmen hurrying towards Mian Yang crossed their paths and the fight was confusing and savage. Initially taken by surprise, the northerners quickly turned the tide and wiped out their foes, with Ba accounting for one kill. He got in a good swing and cut his man neatly in half. He couldn't help but take the man's helmet as a trophy. He was sure his father would not mind, as long as he wasn't slowed down by his plundering.

They had resumed their retreat but Ba became dimly aware of a group not far away, running parallel with them. He caught his sergeant's attention and nodded toward the interlopers, who were just barely visible in the fitful darkness. The veteran nodded and the squad angled their course slightly, moving toward the target on an oblique angle.

It was indeed an enemy unit and they hadn't noticed their peril until it was too late. The sergeant struck first, slaying a man and beginning the desperate fray. As the skies cleared momentarily and the moon shone down, the wild melee was laid bare. Men slaughtered men under the night sky.

Xiahou Ba had just slain his foe when he heard a groan and saw his sergeant cut down by a young warrior wielding a massive blade, not unlike his own. But whereas Ba's greatsword came to a lethal point, the head of this warrior's sword was flat, its blade broad and keen. Whoever he was, this was surely a test of Ba's skills.

As the warrior of Liu Bei's army glared down at his fallen foe, Ba sprinted up and stood in front of him, his weapon levelled. He grinned and nodded.

"I'm Xiahou Ba. Nice to meet you."

"I'm Guan Ping and you're dead!" growled the foe as he leapt in at Ba, his sword gleaming balefully in the moonlight.

The exchange that followed was unrelenting. Blade clashed on blade and the ring of metal was the loudest sound on the field. Sparks flew as the swords ground while they wrestled for leverage. Ba had more formal training and technique, but Guan Ping, adopted song of the God of War, fought with a burning passion and desire. He also wore far less armour and was consequently more nimble than his foe.

Ba gritted his teeth in frustration as he tried to keep Guan Ping in sight. He began to wonder if his father had been wrong about the heavy armour.

Half a second later, Ping's blade screeched along his stout armour, scoring it but leaving him unharmed. He thanked the gods and counterattacked, forcing Ping away from his deadly slashes and thrusts. He realized he was too busy mourning the loss of agility and not using his armour to its full advantage- he had just survived a direct blow from Guan Ping's heavy sword. If he relied on his armour to keep him safe and quit worrying about not being hit, he would create counterattack opportunities for himself that this enemy could not withstand if he connected. All he had to do was remain agile enough for Guan Ping to not get behind him.

He changed tactics and advanced steadily. He let Ping do the dodging and the running. If his enemy ran around to his left or right, he simply pivoted on his armoured heel to face him again. They blocked and counterattacked constantly, not able to break one another's defence. Another blow rang against his armour and Ba bit his lip, feeling the ache in his shoulder. The armour his father had constructed contained virtually no flat surfaces, nearly every bit of exposed metal was rounded to some degree, allowing an enemy's strikes to glance and slide off errantly if it lacked the force to bite through the thick steel.

Guan Ping was getting frustrated, his attacks becoming more reckless as he tried to get inside Ba's defences. Clearly he was trying to finish his foe off before something happened. In spite of his peril, Ba could not help but wonder what it was. Guan Ping was Guan Yu's adopted son and rumour had it tried very hard to please his mighty father, even to the point of foolhardiness. Ba had to admit, it was hard to imagine living up to his own father's standards, how much worse for Guan Ping, whose father was one of the greatest living warriors in the realm?

He decided to give the knife a twist and caught Ping's blade on his own. Their strained against one another and he leaned in, smiling wickedly.

"By the end of this fight, one of our renowned fathers is going to be very disappointed," he said quietly. "My money's on yours…"

Ping's eyes flared and he broke the deadlock, shouting loudly as he raised his huge blade high. He slammed it down and Ba blocked the strike but found himself driven backwards by the sheer force of the blow, several spans at least. His arms went numb and he was worried he might not be able to hold his sword, but his muscles stayed firm… or locked, he couldn't really tell.

Ping went down on one knee, supporting himself on his sword and panting, clearly having overexerted himself. Ba was about to charge in when he saw the remains of his squad run by, calling to him. He overcame his eagerness to engage his enemy and looked around for a brief moment. Men from both sides lay dead or stricken on the ground, but some of Ba's squad remained while Ping was the only one left alive.

"Dammit, boy, run!" called out one of his squad mates. "The alarms are blowin' like hell, Guan Yu's nearby! Fucking run!"

He should off his battle fury and fixed Ping with a look, who glared back at him.

"This isn't finished…" Ping growled.

"I agree, and although I may be adept at fleeing a battle, that doesn't mean I like it!" Ba replied. "Don't die until I come back for you!"

And with that, he turned and sprinted into the night, the clouds covering the moon again and causing him to disappear. Guan Ping could not follow. Not yet.

Despite having fled, Ba was overjoyed and exhilarated. He had fought at won at least three duels, helped carry three engagements and very nearly bested the son of the God of War. He was sure his father would be proud of him. What wasn't to be proud of?

Before he knew it, he was back at the ships. The horns were still calling wildly and marines were hastily helping troops onto their vessels, whichever was closest and still had space. Ba's ship pushed off, one of the last to do so. The very last one was his father's, as it should have been. They were barely out of arrow range when he heard the rumble of hoofs and saw two demonic eyes like burning coals in the darkness. He stifled a gasp as he saw none other than Guan Yu thunder up onto the beach atop Red Hare, greatest of horses.

The titan warrior shouted out in his booming voice, daring the Wei troops to come back and face him. Other troops were gathering on the beach with him, including a muscular warrior in what looked like bone armour, who raged and shook his strange voulge at the fleet. Guan Ping was also there, glaring sullenly at the retreating host. Then they were lost to the darkness of night and he slumped back against the deck, breathing deeply.

He had done it. He had survived his first engagement and performed well. He couldn't wait to tell his father and his mothers…

* * *

"And I finally realized that he was stronger and faster than me but I had the advantage of my armour and proper technique and schooling." Ba said eagerly, regaling his father and mothers about his experience while they sat in Xiahou Yuan's tent, eating dinner. His father nodded approvingly while his mothers clapped in delight, impressed by their son's bravery and skill.

"You did well, boy, I am proud of you." Xiahou Yuan said finally. "Make sure you take those lessons to heart, because if the fates conspire and see to it that you and Guan Ping meet again, I guarantee you he will have learned from the fight as well."

"I'll be ready, father, I promise you." Ba said, accepting the mild chiding and bowing his head.

"Before long, your trophy collection is going to rival my own," Yuan declared. He had indeed been impressed when Ba had brought back an officer's helmet, along with a small southern knife and a yellow battle sash he had hastily tucked inside his tunic. "I didn't bring a single trophy back. I'll have to try harder, can't let you get ahead of me now, can I?"

Ba blushed while Ladies Ding and Gao laughed. Lady Gao sidled around the table and put her arms around him, causing the young warrior to blush furiously.

"Such a warrior," she whispered in his ear, just loud enough for the others to hear. I thank the stars you are not of my blood, son, for if I were not already sworn to your father and utterly loyal and in love, I would certainly make a man of you tonight."

"Be nice to an old man, my lady," Xiahou Yuan laughed, draining his cup. "The boy is already besting me in battle trophies, don't tell me he is fated to take my beloved concubine from me too…"

Lady Gao went back to sit beside Ding and the two of them giggled and held one another, smiling on at their boy-turned-man proudly. Xiahou Ba excused himself and exited the tent to find a space to be alone.

It wasn't long before Jia Xu was admitted to Xiahou Yuan's tent. With a subtle nudge of his head, the general indicated that his wives should leave. They bowed respectfully and left. The strategist accepted the general's offer to take a seat on some cushions and then sat silently for several moments before speaking.

"I am glad to report that the raid, such as we envisioned it, was a total success, general," Jia Xu said finally.

"I see," Yuan replied, masticating on a pickled plum. "So lots and lots of peasants are raped and killed, eh?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, general," Jia Xu said dismissively, not really caring what Xiahou Yuan thought of his methods, as long as he did his part. "What is important is that the region is already rife with accusation against Liu Bei. People who survived want to know why he had not protected Mian Yang. Why had Guan Yu arrived so late and why was Wei Yan so ineffective as the garrison commander? There will be much for Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang to answer for."

"Well, I suppose that's something, then. It should keep you in my cousin's good graces for a while longer." Xiahou Yuan said in a non-committal tone.

"I understand your son performed admirably out there as well," Jia Xu mentioned. "Rumour has it that he slew an officer _and_ took on none other than Guan Ping, son of the so-called God of War."

"Yep, that's my boy!" Yuan said, grinning now, knowing that Jia Xu was irked by his pride in his son. When Cao cao found out how Ba had done, he would certainly be rewarded, possibly promoted. All Jia Xu could look forward to was having his head attached to his neck for another day.

"With any luck, there will be some form of insurrection in the region now," Jia Xu said, going back to the original topic. "And I somehow doubt that Liu Bei has access to the courtesans necessary to pacify the region without force."

"That'd be my guess too." Xiahou Yuan agreed. "And let's face it, no one in Liu Bei's camp could fill the role. Have you seen Yue Ying, Kongming's wife? Echhhh…"

In spite of his normal sour demeanour, Jia Xu laughed.

* * *

Emperor Xian was silent as he waited on his ornate throne. In spite of the presence of so many ministers and guards, he felt small and alone. His attempt on Cao Cao's life had failed. All that remained was to see what would happen next.

Outside the grand hall, he could hear the echo of boots, sturdy footfalls that pounded in his ears.

"All of you… out…" he said quietly. "Everyone leave…"

The ministers and servants all bowed and exited hastily. The _huben _guards did not move until he waved them away irritably. They bowed and retreated through a hidden door behind the throne. Xian now waited, attempting to control his fear.

Xian waited while the dreadful footsteps drew ever nearer. The great doors opened at the far end of the hall and in came the visitor.

_No… you should be dead…_

The young monarch sat still, his eyes squeezed shut and his hands trembling as he tried to contain his fear. He knew Cao Cao was approaching, heard the slow and steady pace he had come to recognize as the Prime Minister's and felt the sweat on his neck and the cold fear in his gut.

"Cao Cao…" he said, trying to keep the tremor out of his voice. "You… you mean to kill me?"

His eyes were still shut as the footfalls stopped at the edge of the dais. His doom was so close.

"I would never presume to do so, your highness."

Xian dared to open his eyes and saw the man he feared more than anything kneeling before the throne, his head bowed humbly.

"I tried to have you killed," Xian said in a voice barely above a whisper. "I would have no right to complain."

"Your majesty is a wise man," Cao Cao said, now looking up at his liege, his eyes betraying nothing. "If it is your intent to kill me…"

Still kneeling, he turned around and faced away from the throne, his arms spread wide. "Then I will not stop you."

Still trembling, Xian rose to his feet, his long and elegant sword in hand. He drew it from its sheathe and held it tight, advancing down the stairs.

"You… frighten me…" he said, trying to steel himself to strike the single blow that would end all his concerns. Cao Cao was right there, unprotected, alone.

"You shed no tears for your allies. You side with your enemies when necessary. And when someone is no longer useful to you, you dispose of them." Xian murmured. "Even if it is me."

He couldn't do it. No matter how he willed the blade to strike, his body would not respond. Was it cowardice? Did he dare try to convince himself it was some obscure principal of the Tao, that he could not kill a man in cold blood? Frustration and terror swam in his veins and gripped his heart like a vise.

Cao Cao now rose and turned to face the boy he was forced to call emperor. Pathetic.

"A country needs its people, your majesty. And the people need their leader. Without a leader, a country is nothing," he declared in his steely voice. "Your people need you; at least, that is, as long as I am alive."

Without bowing, he turned on his heel and began walking out of the throne room, leaving Xian standing there on the steps, the ancient blade of his ancestors growing ever heavier in his impotent arms. The emperor could not see the fiery resolve in his vassal's eyes.

"Your presence allows me to move freely," Cao Cao stated. "T o walk my ordained path. To build a new and better land."

And then the great doors closed and he was gone.

Xian felt the sword drop from his numb hands, the steel ringing on the cold stone steps hollow and mocking, empty. He collapsed to his knees and shook violently. Xian feared many things- the nobility of Sun Ce, the divine virtue of Imperial Uncle Liu Bei… but more than anything he feared the cold and calculating ruthlessness of Cao Cao. The casual brutality of his methods and the mathematical precision of his mind struck fear into any who knew him. No one was safe if they did not fit into the Prime Minister's plan.

He had failed. They were all doomed.

* * *

The feast was a lively one, with everyone enjoying themselves. Honoured as the hero of the Mian Yang campaign, Xiahou Ba had been invited and sat between his father and his uncle Xiahou Dun. Wine was served and people talked about their experiences with Dian Wei. Xu Zhu broke down several times during people's recollections and was consoled by the very understanding Zhang He.

"I wish he had been here for our fight against the One Hundred and Eight Dragons," the huge bodyguard said forlornly. "He would have enjoyed it."

"Aye, and the fight would have been damned shorter too," Xiahou Dun agreed, raising his cup of wine. "It took everything I had to fight and collar that lout when he first began terrorizing our lands and I was never sorry when I knew he was at my back."

"And he could eat nearly as much as Xu Zhu," Xiahou Yuan added. "Cousin remember that time your two noble bodyguards got drunk and raided the larder?"

"Yes," Cao Cao chuckled amidst gales of laughter from those who remembered the incident. "Poor Guo Jia was absolutely certain we had a demon rodent problem, visited upon us by the some malevolent spirit and spent nearly two weeks trying to catch the things."

"He just couldn't accept that even Xu Zhu and Dian Wei could eat an entire month's supply of a garrison's food in one night." Cao Ren said, remembering the strategist's puzzlement and determination to find a supernatural source.

"But the best part was his eventual resolve to put such superhuman appetites to good use," Cao Cao mused, settling back in his chair. Everyone waited silently to hear what he had to say, since this tidbit was new to all of them, even Xiahou Dun. "When I decided to burn Yuan Shao's supplies at Wu Chao during the battle of Guan Du, he suggested we simply send those two instead to eat it all."

Everyone roared with laughter. Even Zhen Ji tittered behind her hand.

"I also remember how he defended me at _ Castle," the Prime Minister said, the gaiety leaving his tone. "We were surrounded and his weapons lost to him. He literally took up two foes, one in each hand and swung them about like they were made of paper, beating our enemy back and allowing me to break free."

They all remained respectfully silent, knowing the story well. Dian Wei had fought like demon to protect Cao Cao from his treacherous host. When all seemed lost, he used his own body as a shield against arrows while Cao Cao escaped. Even Dian Wei could not survive such injury though, and the look on his stricken face would haunt Cao Cao for the rest of his days.

"Your assessment of Dian Wei, Jia Xu?" Cao Cao asked pointedly, looking at his principal strategist. Everyone gazed at Jia Xu, awaiting his response. Jia Xu, of course, had been the one who attempted to trap Cao Cao at _ Castle and it was his archers who killed Dian Wei in an effort to prevent Cao Cao's escape.

The rat-faced strategist cleared his throat, ignoring the lump that seemed to be forming in it. He could not disparage Dian Wei, nor could he seem too obsequious in his praise or his lord would have him killed for such hollow flattery.

"Dian Wei was a bodyguard without peer, Prime Minister. Mighty in battle and loyal beyond all reason. When I tried to have you killed, it was he and he alone that thwarted me. I will not lie and say I miss him and mourn his loss, but he most certainly has my admiration."

Cao Cao nodded. "Though I am not in the habit of engaging in displays of florid hyperbole, I am commissioning a statue of Dian Wei to be built and put on display in the town of Xuchang, with a poem of remembrance to him. Since we still have his weapons, they shall be interred in a shrine within the castle. They will always be of great comfort to me."

"But enough of such gloom," he said finally, raising his glass. "We are here to celebrate Dian Wei, celebrate our victory at Mian Yang over Guan Yu and Wei Yan and also celebrate our newest daring hero, Xiahou Ba! I look forward to seeing what deeds you render in my name, son!"

They all cheered and the merriment continued well into the night. Toasts to Dian Wei and Xiahou Ba were drunk, as well as to the defeat of the One Hundred and Eight Dragons clan and the humbling of the emperor. Xiahou Dun grumbled that he could not believe Cao Cao had let the upstart emperor Xian live, but he also admitted it was not his place to decide who lived or died.

"Just as well," Xiahou Yuan said, nudging his one-eyed cousin. "If it were left to you, the Middle Kingdom would be one large ghost town!"

More gales of laughter and more jokes followed, only a few of which were at Xiahou Dun's expense.

* * *

Ba was walking down the hallway of the palace, everyone else having returned to their quarters. Most of them were thoroughly drunk, except for Xu Zhu, who was only mostly drunk, and stood rather tipsy guard outside his master's bedchambers.

His own head was somewhat blurry, but he had moderated his drinking subtly, because he did not want to become oblivious to what was going on around him. These people were heroes, one and all, and he wanted to remember his time with them, in case it was ever cut short.

He took a small door outside and passed into a concealed garden. He had never been in it before and while it was very pretty under the moonlight, it looked virtually untouched, like no one ever used it. The grass was short and well-kept, almost blue under the night sky. The blossoms on the trees and the flowers were barely visible but their scent was intoxicating.

He stood in a dark corner and leaned back against the wall, sighing. He mulled the events of the past few weeks over in his mind and said a small, silent prayer of thanks to the heavens, to have been so blessed. His father was proud of him, he had been praised for his accomplishments on the battle field and was now assigned to a regular assault unit. He promised himself he would not let everyone down.

Out of the darkness of the corner, a pale and shapely arm reached out, the delicate hand beckoning to him gracefully. He observed it in silent confusion for few moments, unsure what to do. Clearly whoever the arm was attached to wanted him to come closer, but why? Was it an assassin attempting to lure him in?

Whoever it was hadn't killed him yet, so he took the hand in his and allowed himself to be drawn into the utter darkness of the shadows. He was about to ask something when soft lips pressed up against his, stifling whatever he had meant to say. His eyes went wide as a soft and plush body pressed to his. The hand that had drawn him in and its twin now held him close, not letting him back up, an embrace of unbreakable silk.

"Say nothing and remain silent," murmured a soft and mysterious but also familiar voice. His mind whirled as he tried to think of who this enigmatic person might be. Whoever it was, they were no taller than himself but their body was fully mature and wildly erotic. A chill went down his spine as he pondered if it might be Lady Gao, his father's concubine, but then he remembered that she and his mother had gone to Chang An., so it was not here.

The person's perfume was titillating and exotic. Their kiss was sweet and sensual as their tongue pushed into his mouth, exploring and teasing. He seemed paralysed as he felt his clothes coming off, the cool of the night air playing over his exposed skin.

"Do not move…" the voice said imperiously as it trailed down his torso. He shuddered as he felt kisses against his abdomen and then heading lower. He felt fingernails squeeze his thighs gently as a reminder to stay silent while the wet and seductive lips kissed him and then took him inside the mystery woman's mouth.

His fingers flexed in her hair while she hummed softly around him. He was unable to help how aroused he was- try as he might (and he wasn't exactly trying), he couldn't calm himself. Locked in place and overwhelmed with sensations he had never known, he simply awaited her pleasure.

He heard the stirring of silk and then felt her naked torso against his legs. His head was spinning as he tried to control himself, to make sense of why any of this was happening. Her hands reached around to squeeze his cheeks and then gently but firmly forced him onto his back in the grass. Surrounded by complete darkness, they could not be seen.

High above, the silver moon cast his mystery lover into a silhouette. She was shapely and her breasts magnificent. She took his hands and cupped them to her breasts while she settled down onto him. He shuddered and trembled as he entered her. She rocked and squirmed back and forth on top of him, helping him knead her soft flesh.

A soft and almost undetectable moan escaped her and he willed himself not to make a sound. Her rhythm picked up and got a little firmer and faster with him. His body tensed and his hips pushed up as he climaxed. His partner, whoever she may have been, rocked back and forth before she too released herself, finally settling down on top of him, her unreal body soft against his.

Still stunned and unsure of what to say, Xiahou Ba dutifully said nothing. Finally the woman stirred and sat up. She stretched briefly and then removed herself from his hips, causing him to shudder again. He heard clothes rustling in the dark and someone fixing clasps in place. Eventually, the silhouette appeared over him again and looked down at him imperiously.

"You will speak of this to no one," she said, her voice full of a cold authority. "It never happened and when I see you I shall never acknowledge it. But _someone _had to reward you properly and make a man of you before you get yourself killed out there."

Ba said nothing, continuing to gaze at her blankly, wondering why this had all happened.

"Do not distress yourself over the whys of this happening, merely accept that someone of worth saw to it that you were taken care of properly for a change," she dictated. "Know also that I did not do this because I do not deeply love or desire my husband, nor that I feel any disloyalty to the Cao family. Like Dian Wei, my loyalty is beyond question. Make sure yours is as well, lest you cause immeasurable harm with a waggling tongue. Wait until I am gone and then go to bed."

And then she was gone in a swish of diaphanous silks.

A feeling of wonderment mixed with bewilderment and dread stole over him as he rose, finally concluding who his paramour had been. The timbre of her voice was a dead giveaway, even if she had been trying to speak in bare whispers.

What had precipitated this? Why him? How was he ever supposed to look any member of the Cao or Xiahou clan in the eyes again? Especially the heir.

He steeled himself, cursing that he had his father's guileless eyes. He could be read so easily! How was he supposed to keep himself from getting hanged or beheaded?

A wicked grin spread over his face finally. Whatever happened happened, so be it. Besides, he'd just had sex.

It was a good day to be Xiahou Ba.

* * *

Zhang He sat on a wall, overlooking a field where Xu Zhu was helping a group of peasants till and sow millet. He munched idly on a tart apple, kicking one leg back and forth, considering events that went on around him. A natural observer, he couldn't help but notice a subtle change in the dynamic between two individuals in their happy little family. Xiahou Ba, son of the lovely General Yuan, often gazed upon Lady Zhen Ji a certain way. This was not of note, since everyone looked at Zhen Ji that way, including Cao Cao (but not himself or Xu Zhu, the poor beast), but what was interesting was _her_ reaction to the boy- she gazed upon most people with a dismissive stare, at least momentarily, but she refused to make eye contact with Xiahou Ba altogether. She simply didn't look at him. No furtive glances, no casual disinterest, no accusing glares. She just refused to acknowledge him unless in direct conversation. _Then_ her gaze returned to its normal pattern for long enough to be rid of him.

He smiled slyly as he drew his conclusions. Oh, that poor boy, caught up in a court intrigue he could never possibly hope to understand over unravel. Zhang He wondered if Ba would be on the receiving end of such silken cruelty again, since the Lady's proclivities were not exactly unknown. Apparently her maids were just not filling the bill anymore.

Certainly it would be a devastating court scandal if the news was to break out, but it was not going to destroy the Cao or the Xiahou clans. Really the only question was whether it would cost them a son or a consort.

No matter, Zhang he would never say anything. He loved the subtle drama of it all. It was a thing of beauty.

**Author's Notes: **Yes, a chapter about Wei. I was trying to give them a little more depth within the scope of my story. Bad guys have dimensions too, usually. I've tried to change Xiahou Yuan from one of the blandest and most irrelevant figures in the game into someone likeable. Is he my favourite Wei character? Doubtful. To be honest, I would have a hard time picking. They're a pretty unlikeable bunch and rather happy that way.

I take it back; Zhang He is my fave, hands down. He gets more outrageous with each installment and he is fun to work with and write.

I know it probably seems weird for me to screw over Guan Yu and make him look like a chump, but let's face it, ol' Beardy's reputation can survive a single black eye. A faceoff between Ba and the Pingster seemed fun to write and allowed me to develop one of the series more annoying new characters. Also glad to see Guan Ping has his Dragonball hair and oversized steak knife back. It gave him some character.

So I've starting downloading the downloadable content for 7 and 7XL and I must admit, some of it cranks me up. Some old favourite stages make a comeback, as do some classic costumes. The Japanese voice option is nice, although some of the Japanese voices are every bit as painful as their English equivalents.

The true stars of the DLC frenzy are the new costumes. I LOVE Sun Ce's boxing outfit, although it should have been a Muay Thai variant. I could do without Da Qiao's drum majorette garb, mind you. Would it be too much to ask for Koei to finally give her some boobs, along with some personality?

Naturally, since this game is from Japan, several of the ladies have schoolgirl outfits. Zhen Ji's attire rather stunning as well.

I just about died laughing when I saw Meng Huo's redneck cowboy threads and Zhu Rong in her Daisy Dukes and diner waitress outfit was priceless.

Dian Wei in college wrestling tights was great, but even better was Wei Yan, the high-flying lucha wrestler. Aside from Ce, that might be my favourite. Then again, Diao Chan in her Bad Cop/SS Mistress outfit looks insanely hot.

Zhou Yu apparently got lazy and stole his outfit from the android superboomer Largo of Bubblegum Crisis fame. Taishi Ci just showed up in his karate _gi_ and dared everyone to tell him he was slacking. Zhang Liao has a baseball outfit, which still does not answer my question about whether he pitches or catches…

Some of the weapons are hilarious, such as the Zhang Fe-shaped wiffle-bat and the cat's paws (good luck keeping Bao Sanniang away from those), along with a tennis racket and what might be a licorice or taffy whip. Trying to picture Guan Yu fighting with any of them is side-splitting.

concerning the chapter why did I have Zhen Ji make a man out of Xiahou Ba by playing Holland Tunnel with him? Well, that's a secret, so I'm not telling you. For one thing I got sick of Zhen Ji coming off like a frigid bitch (okay, okay, she is a frigid bitch, I just got sick of it being obvious) and since I have the girls of Wu lezzing it up I thought I would try something different with Wei. Let's face it, Zhen Ji's body not getting ploughed like a spring field is kind of a waste, and who really wants to picture that dickbag Cao Pi being the one to do it?

No idea yet about what to do with the repressed girls of Shu. I mean, Yue Ying is fugly (according to the novel, I'll make her less so), Xing Cai definitely needs to get laid and Bao Sanniang, well… let's just hope Guan Suo is into the furry scene, right?

Scritch scritch, yiff, yiff… ick.

Anyhoo, next chapter brings us back to Wu, as it should be, with more wacky antics and plot development. I promise to give you creamy battle fillings too, no worries.

Management.


	63. Chapter 63

**The Young Conqueror**

**Wumake Theatre Special**

_**Author's Note:**__ My apologies to the anime Blue Seed and my fellow Cursed Fanboys for this opening…_

(Cue the cutesy rainbow bridging toward the reader. Over it come marching kawaii li'l SD versions of the Sun family members, along with Zhou Yu and the Qiao sisters and the generals)

**All: **"Wumake! Wumake! Wumake! Wumake!"

* * *

Da Qiao was humming to herself as she walked around the lovely garden outside her Silver Crane Pavilion. While each of the pavilions had a lovely enclosed garden, hers was the most elegant, subtle and serene. Alive with blossoms and flowers and punctuated by the sounds of its glittering central spring and fountain, she felt so at peace here.

The great wars were experiencing a lull, her husband was ruler of a noble and ever more powerful realm and the fic's male readers were gratified with the inuendo of lesbian sex.

Inuendo…

No, wait, it was inudenndo. Wasn't it?

She paused and closed her eyes for a moment, confused as to why this was proving so dificullt. No, wait, difficullt…

What was hapening?

She heard a tiny but evil-sounding snicker behind some pearlescent blossoms near the pond. Frowning she crept as silently as possible toward the sound of the disturbance.

She knelt and crawled forward on her hands and knees, silently poking her head through the petals of the moonblossoms and looking for the source of the noise. Perched atop a small rock was a tiny being with green skin and myopic eyes, who giggled and clapped giddily while misspelled words floated out of a small sack it carried on its waist.

Oh gods, no, a typo gremlin, one of the dreaded _tai-po mogui_ in her own language. In large enough numbers, they were fatal to any fanfic.

She slowly reached out her hand and the insidious little creature had only just noticed her before she slammed her palm down and squished the thing onto the rock it sat on. There was a juicy squeak and suddenly she found her face splattered with a humorous-tasting white goop. She stood up and took a deep breath…

"The obvious innuendo of this white cream on my face aside…" she said to no one in particular.

Good, innuendo had been spelled correctly. She had apparently squished the only one within radius of the fic. She sighed and turned around and found her younger sister Xiao standing nearby, looking around in confusion.

"How did you get here without me noticing?" Da asked.

Xiao shrugged. "I dunno," she said, obviously somewhat befuddled as to her impromptu appearance. "I was somewhere else and now I am here."

"Oh, no, you fell here through a plot hole, didn't you?" Da moaned. "What were you doing before ended up in my garden?"

Xiao thought. "Ummmm… I was going over some character scenes for upcoming chapters in the fic. I was trying to decide whether to sign up for 'brobdingnagian dumpling binge' or 'implied hot sister incest'."

"I assume you took dumpling binge." Da growled.

"Didn't matter," Xiao replied. "I had only just pulled out my chop to sign off on one of them when I ended up here without warning."

"So you didn't have time to choose either," remarked the older sister. "Not a good sign."

"I know, I was kinda hungry too," Xiao said, patting her stomach. "Now I have to- er, sis, not that I judge, but why do you have white goo spattered all over your face? This is a Wumake Theatre, not Bukkake Theatre."

"Just shut up about that," Da growled. "It was a typo gremlin I squished behind some flowers over there."

Xiao looked at her older sister suspiciously. "Are you sure? Like I said, I don't judge, and I know you and Ce can get pretty-"

"Shut up, you airhead!" Da hissed in exasperation. "I was a typo gremlin and _'s all there is to it!"

"What?" Xiao asked, confused. "Why did you omit a demonstrative pronoun from what you just said?"

"I didn't do it on purpose, dummy," Da shot back. "You don't even know what a demonstrative pronoun is!"

"Neither do you, apparently," Xiao pointed out. "And I still don't know what you were trying to say."

"Oh, come on!" Da pleaded. "There are only four common demonstrative pronouns in English, Xiao, even you know what they are… this, that, these and those!"

"Yes, but we're Chinese," replied Xiao. "So maybe the rules are different?"

"This fic is written in English, you moron!" Da exploded, her gentle demeanor leaving her as she was not being paid enough by Koei to keep it up. "Not in Chinese, not in Japanese, not in Spanish, not in Tagalog and not in Indonesian! English!

"Hmmm, I guess you're right," Xiao admitted, seeing the logic in her sister's ranting. "You can sit there and demean my language deficiencies all you want, but _I'm _not the one misspelling and omitting words from my sentences."

Da clapped her fingers over her eyes and rubbed them, trying to compose herself. She forgot, however, that the typo demon goo was still on her face and she merely succeeded in smearing it into her skin. Xiao looked skeptical.

"That stuff may be good for your complexion, sis, but isn't your speech impediment bad enough at the moment?" she queried.

"Oh, _ the _ up, you horid litlle trolll!" Da snarled before clapping her hand over her mouth in horror.

Xiao giggled. "Don't keep making that face or it'll freaze that way, you know. Ack! I just misspelled a word, sis!"

The sisters ended their verbal sparring and looked around the garden. Da pointed at the wall, indicating the culprit. Atop the grey stone, another typo gremlin was leering mischievously, before turning around, dropping its trousers and wiggling its butt at them.

"Hotcha!" it squeaked.

"Why, you little…" Xiao growled.

Invoking anime/gaming fanfiction crossover rituals, Xiao reached into her pocket and pulled forth from Hammerspace her parody weapon of choice- the Spear of LongPenius. Stolen from the Neon Genesis Evangelion set and perverted to match The Young Conqueror story's Wumake needs, she was entrusted with this mighty armament since everything she did was comical and no real harm could come of it.

She took careful aim with the double-tined and helixed phallus spear, her eyes narrowing. "Let's see you explain _this_ to your proctologist, you little creep!"

Upon hearing the use of an italicized demonstrative pronoun, the typo gremlin turned around and its eyes widened in fear. Xiao launched the projectile straight at her target, which squealed and tried to leap from the wall to safety. Too late, though, and the unwelcome visitor was impaled rather messily upon the twin phalli, exploding in a creamy cloud of errant syntax.

"Right," Xiao declared, dusting her hands off. "Teach you to mess with real people…"

She turned back to her sister, who was standing there, clearly irritated and trying to speak.

"_"… "cannnnot believe…" "_"… "_ hapening…"

"Seems to be getting worse, sis," Xiao said, now concerned. "We'd better go see _ and _."

Da blinked. "Who?"

"Dammit," Xiao groused. "I didn't get any goo on me when that little creep exploded, did I?"

Da shrugged helplessly, clearly reticent about saying anything right now for fear of looking like an idiot.

"We could try writing things to one another." Xiao suggested. "After all, these are typos, not cursivos."

She took her sister by the hand and hurried toward Baifu palace, hoping they would make it before the misspellings got any worse or the implied lesbian incest clause of the fic got invoked…

* * *

Within Baifu Palace they found Sun Ce and Zhou Yu going through a series of petitions from young female readers, requesting yaoi scenes. They were laughing jovially and using great big comical chops that made exaggerated sounds when struck on paper to seal the Chinese character for "REJECTED" all over the petitions.

The girls entered the room and their husbands took a break to hug their beloved consorts.

"So, how's everything with you two?" Ce asked cheerfully.

"Ummm…" Xiao began uncertainly. "Before we go on, could we switch to rapid dialogue mode? The entire last comedic scene was done in normal mode and frankly we're exhausted. We barely had enough energy to finish the implied les- oh, never mind, just switch the dialogue mode, please."

Ce nodded to Zhou Yu, who flipped a switch under the table, changing the scene's dialogue mode. There was a slight hum for several seconds and Ce grinned.

**Sun Ce:** "So what's up with you two?"

**Xiao Qiao:** "Ce, we may have a problem here. Sis and I ran up against some typo gremlins in her garden and we've begun misspelling and omitting words when we talk. It's getting kind of annoying."

**Sun Ce:** [looking at Zhou Yu] "Any signs of that happenin' here in the palace yet?"

**Zhou Yu:** [shaking head] "Not yet, Ce. My only fear is that the girls might have brought it here with them."

**Xiao Qiao: **[frown!] "How could we have done that? Misspellings and typos aren't airborne contagions."

**Zhou Yu:** "No, but they _can_ be orally transmitted."

**Xiao Qiao:** [eep!] "Oh, crap…"

**Sun Ce:** [Oh crap is right!] "Da, Xiao… how many girls did you kiss by implication between last scene and this one on your way here?"

**Xiao Qiao: **[erm…] "All of them, I think."

**Sun Ce: **[pinching eyes] "Zhou Yu, round up every single girl in the series, from every faction and have them quarantined as quickly as possible."

**Zhou Yu: **"Even the ones who haven't been introduced yet?"

**Sun Ce: **"Yeah, them too. We're not takin' any chances."

Zhou Yu nodded and hurried out of the room. Ce looked back at the sisters, shaking his head.

**Sun Ce: **"Can't take you two anywhere, can we? Now what I- quit feeling one another up and pay attention!"

**Da & Xiao: **[standing still] "…"

**Sun Ce:** "Now we have a major potential problem here and I ain't blamin' you two for it, because it could've happened to anybody. But I need your cooperation and beofre we continnnue any futher I just wantto say AGGGHHHHH!"

Sun Ce shuddered and staggered for a moment before a typo gremlin burst forth from his chest, spraying red and gold macho awesomeness everywhere. It cackled wildly and scampered off through a hole plot in the wall.

"Damn, that really hurt…" Ce muttered, rubbing the hole in his chest. However, as the star of the series, he had excellent medical coverage and the gaping wound healed itself in mere moments. Liquid awesomeness rules!

**Sun Ce:** "Looks like I've been infected too at this point. Not cool."

**Xiao Qiao: **"Does that mean you have to be quarantined with us?"

Da Qiao took out a piece of parchment and scribbled on it furiously before passing the note to her sister, indicating it should be read aloud.

**Xiao Qiao: **[reading] "The hell he is. He is not getting locked up in a room with a stable full of girl who have nothing to do except endure implied lesbian action! Not happening, now way, no how! Everyone who thinks otherwise can eat a _!"

**Sun Ce: **[blink blink] "Did the typos start affecting our writing already, not just our speech?"

**Xiao Qiao: **[sigh] "No, she just kept the last word blank in a desperate attempt to continue looking prim, proper and dignified for the readers. She can't bring herself to say _"

**Sun Ce: **"Sounds like you can't either."

**Xiao Qiao:** "No, that really _is_ the typos at work. I have no problem saying _. I love that word. _, _, _, _, _!"

**Sun Ce: **[grrrr!] "Whoever started this mess and let the typo gremlin into the fic in the first place can eat a Richard as far as I am concerned."

**Xiao Qiao: **[pout!] "You're lucky, Ce. The affliction seems to wear off pretty quickly for you."

**Sun Ce: **"Yeah, except that it'll spring up at the least opportune and most comical moments for me, I'm sure."

**Cao Cao:** [ROAR!] "Sun Ce!"

**Sun Ce:** [aw, dammit…] "Case in point. Hi, Cao Cao. What can I do for ya?"

**Cao Cao: **"What you can do is expln why it is that my entire female cast has been abscond with and why none of us can speak propplry any more! This has got to be your fault!"

**Sun Ce: **[evil grin] "I would be happy to _explain_ why your entire female cast has been _absconded _with and why none of you can speak _properly_. As for who's at fault here, I think we all know the answer to that…"

[Assembled cast turns and glowers up at the author.]

**Xiao Qiao: **"Well, on the plus side, none of us are super-deformed, so we can at least think properly, right?"

**Sun Ce:** "I gotta admit, Xiao, that doesn't exctly fill me with confidence. It measn that whatever he has planned, we've gotta be normal for it or we woulldn't stand a chance. Dammit, here it goes again."

Da Qiao hiccupped suddenly. "Probllem!"

Everyone looked at the Qiao sister and she pointed to the ceiling- in an unforeseen and inevitable plot device, typo gremlins by the dozen were swinging from the rafters, cackling and throwing misspelled words down onto their targets below. The vaporous, intangible verbal abuses always found a home, no matter how hard the victims tried to avoid them.

**Sun Ce: **"I hate to say it, but Cao Cao, loooks like we might ned your help on this one."

**Cao Cao: **[suspicious] "How so?"

**Sun Ce: **"Well, those stupid things are up there whre we can't reach 'em andso we need someone who can float up to get 'em."

**Cao Cao: **[ohhh, I get it!] "Zhang He!"

**Zhang He:** [boing!] "You rang, my lord?"

**Cao Cao: **[gah!] "Stop doing that! Sun Ce has need of you."

**Zhang He: **[squeeee!] "Finally!"

[The Peacock General prances over to Ce and curtseys gracefully]

**Zhang He: **[Faaa-bu-lous!] "You wanted me, handsome?"

**Sun Ce: **[gyahhhh…] "Just keep your pencil in your pocket, Twinkles. Y'see those typo gremlins up in the rafters? Go get 'em!"

"But of course!" Zhang He declared, spinning gracefully with his arms wide, emitting rainbows, sparkles and ethereal butterfly wings. Ce was sure he could hear unicorns giggling.

Or were they crying? One could never quite tell with unicorns or dolphins.

"I'll dazzle them!" the disturbingly elegant man said, floating upward toward the source of everyone's woes. "Don't worry, darlings, this will be a thing of beauty!"

Sun Ce watched as the lighter-than-air Wei general ascended to the dizzying heights of the ceiling, hoping they could nip this problem in the bud.

But what followed wasn't not to their satisfaction, much like the lesbian goodness this fic so teasingly promises but does not deliver on a regular basis. Ce almost laughed as Zhang He was thrown around and bitch-slapped repeatedly. He did sort of feel bad when the gremlins gave the general a rather unpleasant thong-wedgie.

Ce and the others stepped back as Zhang He plummeted to the floor with an absurdly delicate crash, his eyes spiraling inside his head from the drubbing he received. Aside from the wedgie, his hair was standing on end in all directions like an extra from Dragonball Z, his makeup re-applied in horribly mismatched colours, his carefully-shaped eyebrows shaved off and the word 'Girly-Boy' scrawled on his forehead.

"They're vicious little buggers…" he warbled, still looking up at nothing.

Zhou Yu sighed. "Well this is bad. Whatever theories we had about typo gremlin intelligence was way off. They're smarter than velociraptors. They're smarter than Big Blue. They're smarter than that man, Yang Wen-li. This is going to get worse before it gets better."

**Sun Ce:** [wtf?] "How did you get back here like that?"

**Zhou Yu: **[shrug] "The plot hole from earlier was still open, I just used it to get back."

**Xiao Qiao: **[argh!] "Could we _please_ stop talking in rapid dialogue mode? It makes my head spin after a while!"

After the fic had slowed down to regular prose speed, the younger sister sighed and considered their plight. "Well, it's been a while since any of us has misspelled anything. That's a plus, right?"

"Not really," Zhou Yu replied, hating to let his wife down. "The author doesn't mind an occasional typo but he _hates_ when any errors would get in the way of plot exposition or comprehension. Typos are forgivable during irrelevant moments, anything other than that is just bad fanfiction."

"Oh, poop…" Xiao groused.

"Yeah, the typos and wrong words should start appearing any moment now." Ce mused.

Da Qiao, sitting in a corner and looking disconsolate, randomly opened her mouth to see what came out.

"_, encomium niter-filled _ hammerful intrusions!"

She clapped her hand over her mouth and stared at the wall in horror, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Alright, that one wasn't necessary!" Ce yelled at the ceiling angrily. "Typos are one thing but y'don't need to have her spouting Vogon poetry!"

"Why is he taking this out on us, anyway?" Liu Bei asked, finally entering the scene.

"He's moron who won't use spellcheck or a beta reader comes to mind," Ce growled. 'This is problably his way of making light f it and dammit, stop screwing up what I say!"

"We need to find the source of the corruption," Zhuge Liang said calmly, waving his ever-present strategist's fan gently as he entered the scene, accompanied by Liu Bei. "And for that we… why is General Zhang He lying on the floor like that and why is the word 'Girly-Boy' scribbled on his forehead in crayon?"

"More to that point, why have you not yet been affected by the typo gremlins?" Zhou Yu asked.

"Is it not obvious?" Zhuge Liang said airily. "I simply have too much sophinstication for such a simple polot devuice and _ _ _ merp _ gribble speeb…"

The Shu strategist closed his mouth, glared at Zhou Yu and turned on his heel, walking out of the scene without another sound.

"How long've you been waiting to do something like that?" Ce asked, chuckling while he patted Zhou Yu on the back.

"Long enough," his sworn brother replied. "But gratifying as thatmight have been, it doesn't solve the predicament we now find outselves in. We must defeat these typo gremlins somehow."

"Well, in order for the plot to go forward, we need to be comprehensible, right?" Liu Bei suggested. "How can we make sure we are understood?"

Everyone settled into a deep thought pattern, which was only possible because they had not been reduced to their super-deformed chibi selves. As had been pointed out, though, none of them took solace in this because it meant whatever had been planned for the Wumake was bad… real bad.

A candle went off over Xiao's head, indicating she'd had something resembling an idea.

"We could all talk like Wei Yan!" she squeaked. "It's not pretty, but he speaks in such a stilted manner that it's hard to screw up. The author has to go to the trouble of writing that way, so there's lesslikely to be errors, right?"

"True, but the author also tried to make Wei Yan more readable by modifying his speech patterns away from those of the video game and into something somewhat more terse but legible." Cao Cao grumbled. "Now he doesn't talk like Cookie Monster, he just _sounds_ like him in this fic."

"So we'll talk like video game Wei Yan," Xiao urged, determined that her idea held merit. "C'mon, how hard can it be? Watch…"

They all looked on while she took a deep breath and got in character, hunkering over and pretending she was holding a double voulge.

"Ugh, method actors…" Liu Bei said, making a wry face.

"Me… Wei Yan…" Xiao announced in as deep a growl as she could manage, which was still rather high, making her sound like Alvin the Chipmunk with a throat cold. "Me… talk like this… rest of fic… thwart… author's… caprice…"

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu looked at one another and shrugged. What did they have to lose? Dignity and being cool were already out the window.

"Me… miss… Invade Zim… Wumake…" Zhou Yu growled. "Had… coherent… plot…"

"If… we… talk like this…" Ce responded. "How… much… worse… for… Wei Yan?"

[Cue the scene change where we go to an elegant lounge. The dark wood of the bookshelves lining the wall is accented by the fireplace and the gentle strains of a string quartet playing. Sitting in a large and comfy chair, Wei Yan is wearing a small fez and a velvet robe. He takes a sip of brandy from a crystal snifter and looks at the reader.]

"I have no idea what you chaps are referring to."

[Back to the main scene.]

"Wow, he's a lot different off-camera, ain't he?" Ce muttered. He resumed talking like video game Wei Yan. "We… now… communicate… no typos… no… missing words…"

"Just… painfully… slow… dialogue…" Liu Bei pointed out.

"Switch… to… rapid… dialogue… mode?" Cao Cao suggested. "Maybe… even… out… speed?"

"Oh… hell… no…" Xiao growled, her eyes flashing dangerously. "Up… yours… creeper!"

"I… still… fabulous…" Zhang He burbled from his fashionable crater in the floor.

"How… this… helping?" Da asked, joining the group and determined to contribute _something_ other than bad grammar that even an American school would be ashamed of. "Gremlins… still… here… numbers… growing…"

Da was right; the typo gremlins were multiplying rapidly. Worse, plot holes were beginning to appear in random places, dumping the girls of the series unceremoniously on their butts and spreading the general linguistic chaos. No matter how they tried to contain the infection, things kept going wrong.

"Must… find… nest…" Zhou Yu concluded. "Stop… at… source…"

Ce mulled over the issue, trying to determine where the nest might be. He ignored the sight of Gan Ning running by, cursing while being chased by gremlins, who kept re-writing the kanji of his tattoos, changing what they meant.

Where? Where could it be?

"The Hall of Pure Thought!" Xiao chirped, jumping out of her Wei Yan imitation just long enough to be understood.

Of course! If the Hall of Pure Thought was corrupted, than just about any cognitive dissonance was possible. The gremlin infestation had to have its origin there and that is where they'd stop it. Ce thumped his fist into his hand and stood tall.

"Alright!" he said loudly, throwing aside his monosyllabic patois. "I know where the nest is and now I'll, just have to get someone to clear them out. I've got some people in mind already."

Da and Xiao looked at one another warily. No good could come of this.

* * *

"It's been a few hours, Ce," Da Qiao mentioned as they waited in one of the reading rooms. They were surrounded by scrolls and wooden strips that contained the poetry and laws of the Spring and Autumn Period of China's history, documents known to be so impeccably written that no gremlin would _dare_ disparage their grammar or syntax. "Shouldn't we go and check on how things are going?"

"Yeah, I guess enough time has passed," Ce said easily, getting out of his comfy lounge chair. "Let's go and make sure the problem's taken care of."

Ce, Da, Zhou Yu and Xiao exited the room and headed to another wing of the palace, where the Hall of Pure Thought was located. Ce seemed cheerfully confident and even Zhou Yu wore a mask of hope.

"So who did you eventually talk into taking them on?" Xiao asked, curious.

"Elryk, Glandyth and Theudis," Ce replied. "Their Chinese is so bad that I figured they might just cancel the gremlins' effects out and be able to get in on them."

"Except we speak English in this fic, sis." Xiao pointed out to Da, iterating their earlier conversation.

They arrived outside the Hall and were greeted by Huang Gai, who was keeping an eye on things from outside the room. He was leaning against the opposite wall but didn't seem too pleased.

"How's it goin' in there, big guy?" Ce queried. They couldn't help but notice the sounds of a rather rambunctious scuffle going on inside, along with lots of shouting and cursing.

"Not as well as we'd hoped." Huang Gai replied. "Take a look."

They waited mere moments before the door was flung open and Glandyth came hurtling out of the room, crashing against the wall opposite. He leapt to his feet and stomped back inside, clearly furious.

"Alright, who did that?" he bellowed in German.

"That's not a good sign." Da murmured, a distinct sinking feeling developing in her stomach.

They waited a while longer before Elryk stumbled out, covered in Chinese character-shaped welts and more than a little exasperated.

"Any luck?" Ce asked.

"Well, we were doing fine until Theudis _defected over to their side_!" he yelled scathingly, making sure everyone in the Hall could hear him. "He apparently decided that they had a fun job and began making errors in our language, screwing Glandyth and I up in the process."

He headed back in and closed the door behind him. Seconds later, the door opened again and out staggered Glandyth again, his underwear pulled over his head in the worst type of wedgie.

"Ack! I'm blind! I'm blind!" he wailed.

Xiao blinked. "What the…"

"Get back in here, you lummox!" Elryk roared from inside. Glandyth dutifully charged back in and the door shut again. There was a protected scuffle, punctuated with much invective and it was followed by an audible '_whump!_'. The bout of silence that followed was rather unnerving.

"What do you think happened?" Da asked.

Ce cautiously moved up to the door and pressed his ear against it. He heard nothing initially but then noticed his feet felt sticky. He looked down and saw white goo oozing out beneath the door, slowly at first but then a little more quickly. He also began to hear a strange churning noise from within.

"I, uh, don't want to alarm anyone, but I think there's a typo gremlin goo tidal wave on the other side of this door," he said nervously. Suddenly the door to the Hall heaved, the screws holding the hinges in place popping out. With a loud ominous creak the door began to bulge forward, its wooden frame buckling from the growing pressure inside.

"No worries," Ce said, backing away slowly, his eyes never leaving the failing aperture. "It should hold long enough for us to get out of the tidal wave's path. Just think happy and positive thoughts, guys. The door will not break… the door will not break…"

Da, Xiao and Zhou Yu all looked at one another concernedly and then joined Ce in chanting. "The door will not break… the door will not break…"

"That's the spirit," Ce added encouragingly. "The door will not break! The imperial throne will be mine!"

A double-ended ivory phallus clocked him in the back of the head, doubtless courtesy of his long-suffering consort.

"That was uncalled for..." he hissed.

And then with a horrific shudder the door developed a nasty split, gremlin spooge spraying out through the crack. The pressure inside the bedroom was so great that the geyser of goo was hitting the ceiling...not to mention Huang Gai.

"Nothing to worry about," the general said through clenched teeth. "The door will hold! The door will hold!"

Suddenly the door burst apart, spilling forth an enormous tidal wave of frothing gremlin vitae which stretched from the floor to the ceiling. Huang Gai found himself in the shadow of the roaring deluge furiously racing towards him.

**Huang Gai: ** "Okay, screw the happy happy positive approach! I'm outta here! KYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Da's eyes widened as she frantically turned to Xiao Qiao. "Quick, Xiao, we've got to... Xiao? Xiao?"

But the older sister was only talking to a dissipating trail of dust as Xiao was already racing away from the Hall of Pure Thought. Huang Gai was right behind her, scrambling on all fours across the floor at breakneck super-deformed speed.

"Wait for me, my lady!" he shrieked. "If I'm close enough to you, maybe the author will have to spare us both from the smiting!"

Da Qiao had just enough time for her eyebrow to give a single nervous twitch before the gremlin sludge tsunami crashed into her, sweeping the hapless courtesan down the hallway in a surge of goop, along with flailing Germans and Sun Ce surfing Glandyth's body along the crest of the tidal wave, a look of panic on his face.

**Da Qiao**: [burble burble!] "Why does this always happen to me?"

**Sun Ce:** "And me without my sexy _'I Wu, Do You?'_ board shorts, too!"

* * *

Back in the throne room, Xiao Qiao hung precariously from the ancient battle pennant suspended from the ceiling. She had managed to leap and grab onto it, just as the tsunami spilled into the room, letting the torrent rage on by beneath her and meaning that only her feet got soaked.

Da Qiao, however, did not fare so well.

"Hey, sis!" she called out from her vantage point. "You okay?"

Da was floating in lazy circles on her back in the remaining vortexes of _mogui_ cream as they drained from the throne room. She had a vacant, if not dazed expression on her face.

"It was like the Great Flood," she murmured to no one in particular. "Only creamier."

"A little help?" Huang Gai called out, his body stuck behind Ce's throne while his head seemed to have punched through it. "I can't feel my legs over here and there's something crunchy in my mouth."

Xiao dropped lightly down from the pennant and walked over to the throne room's open door, looking out into the vast public square.

"Well, so much for the Germans," she said finally. "Now what?"

"Sun Ce has clearly failed," Cao Cao said, choosing this moment to appear out of nowhere. "I guess that means it is up to me to solve this problem."

Da Qiao let out a derisive snort as she picked herself up off the floor and scowled at Cao Cao. "Ha! No offense, Cao Cao, but I wouldn't trust you with a bowl of egg noodles."

"Hey, the cause of the Egg Noodle Incident is still unknown!" Cao Cao protested. "Nobody can prove it was me!"

**Sun Ce: **"Uh, Cao Cao? She was kidding."

**Cao Cao: **^^;; "Ah-hahahahahah… it still wasn't me."

Xiao sighed. "Well, the gremlins are just gonna regenerate and still have their nest in the Hall of Pure Thought. We're back to Square One. What do we do?"

"This is a waste of time!" Cao Cao declared, making sure he was standing in the middle of those present. "I shall rid you of these gremlins and as a reward the Qiao sisters shall be given to me for-"

***PUNT!***

"My, there's very few clouds out today." Xiao commented as she peered out through the Cao Cao-shaped hole Sun Ce had left in the ceiling.

"I can't believe this," Da moaned, sitting down on a plush stool and ignoring the 'spludgy!' sound effect it made as she sank into the typo cream. "We'll have to move out of Baifu palace. I really liked the tiling on the floor, too."

"In order to catch them, we must become them," Zhou Yu said, wringing the typo goop out of his tunic. "We must out-grammar the typo gremlins."

Xiao was unable to conceal her amused grin. "Okay, now this I _have _to see…"

* * *

"This? This is your genius idea?" Da exclaimed as she watched her husband slip into a pair of hip waders, a fishing rod leaning against the rock beside them. They had adjourned from the palace and were now in the Garden of Six Qualities, centered on a large pond. She had been told that the artesian well that fed this body of water also serviced the western half of the palace, coincidentally where the Hall of Pure Thought was located.

"Yeah," Ce replied, zipping up the pants and making sure they were fitting well. "Like my ancestor Sun Tzu said, you must understand your enemy in order to defeat them. We're gonna give them what they want most. Zhou Yu, my weapon, please!"

The strategist handed Ce the fishing rod. The young warlord gently fitted a strip of wood with a complex and correct Chinese character onto the hook and lowered it into the water.

"Since we can't seem to take them on when they're in a group, we'll lure them out one-by-one," Ce explained. "The water will carry the scent of an uncorrupted word to them and they'll _have_ to bite. Then we simply reel the gremlin in, stick in this sack lined with George W. Bush speeches and they won't be able to escape it. Then we can release them into some other fanfic that competes with TYC."

Da looked into the water, clearly not convinced. "Are you sure nearly drowning in gremlin cream didn't cause you to lose whatever marbles you might have had left in your head, husband?"

"Jeez, have a little faith, Da." Ce replied. "Now shhhh…"

For a while Ce silently cast the word slat into the pond and then reeled it in. Da had just rolled her eyes from the start and sat down on a wooden viewing bench. Still daring place some trust in that either Ce or her husband actually knew what they were doing, Xiao squatted on a rock near Ce and watched intently.

They waited for several minutes but there was nary a nibble. Ce frowned and made sure the bait was spelled correctly. It certainly seemed to be. So why weren't the gremlins biting?

"I don't understand," he said, scratching his head and then reeling in the bait. "There's no way they can resist a treat like this, so if my bait isn't the problem, then what is?"

"Maybe it's how you're holding your wrists." Xiao suggested helpfully.

She was immediately clocked in the back of the head with a rock that had the characters for '_Get A Clue!_' decorated on it in gold paint.

**Xiao Qiao: ** .o;; "Hey, who threw that?"

Ce suddenly snapped his fingers as he had an epiphany. "Of course, they're not biting!" he exclaimed. "They know it's a trap!"

"How so?" Xiao asked.

Da stood and approached the pond, trying to assess what was wrong. Her eyes lit up as she figured it out.

"Oh, I see," she said. "They know that little strips of wood with characters painted on them don't just float around in ponds randomly. We need a different type of lure that one _would_ find in a body of water."

Ce beamed at her. "Da, if I didn't already have a strategist to do my thinkin' for me, you'd certainly be a contender for the position. And since you're my wife that would include _all_ positions."

Da blushed and had a sudden urge to study her feet.

"Xiao, I need paper boats with prayers and poems on 'em, lots of 'em!" Ce declared.

"On it, Ce!" the younger Qiao sister replied, scampering out of the garden. A few minutes later, she returned with armfuls of cute little prayer boats, hundreds of them at least.

Ce gingerly hooked one of the little paper vessels onto his hook and cast it out into the water. The Qiao sisters watched intently. Dare they hope?

"I got a bite!" Ce exclaimed as his fishing rod began jerking spastically. "Da, get the net ready!"

Excited to see some actual progress for a change, Da grabbed the fishing net and leaned out as far as she could over the pond, holding onto a plum tree limb for balance. She stretched out her arm that held the net and waited for Ce to reel in the prize.

Just then a big fat and juicy gremlin burst out of the water, thrashing and wriggling on Ce's line, the paper boat still clamped tightly in its mouth. Ce tried to flip it into the net but instead succeeded in clocking his wife in the face with his catch.

**Da Qiao: **O.o;; "Gah!"

***SPLOOT!***

"Augh!" she complained as she wiped gremlin effluence off her face while Xiao deposited the little beast in the waiting George W sack. "What is it today with me getting creamed in the face?"

**Sun Ce:** [venturing a guess] "Ummm… you recently did a _bukakke _fic?"

"Just get your brain back in the fic, you pervert!" she hissed.

"Yeah she doesn't do that fic until next week." Xiao noted.

Ce attached another paper boat to the hook and cast it back into the pond. Within seconds he had another bite and drew in another typo gremlin. This process repeated itself many times and soon their bag was bloated with squirming, thrashing _mogui_.

"How the hell many of these things can there be?" Da wondered as they stuffed yet another of the pint-sized lexographic nightmares in the sack.

Just then, Diao Chan wandered into the garden. "Hi, everyone, I thought I'd see how things were progressing."

Also at that moment, Ce gave a good yank on his line and snapped the gremlin up over his head and behind."

**Diao Chan: **"AIEEEEK!"

***GLOMP!***

"Wow, good shot, Ce," Xiao remarked, staring at the gremlin now happily nestled in Diao Chan's bosom. "Right between the boobs."

"Naturally." Ce replied, not bothering to look away from his current endeavor. Da took a moment to help her friend unstick the gremlin from her cleavage and deposited it in the sack. Diao Chan exited the garden quickly, knowing better than to tempt fate.

Ce grinned as his fishing rod bent and he began to pull in another prize. He frowned as he pulled and reeled. "Damn… surprising amount of resistance on this line."

"Ooh, maybe it's the alpha gremlin." Xiao mused. "What was written on that boat, Ce?"

"A really elegant poem with lots of characters that could be construed as word-play," he replied, digging in his heels as he tried to keep from getting pulled into the pond. "It was a real gem and I figured it would net me a beauty."

With a tremendous heave, Ce managed to pull the fishing line out of the water. There was a great splash from the pond and out leapt…

**Sun Ce: **"What the… Zhou Yu?"

**Zhou Yu:** [with the paper boat hooked in his mouth] "Thorry… couldn't helf it…"

* * *

"Are you _sure_ this is the only Wei- I mean, way?" Lu Xun asked, his voice betraying concern for his mortal well-being.

"Y'gotta do what y'gotta do, pal." Ce replied. "If we wanna survive this fic then we've gotta go to extremes here."

"Ce, I swear to you, you use so much slang that I'm sure the author cannot tell if you have committed typo or not," Zhou Yu muttered. "In any event, Lu Xun, our lord is correct. This plan may sound extreme, but it is necessary."

They stood outside the door of the Hall of Pure Thought, accompanied by as many cast members as dared approach this area swollen with evil syntax. They had already taken rather extreme measures to stave off the effects of the gremlins- each member present carried a pocket-sized Oxford Dictionary and tore out a page every thirty seconds, popping it into their mouths, chewing it thoroughly and swallowing.

"Ugh, I won't be able to poop for a week." Xiao groused as she forced down a page out of the X section of the lexicon. She hated eating the X section of dictionaries, the four pointy corners of the letter would get caught in her throat and made her gag, sullying her 'Xiao has no gag reflex' reputation.

"Too blocked up to poop, eh?" Ce mused. He turned and grinned evilly at Cao Cao. "Won't be much of a change for you, will it?"

"Shut up, you insufferable snot!" Cao Cao hissed. "It's a legitimate condition and the requisite fiber foods are not native to Wei! Prunes don't exactly grow on trees, you know!"

"Actually…" Liu Bei began.

"Shut up! I hate you, you maudlin pansy!" Cao Cao screamed, going purple as he raged at the Scion of the Han. "Why the hell would I care what you think?"

"Yeah, he'd have to give a crap first." Ce said cheerfully, enjoying himself.

"Augh!" Cao Cao raged, tearing several pages out of his dictionary with his teeth.

"But back to _my_ imminent demise," Lu Xun pressed, his concern growing. "What exactly am I supposed to be doing here?"

"You're going to go flush them out, of course," Zhou Yu explained.

"Whoah, wait just a rice-pickin' minute here…" Lu Xun objected. "I saw what they did to Zhang He, and he's actually a pretty good fighter, even if he is a little light in the leather boots. Me, I'm a short, skinny and kind of femmy boy-wonder. What chance do I stand?"

"Sometimes the tests of our character that we must endure are not pretty," Zhou Yu replied gravely. "If you ever what to be Grand Marshall after Lu Meng dies…"

**Lu Meng:** O.o "What?"

"Like I said," Zhou Yu continued. "If you ever want to rise to the top, you must prevail over the worst of challenges. Sun Ce defeated Ou Xing and Yu Ji, I engineered our triumph over Cao Cao at Chi Bi…"

"I still think you guys cheated…" Cao Cao muttered, sitting nearby and moping.

"My wife has not indulged in an implied Sapphic scene for some time now." Zhou Yu continued.

"I ain't too sure about that, pal." Ce added, looking off-screen at something. "She must've reached the 'L' section of her dictionary… damn, is there anything she _can't_ eat?"

Ce was promptly smacked in the head with Da's dictionary and decided to stop talking.

Zhou Yu sighed. "As I was saying, if you want to play in the brobdingnagian leagues, you have to take on the big challenges. That being said, you may look to us as inspiration and take those lessons with you into that room."

"Yes, but you and Lord Sun Ce took on _real_ dramatic challenges in _real_ chapters of the fic," Lu Xun whined. "This is a Wumake, nothing but comical humiliation awaits whoever steps through that door."

"Don't worry so much," Ce said easily. "Just because nobody's died dramatically in a Wumake yet doesn't mean it _can't_ happen."

"And that's supposed to make me feel better?" Lu Xun exclaimed. "What weapons are you sending me in with, anyway?"

"Oh, don't worry, you'll be armed, certainly." Ce said in his most assuring tone. He made a gesture to Zhou Yu, who slid on a pair of heavy-duty rubber and leather gloves. He opened a safe that happened to be sitting conveniently in the hallway and opened the door. From the armoured interior he withdrew an ornately-carved wooden box that seemed to radiate a great evil.

"Are… are those the remains of Ou Xing and Yu Ji?" Da asked, backing up in fear to hide behind her husband.

"Nope, much worse," Ce replied, watching his sworn brother bring the lead box forward. "They're mementos from various Gan Ning/Ling Tong yaoifics, some of the nastiest on the internet, created by some of the most crazed and deluded screaming fangirls anywhere. Contained within are boxer shorts Gan Ning wore through a protracted and rather sweaty wrestling scene, a pair of disturbingly sticky nunchucks, some hip bells that are afraid to ring anymore and one of Ling Tong's hairbands that the _shibari_ knot won't come out of, just to name a few items."

"Ew, gross!" Da squealed, recoiling. "Why the hell do we have that in our fic?"

"Someone bought them on e-bay." Ce replied, looking pointedly at Zhang He, who gazed innocently at the ceiling.

"The concentrated evil these relics represent should be enough to drive even typo gremlins out of a fic," Zhou Yu said as he approached Lu Xun. "Use it as your weapon and your victory is assured."

Lu Xun made a wry face, clearly unconvinced but strapped on his own pair of thick leather and rubber gloves and took the proffered weapon of mass destruction.

"Er, Ce…" Da said quietly, her eyes locked on the wooden box. "Is it safe even with gloves to handle anything as icky as that?

"Relax, Da," Ce said easily. "The outer box is just for show and to disguise the evil within. There's actually another box inside, made of lead that encloses the reality-warping Cherenkov radiation produced by the items and protects us from them. It's perfectly contained."

"I don't know," Da murmured uneasily, still hiding behind her sturdily-built spouse. "Should the bottom of the wooden box be sizzling and smoking and bubbling like that? Can wood even boil and bubble?"

Zhou Yu had backed away and Lu Xun now turned to face the door that led into the Hall of Pure Thought. Liu Bei nodded to Guan Yu, who now crept up beside the door and used the extreme reach of his Green Dragon halberd to slowly open the aperture. The interior of the room was dark and the only sound to come out was whisperings of misspelled words and atrocious syntax. Everyone reflexively ate another page of their dictionaries.

Lu Xun fixed the interior of the room with a nervous gaze, holding the box with both hands while he psyched himself up. But he was so focused on the task at hand that he failed to notice that the box continued to sizzle and bubble. So toxic and corrosive were the contents that even the lead shield could not contain this evil. The yaoi relics ate through the bottom of the container and landed on the floor with an audible _'whump!'_ but still Lu Xun was not alerted to his peril. The items smoldered and crackled, eventually eating a hole in the ornately-tiled floor and dropping down into the palace's basement and from there toward the center of the earth.

"I… should we… should we tell him?" Da asked her husband quietly.

"Shhhh…" Ce said back in a hushed tone.

Holding the now empty wooden box and with the entire cast's eyes on him, Lu Xun took a deep breath and committed his soul to the gods.

"FOR THE GLORY OF KOEI AND FANFICTION!" he cried in a loud voice and then charged into the waiting darkness.

The battle that followed is not fit for printing within the electronic pages of any website, nor should they ever be transcribed onto paper. The terrible and horrifying sounds of struggle that emanated from the Hall of Pure Thought were indescribable with mere human words. Roars and hisses that defied explanation rent the air, punctuated by ripping noises and Lu Xun's shrieks of pain, which would haunt the dreams of everyone looking on for many chapters to come.

Da Qiao turned away, unable to watch the gruesome melee, pressing her hand over her mouth to keep from throwing up. Liu Bei went pale and fainted dead away, falling into Zhao Yun's arms. Even Sun Ce made a distasteful face as he witnessed the holocaust going on through the door. Zhou Yu watched on grimly and clicked his tongue in despair.

Finally all sounds stopped inside the chamber and the silence that followed was nearly deafening. Several seconds passed before there was a loud and disgusting "_BURP!_" noise from within and one of Lu Xun's socks, slimy and covered in drool, came sailing out of the room to land at Ce's feet. It was all that was left.

"Let us have a moment of silence to remember Lu Xun's sacrifice." Zhou Yu intoned, bowing his head.

"He's… he's not dead, is he?" Da asked.

"Nah," Ce said dismissively. "He'll be fine by the next fic. He's got a comprehensive insurance package. Low premiums and deductible too."

"So what was the purpose of _any_ of that, then?" Da hissed, growing tired of this Wumake's oblique and pointless humour.

"Lu Xun was just the cannon-fodder to get the gremlins all riled up," Ce explained. "The real star of our performance is about to make his entrance, right about…"

[Enter Jiang Wei.]

"I have arrived," the psychotic, almost schoolgirl-level-of-obsessed strategist declared. "What is it that needs my attention? I… why am I here with you people? Where is my Prime Minister?"

"He's not here at the moment, Jiang Wei," Ce stated. "What we need is-"

"He's not here?" Jiang Wei exclaimed, beginning to look around in a panic. "Why is he not here? He's not here?" Before anyone could say 'stalker', he was hyperventilating and getting pale, his hand over his heart and his whole body shaking.

"There, there, take it easy, buddy," Ce said in a consoling tone, putting a small paper bag over Jiang Wei's mouth to help him breathe while giving him a Kongming plushie to fondle. "I'm sorry Zhuge Liang isn't here, but he texted us and said that only you could solve this crisis."

Jiang Wei looked at Ce, trying to control his anxiety, his fingers kneading the plushie refelxively. "He… he did?"

"Yes indeed he did," said Liu Bei, trying to be helpful. "And as your lord, I-"

"Who are you?" Jiang Wei demanded of Liu Bei, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "You're not my Zhuge Liang."

Liu Bei cast a sidelong glance at Ce, who simply shrugged. Liu Bei dutifully changed tack and appealed to the young strategist's psychosis.

"The Prime Minister, who is off saving the universe from a wandering black hole that is threatening to consume us all, has asked that you, in his stead, solve this predicament we are currently encountering as only you can."

"He did?" Jiang Wei asked, his eyes lighting up.

"He did."

What is it that needs doing in the Prime Minister's name?" the little twerp demanded, looking off dreamily into the distance, his hand over his heart.

"Well that's the tricky part, buddy," Ce explained. "Y'see, through that door is a fearsome enemy that has been plaguing the fic for as long as any of us can remember and it was _real_ bad in the last chapter. Zhuge Liang said you're the only person he could trust to eliminate the threat in his absence."

Jiang Wei nodded. "The Prime Minister is wise indeed, to have such acute foresight. And in his name, I shall end this menace to our series, whatever it may be."

Out of nowhere he produced his wacky looking spear-pike-trident-billhook-thingy and stood in front of the door, defiant and determined to win his Prime Minister's undying love. His normally glazed and fanatical eyes hardened.

"Prime Minister…" he said in his warbling tenor. "I do this in your name."

He was striding confidently into the Hall of Pure Thought just as Kongming returned, masticating thoughtfully on a dictionary page.

"My apologies to you all, I- oh, crap, who let that little asswipe into the fic?"

Ce waved for the Shu strategist to be quiet, as Jiang Wei had not noticed the strategist-mentor's return. Zhuge Liang deduced what was happening and then smiled evilly.

"Oh, now this I _have_ to see…" he whispered.

"Ce, you still haven't explained how sacrificing another he-bitch to the typo gremlins is going to solve our dilemma." Da pointed out, tugging on his sleeve.

"Well, it took a little work and some lateral thought," Ce replied, still watching the door. "But Zhou Yu an' I finally concluded that the only way to fight typo gremlins was to match them up against a fanfiction genre that was notorious for but not affected by horrific grammar or rampant typos."

Da's eyes went wide. "Ce, you didn't… no… that's… that's… oh gods, poor Jiang Wei."

"Yep," Ce said, grinning mischievously as only he could at such moments by virtue of Main Character Proprietary Rights. "Jiang Wei just entered the hentai and lemon genre of fanfiction. But don't worry, his fanatical idiocy will get rid of the typo gremlins once and for all. You'll see."

"He's doomed…" Da whispered, unable to contain her trepidation.

* * *

Jiang Wei crept forward in the darkness of the chamber, undeterred by (or possibly just oblivious to) the presence of the churning and pulsing mass of typo gremlins that covered every surface of the normally vast and light-filled hall. He pushed the maddening voices that suggested incorrect spellings and tenses out of his head, filling it instead with the love and sanguine light of his mentor's soft and ever-beneficent dulcet tones.

Once deep inside the room, he took a moment to look around and noticed exactly how much peril he was in- hundreds, if not thousands, of beady, myopic eyes gleamed at him out the dark, sizing him up and wondering what wine he would best be served with. They were everywhere, stacked on top of the furnishings, hanging upside down from the ceiling like bats and providing a squishy and uneven carpet to walk across. The protégé swallowed nervously and steeled himself, determined to make the Prime Minister proud.

Two doors in the middle of the room caught his attention- they were attached to no vertical surfaces, they were simply free-standing and beckoned for his perusal. He walked over them and examined them closely. They seemed to be exactly the same from both sides, except for the fact that on the initial facing from when he had entered, there were words painted on the doors. One door said _'Yuri'_ and the other said _'Yaoi'_.

"I get it!" he declared confidently, very pleased with himself. "This is another of my beloved Prime Minister's tests to make sure I am worthy of succeeding him! All I have to do is deduce which door is the correct choice!"

He stared at the two doors and sighed in mild frustration. "But I am from the English-language version of the game and I don't speak Japanese and I forget which word means which! I know that one means glorious lesbian sex and the other means dark and terrible man-on-man super-happy bum fun, but I never read manga or watched anime, so I don't remember. Oh, Prime Minister, give me strength…"

He stared at the two doors for a long time, pausing only to tear pages out a dictionary and eat them. Try as he might, he could not remember the difference. The two words sounded so similar. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Where raw intellect fails, let intuition prevail. The correct answer I seek is behind… the _yaoi_ door! Watch out, enemies of the Prime Minister! Jiang Wei's here to lay down the lemon law!"

Without wasting another moment, he strode forward and grabbed the knob of the _yaoi_ door, giving it a twist and flinging the door wide open. He was about to declare his triumph when dozens of huge, black and very aggressive naughty tentacles, bent on punishing and violating the foolish, thrashed violently and surged out of the dimensional doorway, latching onto whatever they could wrap around.

Unfortunately, Jiang Wei was the first thing they came across.

"KYAAAAAA!" he screamed as he was bound up in tentacles and dragged unceremoniously through the door. "The correct answer was _yuri_ all alooooonnnnggggggg!"

Not content with just one morsel, the tentacles flooded the Hall of Pure Thought and grabbed hold of anything they could, namely the typo gremlins. The creatures shrieked and chittered in fright and scrambled madly over one another to escape the impending rectal trauma. They flooded through the door and stampeded out into the hallway.

"Ce!" Zhou Yu shouted as a veritable river of myopic gremlins streamed around him in their attempt to flee from the tentacles. "It's working! They're leaving the palace!"

"Yeah!" Ce crowed triumphantly. "Got the little bastards!"

"Um, Ce?" Da said nervously, looking at the door into the Hall and backing up nervously. "The naughty tentacles? They're, uh… they're coming this way!"

Ce paused and gaped at the door, his eyes widening as the massive, gleaming black tentacles burst through the egress and out into the wide corridor.

**Sun Ce: ** O.o "Run for your lives!"

Da threw Xiao over her shoulder and began running like hell. The stunned younger sister merely looked back at the unfolding disaster with wide eyes before she began smacking her sister on the butt with a riding crop in an attempt to achieve greater speed.

**Xiao Qiao: **"Move it, sis! The tentacles are gaining on us!"

**Da Qiao: **[Faster! Must run faster!] "This fic is nuts! I am bloody-well talking to my agent if I survive this damn Wumake!

**Cao Cao: **"You're telling me! It's not like I've done anything over the course of my life to deserve this!"

They both gawked as Zhang He sped by them, running faster than any human should have been able to and screaming like a little girl. Even the little fairy wings that adorned the back of his current outfit were flapping madly in an attempt to get him away from the danger.

**Guan Yu: **[thundering along] "Brother! You're not paying me enough to endure this sort of thing!"

**Liu Bei: **"I don't pay you at all, Guan Yu! You do everything out of devotion to me as my sworn brother, remember?"

**Guan Yu: **[grrr!] "That's changing, you'd better believe it! Protecting you from naughty tentacles was not part of the Peach Garden Oath!"

Everyone gaped in astonishment as Zhou Yu raced through their midst, yelling and sputtering obscenities because Zhuge Liang was riding on his shoulders, latched on in terror while covering his rival's eyes. He attempted to direct Zhou Yu's careening course by pulling on his face, but to no avail.

"Xiao Qiao! Avenge meeeeee!" were the last things Zhou Yu cried out before Kongming yanked on his left ear and sent them both tumbling head over heels into an antechamber, soon lost to sight because of the onrushing freight train of hentai tentacles.

"Sun Ce!" Da cried out as she ran, refusing to stop but suddenly worried about her beloved husband, who had been left behind; if he perished, she'd be trapped doing lesbian scenes for the rest of the series. "Husband! Where are you?"

"Be right there!" sounded Ce's voice from somewhere in the midst of the thrashing fury of the naughty tentacles.

Suddenly one very large tentacle erupted from the masses, bucking wildly about as its fanged mouth snapped and slavered and roared. However it couldn't do very much since Ce was perched atop its phallic-shaped head, riding bronco-style and tying a muzzle around it.

**Sun Ce**: "Sit! Stay! Bad tentacle, no biscuit!"

* * *

They were all hiding behind a large hill, trying to catch their breath after the narrow escape from the tentacles that now owned Baifu Palace. The entire city had been evacuated but this was hardly an end to their concerns.

"Why do you think those two doors that said _yuri_ and _yaoi _were standing in the middle of the Hall of Pure Thought, anyway?" Xiao asked, laying on her back and looking up at the sky, trying to find ones that looked like boobs. "Were those always there and I just never noticed?"

"Well, this is a kink in our plans," Zhou Yu muttered as he looked through binoculars at the palace. "The naughty tentacles drove out the typo gremlins but are still rampaging through Baifu."

"So what?" Da reasoned. "Before long, will send the author a notice, reminding him of the restriction against hentai on the site and they'll simply retreat into their doors and disappear. All we have to do is wait them out, right?"

"Yes, but that's not the issue," Zhou Yu replied, sighing heavily. "Once that happens, the gremlins will simply move back in and we will have to start all over again."

"What, if anything, prompted the author to write a parody of his own keyboarding fallacies, at any rate?" Liu Bei wondered, getting a relaxing backrub from Zhang He to calm his frayed nerves. Zhou Yun offered him a mani-pedi but Liu Bei declined; he didn't want to know what colours of nail polish his most ardent general thought might look good with his current outfit.

Sun Ce picked up a copy of the last chapter, making a wry face when he noticed it was centered around Wei and began skimming it, looking for something out of the ordinary.

"Here it is," he said, rapping his finger on one of the pages. "He had Cao Cao regaling everyone with the tale of how Dian Wei saved him at Wan Castle, but he seemed to have momentarily forgotten the name of the locale. He put those dumb dashes in as placeholders until he remembered the name but in his hurry to publish the chapter he forgot to fill them in. It's a rather glaring error he is clearly not proud of."

"Wan Castle!" Cao Cao exclaimed, leaping to his feet. "Of course, it was Wan Castle! I felt like such a jerk for not being able to tell everyone where poor Dian Wei had died!"

"_That's_ what makes you feel like a jerk?" Xiao remarked, sneering. "All the things you've done and that's what burns your cookies? Really?"

"I am not accepting criticism from someone whose only recent purpose in this story has been lesbian fanservice." Cao Cao shot back. Xiao clammed up and went back to eating her dictionary.

"Well, we need to get back inside and fix this gremlin issue once and for all," Ce muttered. "Everyone grab your weapons and then we're headin' in. We'll think of something along the way. Zhou Yu, check the budget and see if we can afford any extra guards, willya?"

"Already thought of that, Ce," the strategist replied. "They should be arriving any second now."

"Great!" Xiao exclaimed, clapping her hands. "What did you get for us? Space Marines?"

"No, we couldn't afford Space Marines," Zhou Yu admitted. "The author's got them all tied up in his 40k/Deep Space 9 crossover and his Blood Angels novel."

"No Space Marines at all?" his wife whined. "No hunky Space Wolves or pretty-pretty Blood Angels?"

Zhou Yu shook his head.

"Not even Ultramarines or some wussy second-liners like the Crimson Fists or Howling Griffons?"

"No, Xiao, no Space Marines." Zhou Yu said firmly, making a mental note to cancel his wife's subscription to the Black Library and C.S. Goto's website.

"So what do we have?" Da asked, ignoring the sinking feeling in her stomach.

At that moment, a squad of men and women wearing black paramilitary uniforms with red armbands marched into the fic and stood at attention. Arrogant and intolerant-looking, they each carried a small thesaurus tucked under their left arm and gave a Third Reich salute.

"Grammar Nazis?" she groaned. "They're really all we could afford? What the hell happened to the budget?"

"Chi Bi happened to the budget." Ce explained. "All the fire special effects and then Cao Cao's insistence that the pyrotechnics be used again in the opening scene of the Wei chapter to try and make him look more sympathetic kinda burned a hole in our pockets."

"Hey, it's gotta be better than nothing," Xiao said hopefully. "They'll make nice cannon fodder while we figure out how to destroy the gremlins once and for all."

"Yes, but if we're gonna use them right, we've gotta find a way to draw all the gremlins into one final, epic battle." Ce warned. "We just need to present them with some sort of amazing poetry reading that'll draw them all here at once."

"Okay, but who will do it?" Liu Bei asked. "Zhou Yu will be coordinating the counter-attack and Ding Feng may love poetry but he sounds ridiculous citing it, so they'll never fall for it. Who do we have left who has a gift for reciting poetry and looks great doing it?"

[Everyone turns and looks at Da Qiao.]

**Da Qiao:** -;; "I hate every one of you…"

* * *

"I can't believe you're making me cosplay like this," Da groused as Zhang He and Xiao primped her into a ridiculously elegant and multi-layered Chinese poetry robe. "Ce, I can't even move in this thing!"

"Relax, Da, we'll be covering you, ready to spring the ambush once the gremlins are all here." Ce said easily, trying to decice whether to use his tonfas for the upcoming melee or his halberd. "There's gotta be an alpha gremlin an' once I take him dowon, the rest'll lose heart an' stop fightin' or fade away. Nothin' can go wrong."

"Famous last words." Da grumbled, resigning herself to her fate. She unscrolled a copy of one of her favourite poems and closed her eyes, praying to whatever gods were crazy enough to still be listening this far into the series.

Once everyone was in place, she nodded to her husband, who took out a bullhorn and spoke loudly into it.

"HEY, DA, GREAT OUTFIT FOR YOUR POETRY RECITAL… I SURE HOPE NOTHING GOES WRONG DURING IT!"

Half a moment later, the word "Hotcha!" rumbled across the palace from countless squeaky voices. The floor and the structure began to tremor ominously. What sounded like thousands of stampeding little feet could be heard and the Princess of Wu went pale. She began reading the poem in a trembling voice, fearing for her very fictional life.

The doors of the Great Hall burst open, allowing a torrent of cackling, myopic _mogui_ into the scene, all of them scampering toward Da Qiao with grammatical murder in their eyes. Many of them sported tiny tentacles that thrashed ravenously.

"_Damn, they've been mutated by their exposure to the hentai tentacles…"_ Da thought to herself in alarm. Realizing that there was nothing for it but to keep on, she continued reading the elegant and tempting poem, trying hard to sound dignified.

Tiles on the floor cracked and shattered as the gremlins came up from somewhere beneath while still others descended from the ceiling high overhead. Da squeaked in alarm as a priceless vase nearby her burst apart, revealing a cackling gremlin within, his jaws and minute tentacles slavering voraciously.

"Alright, folks, let's wipe 'em out!" Ce yelled as he leapt out of his hiding spot and attacked the pint-sized furies. Joined by the other members of the Wu faction, he surged into their midst, splattering gremlins left and right with his tonfas. Xiao Qiao was right beside him, swatting the pests with her fans. Ding Feng, his mouth taped shut so he couldn't recite his own poetry, was squishing the gremlins with his massive iron gauntlets.

Sun Shang Xiang was advancing as she fired her bow, often using more than one arrow to pin the nasty little things to the wall or causing them to explode messily. Lian Shi, Gan Ning, Ling Tong and even Sun Quan were wading into the fray, determined to rid the series of this perilous enemy once and for all.

Determined to not simply be bait, Da Qiao whipped out her fans and began beating the _mogui _into oblivion. She could barely see anyone else, so numerous were the foes that sought her demise. She yelped in panic as one streaked by her, flipping up her heavy skirt and exposing her panties to everyone.

"That's why I don't wear panties, sis!" Xiao called out as she slammed a gremlin into a wall, getting herself covered in typo cream.

"What happened to the Spear of LongPenius?" Da called to her sister as she grabbed a gremlin that had been scrambling up beneath her skirt and throttling it until its head popped.

"One use per Waumake fic, sis!" Xiao replied. "It's probably back at NERV headquarters by now!"

Da never really watched anime and had no idea what her ditzy sibling was referencing but decided it didn't matter. She wasn't going down without a fight. Plainly her foes agreed and had begun to mob her.

"Darling!" Diao Chan cried out, fighting her way to her beloved princess' side in a twirling whirlwind of barbed whip, leg flashes and rose petals. "Fear not, I am here to save you!"

But no sooner had the courtesan arrived than she was swept off her feet by a troop of gremlins and carried off unceremoniously for a debriefing.

**Typo Gremlins: **"Hup! Hup! Hup! Hup!"

**Diao Chan: **"Ack! Let go of me you little perverts! Stop that! Hey, a little more butt support, please! Ow, who did that? Dammit, dinner and a movie first!"

Da Qiao took a moment to glance over in Zhou Yu's direction. The Wu strategist was coordinating the tactics of the Grammar Nazis, using them to herd the gremlins into groups with their concentrated Schemisser submachine-gun fire, creating impressively large piles of _mogui_ corpses, a tactic he had clearly adapted from the movie Starship Troopers.

"When did you have time to learn that?" Sima Yi called out from behind his long, flowing and rather girly robes as he hid behind them.

"Paul Verhoven will do just about anything for fifty bucks and a date with Elizabeth Berkley these days!" replied Zhou Yu as he bisected a gremlin with his ancient sword.

Da scowled as she saw Zhuge Liang standing off to one side, waving his fan calmly while watching the whirling melee. He wasn't even lifting a finger to help.

"I knew it!" she snarled. "You never do anything! All you ever do is wait for stuff to go wrong and then claim it was all part of your plan to begin with!"

"Au contraire, Lady of Wu," he said serenely, still not moving. "Victory is not won by those who are right but by those who are left."

"Oh, you are so full of _!" she yelled as she hammered a gremlin up into the rafters. She paused as she saw Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun enter the Hall wrestling Wei Yan through the door with them. He was thrashing and struggling to get away, clearly unhappy with being present.

"Unhand me, blaggarts!" he shouted. "I am missing Masterpiece Theatre because of you! Tonight they are showing Wuthering Heights and I have every intention of watching it!"

The two generals held him in place while Huang Zhong brought over Wei Yan's famous skull helmet. The prisoner thrashed madly while the old man fitted it to his head, pressing down hard. Apparently it was quite a few sizes too small.

**Wei Yan: **"Damn you all, I will not stand for this! Let me go or surely you will be hearing from-"

In a sudden hiss of air, the helmet was fitted to his head.

***SHLOOMP!***

**Wei Yan: **"GRAHHHHH! Me... smash… little… enemy!"

"_That's_ why he acts that way?" Da exclaimed, horrified and feeling bad for the berserker. "That stupid helmet is two sizes too small and cuts off the blood to his brain! Poor Wei Yan! You people are so mean!"

"Desperate times call for desperate measures, my lady!" Liu Bei replied as he tore a creamy path through the gremlins with his twin swords.

"Oh, shut up, Mister Virtue!" she hissed. "I will never believe another word of your stupid blog ever again!"

The Shu cast members now entered the battle but it hardly seemed to tip the scales- the gremlins were running roughshod over just about everyone. Even Guan Yu was having a hard time wading through the endless, churning piles of foes that just seemed to keep coming. Before long he had disappeared from view, only his beard was left thrashing and twitching above the sea of _mogwei_.

The doors opened and in rushed the Wei contingent, led by the resolute Cao Ren and the clueless Xu Zhu. Cao Cao brought up the rear, directing their efforts and making sure he was in no danger. Unfortunately, Cao Ren got gremlin goo inside his helmet, blinding him and he began to panic. He began whirling about a wild circles, his oversized meteor hammer knocking not only gremlins out of the room but also his own allies.

"STAGE OUT-O!" Zhang He cried in a ridiculous Japanese accent as he was pummeled into the next story arc.

Xiahou Dun got cream in his good eye and careened into a wall. Fortunately his face softened the impact. He went rigid and fell over, checking out for the rest of the fic.

Xing Cai squealed as a gremlin leapt onto her chest plate and began scrawling the character for 'Mine!" all over her armoured boobs. She hissed in fury, grabbed the interloper and impaled him on Guan Ping's spiky hair. The creature detonated and the valiant Zhou Yun slipped on the resulting mess and went skidding by, slamming into Wei Yan, popping the berserker's helmet off.

"Nearer my God to theeeeee!" Wei Yan wailed as he disappeared beneath the gremlin tidal wave.

"Where's the Jin faction? Or the Miscellaneous faction?" Xiao demanded as she wrestled with a persistent foe who kept trying to steal her bra.

"They're claiming that they haven't been paid yet so they're not coming!" Zhou Yu yelled over the chaos, clearly not amused by their choice to exercise their union rights now. "And don't ask about Sima Yi or Diao Chan, he began as a Wei faction member and she's one of us now!"

"Fat lot of good it did me!" came Diao Chan's reply from some corner where nothing but writhing tentacles could be seen.

"Ce! Where are you?" Da called out.

"I'm a little busy at the moment!" Ce called back as he thrashed and rolled around on the floor with an exceptionally large gremlin. He seemed to have found the alpha gremlin, or perhaps it was the other way around, but the result was predictably hectic.

Zhen Ji arrogantly slapped a gremlin aside with her flute and speared another with it before trying to play a beguiling tune. Unfortunately for the songstress and queen bitch of Wei, she got barely a sound out of the instrument. She blew harder and then shrieked in outrage as the flute expelled copious amounts of gremlin spooge and then let out a harsh and unflattering note. Blushing furiously, she slunk out of the room, hoping that no major international orchestra had heard her. Now she was _never_ going to get that gig with the Philharmonic…

"Zhou Yu!" Ce bellowed, seeming to have defeated his foe and standing in triumph. "All we to do now is- what the hell?"

Zhou Yu, apparently, had been overwhelmed by the sheer number of foes, his troop of Grammar Nazis nowhere to be seen. He had been bent over a chair and pinned in place while a series of gremlins paraded by, smacking his behind with _yaoi_ paddles stolen from anime conventions.

**Zhou Yu: **[resignedly] "Ow… ow… ow… ow…"

Ce shook his head in bewilderment. "Da?"

But she had no time to answer. She raced by him, shrieking in terror, completely naked, covering her breasts with one hand and her naughty regions with the other, followed by hordes of hooting and drooling gremlins who were writing perverted haikus all over her nubile form.

"Y'know, guys," Ce called out as the gremlins stampeded by. "She might not run away if you use chocolate body paint to write on her-"

He was suddenly crushed to the ground as the alpha gremlin dropped on him from above, cackling and gibbering triumphantly. The demon jumped up and down on his head, clapping its hands and delighting in the bedlam it was creating.

"Sun Ce, you are such a dolt!" Cao Cao shouted in disgust. "I guess it is up to me to end this disaster once and for all!"

The Hero of Chaos closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When they flared open, they were blazing with an unreal blue light and arcs of lightning coursed over his body.

"I summon my raging ego!"

His battle aura burst away from him in a corona of power, physically knocking anyone nearby away, sending them tumbling head over heels, gremlins and cast members alike. Within seconds, the terrible entity spread its vast wings, towering over everyone.

**"RAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"** the terrible spirit roared. **"FEED MEEEEE!"**

"That's right!" Cao Cao shouted, holding his arms wide as he summoned the dreadful entity. "Witness now true power and what it means to be the Hero of Chaos!"

The ego-monster turned and grinned evilly down at Cao Cao. **"LUNCH TIME!"**

**Cao Cao: **[ack!] "What?"

***CHOMP! OM NOM NOM NOM!***

"Well, so much for Cao Cao." Ce muttered as elbowed the alpha gremlin off his back and swept out his halberd, mowing down every little jinx-creature he could with it. He grimaced as he noticed that just about everyone was missing, probably overwhelmed and now at the mercy of the perverted little syntax hellions.

"Alright, you little creeps," he growled. "I didn't wanna do this. I mean I _really_ didn't wanna have to do this, but you're leavin' me no choice…"

He swept out a manuscript and presented it to the Great Hall, like it was a sacred relic of great power.

"Nothing can prepare you for… Sun Ce crossover fic-fu!"

**Sun Shang Xiang: **o.O;; "Oh, gods, no!"

**Zhou Yu: **[pinching eyes] "Here we go again…"

**Xiao Qiao:** ^^;; "Uhhh, Ce, not that I like to doubt you or anything, but you just aren't that good at writing fanfiction or crossovers."

**Sun Ce: **^^v "Nonsense, Xiao! As the main character of The Young Conqueror, I'm good at everything I try. I'm gonna read my fic to these little creeps an' they'll see who the true master is an' have to surrender before my superior skills!"

**Sun Quan: **[from atop a pillar, swatting at climbing gremlins with a wiffle bat] "But brother, do you not remember what happened last time you read one of your fanfics out loud?"

**Sun Ce:** "Aw, that was just coincidence. So a random satellite strike went off during my reading and blew up the theatre."

**Zhou Yu: **-;; "There was nothing random about it."

**Xiao Qiao: **[offended gasp!] "Zhou Yu! Is that what happened during the reading of my Sailor V For Vendetta fanfic?"

"Enough page-wasting!" Ce announced, gesturing for silence. "Nothing can stop me from proving I am the king of fanfiction! I present to you, my latest masterpiece- 'Beneath A Steel Skyrim'!"

There was an audible gasp from everyone inside the fic. The gremlins rampaging through the scene all ceased to fight. Even Da Qiao, still naked and fleeing from her tormentors came to a screeching stop, causing the gremlins pursuing to crash into her and then each other. Da seemed totally aghast by what she had heard.

Sun Ce cleared his throat and then flipped past the title page. "Chupter One...no wait, that's a misspelling. I can't believe I didn't see that before. Okay then, Chapter One: Fragments of Skyrim… Ragnar Thundrofust, no, wait… Thunderfist. Yes, Thunderfist, that was my character's name when I played… anyhoo, Ragnar awoke inside a cart, but found he was bound. Hmmm, that doesn't sound quite right, found and bound rhyming when the moment doesn't call for it. Anyone know a synonym for bound?"

Zhou Yu put his hand over his face, completely oblivious to the fact that the spanking had stopped because something much worse was about to happen. The typo gremlins glanced nervously at one another and then began backing away from Sun Ce slowly. Diao Chan found herself released from the churning bodies and set upright, the gremlins scurrying out the myriad doors, hoping to not be noticed.

"It's working!" Xiao exclaimed in delight. "Ce, your story is scaring them off!"

"Damn right they're scared," Ce said triumphantly, clearly in his element. "They recognize a master of fanfiction in the house and they wilt away before my brobdingnagian skill! But back to the story! Having escaped from Heglen, no, wait, Helgen! Another typo! Crap, I hope no one noticed!"

By now the gremlins had thrown all caution to the wind and were racing madly for the doors, desperate to escape what they could sense building and evacuating the fic.

**Sun Ce: **"Now all that remains is for me to get to Riverwood, Ragnar declared. I need to cross the rivers so I must find a plito. Er… a plito? What the hell is a plito? Oh, wait! A pilot! As in someone to transport him across the river. I transposed the 'i' and the 'l' by mistake. Sorry guys! Lemme just fix that…"

Da Qiao sighed and slumped onto a small stool, strategically placing a small cushion in front of herself to cover her gratuitous nudity. "Alright, Ce, the gremlins are leaving, you can stop reading now."

"Hang on, hang on, this is where the twist comes in involving the other game," Ce said absently, holding up a finger to stay any objections. "Ragnar remembered that Whitrun, er, Whiterun, was now designated as a corporation. He would visit the Riverwood Trader and made sure that, oh, dammit, made was the wrong tense to use. It should have been 'make'. How do I keep missing these typos?"

"Why does the sky look so menacing all of a sudden?" Xiao asked, looking out one of the windows of the Great Hall. Sure enough, large, dark storm clouds were rolling over the sky, blanketing the land in darkness. Thunder rumbled, lightning flashed far above and the wind began to pick up. Before long, the violent squalls were stirring the oceans to life.

The earth groaned and shuddered beneath their feet, clearly not amused by its involuntary exposure to Sun Ce's prose. The floor of the palace churned and make a noise like it was going to be sick. Abruptly the roof splintered, getting hurled away in the gale-force winds and then sucked up into the vortex that hung overhead.

"AIIEEEEK!" squealed Xiao as she was swept up into the into the maelstrom that had engulfed Baifu.

"Ce, for crying out loud!" Da called out, clutching to a stone tiger so that she did not join her sister high above. Her feet flapped and flailed in the air and her panties were suddenly gone. "Enough is enough! Birds are dropping dead out of the sky from exposure to this!"

Her eyes widened as the plants around the throne room began to wilt and die right before her eyes. They turned grey and shriveled, collapsing into dust inside their pots. The wooden beams around the hall were trembling and beginning to splinter. One snapped off entirely and slammed into Guan Yu, carrying him up and off into the vortex.

Zhuge Liang remained standing off to the side, fanning himself calmly, seemingly unaffected by the orgy of atmospheric violence all around. A trace of a smirk crossed his face, right before a huge lightning bolt crackled down from the sky and struck him, scorching the strategist and leaving a smoking, charred parody of the strategist known as the Sleeping Dragon. He continued to fan himself, unwilling to acknowledge that anything undignified had happened.

**Xiao Qiao: **[around, around around and around!] .;; "WAHHHHHHHHHH, XIAO QIAO'S GETTING DIZZY!"

**Da Qiao: **.;; "Must… fight… evil of… Ce's fic… cannot… let… brain… turn to… jello…"

"Stop bein' so dramatic," Ce called cheerfully, tilting his head unconcernedly to one side as Xiao went for another flyby. "The best part's still to come! Watch! 'What?' Rangar said in a challenging voice. 'You think I'm afraid of you just because your portfolio is better than mine?' Wait a minute… why is that part of the dialogue there? I thought I'd moved that to Chapter six! Hang on a second, Da, I need to re-read and sort this out…"

By now, the storm had become a full-fledged hurricane, fed by the spinning vortex of literary atrocity overhead. Da could see thousands upon thousands of tiny gremlins being sucked up into the atmosphere, screeching as they disappeared, hurled back to wherever they came from. As they detonated along the way, the whirlwind took on a creamy texture, though still dark and reminiscent of a churning blackberry yogurt.

The floor beneath them heaved and buckled, fissures opening in various places. Wei Yan lost his balance and tumbled into one of the cracks, kept from plummeting into the earth only by hanging onto his voulge, the blades of which had caught onto either side of the fissure. His helmet dropped into the chasm.

"Oh, bugger…" he muttered to himself.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, he looked about for possible assistance. The only person nearby was Sun Ce, who was continuing to read. "Now then… 'Rangar had devused… no, wait, devised… yes, devised. Anyone got any Whiteout I can use? Well, never mind. 'Ragnar was planning to rob the Riverwood Trader that very night, rightfully takking back… er, tacking back… dammit! Rightfully reclaiming what was his before the owner even knew what had happened.' Pretty good so far, eh guys?"

Wei Yan looked down into the chasm, back up at Sun Ce and then released his grip on the voulge, dropping to his doom. It had been a pretty easy choice after all.

Zhou Yu had planted himself against a column and was squished into place. It was uncomfortable but at least he was not being swept up toward the vortex above. Nature itself was rebelling against Ce's fic and he had no way of stopping it.

But just then his cellphone rang. With great effort, struggling against the howling winds, he fished it out of his pocket and pressed it to his ear. "Hello? I'm a little busy right now!

"Lord Zhou Yu, my name is Captain Andraeus Parmenio of the Ultramarines' Fourth Company, commanding the battle barge _Aeternus._" came a stern reply over the phone. "I was on my way to play my part in the author's Deep Space 9/40k crossover when we got your advertisement calling for Space Marines. There seems to be a lot of atmospheric and grammatical interference. Are you having problems?"

"That's a rather benign way of putting it," Zhou Yu said dryly. "We were having a really bad issue with typo gremlins when we put out that ad. Since then, our main character has driven off the gremlins by reading one of his fanfics to them, but now he just won't shut up and what you're seeing on your augur stations is the result."

"Is that all?" Andraeus asked. "We can certainly take care of that for you. We stand ready to assist in the glorious Emperor's name."

Then Zhou Yu heard Captain Parmenio of the Ultramarines have a side conversation with someone. "Power up all the bombardment cannons and weapon lances and target them on the coordinates belonging to Lord Zhou Yu's cellphone."

"Hey, I'm still down here!" Zhou Yu protested.

"You have a comprehensive coverage package, yes?" came the simple reply.

**Zhou Yu: **-;; "Point."

"Zhou Yu, who are you talking to?" Ce asked suspiciously.

**Zhou Yu: **"Er, no one, Ce… by the way, everybody, you might want to duck…"

Seconds later, the scene was lit up like a nuclear explosion as lances of energy and bolts of ionized plasma rained down upon their location.. The special effects budget for several Wumakes was eaten up within moments as the shockwave flattened everything within a five-hundred _li_ radius. Sci-fi junkies across the fanfic universe were awed by the sight while Baifu Palace was reduced to a smoking hole in the earth. Nothing appreciable remained.

But on the plus side, the all-out alpha strike from the orbiting Space Marine Barge had effectively shut Sun Ce up.

**Zhou Yu: **[picking Xiao Qiao up out of the rubble] "Xiao… are you alright?"

**Xiao Qiao: **[eyes spinning in her head] "And there was a bright light at the end of the explosion…"

Zhuge Liang dusted himself off. "Well, my work here is done. All in all, I would say everything worked out as I planned. Your palace is now typo gremlin free, Lady Da Qiao. Lady Da Qiao?"

Upon receiving no response or any of his due accolades, Zhuge Liang looked around in confusion for the Princess of Wu.

Da was sitting at the edge of the crater, gazing forlornly down at the only item in her hands to survive the orbital strike: a shoe with typo cream dripping out of it. With a loud sigh, she began to sing her own rendition of a very famous Kermit the Frog song…

"It's not that easy being creamed..."

* * *

[One week later…]

Zhou Yu and Xiao Qiao strolled down the hallway of the local hospital, led by Da Qiao. Normally Xiao only wore her sexy candystriper outfit for Zhou Yu on roleplay night, but this was a special occasion and she wanted to make the patient feel better.

"I'm really glad that sis and I managed to convince the banks to let us take out that huge loan in order to rebuild Baifu," Xiao said cheerfully. "It's almost as if the Wumake had never happened."

"I think we are all glad for that," replied the strategist. "But what did you two have to do in order to convince those old miserly codgers at the bank to loan you all that money?"

"Don't ask." Xiao muttered, scowling.

"So, how much longer is he going to be in for?" Zhou Yu asked.

"Oh, Ren Neng thinks maybe another month or so," Da said non-chalantly. "On the plus side, he won't be able to write or type any time soon."

The three visitors paused in their trek and peeked inside a room off to the left, where Cao Cao lay in bed, having recently been evacuated from the bowels of his own raging ego. Zhen Ji and Cai Wenji were applying topical ointments to his skin while he groused and complained.

**Cao Cao: **"If only my plan had worked! My fame and praise would be brobdingnagian!"

"Oh, for crying out loud..." Zhou Yu lamented while rolling his eyes and turning to face the reader.

**Zhou Yu: **"Brobdingnagian- pertaining to anything of colossal or impressive size or dimensions. Now you all know. Drop it, will you?"

Continuing down the hall, they entered a small, private recovery room and gazed in at the patient, pity in their eyes- lying on the bed was sun Ce, covered from head to toe in a plaster cast with only the eyes visible.

"Well, husband, hopefully you have learned your lesson about tempting fate," Da said, sitting next to the Young Conqueror and patting his hand cast. Just about every character from every Dynasty Warriors game had come and left their signature along with get well messages, except for Cao Cao, who had drawn a moustache on Ce's face and written a series of nasty comments.

**Sun Ce: **[whimper!] "Mph…"

"Don't worry, Ce," Xiao giggled as she gave him a sunggle-hug involving cleavage press. "I'm sure that after this, the universe will have mercy on you for a while."

"Sun Ce, time for your physical therapy!" lilted a light and airy voice from the door to the room. Everyone turned their heads and their eyes widened in shock as they saw Zhang He standing there in a diva pose, wearing a _very_ short nurse's outfit and smiling slyly.

**Sun Ce:** O_o;; "Mph!"

"I'll be taking care of your acupuncture treatments, darling." Zhang He cooed as he put Ce on a dolly and began wheeling the frantic warlord out of the room. "I'll admit I've only done it once before and that was on a wooden dummy, but really, how hard can it be?"

Sun Ce's shrieks of protest were so loud that the plaster cast over his face burst as he disappeared.

"CURSE OUR AUTHOR! CURSE HIIIIIIIIIIIIIM!"

_ ~fin~_

**Author's Notes: **For the record, yes, I really did write this Wumake after I noticed the ridiculous number of typos and other errors I made in my rush to get the last chapter published. It's a mistake I will be avoiding again at all costs.

With that ambition in mind…

**Calling all betas! Calling all betas! **

I am looking for someone to proofread TYC for me and make sure that my dismal typing skills and refusal to use a spell-checker no longer interfere with my fics. If you are interested in this possibility, message me and let me know. For the record, I am also looking for someone to be my beta and proofreader for my Warhammer 40k and Deep Space 9 stories, so if you know either of those genres or know someone who does, drop me a line. It would be most appreciated.

I love goofy stories and this one probably takes it to a new level. Someone had PM'd me and said they were slightly worried that Sun ce was getting to be too cool and since I cannot really 'take him down a peg' in the main TYC story line, a Wumake seemed like a great place to beat on him a little and have a few laughs at his expense. I tried to poke fun at many of The Young Conqueror's more established clichés, such as the implied Sapphic tendencies of the girls when not 'on-screen' and the cold war raging between Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang.

I promise you, there will be no further appearances by Sophisticated Wei Yan. I just couldn't pass it up.

I've no doubt outed myself as a Warhammer nerk now, but I am enjoying writing those stories. So insanely violent and cruel. Thankfully, Space Marines cannot and will not be making appearances inside the fic proper, because if they could I probably wouldn't be able to help myself.

Then again, picturing Elryk and his gang as Space Wolves is kind of a no-brainer, wouldn't you say?

I will say that I do appreciate all constructive feedback on the fic, even the negative stuff. Some people have said there were certain arcs or aspects that they did not like or even downright hated; but I am pleased to note that everyone seems to agree that the stories are well-written, even if they are not to their individual tastes. Everyone is going to object to something that gets written, be it supernatural demon stuff, implied lesbian arcs or Ce's uncanny level of awesomeness. One person even PM'd me and complained that I was wasting my skills writing about Wu instead of Shu. They're still reading though, apparently.

I am open to ideas, by the way, so if you have some premise that you think would fit in without throwing TYC off-balance in some manner, by all means let me know. I am not so arrogant as to think that only I could do right by a Dynasty Warriors fic.

For the record, _mogwei/mogui/mogwai_ is the Chinese word for 'gremlin' or even 'troll' in various dialects. If you care to think of them as looking like the gremlins from the 80's movies of the same name, all you really need to do is picture them with crossed eyes and you pretty much have the look I was going for. If I get a beta reader soon, hopefully there will be no further calls for a Part 2 to this Wumake. Consider that plea.

With so many characters to choose from, I apologize if I did not get one of your favourites some more time in the limelight. By default Wu characters tend to come first, along with some of the more prominent members of other kingdoms and then just those I feel like picking on for a bit.

As much as it was Ce who suffered and paid the ultimate price at the end of the story, it is quite plain that I spend a lot of time working over Da, if not outright abusing her. Not because I don't like her, I really do like my incarnation of her a lot, but because she has an inhuman grace which allows her to endure just about any travail and come out as lovely as ever. It's doubtless why Ce (and probably Diao Chan) are so madly in love with her. I had absolutely no qualms about sacrificing Jiang Wei to the hentai tentacle monsters, since he is, without exception, the most annoying twerp in the game, at least until Zhong Hui shows up. At least Zhong Hui is a self-centered dick, though. Jiang Wei is just… scary.

Quite a few of the upcoming chapters are very nearly complete, so with any luck (and access to a beta) the updates will be quite frequent over the summer. There are some excellent stories and arcs coming up and I hope you all enjoy them. I just published another chapter of my Wet fanfic today and I am hoping that I will be able to cram some more in now that TYC has a good running start on the humid season.

Looking forward to your feedback and as always, keep your stick on the ice!

Management

**FINAL SCENE:  
**

**** Da Qiao took a deep breath, looking out into the darkness, knowing that countless numbers of her most ardent fans were out there, waiting to hear this most recent recitation. Pressing her palms gently against the front of her ornate robe and then making an elegant gesture, she began...

"O freddled gruntbuggly / Thy micturations are to me / As plurdled gabbleblotchits on a lurgid bee / That mordiously hath bitled out its earted jurtles / Into a rancid festering..."

The crowd was beginning to cheer, excited by her flawless performance.

"Now the jurpling slayjid agrocrustules / Are splurping hagrilly up the axlegrurts / And living glupules frat and slipulate / Like jowling meated liverslime / Groop, I implore thee, my foonting turlingdromes / And hooptiously drangle me with crinkly bindlewurdles / Or else I shall rend thee in the gobberwarts with my blurglecruncheon, see if I don't."

The typo gremlins leaped up from their seats, cheering and hooting wildly as they applauded. Never before had one so clearly and eloquently spoken to them. Da Qiao smiled warmly and bowed, basking in her accolades.

"Thank you... thank you..."

_ ~End of the Wumake for real this time~_


	64. Chapter 64

** The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any other media associated with Koei or its affiliates. The vast majority of the characterizations have been expanded upon by me for the sake of literary format. Individual or minor characters created by me for the purposes of interaction and story depth or my own property. If you wish to know which ones they are please ask.

This is a simple work of fanfiction meant for the entertainment of Dynasty Warriors players and fans, along with those who are familiar with the Chinese epic Sanguo, or 'Three Kingdoms'. Centred on Sun Ce and his family and retainers, it helps to be a Wu-phile if you want to read this story. As always, your reviews are welcome and appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 63– Empirical Assessments **

Sun Ce walked quietly into the private study. Normally he would have knocked or at least had himself announced, but no one had seen Zhou Yu for days, including his wife, so Ce had decided to come and pull his friend and grand strategist out of the chamber and into the sun, before he got any paler.

Zhou Yu was indeed sitting at a large table, with his face in his hands, as if he were trying to retain his sanity. He was so intent on whatever he was pondering that he did not notice Ce at all, until he came up beside him and put a hand on his shoulder. Zhou Yu looked up and his eyes were red-rimmed from lack of sleep.

"We're gonna win these wars, y'know," Ce said in a reasonable voice. "There's no need to kill yourself by looking for all the answers."

Zhou Yu sighed. "I know, and to be honest, I am not just obsessing over our strategies. I have left strategy alone for a moment and am researching other things. A refreshing change, I assure you."

"Perhaps, but you still look like hell," Ce observed. "Is there anything here that demands your attention so much that it can't wait for you to get a little sunshine, some sleep and perhaps service your wife?"

Zhou Yu sat back in his chair and wearily stretch, his joints creaking. He had not moved from this chamber in almost three days. He then gestured to the piles of papers on the table, indicating that Ce should take a look.

"Feel free to peruse, they are all categorized, one way or another..."

Ce nodded and began leafing through the various reams of paper. Some were strictly scholarly- Zhou Yu had, for instance, been studying the Imperial entrance exams and making modifications to it. The system was, theoretically, based strictly on merit, meaning that persons from even the humblest origins could advance in social standing and better themselves, but it also was a part of the problem, as far as he and Ce were concerned. The system produced bureaucrats of stellar ability, but they still served the nobility, meaning that now corrupt nobles hid not only behind armies, but also a massive wall of administration.

After all, the eunuchs of the imperial court were all graduates of the national-level exams.

Therefore, Ce and Zhou Yu had determined that nobles within their realm would need to take a modified version of the exams as well, in order to justify their rank. With hereditary position and privilege would now come hereditary responsibility and one's stipend and income would now be related to how the nobles did on these exams. Those who tested better would see greater wealth and influence but also have heavier responsibilities. Zhou Yu seemed intent on putting this into effect as soon as possible.

Ce then leafed through another pile of papers and nodded, agreeing with its necessity. It was a complex and extensive plan that dealt with 'nationalizing' the crops of the Wu territories, in response to the Wei region's massive effort to feed its populace. Whereas Cao Cao was using seasonal workers from his huge armies to keep the crops working all year round, Ce and Zhou Yu were determined to make the farms of the Southlands more efficient, producing a surplus of food with fewer hands, thereby allowing people and resources to be directed elsewhere.

Irrigation, terracing, crop rotation, soil enrichment, new tools for sowing and harvesting... all these things were being implemented as rapidly as possible, in order to keep up with Wei's advantage in numbers. Wu's smaller armies would need to be better-trained, fed and equipped if they were to survive.

"So much for not worrying about strategy," Ce commented, which garnered him a wry look from his friend. He picked up another sheave and began to read. Zhou Yu could tell that Ce was fascinated. Finally, the warlord looked at him and nodded.

"Go and bathe, pal. Bathe, eat something, do what needs to be done to your wife and get back here. I am summoning Lu Xun to help us and we are gonna have this figured out and built by next month. Deal?"

Zhou Yu smiled. "With you by my side, Ce, this mountain of paper will be gone in two days."

"You shoulda told me sooner," Ce said, nodding. "Now go, so your wife quits nagging me and stops molesting the servant girls."

Zhou Yu rose, bowed and left the chamber. Ce ordered a guard to find Lu Xun and then went back to reading. The idea in question was a common one, seemingly, but great advances in the subject seemed to have been made in the farthest west, by the Romans and their predecessors, the Greeks, from whom the great conqueror Iskander hailed.

While the subject might have some practical merit, what Zhou Yu had been working on was mostly an exercise in engineering genius and his invention would certainly eclipse any examples fabricated prior to it. This splendid design would sing to the world of the scientific marvels of their people.

Ce took hold of a brush, an abacus and began counting and calculating. Some minutes later, Lu Xun came into the room and bowed.

"You wanted to see me, my lord? I am at your service."

Ce kept crunching numbers while absently holding out a single sheet of paper, on which was an elaborate drawing, covered with notes and complex calculations.

"Zhou Yu seems to have done the hard work already. I am expecting him back by sundown. Can you and I get all the little details done for him by then?"

Lu Xun read the paper, his eyes glinting with fascination. He pulled up a chair, grabbed a brush and began writing on a blank sheet, enthralled by his good fortune in being involved. Was there no end to the blessings the gods would bestow upon him?

* * *

Xiao Qiao sighed contentedly and rolled over to snuggle into her husband's side. She drew a fingernail across his chest and smiled at him.

"Are you absolutely sure you have to go back to that dumb study?" she asked. "I know everything you do is real important, but don't forget that doing me is important too."

Zhou Yu smiled as he looked at the ceiling. "My lady, never fear. I am never in danger of forgetting, and if by some stroke of madness I were, the past two hours would certainly have jarred my memory. You are insatiable."

Xiao rested her arms on him and shrugged, not disputing his statement. "It's kinda hard not to be when you're trained to make love from a young age. My body has expectations is all."

"All I can say is that you and your sister are goddesses," her husband said through a sigh. "As unstoppable as Ce is on the battlefield, you two are master strategists and tacticians in the bedchamber."

"And how would you know about Da's prowess?" Xiao asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Not directly, of course," Zhou Yu said simply. "But one can extrapolate that since Ce is totally enthralled of her as I am of you, then you have no rival, except each other."

"Well, Diao Chan is up there." Xiao said thoughtfully.

"I wouldn't know," Zhou Yu pointed out. "As it is, you have taxed me thoroughly."

"Well, that's your own fault for sitting in the dim little chamber for three days straight," Xiao chided, poking him with her fingernail. "If you'd asked me, and I notice you didn't, I might have pointed out that we are having a lull in our terrible wars and now would be a perfect time to improve your stamina somewhere other than the battlefield or the council chambers."

Zhou Yu raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying, my lady, that my stamina in the bedchamber is lacking?"

"Not directly," Xiao replied. "But it has decreased somewhat, since all these mighty wars and dramatic sagas have begun, and frankly, I am feeling the pinch."

"I see." Zhou Yu said, smiling wryly.

"So the question, good Sir Genius, is what do you intend to do about it?" Xiao asked, looking down at him pointedly, her eyes glittering with mirth.

She squeaked in alarm as Zhou Yu took hold of her.

* * *

Ce and Lu Xun were still drawing and calculating when Zhou Yu strode into the chamber, dressed in a splendid silk robe of crimson and gold and looking quite refreshed. He was dusting his hands off and looked back over his shoulder at the door as he entered.

"That should teach her a lesson..." he muttered.

"Say what?" Ce asked, looking up from his papers.

"Nothing," Zhou Yu replied as he went back to his earlier seat and settled in. "So, have you two been busy in my absence?"

Ce and Lu Xun gathered up their papers and handed them back to Zhou Yu, who read them quickly and nodded in satisfaction.

"Brilliant, the calculations are all done. Ce, I would like to commission this project to begin tomorrow. I will send out a call for mathematicians and astrologers. I will need twenty days and one thousand strings of gold coins for materials and skilled labour. Is this possible?"

"Yeah, we can do that, pal." Ce said, nodding. "I think this is a worthwhile exercise. And once we're sure it works, we can begin building others in various cities."

"And I know where to put this first one." Zhou Yu mused. "Let us finish up with the drawings and then we can discuss the academy exams and their modifications."

They attacked the subject with a will. There was much to be done.

* * *

Da Qiao entered her younger sister's bedchambers and found her lying on her back, staring up at some sheets of paper, a puzzled look on her face. This caused Da no end of confusion, since it was unlike Xiao to be puzzling over something and all the notes and papers relating to courtesan activities were all back in her own room or in Diao Chan's.

"Why the perplexed look, darling?" she asked as she sat down next to Xiao and gave her thigh a gentle squeeze to get her attention. The younger girl blinked and looked down at Da.

"I'm just trying to learn stuff," Xiao muttered, obviously not pleased. "I've heard our husbands discussing making their modified Confucian exams mandatory for nobility, so I thought I'd better start reading. I mean, we are nobility, right, Da?"

Da smiled. "Well, yes, but we're also women, silly; we are not eligible to take the tests because of our gender."

Xiao made a wry face. "Well that's hardly fair now, is it? Just because we have boobs we cannot become administrators?"

"Why on earth would you want to be an administrator?" Da asked. "Is being a courtesan not enough?"

"It's not that I _want_ to be one," Xiao groused. "But there's a principal involved. Why should I be discriminated against because of these?" she asked, cupping her breasts and presenting them to her sister, as if they were somehow new to Da.

"First of all, I think you would have a hard time claiming you have ever been discriminated against personally," Da replied with practiced and natural patience. "And second, if you have been, it's because you're an airhead, not because you have breasts."

"Thanks, sis." Xiao said dryly.

"Xiao, Zhou Yu is going to love you whether you are a Confucian scholar or cannot even write the characters of your own name. You needn't worry, we are not going to decline in rank because we do not take the tests."

"Shang Xiang says she is going to take them." Xiao pointed out.

"Best of luck to her, then," Da said casually, leaning back on her hands while sitting on the edge of the bed and smiling warmly at her sister. "And maybe because she is a member of the Sun family she should. But you and I both know she could not do what we do, and our profession is every bit as essential to the heart and soul of the Middle Kingdom as her lofty ambitions to be recognized for her intellect. Personally, I think she should stick to shining like a star on the battlefield, for that is where she truly belongs. This is a man's world, Xiao, and we ladies simply follow along and provide the passion and beauty that keeps them going. Is there anything so wrong with that adoration?"

"Well, answer this for me, then." Xiao continued, unwilling to concede the point. "The two most important deities we worship, excluding Shang-ti, who doesn't count, are Nu Wa the Creator and Xi Wang Mu, Queen Mother of the West. How can we women be so important as to be the highest of the high, but somehow here in the Middle Kingdom we are not allowed to adjust someone's tax rate for them?"

Da was silent, not sure how to answer.

"The gods trust Xi Wang Mu with the immortal peaches but you're going to tell me she wouldn't pass some dumb test that lets her press a chop to a piece of paper?"

"That is a very good point, Xiao," Da admitted finally. "Certainly our brains are as good any man's and you and I are more literate that almost everyone else in the realm. Perhaps we should talk to our husbands about it."

Xiao's eyes lit up. "Really? Do you think it's a good idea?"

"I have no clue if it's a good idea," Da said, shrugging. "Would you test an administrator about the differences and preferences between ivory and ceramic phalluses and expect them to appreciate the distinction? How long did you and I have to work to reach the conclusion?"

Xiao snorted. "That's a stupid comparison. Your dildo has nothing to do with ethical administration for the populace under your care."

"Did it make a difference to how good a courtesan you are, learning how to distinguish?"

"Wow, this is a dumb conversation, even by my standards," Xiao grumped. "Here, take a look at what I am reading already."

Da took the proffered sheets of paper from her sister and examined the drawings.

"And the answer to your question is yes, it made a difference, thank you." Xiao muttered quietly while Da read.

Da tilted her head as she examined the diagram. "It's an irrigation pump."

"Ooh, very good," Xiao said wryly. "You may get to take the exams yet."

"But why are you looking at diagrams of irrigation pumps?" the older sister asked.

"Because this is apparently a new design that will somehow improve what irrigation pumps do, but I'll be damned if I can see how or why."

"Well, for one thing, it has a team of men who rotate," Da observed. "Previously, often only two men would run the pump, until they dropped from exhaustion. Now they rotate every few hours and are trained to maintain the apparatus in case something happens."

"And what's the big canopy-like structure?" Xiao asked, pointing at the design.

"It's a canopy." Da replied simply. "It keeps the brutal midday sun off the workers so they don't die of thirst and sun stroke."

"Well, that makes sense, I guess." Xiao reasoned. "But why this big elaborate change? And why do we really need irrigation pumps at all? I thought the purpose of the Grand Canal was to help irrigate our fields."

"Well, the Grand Canal will help with irrigation on some level, but mostly it is for helping to transport goods quickly across this vast land of ours." Da said. "There will always be a need for irrigation pumps. Besides, with enough ditches and pumps being manned, we can irrigate lands that were previously barren due to lack of running water. Some of the pumps are actually going to rely on running water to move the pump itself. No labour required, just a strong current."

"You know an awful lot about this for someone who claims they are not taking the exams." Xiao said suspiciously.

"I know about the principals of crop rotation and terracing, too." Da said, rolling her eyes. "That doesn't mean I am shooting out the door to try and become an administrator or a farmer."

Xiao sighed and looked at another sheet of paper. "Crop rotation. I still don't get it. How does leaving fields alone through the growing season improve our harvest?"

"Well, the soil has nutrients that our crops need to grow, but over time they deplete, meaning that the yields are less bountiful. So if we have fields ready to accept the next plantings and leave the old field alone for a year or so, the nutrients in the soil will return and it will be useable again."

"But doesn't it just make more sense to grow on both fields for more overall food?" Xiao asked.

"For this year it would," Da pointed out. "But what about next year, when we've used both fields and now the nutrients are depleted? How then will we keep up with our food production needs?"

Xiao squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head. "Then somebody's gonna have to go to the trouble of keeping track of which fields in any given region are currently being used and which should be tilled and made ready for the next season."

"Indeed. Still want to take the administrator exams?" Da asked, smirking.

Xiao shook her head. "Men are much better suited to such trivialities. Make mine music, thank you."

"I thought you'd see it my way." Da said sweetly. "Now, a class of our girls from Hao is arriving shortly and we need to teach them how to play _chui wan_. Please ready yourself."

Xiao giggled and clapped her hands. "I love _chui wan_! Lemme get dressed!"

Da smiled and read some pages while Xiao got into her favourite sports outfit. There was still so much to do, but moments like these made it all seem worthwhile.

* * *

"This? This is your idea of a relaxing break away from our work?" Zhou Yu exclaimed as he watched Sun Ce strip off his short and rotate his shoulders, warming up his body for the task ahead. In his physical prime, Ce's physique was muscular and powerful, whipcord fast and unquestionably as close to perfection as worldly form came. He flexed his hands and loosened his wrists. He smiled cheerfully at his sworn brother and strategist.

"I'd say it's just about perfect," he replied. "When your mind gets all cluttered, what better way to purify it than a little mortal peril? It's true an' you know it."

"Truth suffers from too much analysis." Zhou Yu muttered, standing off to the side of the entrance, his hand near a stout iron lever. The long hallway beyond was, quite simply, one of the deadliest places in the Southlands, if not the Middle Kingdom. Staggered down the passage was a series of one hundred and eight iron statues of fearsome aspect, fifty four on each side. Each effigy held at least one weapon, often several, ranging from simple knives or clubs to spears, swords and even the rare _lajiatang_, a type of voulge that had a wicked crescent blade on each end.

The person challenging their mortality would advance into the room while a companion activated the statues with the lever Zhou Yu now stood by. Beneath the hallway, complex gears and pulleys whirred into action, causing the figures to seemingly move, their weapons articulated into thrusting, chopping or slashing or chopping motions, often multiply and with distressing speed. The object was simple- parry the attacks of the one hundred and eight foes, come out the other side of the hall alive.

Similar devices on less grand scales were not uncommon, but never had one so complex or lethal ever been devised. Even Zhou Yu was intimidated by the contraption and he had designed it. The metal lever opened a waterway below the hall, allowing a strong current to push through paddles that forced the gears and mechanisms to turn.

Worse, the configuration of the room was modular, meaning that the statues could be rearranged, so that one could not necessarily rely on a predictable and practiced pattern to assure survival. Most people who attempted the room preferred the statues hold wooden weapons, although given how hard they struck this was hardly a guarantee of safe passage.

Only one person had ever passed through the entire room using live weaponry, and that was Sun Ce.

"You sure the engineers mixed 'em up good?" he asked, seemingly not at all perturbed by what he was about to attempt.

"You have my assurance, Lord Madman, that they have been completely randomized and await your attentions." Zhou Yu said, sighing. "I still think this room is a mostly dangerous idea."

"Ideas are most to be feared when they become actions, pal." Ce quipped. "I'm ready when you are."

Ce stepped into the hallway and waited, closing his eyes and breathing deeply while Zhou Yu pulled on the lever and then walked briskly around the hall via a side corridor and come to the other end, where another lever waited, in case the room had to be stopped in the middle of its murderous exercise.

Ce listened to the clunking and levering of the mechanisms below the floor, followed by the flush of water. The floor trembled as they mighty avatars awakened, their gemstone eyes seeming to glow as they reflected the light of the torches along the walls.

_Tousled leaves of yellow rushes shake in the wind._

_The blue sky clean and distant- an empty Ch'u river._

_Drawing in my lines, I stir a pool of stars._

As he stepped forward, the first dummy on his right struck, its fist thrusting out rapidly. Ce blocked the strike, catching it with his palm braced atop his forearm. He weaved as the other arm spun around and came down like a hammer. Deftly avoiding it, his fingers flashed out and struck the statue on the shoulder, causing a small metal ball within to dislodge and start rolling down an internal path to emerge from its hollow toe.

Without pause, the statue on his left now attacked, the rotating wheel base it sat on causing it to pivot left, its hand holding a wicked knife now aimed at Ce's face. Smiling, he tilted his head and let the blade slip by while he slammed his palm into the foe's chest, once again rewarded with the plunking and rolling sound of a metal ball.

Constantly in motion and with a fluidity that almost described description, Ce weaved, dodged, blocked and counter-attacked, sometimes with his hands, often with his foot or elbows or knees, once even with his forehead. The whirring and clanking of the statues was punctuated by the sound of his blows and the hiss of their weapons slicing through the air.

Zhou Yu watched intently, sweat beading on his brow. As capable as Ce was, perhaps more so than any man living, one could not help but feel anxiety for the life of the person within the room. There was no safety in retreat and the attacks only got more fierce as one progressed. As fast as things were actually moving, it seemed like an eternity to the viewer, every moment one of indescribable peril.

One statue bent in the middle and then slashed with a heavy _dadao_ and Ce dodged wildly. Zhou Yu heard his friend snarl in irritation as he struck the effigy between the thumb and forefinger but his timing was off and the coveted metal ball was not dropped. That figure had always given Ce trouble and its leering, mocking grin bothered the hell out of the warlord.

One had to have incredible focus and clarity to survive this test. Zhou Yu had passed through it as well, but it had unnerved him, even though he had used wooden weapons and restricted the water flow to slow the room's mechanisms down. Ce level of personal control was inhuman.

Control. Such a simple word. Such incredible demand.

Zhou Yu knew why Ce revelled in the challenge of this room- outside on the battlefield, he pitted his matchless spirit and overwhelming _ki_ against those of other men and they were dominated and defeated before the contest even began. Here, against metal warriors of no remorse and relentless gears powered by nature itself, he could not control the enemy; he could not intimidate these soulless monstrosities, with their bodies fashioned after demons or monsters or savage animals and warriors. All he could rely on was his wits, his reflexes and his confidence. Anything less was death.

Zhou Yu bit his lip as he watched the keen, bitter tip of a spear draw a thin red crease along his friend's flank but not without a retaliatory blow from Ce that released the metal ball. He and Ce had allowed rumour of this room to circulate, knowing it would eventually come to the ears of those beyond their realm, for truly this chamber and its purpose were unrivalled. So many of their projects were secret, it didn't hurt to let the more bombastic and fanciful be known.

Secrecy was worth ten thousand tigers, if not a kingdom.

He had advanced halfway up the hall now and Zhou Yu could see the sweat beading on his friend's brow as he exerted himself. While he had landed every strike, all but two had resulted in the statues surrendering their metal orb prizes. Each tiny sphere was inscribed with a prayer or call for wisdom and clarity.

Perspiration glistened on Ce's body, the uniform sheen marred by red and purple welts from strikes he took or bloody streaks where a weapon could not be parried. For all that, though, he fought on and was magnificent to watch. Ever in control, never losing his composure and always moving with firm intent. There was no fear or apprehension in his eyes, only determination and the indomitable will to triumph.

One statue struck three times and Ce parried all three blows steadily. He smiled evilly as his palm flashed in and struck a ringing blow on the thing's chestplate. He struck it so hard that the iron buckled and the metal ball within simply dropped out and clattered to the floor.

Distracted for a split second by the errant sphere, Ce almost didn't notice another statue strike at him and he ducked hastily. The straight-bladed _jian_ sliced through the air and sheared some of the hairs off his habitual ponytail. Another effigy kicked with a foot suddenly, its boot holding a short but deadly blade in the toe. He hissed as the sharp edge grazed along the skin of his thigh. Ignoring the pain, Ce blocked a consecutive series of five more strikes in order to gain his rhythm again.

Zhou Yu willed his friend forward, wishing he would simply dash toward the end of the hall, parrying what strikes could keep up with him, but he knew Ce would do not such thing. The man known as the Young Conqueror would only acknowledge victory on his own terms and this meant he would complete the trial as it was meant to be, a test of life and death.

"_How can you see no risk in this? You have a wife and children you care for more than anything and anyone else who attempted this would be accused of caprice, playing with their life at the expense of their family's wellbeing. This is not even merely confidence, Ce, for confidence is not certainty. You are seemingly not bothered by the prospect of defeat here, it simply does not exist. What do you know that the rest of us do not?"_

The final iron foes awaited and he advanced fearlessly within range. Tiger, demon, fabled warrior and monster assailed him and he met all their attacks with resolve. Sword, spear and axe could not touch him. He let out a shout and his spearhand thrust cracked through the blade of a glittering _dao. _He snapped the haft of a long spear and drove it through the heart of one of his other foes before it even struck, so great was his speed.

The final foe awaited and the statue, the most cunningly designed yet, whirled on its base and slashed in a deadly arc with its great sword, modelled after the Savage Tiger used by the Great Patriarch, Ce's father Sun Jian.

The statue in fact looked uncannily like the deceased warlord, who now served in General Celestial Tiger's army in heaven. Who better than Sun Jian to present the final test of worthiness for any warrior of the Southlands?

Undeterred by the pseudo-presence of his father, Ce's eyes flashed mercilessly as he dodged the first strike and then lunged in to meet the next as the statue spun yet again, the deadly blade coming down at him from a different angle. He clamped down on the iron wrist and contested strength with the whirring mechanisms beneath the floor. The statue strained against him but he squeezed until the wrist screeched and broke off and with a cry he reversed the blade and drove it through the head of the effigy, splitting it in half.

The room clanked and clattered and thumped to a halt, its brutal purpose ended, at least for now. Zhou Yu heaved a sigh of relief as Ce exited the room and nodded to him.

"I will have you know, good sir, that grey hair would be very unbecoming in one as young and striking as myself, so I encourage you not to test this theory. In fact, I beg you." Zhou Yu said almost wearily.

"Let's go see how I did…" Ce said by way of reply, stepping back into the room. They went about tallying up the number of metal spheres he had released. It was true that the little iron prizes were not necessary to prove victory, only the most accomplished warriors in the Southlands fought at the level of intensity required. Most simply saw dodging or parrying the strikes as sufficient test of their skills, not ready or caring to counterattack. Only six warriors regularly insisted on the use of the iron balls, those being Ce, Sun Shang Xiang, Zhou Yu, Taishi Ci, Fu Chin Ran and Ling Tong.

Zhou Yu had pulled the lever at the terminal end and the statues (sometimes what was left of them) were slowly hauled back into their original position. Latches within now disgorged metal balls from a secondary hollow, indicating that the target sphere had not been released by strikes against the required pressure points. These balls were made of copper to clearly distinguish them from their target counterparts and inscribed with the character _Nai-ho_ ('Without alternative or remedy').

Ce had only missed two targets, collecting one hundred and six silvery orbs. Zhou Yu nodded, knowing that he was far more impressed than Ce was. Zhou Yu's best tally had been eighty eight, exceeded only by Shang Xiang and Taishi Ci at eighty nine apiece. Sun Ce made a face, clearly not pleased with his performance.

"I've done a hundred and seven, after all," he mused, scowling at the two copper balls Zhou Yu now presented him with. "How hard can one hundred and eight be?"

"Ce, face it, most people who consider themselves accomplished martial artists are happy to remember all one hundred and eight movements of a grand form, few people feel inclined to put their lives at risk while doing so. Only your sister and yourself are so defiant of death. Even Taishi Ci is reluctant to use this room in its fullest capacity."

Ce scowled at the thin laceration running across his oblique muscles on his left side where a spear had creased him. He sighed and then smiled. "Well, at least my head is clear now."

"It is easy to mistake clear reasoning for correct reasoning, Ce," Zhou Yu chided. "There is a decided difference and I am not entirely sure your trysts with mortal peril do much to distinguish the line, any more than treading the arrow would."

Ce smiled and shook his head. Treading the arrow was an alchemical reference to sexual union and indicated that one's vital forces or energies could either be restored or depleted by the bliss of such conjunction. Common theory held that men were lessened by such activities since they emitted their essence while women were revitalized or empowered by it as the recipients of the man's vitae. Ce had to admit, he rarely thought clearly or correctly after climaxing with Da.

"What about our little project?" he asked, keen to take Zhou Yu's mind off his seeming near-death experience in the hallway they now stood in.

Glad to focus on something else, Zhou Yu nodded. "I have sent for the materials and engineers, the money already distributed to the right sources. The first supplies should arrive tomorrow. I have a site designated in the center of the city near the Temple of Awakening To Vacuity. Ce, this will likely be the most advanced version of the device seen anywhere in the world. We should take pride in it."

"I wouldn't have it any other way, old friend," Ce said amicably. "To legitimize our claim to suzerainty, we must do just about everything better than anyone else can. I'd say we're off to a good start."

Ce clapped his friend on the shoulder and exited the hall. Zhou Yu sighed and followed, shaking his head. Fighting continual wars had to be less dangerous than _this_…

* * *

_Chui wan_ ('Strike Pellet'), also known as _bu da _('Walk and Hit'), had been played by men and ladies of sophistication since the time of the Qin empire as an enjoyable and carefree pastime. Basically, one carried a shaped stick and had to knock a small pellet or ball into a hole or socket that had been dug in the ground. The fewer hits it took to get the pellet in the hole, the more points one scored. Da enjoyed _chui wan_ immensely because it was the one physical activity she was better than her husband at.

If, of course, he wasn't cheating and holding back just to make her feel good. If he was, she would kill him.

Da and Xiao were waiting on the stairs of Silver Crane Pavilion for their students. Da was wearing a slender and flowing outfit of red and white, with a small pillbox-style cap on her head whereas her younger sister was sporting an orange ensemble, a blouse beneath a midriff-exposing tunic and also abbreviated shorts, along with rather chunky but balance-stabilizing shoes.

Da frowned as she stared at her sister's behind. "Are you aware of the fact that there is some cute chipmunk-like animal with a stupid smile sewn onto the butt of those shorts?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"Of course I am, I sewed it on myself," Xiao replied. "How could I rely on anyone else to get it just right?"

"How indeed." Da agreed, forcing herself to admit that the stitching was rather exquisite, with gold thread. The eyes perturbed her, but so many things her sister did had that effect on her.

"Yeah, the real pain was looking behind myself in a mirror to so it on in just the right place while I was wearing them," Xiao added. "Sewing in reverse can have painful consequences."

Da looked at her sister in astonishment. "You mean to tell me you tried to sew that on while you were _wearing_ the shorts?"

Xiao giggled. "Wow, and I am supposed to be the dumb one. Of course I didn't, I just wanted to see your reaction. C'mon, sis, no one can sew on their own butt. Even my neck isn't _that _limber."

"I'll bet Zhou Yu wishes it was." Da muttered as she stopped staring at the chipmunk-thing on her sister's ass and resumed waiting for their guests to make their appearance.

The palanquins arrived shortly after and the girls began to shuffle about in small groups, whispering in awe. For some of them, this was their first time in Baifu and they were impressed to say the least. Da and Xiao approached and the girls hastily lined up and kow-towed, lead by their chaperones.

Da beckoned them to rise and the sisters inspected their students. Da could see in many of them a glint that would make them worthy wives of great men- proud and strong hearts, such as woman of the Southlands were known for. Da's only complaint of the conditions in the south was that the sun meant the girls tended to be darker-skinned than she would have preferred, but this was hardly an insurmountable obstacle and Da knew she was being finicky and trying to find something to pick on. After all, Xiao was certainly tanned in comparison to herself and no one questioned the beauty or desirability of either Qiao girl.

These particular initiates into the Willow World were being trained in a small satellite school nearby the venerable town of Hao. Outside the city, a series of old abandoned _siheyuans_ belonging to ancient noble families had been restored, connected by enclosed or covered walkways and turned into the training grounds and academy for these hopeful girls. Da, Xiao and Diao Chan had all inspected the edifices and declared them adequate to their purpose, especially once the high decorative wall that surrounded the complex, made of packed earth and faced with carved stone, was complete, keeping interlopers (mostly excessively curious males) out.

Most of the girls were natives of the Southlands, some from as far away as Fujian, the capital city of Sun Shang Xiang's territory bordering the realms of the savage Shanyue. Many had come with the recommendation of the Bow-Hipped Princess, something that didn't surprise Da Qiao since Shang Xiang had an eye for attractive girls. She would have to remember to send one or two of the most talented back to her sister-in-law as courtesans and concubines once they were fully trained.

They greeted each girl with a kiss and announced the day's curriculum. Only one of the twenty had ever played _chui wan_ before, and then only as a child. Da and Xiao led them to the designated _chui wan _field outside the city, not far from the quarter where the local nobility lived. Upon seeing the Qiao sisters and their charges approach, those aristocrats present bowed humbly and vacated the area.

The girls practiced hard, in spite of their constant tittering and giggling, often making lewd gestures with the clubs or brazen suggestions about other uses for the pellets. Da Qiao indulged it, since these girls were new to the Willow World, but with discipline and a firm, gentle guidance, these girls would soon add such licentious repartee to their repertoire of subtle techniques that would make them beloved by all.

During a break, Xiao entertained everyone with a silly play about an old man who could not relieve himself, not matter how badly he needed to. Even Da laughed as her sister capered and flitted about. Xiao was a natural actress, perhaps ever better than either Da or Diao Chan. She was easily the most gregarious of the three and a superlative performer who loved to entertain. Diao Chan had the most training as a musician, which was a stressed trait in the northern reaches of the realm, whereas Da was the best dancer and singer of the three.

True, they exceeded one another in these areas perhaps only by infinitesimal degrees, but between the three of them they had agreed who was best at what and would be the specialist in that field. If Da was better at singing and dancing than the other two, certainly no one else in creation would be able to tell, so transcendent were they in their abilities. They were, without question, three of the most accomplished and able courtesans anywhere in the realm. She was familiar others, such as Lady Zhen Ji, now married into the Cao clan, Wang Yuanji, lately of the Sima clan and the tragic Cai Wenji, who had lost her family and husband to the tyranny of Dong Zhuo.

Lady Zhen Ji had been married to Yuan Shao's son Xi before the mighty lord's defeat at the hands of Cao Cao, then married to the Prime Minister's son and heir, Pi. Beautiful and an accomplished flutist, she had been trained at the small but prestigious Pearl Sparrow School, she was also renowned for her cool aloofness and overbearing arrogance. Her contempt for commoners was almost mythic throughout the Willow World, as was her disdain for Cao Pi's favoured concubine, Guo Nuwang. Their fights were the stuff of legend and parody.

Wang Yuanji was an accomplished scholar, seemingly versed in manners of ethics and administration, as well as tactics. Like Da, she was a small woman with a rather pronounced chest and she seemed to make up for this trait with a personality that was excessively polite and formal.

Cai Wenji had written some of the most beautiful poetry Da had ever heard over the years, most of it melancholy in nature, due to the fact that she had led a difficult life, first hostage of the brutal Xiongnu, then married to a series of husbands as a bargaining chip. Until the most recent one, all these men had either died or been executed. Her Five-Character verse 'The Poem of Sorrow and Anger' had always been one of Da's favourites in her more downhearted moments.

_My dwelling is often covered by frost and snow. The foreign winds bring again spring and summer._

_They gently blow into my robes and chillingly shrill into my ear._

_Emotions stirred, I think of my parents, whilst I draw a long sigh of endless sorrows._

_Whenever guests visit from afar, I would often make joy at their tidings;_

_I lost no time in throwing eager questions, only to find that the guests were not from my home town._

She had also composed the brilliant _Eighteen Songs For A Nomad Flute_, a kind of musical iteration of her early life amongst the Xiongnu. Da Qiao had always wanted to play alongside her, but in a realm as wide and teeming with millions as the Middle Kingdom, unless one met on the battlefield, such desires were rarely fulfilled.

She smiled. These women all had their merits, but they were not Qiaos. Nor were they part of the trio that would change the courtesan world forever, their names forever revered on the tongue of men and women alike.

The _chui wan_ continued, the turbulence of a troubled realm left behind.

* * *

Sun Shang Xiang sat on her ornate chair within the newly refurbished royal hall of her palace in Fujian. It might have been much simpler to build a new palace and even a new city, but she agreed with Zhou Yu that resurrecting the ancient ruins and bringing them to life again helped to solidify their claim to these extreme southern reaches. New stone had been carefully introduced into the remains of structures, the foundations strengthened with the wondrous substance concrete and then everything had been unified with dark woods and the colour schemes associated with the Sun family.

Her throne was an exquisite work of art, the dark wood carved to resemble tigers, dragons and other mythical beasts. It was accented with gilding and studded with pigeon's blood rubies, gifts from the Shanyue tribes whom she had recently concluded peace and opened trade with. Per their treaty, those Shanyue tribes who chose to live within the borders of Shang Xiang's territory obeyed Wu civil law when dealing with her people but were otherwise mostly autonomous. They paid taxes like her other subjects but their tithes were measured in crops or other substances they could easily transport. She made no demands about civil administration, only that they assist in defending the region. The Shanyue kept their gods, their traditions and their cultures, all they had to do was help her keep the peace and swear fealty to herself and Sun Ce.

The chieftains who had presented themselves and pledged their service to her initially objected to an oath to the distant and unknown Sun Ce, since it was not he who had bested them in battle, but Shang Xiang made it abundantly clear that Ce was even more trouble than she was and could quite possibly defeat them single-handedly. They seemed doubtful until she related the tale of his defeat of the demon prince Ou Xing, at which point they acquiesced readily, swearing fealty to her brother. The Shanyue apparently turned their demon-killers seriously.

She sighed as she sat in the throne room, clearly listless. Her fingers rapped impatiently on the cunningly carved arm rests of her chair. Fu Chin Ran, her beloved aide-de-camp and commander of the amazon regiment, raised an eyebrow.

"A trifle bored, my love?" she asked, smirking. "Did we do too thorough a job in pacifying the region for you?"

"Very funny," Shang Xiang grumbled. "It feels like the wars against the Shanyue ended too quickly, maybe. Ce sent me here because I was to be the expert in fighting them. Now they've been defeated and all the fighting is happening back in the north. I guess I feel mildly cheated."

"How terrible for you, to be the harbinger of peace and prosperity," the amazon commander teased. "But yes, I will admit, it has become a little boring around here. The girls are grumbling about ceremonial guard duty."

"Are you sure there is _nothing _that needs our attention?" Shang Xiang said in an almost pleading voice.

Fu Chin Ran looked at a small end table and picked up some sheaves of paper to examine. "Well, a small tea plantation run by some monks off the coast is calling for volunteers to come and help pick the best leaves from their trees."

Shang Xiang frowned. "I thought these people used monkeys to do that."

"The monkeys are getting lazy, I guess," replied the commander, shrugging. "So, want to go and pick oolong leaves?"

"I'd rather have my eyeballs sucked out my ass." Shang Xiang replied darkly.

Fu Chin Ran sighed. "Well, just remember to be nice to the tea industry, my love, it will be one of our principal sources of income down here, rivalling or even surpassing rice. As to how to cure your doldrums, I was hoping to save this for a rainy day, but…"

She now knelt before her beloved princess and handed over a small tube, bowing her head respectfully. Shang Xiang took the proffered tube, made of some animal bone and withdrew from it a small scroll of hemp paper. She read the contents and her eyes seemed to brighten. "Is this for real, Fu?"

"Aye, the Shanyue along the southern coast are requesting our help. It would appear that Viet pirates and slavers in swift vessels have been raiding their fishing ships or even daring to come ashore at night and carry off hapless victims. The region in question is not yet completely garrisoned by us, but they are willing to cleave to you if save them from this menace."

Shang Xiang stood, slapping her hands on her thighs. "Perfect! You and I and a few squads will deal with these pirates. Mobilize five companies to march into the region once we have destroyed our foes. And have the diplomats draw up a treaty of annexation. We leave in eight hours!"

Fu Chin Ran laughed and nodded. It _had_ been getting rather dull around here.

* * *

Sun Ce sat now in the Hall of the Dragon Drivers, considering how to plot Wu's course in the upcoming hostilities. He knew Zhou Yu would direct the campaigns, but it was up to Ce ultimately about whether his realm would fight defensively or take the fight to their enemies. Both options presented opportunities and difficulties, certainly. With offensive tactics could come territory, greater resources and maybe manpower for the army, but probably higher casualties as well. To fight a defensive campaign meant safety behind their mighty river and little risk, but they were unlikely to inflict such defeats on Cao Cao's armies as to cripple them once again. The Prime Minister's armies showed remarkable resilience and ability to rebuild at a rate he and Zhou Yu found disconcerting. Already it was almost as if the massive defeat of Cao Cao at Chi Bi had never happened.

Worse, the canny old bastard was still causing trouble wherever he could. His insurrections within Wu had been put down swiftly and with a minimum of force, but constant vigilance was necessary and a propaganda campaign instituted by Zhou Yu, Lu Fan and others underway. Agents throughout the countryside kept the populace enthralled with the rule of the Sun family, pointing out how prosperous the far-flung territories had become in the brief span of time since their arrival.

All of which was true, of course, but people were fickle, susceptible to temptation and could be convinced to rebel if the price was right and they allowed the fear-mongering of Cao Cao's agents to get to them. Money could stop men's ears to many obvious truths. Such was the way of any mercantile society, he concluded, if it was left to its own pursuit of personal gain.

And what of their allies, Liu Bei and his cohorts? He did not trust Zhuge Liang, who was as subtle of thought as Zhou Yu and as devious as Cao Cao. Any gains made by the Scion of the Han would certainly be of little benefit to Wu, if Zhuge Liang could help it, because it was the only way Liu Bei would ever attain parity. There might be no direct harm to the Southlands in his methods but certainly little of advantage.

The problem for Sun Ce was a simple one, though- he needed Liu Bei, and he needed him to be strong. His virtue would not help win this war, he needed an army, a large one, with which to help fight Cao Cao. Between the two of them they might be able to match the Prime Minister's military strength one day, but that was certainly not the case right now. Ce either had to do everything he could to help Liu Bei grow strong or somehow convince him to swear fealty to the Sun family. And even if Liu Bei could be swayed to do so, his followers would never allow it.

If they defeated Wei, he held no doubt that war with his allies would soon follow one way or another. He plied every method of gaining Liu Bei's allegiance over in his mind and nothing played out as he hoped. More than that, Liu Bei would never be allowed to settle for only ruling part of the Middle Kingdom. Sun Ce had all but seceded from the Han Empire and Liu Bei could not settle for less than total reunification. It was unthinkable, an admission of failure unless the spirited and independent-minded Southlanders were brought to heel.

And what of the changes Sun Ce had brought about in Wu? Challenging the jaded aristocracy by introducing meritocracy, unifying the realm with paved roads, so long outlawed by the Imperial Court to discourage rebellion, allowing barbarians to live within his realm and have rights? He was well aware that everyone outside of Wu was horrified by his open-mindedness, Liu Bei included.

He thought of Elryk and his White Wolves. Their loyalty was not fanatical and close-minded, it was predicated on a simple concept of honour and divine providence. Warriors of the Middle Kingdom were indoctrinated to believe in the rightness of their lord's cause and it made them unwavering in their principals. The Night Tigers, Ce's personal guard and the deadliest warriors his lands could produce, were a perfect example of this, as were the _Huben_ escorts who guarded the emperor.

The Germanic warriors of Elryk, on the other hand, embraced loyalty to their chieftain and lord as a cultural obligation and right. In a sense they were served by their rulers, who rewarded them directly and personally for their bravery and efforts. These tribal bonds were unbreakable and Ce had, against all odds, secured such allegiance from these terrifying warriors by giving them something they believed in and could understand. He doubted that Cao Cao would have gained their loyalty, nor would Liu Bei, for any more than a set amount of time, even if they could have somehow endured the abominable thought of such barbarians existing within their realm.

He needed every advantage he could create and to capitalize on every opportunity that came his way swiftly and without hesitation. The issue of Liu Bei and controlling him down the road would simply have to wait and be monitored warily until then.

Reports had come back to him that Cao Cao had raided Liu Bei's lands, massacring peasants in an attempt to demonstrate the Scion of the Han's ineffectiveness at protecting them from their enemies. Though perhaps not having as drastic an effect as he might have desired, there was evidence that some doubt was cast upon Liu Bei now. His talk of virtue meant little to men who lost their families after he had sworn to protect them.

More interesting still, apparently the emperor had attempted to have Cao Cao killed by engaging the services of the One Hundred and Eight Dragons clan of assassins. The effort had been a total failure and Emperor Xian humiliated. More than ever now he was a puppet of the Prime Minister, who cruelly allowed the Son of Heaven to live on, completely impotent and trivialized. Ce might have felt bad for the emperor if he did not know already from personal experience what a cruel and uncaring bastard Xian was.

Ce was irritated by the man's incompetence. He had squandered a powerful gambit and made life exceedingly difficult for those who still opposed Cao Cao. None in the north remained to challenge the Prime Minister now. His only foes were the Southlands, Liu Bei in Jing and the clans of the northwest, led by the Ma family.

"_Father, I will need your guidance and that of our ancestors to get our people through this and bring our wrath upon those who have imperiled us all with their indifference and greed. Then Han created monsters such as Zhang Jiao, Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao. It must be removed and replaced by rulers who will guide the people benevolently and understanding. What do I do to bring this about?"_

He sighed and summoned one of his heralds, who he sent to fetch Lu Fan and Zhou Yu. The two men appeared within minutes and bowed low before their lord, sitting on his small stool, contemplating the patterns in the tiles on the floor. Zhou Yu smiled.

"I know that look. You have made your decision as to how we will proceed and you simply have some final details to work out."

"You know me like a book, pal," Ce said agreeably. "We're gonna take some risks and take the fight to Cao Cao in Hefei. We'll need to do that before next year is out. Quan will be in charge of that detail from Wuchang and will lead the campaign, it'll be easiest to keep it secret until then. What I want to know is, if Liu Bei is gonna be a deciding factor in our war against the Prime Minister, what's he gonna have to do?"

"Lord Zhou Yu and I have discussed this at length, sire, and we believe we have a conclusion." Lu Fan said, bowing. "He will have to march on Chengdu and take the Riverlands."

"I was afraid you'd say that," Ce replied, sighing. "Tell me what you think."

Lu fan looked at Zhou Yu, who nodded and continued. "He cannot grow strong enough in Jing to contest Cao Cao, he ultimately would lack the resources necessary, because while the province is prosperous, a wartime economy would cripple it swiftly. Liu Biao built Jing up by _not_ getting involved in the wars. Even the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the campaign against Dong Zhuo left his lands relatively unscathed. Their armies are large enough to defend Jing from voracious warlords, not the overwhelming might of the Prime Minister."

"So he'll need to strike out for more territory that he doesn't need to fight hard for and he can consolidate quickly." Ce reasoned. "What about Liu Zhang in Chengdu?"

"An imperial relative and every bit as ineffective as his kinsman who currently sits on the Dragon Throne," Lu Fan commented. "I have met him a few times and while he is a personable enough fellow he couldn't defend his realm ably if he tried. Liu Bei need simply claim that he is assuming the mantle of authority as a member of the imperial house and march in. With his dreams of virtue and such, he will win the province over quickly. From there he can consolidate his power and will more readily be able to wage war."

"The emperor won't object to him attacking his own kinsman?" Ce asked.

"Most certainly, but there is little they can do aside from formal censure at this point," Zhou Yu pointed out. "The fiasco of Emperor Xian's assassination attempt on his own Prime Minister means few people will listen too carefully. Cao Cao will probably use this breach of filial piety to move against Liu Bei, but he will have his hands full with us in Hefei and by trying to take Hanzhong, which I surmise will be his next target. I doubt he will be able to stop Liu Bei."

"So we either let Liu Bei take the Riverlands, in which case he becomes a pain in the ass for us later, or we let Cao Cao eat him, depriving us of our only ally and best means of catching him in a pincer move and defeating him once and for all." Ce concluded, sighing. "Lesser of two evils, then. We'll do what we can to make sure that Liu Bei moves to Chengdu and hope for the best. Until, we'll just do what we've always done and thrash our enemies soundly, eh?"

"It is now just a question of timing," Zhou Yu said. "A precarious balancing act, to be sure, but I am certain we can execute our plans, no matter what they might be, my friend."

Ce rose and nodded. "Update our plans and let's get back to making sure the people are ready for what's coming. We've still got time and we'd best make use of it."

The two advisors bowed and exited the room. Sun Ce stood still a while longer, staring down at the jade seal he held in his hand. The imperial seal, the symbol by which Heaven's decrees were supposedly made mandate in the Middle Kingdom. He felt the urge to squeeze it until it crumbled in his fist. It was nothing but a plague upon the people of the Han but he needed it, to validate his suzerainty, as had all other rulers before him. This hunk of green mineral commanded the destinies of countless men, signifying ambition and unyielding will, regardless of their individual character. It seemed so wrong.

One paradox at a time. Fighting to bring about peace came first.

He turned on his heel and went to find his children.

* * *

Da was wandering down the hallway of the courtesan's school located just outside the city, turning over some upcoming lessons in her mind. She paused when she saw her sister Xiao step out of a room, from which myriad moans were emanating. She slid the door shut, leaned back against the wall and sighed heavily. Her skin was flushed.

"Problems, darling?" Da queried. The younger sister shot her a look.

"Oh, no, not at all," she said sarcastically. "Our ever-eager students are practicing the 'Cloud-Headed Boots' technique on one another and I've been watching them for nearly an hour now."

Da smirked. "Ohhh, poor love..." she teased. "Feeling a little needy, are we?"

"No, starving peasants are a little needy," Xiao replied testily. "What I am is damned horny and fit to burst."

"Hard to imagine why," Da said in a non-chalant voice. "But it _is_ your turn to oversee their progress and I am afraid I have no time to tend to you, for their next lessons are happening in Wuchang. I am mulling their itinerary over in my head and cannot possibly-"

"Oh, shut up, you trollop," Xiao groused. "If I were Diao Chan you wouldn't even dream of not being accommodating. If you had to watch a bunch of horny girls beat the mountain or polish mirrors for over an hour I'm sure you'd be in a bad state too."

"On that point we agree, love, but such is not my fate at the moment, but maybe I can assist in some small way." Da suggested. "Maybe they just need a break and change of perspective."

"What do you mean?" Xiao asked warily.

Da walked up to the doors and entered the chambers, pulling Xiao in behind her.

"Ladies," she called out pleasantly, making sure she had the attention of all the students. "My lovely sister, your instructor, is woefully neglected while you tread the arrow together. Perhaps a practical exam is in order, yes? I suggest you show her what you have learned. Consider it a group activity."

Xiao's eyes widened as Da turned and sauntered out of the room. She was soon pounced upon with a chorus of lusty cries and dragged to the pillowing area, her clothes removed in the blink of an eye.

"Ack! Wait! No, not- ahhh! I'll get you for this, sis!" she wailed as she disappeared beneath a churning blanket of soft, nubile flesh. Da cast one glance back before she shut the doors, seeing one of her sister's hands frantically waving and clenching out of the undulating mass before being enveloped into it.

Da leaned against the door frame and giggled for some time before continuing on her way. As fun as it might have been to indulge her urges, the Tao clearly stated some sometimes showing restraint led to greater rewards. Besides, Xiao seemed to have things covered.

So much to do these days…

* * *

The light vessels skimmed through the water under the cover of night, each ship carrying twenty women-warriors of Shang Xiang's amazon guard. The Bow-Hipped Princess stood at the bow of the craft she commanded, her keen amber eyes piercing through the darkness, searching for their prey.

The Viet pirates had recently raided several coastal villages, apparently taking away a large haul of booty, such as gold, jewels, carved woods and women slaves. Laden with their plunder, they were sticking close to the shoreline, not risking moving further out to sea due to seasonal tempests. Previously this had been a perfectly safe course of action for them, since the Shanyue they regularly raided were not sea-farers and could not retaliate. Unfortunately for the pirates, though, Shang Xiang and her warriors were expert mariners and their lighter boats were gaining fast, still unseen.

Messengers from the afflicted villages had told Shang Xiang everything that had been taken in this last series of raids and they had been astonished when she promised to return everything to them, keeping nothing for herself. When they expressed this surprise, she pointed out that she was already wealthy and had no need of their treasures unless they were fairly traded for, to everyone's benefit.

The Shanyue readily swore fealty to the Sun family after this demonstration of magnanimity.

"_Honesty and clemency,"_ she thought to herself as she espied the lights of their targets some distance ahead. _"Though harder to wield as weapons than fear, they are far more effective, for people can learn not to be afraid of you, but show lesser men kindness and they will forever love you as long as you keep your word to them."_

She nodded her head, indicating to her warriors that battle was nearly upon them. There were ten enemy ships, varying in size but all geared for war and raiding. They had to get as close as possible and then board the vessels swiftly, engaging the pirates in melee and ensuring the safety of the booty and slaves they carried.

"No fires," she said firmly to her troops. "The Shanyue get their goods and women back and we haul these ships and survivors to Fujian as a symbol of our might. Let them fear the Sun family and stay away from our lands."

Her troops drew their swords as they approached the largest ship from directly astern. Her eyes hardened as the distance closed.

"I'll go first and anchor the ropes by which you will get aboard," she growled. "Our other ships will do the same. If we secure our objective and we hear the sounds of battle continuing elsewhere, then Squad Yin will remain aboard and guard the prize while Squad Yang will assist our battle-sisters. Ready yourselves."

The women were silent as they closed on the pirates, their small vessel and its black sails still unnoticed by the foe. The warrior controlling the sails pulled them short and slowed their approach. Shang Xiang leapt forward, her bow and her chakrams fastened to her belts while she carried a coil of sturdy rope terminating in a deeply-curved hook. With her free hand she grasped onto the huge rudder and scrambled nimbly up the stern. She jammed the hook firmly into the ship and leapt over onto the deck. Behind her, the coil of rope unravelled quickly and there was a slight jolt as it went taught, the pirate vessel slowed suddenly by the additional mass of her pursuit ship.

If any of the pirates deduced what the sudden juddering meant they were too late. Shang Xiang strode purposefully onto the deck and spun one man around before he was aware of her. She slammed her fist across his jaw and sent him flying, blood spurting from his mouth. Behind her another man emerged from a door but she thrust a kick backwards, knocking him back down into the hold and then using her a swift snap-kick to shut the door, buying time while her amazons boarded.

A lookout yelled and pointed with his sabre at her, calling her to his fellow pirate's attention. Several men began to converge on her position, carrying wicked-looking swords and weapons. Rather than be surrounded, Shang Xiang jumped nimbly onto the ship's rail and sprinted toward the bow, distracting them from her troops shimmying their way swiftly up the stern. She leapt forward, grabbing hold of a rope and spun around without warning, kicking one foe in the head and snapping his neck before landing and sweeping the feet out from beneath another.

Her chakrams flashed in her hands and she dodged a slash from the closest foe before shearing his head from his shoulders. She pivoted and avoided another attack, taking the man's arm before dispatching him. She cross-blocked the strike of a _dadao_, kicked the pirate in the knee and rolled away while another struck. The man she had downed was quickly slain as the first of her amazons joined the fray. She smiled grimly and sprinted toward the bow. She could now hear the sounds of battle on other ships. No complications thus far. Ch'u-Jun, god of fire and patron deity of the Sun family, would have her thanks when she got back to Fujian.

She killed another pirate as she ran by him, not even bothering to slow down. Another man blocked her path and she sprang and smashed her knee into his face, hard. He keeled backwards, blood geysering from his nose. Shang Xiang bore him to the deck and punched him in the throat before continuing her surge forward. She spun gracefully around a foe thrusting a spear and opened up his back with her chakram.

The clouds cleared and bitter battle was given by the light of the silvery moon. Gaining the bow, the princess leapt up onto the prow and gazed out over the water. On the closest ship, she saw Fu Chin Ran fighting with two pirates with her twin swords while another rushed up behind her, brandishing a _jian_. Shang Xiang's bow was off her back in an instant and an arrow sped across the water, burying itself in the ambusher's eye. He screeched and fell, just as Fu slew the foes to her front by ducking and driving her blades into their torsos. She whirled about and saw the dead man before spying Shang Xiang standing, bow in hand, on the larger ship. She nodded and charged back into the fight.

Shang Xiang now turned her burning gaze back over the wild melee aboard her own floating battleground- her girls, though outnumbered almost five to one, were giving good account of themselves and covering one another. They refused to allow the pirates to hem them in but the limited space of the deck and the jumble of boxes and sacks made their nimble fighting style somewhat difficult.

The door opened at the stern of the ship and out poured more pirates from below decks. She nocked an arrow and fired, the missile shooting across the distance and hitting a man in the throat, knocking him off his feet and giving the new combatants pause. She fired another arrow and struck a rope tightly coiled around the jib, severing it. The rope fell away and the wooden beam swung forward, no longer fastened in place and struck several of the unsuspecting corsairs, killing or crippling many. She laughed and dove into the brawl.

A deranged bellow echoed across the ship and a huge man thundered out from below the deck. Several of the women scampered back, wary of his great bulk. He grabbed a huge coil of chain and began swinging it over his head in a show of almost unreal strength. His body was brutish and powerful, covered in scars and dark tattoos, while his bald head was swollen, knobby and tapered very nearly a point. His teeth were sharpened and flashed yellowish in the wan light of the moon.

"He's mine!" Shang Xiang shouted, sprinting across the deck to face this awful foe. Her warriors dutifully turned their attentions to the other pirates, leaving the behemoth to Shang Xiang. The huge man grinned evilly, roaring his challenge. He swung the iron chain about and then it flashed forward with terrifying speed, aimed at her head. She dodged the attacked and gripped the chain, just as he snarled and yanked it back. The impetus carried her right into him she smashed both her feet into his huge and ugly face. She dropped to the ground and glared as her enemy just grinned down at her, blood smearing his already hideous features and dripping onto the deck.

He snarled something in his own language and slammed the chain down at her. She sidestepped and the chain tore a furrow in the deck. She spun as he lashed out with a backfist, missing her by mere inches. She was about to leap in when she sensed something moving above her, on the roof of the portal to the lower decks. She sprang backwards as a spear imbedded itself in the deck where she had been crouching. Her chakrams sped through the air and buried themselves in her assailant's chest and stomach, pitching him backward. She had barely enough time to dodge away as her principal foe charged in and slammed his hands down in a fearsome axe-handle attack, once again splintering the deck.

He was fast, much faster than he looked, and apparently not nearly as stupid, she concluded with disgust. She kicked him in the face again and used the resistance his sturdy skull provided to somersault backward through the air and land some distance away, sizing him up warily. He grinned ferociously, beating his massive fists against his chest as a challenge to her. The fire in her heart consumed her and she pounced like a tiger, hammering her foe with vicious and unrelenting blows, every strike connecting.

But still he laughed, seemingly unfazed by her assault. His breath was rotten but also carried the acrid taint of some vile narcotic. Whatever it was, it was giving him inhuman endurance. Any other foe would have succumbed by now to her merciless beating.

She was astonished by his size. Whereas most of the other Viet pirates were short and broadly built, this one was nearly Lord Elryk's size, perhaps broader. He seemed immune to brute force and undeterred by her agility. She gritted her teeth as his hand flashed out and clamped around one of her wrists. He held her tight as he drew her in, spinning her around to face away from him while his other hand clinched around her neck. He laughed as he stood tall, keeping her off the ground. She gasped and struggled as he squeezed harder, forcing the air from her lungs. Her face turned purple and she fought to remove his grip from her neck.

The corsair guffawed in her ear, enjoying throttling his spirited victim. His stench was almost overpowering, even though she couldn't breathe, the foul heat of his breath making her skin crawl. Realizing she could not break his grip through force, she changed tactics- hoping her neck didn't snap, she let go of his arm and jammed her arms up and backwards, her hands forming crane beak fists that drove into his eyes. She ignored the nauseous, jelly-like _squish_ as she robbed her opponent of sight and he roared in furious agony, dropping her.

Shang Xiang collapsed to the deck, holding her neck and gasping for air before scrambling away and turning to face her blinded foe. Blood poured from his ruined eyes, mingling with the spittle on his mouth. He roared angrily and began swinging at random, the huge arcs smashing aside anything they connected with, none of which was his target. He staggered and bumped into the portal, bellowing and smashing it. He then heard a sound nearby, roared and punched, sending one of his fellow pirates over the side of the ship, screaming in pain and terror, his ribcage shattered. The man plunged beneath the water and did not resurface.

Shang Xiang drew a deep breath and took hold of a harpoon this type of pirate scum would use to kill the dolphins that lived off these shores. She waited until he swung wide and then lunged in, driving the weapon up into his throat. There was a sickening crack and the entire harpoon head burst out the back of his neck. He froze for a moment, then gurgled and flailed wildly. Shang Xiang let go and he pitched forward onto the deck, driving himself deeper onto the harpoon. His body jerked and twitched but he was dead before long, a dark red pool spreading away from the corpse.

She wearily turned around and surveyed the state of the battle- her women were winning, but the pirates were putting up spirited resistance. The captain had emerged from wherever his quarters were and was taking the fight to the amazons. He was a well-muscled and cunning brute, tattoos gleaming on his bronzed flesh and a single braid of black hair whipping about atop his otherwise shaved head. He fought skilfully with twin curved blades. He grinned wolfishly as he held two of her amazons at bay.

He struck swiftly and knocked the sword of one of the women aside, leaving her open. His blade flashed across her armour, tearing it open and leaving a wicked laceration. She collapsed with a moan and he kicked the other woman aside before returning his attention to the downed foe. He raised his sword high, readying to pin her to the deck when there was a sudden ring and the sword tumbled from his hand, knocked from his grip by an arrow.

He gaped across the deck at Shang Xiang, who glared balefully at him, her bow still in her hand. A pirate ran up beside her, his sword held high. She removed the readied arrow from the string and stabbed him in the throat without looking. Her stony gaze was a clear challenge to the captain, winner take all. An evil smile crossed his face and he ignored his prey, striding deliberately toward her. She dropped her bow and picked up a nearby curved sabre, walking forward to meet him.

The duel that followed was swift and merciless. The combatants whirled and struck, dozens of blows falling in the span of mere seconds, yet not able to break through one another's defences. The captain laughed, clearly enjoying this deadly sport. Shang Xiang, however, was on a mission and tired of this idiot's bloody-minded hubris. Out of nowhere she produced one of General Huang Gai's fuse bombs and shoved it at the man. It was lit.

Wide-eyed with shock, the captain shouted and scrambled back but she had stamped on his foot to keep him in place. Before he could escape, she had shoved it down the front of his pants and dove for cover. With a cry of fear, he flung his sword aside and threw himself over the side of the ship, hoping the sea would douse the fuse before he was blown to bits.

Shang Xiang looked over the side and waited. No explosion. Lucky bastard…

"Clear!" shouted one of her squad commanders, holding her blade overhead.

"Clear!" came the response from around the ship, indicating they had secured their target, even below, where several daring women had carried the fight to the enemy, trapping the pirates into fighting unexpectedly at close quarters. As soon as the prisoners were accounted for, Shang Xiang would raise the Wu banner on the ship, a signal to the other vessels that they had triumphed. The Sun standard was soon fluttering over the vessel and she dispatched the Yang squad to assist with capturing any ships that were still being contested, knowing that squads from other strike forces were doing likewise.

Within ten minutes, the battle on the seas was over and the lusty cheering of the amazons rang through the night, praising their mighty princess, glorious daughter of the Sun clan.

"What about him?" Fu Chin Ran asked, once she was aboard the large ship and reporting to Shang Xiang.

"Him who?"

The commander pointed over the side of the vessel, where the pirate captain treaded water fitfully, trying to grasp a rope that dangled down the hull from a porthole. He seemed thoroughly irate.

"Hm," Shang Xiang mused. "Tie him up tight and hang him from the mast until we return to Fujian. We'll detain him in a cage for safe keeping and then let the Shanyue villagers he raided come and bid on him. Highest bidder takes him back to their village."

"Sounds fair enough." Fu said agreeably. Shang Xiang wandered off, leaving her aide to fish the man out of the sea and find him some snug accommodations.

He wasn't very grateful.

* * *

Da Qiao and Diao Chan were walking arm in arm through the halls of the courtesan academy, having dismissed the girls and sent them off in their carriages to Wuchang, where they would receive some tutelage in the proper recitation of Qin poetry. Wearing light robes in complementing colours, they were looking forward to a relaxing afternoon.

"So do you know what that strange contraption your lord-husband and his sworn brother are building in the city's central square is?" Diao Chan asked, caressing Da's hand fondly.

"No I do not, and I prefer to keep it that way, since I harbour no doubt I will have it explained in mind-numbing detail to me soon enough." Da replied. "It will be nearly impossible to walk a straight line in this city for more than twenty paces by the time those two are done with all their experiments and gadgets."

"Ah, boys and their toys." Diao Chan said wistfully with a smile on her face.

"I prefer women's toys, without question," remarked the Lady of Wu. "Simpler, usually smaller, and far more fun."

"On that point we agree, my love." Diao Chan purred. "Speaking of, I just received a new and exciting toy from an old friend in Chang'an, I was hoping maybe you would care to- darling, is that your sister in there?"

They paused outside one of the rooms and Da peered inside. Xiao was indeed lying in a pile of pillows, completely naked and staring blankly at the ceiling.

The older sister and her beloved friend entered quietly and stepped up to the prostrate girl, whose eyes just stared off into nothingness. She did move a bit.

"Is she dead?" Diao Chan asked, making a face.

"No, not dead," Da replied in a hushed tone, pressing her fingers against the pulse in her sister's neck. She now leaned in and whispered softly.

"Xiao? Honey, are you alright? Xiao… yoo-hoo…"

The younger sister slowly blinked but said nothing.

"What happened to her?" queried Diao Chan, kneeling down next to Da and stroking Xiao's hand in concern. It was warm but it didn't move.

"Well," Da mused. "The last time I saw her, I had told our students that she was going to hold a practical exam and that they should test their new techniques out on her, kind of a group effort."

"But, that was two days ago." Diao Chan protested.

"I know," Da said, beginning to realize what had happened. "Oh, the poor thing. There were practicing the 'Cloud-Headed Boots' technique at the time, too."

Diao Chan gasped in astonishment. "No wonder. I can barely endure two incense sticks of time worth of that technique before I go into a coma. It's nearly a week before I can walk after that."

"Please get me some tea, my love," Da requested with quiet urgency. "And some dumplings too."

Diao Chan nodded, bowed and hurried out of the room.

Da gingerly raised her sister into an almost-sitting position and looked into her eyes, patting her cheeks.

"Oh, sweetheart, I'm so sorry," she said, actually feeling a tad guilty. She had allowed her sister to get pleasured into a state of catatonia. "Can you hear me, love? If you can, blink for me."

After several seconds, the eyes slowly shut and re-opened.

"Good girl," Da said encouragingly. "Diao Chan has gone to get some tea and some sweets for you. Just rest and everything will be fine."

The northern girl returned with some delicate and refreshing white tea and also some savoury dumplings and bean paste cakes. She poured a cup of the tea and handed it to Da, who pressed it gently to Xiao's lips.

"Drink, darling," she said soothingly. "You need to get your fluids back."

Though it also trickled down her cheeks, some of the tea made its way down Xiao's throat and slowly she began to respond. She drank four cups, barely moving before Da sat the younger girl up and supported her while Diao Chan offered her a steaming scallop dumpling. Xiao took it in tiny bites initially but before long her appetite returned and she ate it readily. She took the proffered bowl and quickly consumed six more and then drained the tea.

"Thank goodness you're alright," Da said smiling and stroking her sister's cheek.

"Of course I'm alright, dummy." Xiao said, fixing her sister with a wry look. "I was nearly orgasmed to death but it's not like Yu Ji came back and tried to eat my soul."

"That's a valid point, my love," Diao Chan admitted. "If Sun Ce found Zhou Yu in such a condition, I doubt he would fuss like we just did. More than likely he would gather the generals and they would all point and laugh."

"Mayhap, but it never hurts to be safe, does it?" Da replied, determined that her fussing was not in vain. "Can you move, Xiao?"

Xiao slowly extricated herself from the pillows, stood tall (as tall as a Xiao can be, anyway) and stretched, humming to herself.

"Ahhhh, better. Between all that action and what Zhou Yu did to me a bit earlier, I'm feeling quite sated."

"In other words, you're back to being hungry, I take it." Da suggested flatly.

"Well, duh," Xiao answered, rolling her eyes. "How long have you known me, sis?"

"I took the liberty of instructing the servants to prepare our dear Xiao a meal, which should be waiting for her in the antechamber down the hall," Diao Chan said sweetly, smiling at her beloved Qiao girls. "Xiao should go and recover and then we can all see the girls off to Wuchang."

They watched with morbid fascination as Xiao ate every single thing that was offered to her, including some rather unpleasant-looking concoctions the cooks had been devising and looking for a volunteer to try. Considering one of the dainties was a whole boiled and stuff frog that still looked rather underdone, Da was suddenly glad it was her sister being experimented on and not her. Diao Chan giggled and settled for pinching the behind of any cute servant girls who wiggled by. Oddly enough, she was a big hit with the staff of both genders.

Once Xiao's pit was filled, at least temporarily, the went to find their students and prepared them for the trip to Wuchang. Many were looking forward to this leg of the journey, since they would be going to the Jade Butterfly Academy, the legendary school where both of the Ladies Qiao had been trained to become the perfect courtesans. Each of the girls bowed reverently and kissed their teachers before getting into their carriages and heading east into the sunset.

"Do you still plan to teach them Latin, love?" Diao Chan asked as the three of them waved at the departing carriages.

"Absolutely," Da replied. "The youngest ones should catch on easiest, of course, but I want all them to have a functional vocabulary so that they can speak in a language their clients will not understand if they require privacy. It will something of a safety net for them."

Xiao nodded. "I think we can all get behind that, all three of us have known a girl or two at our academies who was beaten or killed by some violent client who couldn't take no for an answer. Pretty sure the boys will approve of our precautions, giving that they're unorthodox and fly in the face of tradition."

"On that point we agree," Da said, wrapping her arms around the waists of her sister and their dear friend and leading them back to the academy's buildings. "And may I point out, ladies, that we have yet to decide on what the name of our school here in Baifu will be?"

"If we name it after Diao Chan we should just call it 'Sacred Grotto' and get it over with." Xiao quipped, causing the northern girl to giggle and stick her tongue out coyly.

"A contest and a wager, then?" Diao Chan asked, smiling slyly. "The winner gets the honour of picking the name?"

"Just make sure there are no witnesses this time, okay?" Da muttered.

* * *

Lu Xun stood now in the central market square of Baifu, directing labourers and engineers about their business. He stood near a table while they scurried in and out of a tall structure of scaffolding, whatever was inside being totally concealed. People walking by kept their distance but stared all the same, knowing that this was some great public project enacted by Lord Sun Ce that would benefit the city in some as-yet untold manner.

Lu Xun smiled, very pleased to have been chosen to direct this endeavor. Highly regarded by Lord Sun Ce and his Grand Strategist for his keen analytical mind and tactical acumen, he appreciated not being overlooked when it came to such urban plans, since he considered all knowledge and experience to be invaluable. While he considered such generals as Lord Lu Meng to be his equals or even superiors on the battlefield, he knew they did not have his flare for such civilian duties. Lu Meng had reluctantly taken on the rulership of Changsha at Sun Ce's insistence, but kept a large staff of Confucian scholars on hand to actually run the prefecture for him. At Lu Meng's behest, Changsha was run almost as a plutocracy, a rather strange foreign concept where a council of academics governed the city and he acted as the ultimate executive when necessary. It resembled the insular democracy exercised within the Sun Family itself, where each of the siblings and family members held supreme executive power unless Sun Ce felt a pressing need to overrule his kin.

Lu Xun had to admit it worked well and if he was ever blessed enough to be assigned rulership of a region he would most humbly enact these same principals, which he felt would best serve the people he would be overseeing. He believed that the people of Wu deserved security and liberties that allowed them to better themselves, living life as they saw fit if they harmed no others. This model fit the individualistic character of the Southlands very well, even if it clashed with traditional sensibilities. It was a meritocracy, ultimately, such as Prime Minister Cao Cao claimed to be implementing in the lands under his control, but Lu Xun sensed a very basic difference that he hoped they would be able to articulate to those who would listen.

Even if Cao Cao did indeed have some form of meritocracy, it was being enacted so as to make sure order was the law of the land at all cost, regardless of whether people were happy or not. Favouritism may not have been a part of the Prime Minister's plan, which Lu Xun heartily approved of, but the order he sought to create from chaos meant nothing if the millions of faceless peasants were not smiling. Sun Ce had no intention of simply telling the millions of faceless mortals of the Middle Kingdom that this was for their own good, he intended to _demonstrate _it and give them the courage to be happy and make sure everyone else was too. Such was the burden and obligation of good government that deserved the mandate of the Heavens.

He sighed and nodded as he gazed up at the towering structure that stood in the square, knowing that it was pretty much complete and simply awaiting the final piece to be put in place, that being the blessings of the immortals. He smiled as he thought about what he had been told would happen during the grand unveiling tonight after the sun had set. Huge torches that would illuminate the entire square were being set up around the perimeter, waiting to be lit.

He simply couldn't imagine the mandate of Heaven not being theirs.

* * *

Sun Shang Xiang rode into Fujian to roaring cheers and applause, glorious victor over the Viet marauders of the coast. Leading her amazons on horseback, she was followed by the pirate captain, whose hands were bound in manacles as he trudged sullenly behind her. She smiled as she looked at her city, which was rapidly approaching the splendour of Baifu. Tens of thousands of migrants had come to live in the city and colonize the countryside, eager for new prospects and prosperity in these rich, humid lands. Rice growers were becoming wealthy, as were those who acted as traders with the Shanyue living outside their borders. Exotic woods and jewels were valuable commodities and the artisans who could work with them never ran out of employment.

"Your city is beautiful, my love." Fu Chin Ran remarked, gazing at the buildings that sat behind the tall stone walls. Dark wooden structures with ornately-coloured roofs were becoming common while strong structures of white marble and stone could be seen. Each of the city's districts held temples and a market, while her palace anchored the eastern boundaries, overlooking the mighty sea. The central administrative complex was built near her domicile, as was the courtesan academy that her fair city now required if it was to serve as a bastion of culture for the ideals of Wu.

"Then praise be to the gods, and not my efforts for it." Shang Xiang said humbly. It never ceased to amaze her captain at how pious the Sun children actually were- as dynamic and egoistic as they might be individually, they were out very devout in their reverence to the Heavens, knowing that nothing happened on the earth without the will of gods. She had once asked Zhou Yu, possibly the most learned man she had ever met, how he managed to place such faith in his scientific studies and yet show such spiritual devotion. He had smiled and simply said that science without religion was lame and religion without science was blind. If men wished to understand what Heaven willed, science was the tool provided. Faith was what made it all possible.

Fu had never considered herself to be terribly pious, though she had grown up learning to respect the gods, but she also understood that a woman as remarkable as her beloved princess, the most revered woman in Wu alongside Lady Da Qiao, was simply a gift from the Heavens and she would never stop thanking them for it. Such a bond as theirs could only endure with the approval of the immortals.

Harps and flutes played, drums thumped and cymbals clashed as they entered through the great gates of Fujian while people showered blossom petals down on the returning warriors. Scholars recited their poems loudly, hoping to catch Lady Shang Xiang's ear with their praises. The princess raised her fist in the air, causing a virtual cacophony of cheers that drowned out the myriad instruments. Such prisoners as were still alive were trooped into the city and led off to the prison, to await the Lady's judgement. The captive pirates found themselves jeered at and pelted with fruit as they were hauled along, bound to one another by the ropes that had captured their ships.

"Let all who would challenge the might of the Sun family know that a similar fate awaits them!" Shang Xiang called in a loud voice as she rode. "To fight us is to not only contest the masters of Wu but the Heavens themselves!" The people roared their approval.

"Steward, a word, if you please…" she said as she dismounted in the square before her palace. The old man bowed reverently, his fist clasped in his hand.

"Name your desire, my lady, and I shall see it enacted."

Shang Xiang nodded. "It is my understanding from my brother and Lord Zhou Yu that an ancient culture of the Uttermost West had a tradition where nobles would demonstrate their devotion to the people by holding certain festivals or liturgies for them. While Fujian is too large these days to hold a single feast for all, I wish for you to make sure that each district of the city is given a splendid feast, funded by my own treasury. One district per night for the next six nights, starting with the newest one, understand? I shall attend each festival and meet the people."

"One can never help but wonder with you Sun children," Fu remarked as the two of them watched the man scurry off to do his mistress' bidding. "While this festival is no doubt a nice and selfless thing to do, it is difficult to not see it as simply a political manoeuvre to keep the populace pacified and enthralled with you. Certainly I would happily accuse any other nobles in any other corner of the Middle Kingdom of having such a base ulterior motive."

"Just practicing for the exams, my love." Shang Xiang said plainly. "If this is what it means to rule, to fight for these people, to oversee their happiness and to make sure the Heavens are smiling on them, that is certainly more gratifying to me than a life of personal self-indulgence like Dong Zhuo tried to squeeze out of the people, or those eunuchs who ruined the Han. No, Fu, my brothers and I are far too restless to simply sit idly and let ourselves grow fat and distant from the people of the Southlands. Our father taught us all to look inward and never be satisfied with what we found, to admit that there was always more to be done and that servitude to our people was our greatest commitment."

Fu smiled. "As your mighty brother our lord once said to me, 'Captain Fu, there are only two creatures of any value in this world, those with commitment and those in need of that commitment. Anyone else is a fool that Heaven will scorn.' One has to appreciate his passion on the issue, _shi_?"

Shang Xiang laughed at her aide's imitation of her brother and clasped her hand. They waited together as a delegation of the Shanyue settlements she had so recently taken into the fold with her defeat of the pirates approached and bowed low before her in the Han fashion.

"Great mistress of the south…" intoned the elderly woman who led them. "We have come to pay our respects and to give you such gifts as our paltry lands have to offer for the services you have freely rendered us. You are a peerless warrior and defender of those who cannot defend themselves. In our culture, such a person is a child of the dragons."

Shang Xiang's amber eyes flashed as she nodded, watching silently while Shanyue tribesmen brought forward an ornate chest that the elder opened, revealing precious silks, jewels and other exotic substances. The tribesmen all kow-towed before her, showing their submission to her rule.

"Arise now, for I also have a gift for you…" she said, gesturing to the nearby amazon guards. As the Shanyue rose to their feet, the Viet pirate captain was hauled over and thrown at their feet, where he cursed and sputtered angrily. He glared at Shang Xiang and then at the tribesmen.

"This lovely fellow is the captain of the pirate vessels that have been raiding your settlements for all these years now." Shang Xiang announced, putting her foot on his neck and pressing his face into the stone pavement. "While I have returned to you all I could find of his plunder already, it was rightfully yours so I consider it no gift. He, on the other hand, has much to answer for, both to those who still live in your villages and also to the spirits of those who died due to his depredations."

She could see several of the assembled tribesmen glaring at the man venomously, realizing that he was responsible for the deaths of their loved ones. One man was clenching his hands reflexively, as if imagining what his hands would feel like around the pirate's throat while he throttled the life out of them.

The elder looked very grave. "Our custom, lady, would be to leave him tied to a tree and to be eaten for several hours by devil ants and then to saw his head slowly off while he was still conscious. Such is the fate of those who commit crimes such as he has against us. But we are under your rule now and perhaps our ways seem uncivilized or barbaric to you. I would seek your guidance."

"That is not necessary," Shang Xiang said, looking down at the captain coldly. "Per the terms of our treaty and your assimilation, I will exercise no authority over matters that are strictly internal to your people. Southlands law applies only if it affects anyone else under my jurisdiction or if two settlements ask for my mediation. But this man is not of the Southlands and I lay no claim to him. As far as I am concerned, he deserves whatever you deem he has coming."

She suddenly hauled the pirate to his feet and gripped his cheeks, glaring into his face, her bright eyes meeting his.

"_Xin loi!"_ he hissed in his own language.

"Eat shit and die to you too, pal!" Shang Xiang snarled as she shoved him backwards so that he landed in the midst of the Shanyue. They all shouted in outrage and began to beat him until the elder called for order. Finally they stopped, waiting respectfully on her orders.

"The princess has spoken concerning his fate and this it shall be," she declared. "But we will not spill this pig's blood within the walls of her great city, for to do so would dishonour her after all she has done for us. He shall be given his punishment upon our return to our own villages."

She turned and bowed to Shang Xiang. "Though he shall be judged and punished by our laws, my lady, he was your foe and your part in this shall not be forgotten. His washed and prepared head shall be sent back to you so that he shall be a trophy to warn all who would oppose you of their folly."

"I hear thee. So be it." Shang Xiang replied.

"Very diplomatic, my love." Fu remarked quietly as the pirate captain was led away. "Shall I instruct the steward to designate a room for this severed head collection you are beginning?"

"Just shut up about that, will you?" Shang Xiang grumbled.

* * *

"What are we waiting for, father?" Kai-Ying asked as the stood in the great square of Baifu, surrounded by a small escort of Night Tigers while throngs of citizens milled about, eager to see what was about to be unveiled. The silver-haired child stood in her father's arms and tried to get a better view, but the huge silk swathe covering the structure obscured it entirely.

Ce smiled. "We're just waitin' on the Preceptor of the Three Caverns to arrive, he's gonna bless our little toy here in the eyes of the Heavens, make sure that they know we're doin' good things and give 'em a chance to approve."

"Oh, I have heard of the Preceptor," Kai-Ying said in as sage a voice as any young girl could muster, nodding. "He is the highest-ranking priest of the Tao, right, father?"

"You got it, kid." Ce replied, grinning and poking her in the tummy. "He agreed to come and give his blessing because he thinks that what we're tryin' to do is good for the people an' deserves the sanction of the immortals."

"That should be obvious, father," pointed out the girl. "Only dumb people wouldn't think you weren't making people happy. Does that make the Prime Minister dumb?"

Ce laughed. "Ol' Cao Cao's not dumb, trust me, but he ain't happy with anyone else puttin' the land in order except him. It's gotta be his way or no way."

"That's selfish." Kai-Ying observed, making a wry face.

"Well, some people just ain't happy unless they're tellin' everyone else what to do." Ce mused. "He sees things a certain way and doesn't care what we want. He's gonna force it on everyone and tell 'em it's for their own good."

"Mother says I spend too much time telling Shan what to do," Kai-Ying groused, looking for sympathy. "But he does dumb things, so if I don't tell him what to do, he won't stop. It is very tiring."

"Now you know how I feel." Ce chuckled. "Here comes to the Preceptor."

Indeed the priest was approaching, led by Zhou Yu and accompanied by several acolytes. He wore a simple grey robe, the only ornamentation being an ancient scroll that hung from his belt, clasped in jade. It was the sacred Taoist text known as _'Sandong Zhunang'_, the Pearly Bag of the Three Caverns manuscript. His eyes were bright and cheerful while his attendants walked with their heads bowed, chanting prayers quietly.

Ce put Kai-Ying down and bowed low in a show of great deference and respect. The Preceptor returned the gesture and smiled. "I am honoured to attend to you, great Lord of Wu."

"An' I'm honoured you could make it, Preceptor." Ce replied cheerfully. "Hope we're not interruptin' you too often, askin' you bless every new thing we try."

"I only wish everyone paid as much attention to the Tao as you and yours, my lord, else we might not be suffering through these ceaseless and dreadful wars. Though I know you are a man of martial virtue, I also sense a great commitment to the common good in you. And for that reason as much as any other, I am was obligated to come. I was happy to do so."

The old man turned and cast his gaze up at the structure hidden beneath the silk. "So there it is… certainly it is the largest one I have heard of. What would you have of me, Lord Sun?"

Ce nodded. "We're gonna uncover it to let people see what it is, ask you to bless it and then Zhou Yu'll throw the switch and activate it."

The Preceptor nodded and took his place next to the oddity, accompanied by Zhou Yu.

"It is a pity mother could not attend." Kai-Ying said.

"Your mom's a busy lady, kid, an' her work is every bit as important as mine, trust me. There'll be other things she'll attend, I promise." Ce said easily.

He held a torch aloft in his hand, a gesture followed by the dozens of servants he had placed around the square. The citizens of Baifu stopped talking and waited silently, eager to see what await.

After a nod from Ce, Zhou Yu pulled on a cord that allowed to silk swatches to slip away and puddle on the pavement around the structure. People murmured and whispered in awe as the lights of countless torches played off the huge edifice.

"It's a water clock," whispered one man to the woman standing next to him. "Biggest I have ever seen…"

Ce smiled to himself, knowing that other servants and agents he had dispersed through the crowd were telling the citizens the same thing, explaining what it would do and how it would benefit them all. He certainly was impressed, the diagrams and schematics of Zhou Yu brought to life. He heard the Preceptor begin his prayers, assisted by his acolytes, asking the heavens for a blessing upon this endeavour and so many more that the people of the Southlands sought to create.

Once the priest had finished, Zhou Yu, standing now just inside the tower of the clock, threw a lever and the square trembled gently as the water that would feed the device flowed in and began moving through the mechanisms. Ce watched intently, willing everything to work properly.

A large gong sounded from inside the tower and the time faces began to display, completely accurately as various part of the contraption whirred and pieces moved in perfect harmony. The crowds began to cheer but then all gasped in delight as Xiao's _Feilong_ flew overhead, releasing firecrackers and small scintillating bursts of colour while their dragons streamed iridescent flames.

Ce knew the gods were smiling.

* * *

Xiao was wandering the halls of the palace when she heard the sounds of debate emerging from one of the council rooms. She peered in and saw men gathered around a table, clearly in a rather agitated discussion about the nature of whatever they were discussing. Curious, she quietly sauntered up to the table and stood on her tip-toes to look over the shoulders of one of the men. She now recognized several of them as advisors and engineers. They were disagreeing about the best design for a new unmanned irrigation pump.

Clearly they were in agreement about the design working well but they were still at odds for some reason. Xiao shook her head. Men…

The advisor whose shoulder she was looking over now noticed her and bowed, as did the rest. "Lady Qiao…" he intoned respectfully.

"Whatcha arguing about, gents?" she asked cheerfully.

"I… nothing of great concern and certainly beneath your notice, my lady," the advisor closest to her said somewhat uncertainly. "We are attempting to solve some issues concerning this new irrigation pump design and we cannot reach an agreement on the most effective method."

"It's Zhou Yu's design, so I doubt there's a design flaw." Xiao reasoned.

"Oh, none at all, my lady," the man said hastily, making sure she understood that no one was crazy enough to impugn Zhou Yu's inventions. "But since the design in unmanned, it needs to have a mechanism in place to stop it when a field has been thoroughly irrigated. Several ideas and possibilities have been suggested, but we cannot agree which one best serves."

Xiao made a wry face. "Why all the disagreement? Just pick one and be done with it."

"Lady Qiao, we are doing what we can to fulfil Lord Zhou Yu's and his highness Sun Ce's orders, that being to find the most efficient means possible so as to free up labour and allow people to be directed to other jobs," an engineer pressed, hoping he sounded patient. "A solution _must_ be found that maximizes our manpower ambitions."

"So no one should be manning this pump, right?" Xiao asked.

"Correct."

"And while a field is being irrigated, the farmer who owns and works the land is not messing with it, right?" she suggested.

"Yes, my lady."

"So make the stupid paddles on the pump wheel removable," she said, rolling her eyes. "The farmer knows how long his field needs to be irrigated, so when the dirt's nice and wet, he removes a paddle or two and the wheel stops turning and the water stops pumping. I assume our farmers are smart enough to do that, right?"

The advisors and engineers all stared at her in astonishment.

"Wow, none of you thought of that?" she sneered. "Well, add it to the list, but I'm telling Zhou Yu I suggested it. I want credit if that turns out to be the right answer…"

She then turned on her heel and strode toward the door before turning and looking at them levelly. "If you guys need to take any of these tests coming up to re-qualify for your jobs, I'd start studying now."

She closed the door and skipped down the hall, quite pleased with herself. Who needed exams and tests? It was a good day to be a Xiao.

* * *

Ce and Zhou Yu stood in front of the water clock some days later, accompanied by scores of onlookers who marvelled at the contraption. It would help them keep accurate track of time and help perform complex calculations. Scholars and engineers would use it for reference and inspiration while other clocks were built throughout the Wu realm, all of which would be in complete synchronization.

"So I hear your wife solved the irrigation pump quandary." Ce noted, watching the myriad gears and levers within the clock move and work flawlessly. This was without a doubt the biggest water clock ever made and several of the city's services would be tied to it. It could even be set to ring a gong or chime at given times of day.

"Indeed she did," Zhou Yu replied softly, a trace of a smirk on his face. "The engineers did not take it very well, but they admitted that her 'fresh and untrained perspective' proved to be exactly what the project needed."

Ce laughed. "As I recall, you were offering an incentive to the person who solved the issue. So what did she do with the strings of cash she won?"

"Predictably, she is using it to fund a dumpling festival in a small town within riding distance," the strategist replied. "She was named honourary mistress of the celebration and will host it."

"All the dumplings she can eat, I take it," Ce remarked cheerfully. "That girl never ceases to amaze me. But I can tell something other than your wife's appetite is on your mind. So what's up?"

Zhou Yu's face was expressionless for a few moments before he spoke. "Cao Cao has moved on Liang," he said quietly. "He is leading the campaign himself, along with many of his strongest generals, such as Xu Huang and Zhang Liao."

"Zhang Liao," Ce muttered. "That guy's gonna be trouble. I hear he's pretty good. Anyone who can handle my sister is not someone we should take lightly."

"While your sister has improved by leaps and bounds since their encounter, I agree with your assessment." Zhou Yu mused. Like yourself, Cao Cao has a penchant for attracting people of talent. The difference is that he appeals to their ego whereas you inspire them to believe in something bigger than their own lives or needs. My spies have told me that both Xu Huang and Zhang Liao cleaved to the Prime Minister because they believe that he will allow them to most fully walk the path of the warrior."

"Regardless of what it costs anyone else," Ce noted grimly. "Ain't many people in our forces I would readily match up against Zhang Liao… Taishi Ci, Elryk, maybe my sister… Gan Ning, perhaps."

"We dealt with Lu Bu, we will find a way to deal with Zhang Liao." Zhou Yu said firmly. "We have done it before, we shall do so again."

"I don't doubt it, pal, I'm just sick of our people dying in these damn wars."

"Then perhaps we should concentrate on making sure the _other_ guys are dying for their country." Zhou Yu suggested blithely.

Sun Ce laughed. Believe in yourself, fight hard for what you know is right and revere the Heavens. What else of consequence was there?

* * *

Cao Cao glowered into the night as the fires of the village burned all around him. Company after company of his troops marched down the road in grim silence, an unstoppable engine of his supreme will. Prisoners who had thrown down their weapons and surrendered were staggering by in chains, gazing up at him in fear. Unfortunately, many times their number had been put to the sword, too foolish to accept the inevitable and bend their knee to him.

He wrinkled his nose in disgust. These… half-breeds… most of the people of Liang were a mixture of Han blood and that of the Qiang nomads who called the region home. Their fearsome independence and barbaric individualism had to be crushed if there was ever to be order and peace in the land once and for all. How could the Middle Kingdom ever prosper if these savages were allowed to live freely within its borders? Could they ever be brought to heel and made to accept the cultural superiority of China?

The battles fought for this territory had been swift and terrible- headed by the Ma clan and their greatest allies, the Han clan, they had attacked Cao Cao's forces almost incessantly since they crossed into Liang. The nomads were strong in cavalry and their assaults were swift and hit like a keen spear. They had blunted the momentum of Cao Cao's forces, making them pay for every span of ground they sought to take. The battle at Tong Gate had been a meat grinder, with both sides throwing in company after company of men, trying to tip the balance but to no avail. Men died in their thousands and none could stand before Ma Chao, leader of the Liang forces. Even Xu Chu and Zhang Liao could not best him.

Finally though, it had been Jia Xu's cunning that had undone the defenders, driving a wedge of distrust between the brash Ma Chao and his ally Han Sui, someone Cao Cao had been acquainted with long ago. Convinced that Han Sui had betrayed them, Ma Chao had attacked. Left with no choice, Han Sui pledged loyalty to Cao Cao and the defenders' line was compromised. Through the gap in their battle formations, Cao Cao had led a fearsome cavalry charge that collapsed the defence. The troops of Liang were routed and Ma Chao driven south in disgrace.

Cao Cao looked down and noticed he was still griping his sword tightly, though he personally had not engaged in combat for nearly an hour now. He forced his hand to relax and then sheathed his weapon, hoping nobody had noticed. He took a deep breath and plotted his next move, now that Ma Chao was no longer a direct threat.

"Cousin, I believe I have someone nearby that you might want to talk to," Xiahou Dun said, coming up and bowing his head, accompanied by Xiahou Yuan, who seemed very pleased with something. "He says he wishes to speak with you."

Cao Cao nodded and the One-Eyed General brought his charge forward. The man was tall, and broadly built, his armour stout and ornately decorated with lion's heads. His eyes were deep and fearless. Behind him walked two of Cao Cao's soldiers, each one carrying a halberd that no doubt belonged to his visitor.

"Prime Minister, my name is Pang De," the man said in a deep voice. "I had the honour of testing myself against your forces lo these past few days."

Cao Cao nodded. "I remember you, Pang De, though I saw you fight only briefly north of Tong Gate. You were inspiring to watch, completely dominating any who opposed you. I feared I might have to send either Xu Zhu or Zhang Liao to see if you could be contained. I am glad now that such was not the case, so that I could tell you myself."

"I know you are a hard man, Prime Minister," Pang De said, his voice betraying no emotion. "Those who oppose you are punished severely, beheaded if they are lucky and sent to toil in the salt mines of the north if not so. I am prepared to accept my fate, I merely wished to see the face of the man who bested me before my life ended."

Cao Cao turned his horse around to face away from his prisoner but did not ride off. He looked intently at a burning millet barn, the flames reflected in his gaze.

"Pang De, I am harsh on those who would defy my will once they know of it and those who do not submit to the natural order of things. But I am loathe to throw away the lives of those who display such talent as you have. You are a most remarkable warrior, destined to stand amongst the greatest of our era. It would be a disgrace before the heavens for me to declare your life forfeit when there is still so much more for you to do…"

Pang De said nothing, waiting to hear what Cao Cao said next.

"Join me, Pang De. Become a strong blade through which I may cleave the darkness of this age and bring order to a land that knows only torment. Help me to pare off the dead flesh of those who would perpetuate the chaos for their own vanities. Together, with the other heroes who have joined me, you can show the Middle Kingdom what duty, loyalty and talent truly mean."

The captive warrior was silent for some time before nodding. "I will join you. As of today, my blades are yours to command."

Cao Cao nodded. "I hear thee. So be it."

And with that he rode off. Xiahou Yuan clapped Pang De on the shoulder cheerfully and strode off.

"_The most dangerous man in the entire realm indeed,"_ Pang De thought to himself, looking at Cao Cao's diminishing form. _"For the sake of all, it is best that we help him take the empire in hand, because there will be nothing left if we do not._

And still the endless troops marched by, Cao Cao's unstoppable engine of destruction. The earth shook at their passing…

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I've had this chapter in the works for a long, long time and have been looking for the right place to insert it. This seemed like the place, so here we go. Per the requests of many readers, I have been doing what I can to reference the other factions, making sure they were not totally sidelined by the fratboys of Wu. There's plenty of Shu stuff coming up (trust me on this) and getting some Wei stuff in to help extend the previous chapter seemed reasonable. Sorry if you are a Wei fan, but they are my bad guys more or less, even if some of them are likeable. My thanks for all the positive comments on Xiahou Yuan, by the way.

Lol, t'would appear that the last Wumake disturbed a few people, although most of the PMs I am receiving on the subject are telling me that it is my funniest yet in some ways. I would agree that it is the most twisted, certainly, which says a lot when you consider the Invader Zim Wumake. I freely admit I nearly died laughing a few times as I wrote it, mostly because I have the rather shameless genetic trait of finding my own sense of humour the funniest thing that God ever allowed on this earth. If anyone else happens to laugh, well that's great, but the Wumakes are mostly so I can exercise my bent sense of humour and laughing bone.

I am getting quite a few people volunteering to be my beta, not only for TYC but also for my Wet fanfiction (that post has been filled, btw) and also my Warhammer 40k stuff. I shall be making a choice in a few days, so thank you to all for expressing interest, it means a lot to me.

Concerning the contents of this chapter, people have been asking me what sort of 'improvements' Wu was planning on implementing in my upcoming chapters. I think we can all agree that water clocks, already an old concept by the time of the Three Kingdoms period, will not win a war, but since Sun Ce plans to announce to everyone in the Middle Kingdom that nobody anywhere does anything better than he and his people do, it seems a reasonable endeavour. Xiao and the irrigation pumps was just some fun Xiao time in the fic. For an idiot, the gal's pretty clever.

As I had intimated to you folks a couple of chapters back, this current arc IS going to be heavy on the personal development level, though there will still be lots of fighting. It is a personal writing choice and preference of mine. A friend once quipped to me that he could never read anything I wrote without learning something completely esoteric, like ancient Assyrian. While I have no particular intent of inflicting _that_ on you all, do be prepared to learn some words in Uyghur and the reconstructed Xiongnu language, okay?

People will also point out that there are several instances that I simplify, rather than going into great detail about, often something they were looking forward to. Keep in mind this is a Dynasty Warriors fanfic and while I do tend to infuse a lot of _Sanguo_, history and my own musings and desires into the story, I do try to keep pace with the game itself. _Par example_, I more or less just glossed over the rather spectacular battle of Tong Gate, but since it had little or nothing to do with Sun Ce I simply referred to it in order to keep Cao Cao looking menacing. It will always be my intent to do so, I promise.

This does also lead to the occasional temporal distortion within the story, since Hefei hasn't even happened yet and Tong Gate doesn't take place until A.D. 211. I would point out, though, that this fic is also predicated on the idea that Sun Ce is still alive, so I would appreciate any suspension of disbelief you could throw my Wei- er, way…

In another two chapters or so I shall be pushing 800,000 words for this damn fic. I am beginning to worry that it might be the largest story on the entire website, which in turn makes me worry that I need more of a life. But writing makes me happy and this is a good way to keep my creative juices flowing.

Another reader pointed out to me that the Wumake I released on 5/22/12 marked the exact sixth year anniversary of this fic's publication and asked if a chapter that parodies my writing foibles and idiosyncrasies had been published on that date on purpose. I am forced to confirm that yes, that was indeed the idea. Hopefully I will take a lesson away from it, right?

In any event, enough blathering for now. Plenty more to write, a few other fics to finish and I hope you're all having a splendid Spring. All my best and keep your stick on the ice!

Management

* * *

**Chapter epilogue:**

Sun Quan sat quietly on the throne of his palace in Wuchang, noting the silence that surrounded him. Zhou Tai stood quietly beside his ornate chair, gazing off into the distance, expressionless as ever. Quan peered subtly down to his left, noting that the Lady Bu, his beloved Lian Shi, was sitting on the steps of his dais, her chin in her hand and looking rather bored.

There weren't even any servants in the throne room. All was quiet.

"Order…" he mused out loud, nodding to no one in particular. "Efficiency and knowledge of a job well done, those are what signifies a competent ruler and a well-ordered realm."

He looked at Zhou Tai. "Wouldn't you agree, general?"

"Yes, lord," the dour man said in his deep voice. "We are very efficient."

"And you, Lian Shi," he continued, looking down at the woman warrior. "Would you not agree as well?"

"Oh, yes, Lord Sun," she said in an even tone, trying not to sound too jaded. "Such efficiency is remarkable. The servants were so competent that there was no need for them anymore today. It is as if we were by ourselves in Wuchang. Your brother and sister must be doing something wrong, for they are always kept busy by their subjects and affairs of the realm at large."

Quan nodded and simply stared at the door leading out of the throne room. The empirical evidence was in his favour. Silence was golden…


	65. Chapter 65

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any other media associated with Koei or its affiliates. The vast majority of the characterizations have been expanded upon by me for the sake of literary format. Individual or minor characters created by me for the purposes of interaction and story depth or my own property. If you wish to know which ones they are please ask.

This is a simple work of fanfiction meant for the entertainment of Dynasty Warriors players and fans, along with those who are familiar with the Chinese epic Sanguo, or 'Three Kingdoms'. Centred around Sun Ce and his family and retainers, it helps to be a Wu-phile if you want to read this story. As always, your reviews are welcome and appreciated. Enjoy!

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 64 – Youth, Enthusiasm And Other Neuroses**

"I still think this was a dumb idea," Guiren muttered as they marched in column along with the rest of their company, heading north toward the Yangtze. "We enlisted in the army to win our fame and fortune but we joined an army that has countless heroes in it already. How exactly are we supposed to get noticed before we get killed?"

"Easy," Keung replied in that annoying tone of carefree confidence he had cultivated since they were young. "We just have to show our officers how brave and daring we can be. Before long we will have their eye and recommendations and commendations will come pouring in."

"So insane bravado is the answer," Guiren sneered. "Make sure we put ourselves in positions where we're sure to get ourselves killed and when the Heavens spare our sorry asses we hope that our commanding officers mistake it for martial competence."

"Everything sounds so impossible when you say it," Guiren's bright-eyed friend laughed. "We always talked about becoming soldiers when we were little."

"Yes, because there wasn't much choice," protested the sour-faced boy. "The Sun family had not yet come back to the Southlands and we could either work as labourers in the fields, butchers in your father's shop or indenture as junior tailors in mine's. The only other choice was to join one of the militias of a bandit-lord and hope you could make a go of it."

"And while that might have been easier to do, at least this way we are part of an army that reveres martial valour and honour. It may be harder to get noticed but at least it will be honest."

"You're certainly going to be noticed when you have my foot up your ass for blathering during a march," their sergeant growled as he stomped by toward the head of the column. "You morons talk more than everyone else in this piss-poor stable of recruits combined. Now shut the hell up or your rations are halved tonight."

Guiren sighed. He _hated_ getting in trouble with the sergeant; the rod up the old bastard's ass had a rod up its ass. They had indeed said farewell to their families in the little town of Pei and headed north to join the forces of Lord Sun Ce, the mighty warlord of the Southlands. Promising to win fame and glory and appointments, they were full of hope as they made their way to Baifu to volunteer.

That was six long months ago and it had not at all been what Guiren had expected. He expected to be welcomed as a brave volunteer, issued shining armour and a blade of distinguished lineage and a keen edge with which to fell his foes. Instead, they had been sent to a camp where misery was heaped upon them as they pushed their bodies and their minds to their very limits. They were generally disregarded by more senior cadets and regular service personnel ignored them entirely. The officers that trained them were scornful and never satisfied with their efforts, always wanting more.

Several recruits who had joined at the same time as them cracked, not able to take the stress. They were either allowed to return to their homes or were given other posts within the army, such as baggage train or cooks. Somehow, against all odds, Guiren and Keung had both made it through basic training.

He had to admit he was very fit now, with nary a shred of fat on his body. Their diet generally consisted of rice, millet and bean curd supplemented with salt, fish and pickled vegetables and fruits. They had engaged in calisthenics at least four hours a day, along with basic formations practice and rudimentary weapons training for another eight. He bore countless bruises and welts from sparring with his instructors and fellow recruits; his joints ached constantly, but he was also reminded of the value of hardship and sacrifice in service to one's nation.

The company now took a break during the march and he sprawled onto a hill beside the road and gazed at the sky. Keung sat down next to him and smiled as he gazed out over the little band.

"Sergeant says that if we march another fifteen _li_ by nightfall then he will have the chef prepare spicy double-fried pork tonight as a reward," he commented. "A welcome change that will make from the rice gruel and millet cakes of this morning, _shi_?"

"I think the rice is going bad," Guiren grumbled. "Liang was in front of me the whole damn march and he did nothing but fart and I thought I was going to die. I am not sure pork will improve this situation and it's not like sergeant would let us march out of order so someone else can bear the brunt of his flatulence."

"Oh, you complain endlessly," Keung sighed. "Were you expecting our lives to be one of splendour and glory the moment we signed our lives away?"

Guiren ignored the question. "What do you supposed Lei and Min are doing?"

Keung kissed his teeth as he considered the question. "They swore to remain faithful to us, didn't they? Min has never given me cause for doubt. Besides, she _did_ give me proof of her devotion the night before we left."

"Lei cried a lot," Guiren mused. "And while she didn't offer me quite the same proof of devotion as you extracted from Min, she did give me-"

"Yes, my friend, I have seen the pretty crystal necklace she gave you as a token of her unending love," Keung chided. "As has everyone else in our company a hundred times over and more besides. May it keep you ever safe from harm and may it lead you home to your beloved."

Guiren frowned and clasped at the little charm he wore around his neck. He was so attached to it that even their sergeant did not make light of the trinket. It was a little piece of home and it reminded him of what he intended to do and for whom.

Their basic training had ended and they were now being marched north to see which unit they and their fellow recruits would be assigned to. The only thing they knew for certain was that they were being attached to the corps of Grand Marshall Lu Meng, a name that every soldier held in reverence scarcely less than that of Lord Sun Ce or Lord Zhou Yu.

One would normally think that being assigned to the Grand Marshall's corps was a great honour but it was well-known that Lu Meng insisted on receiving the vast majority of green troops so he could hone their skills and then assign them to other corps. The promise of raids and battle were greatest with Lu Meng's corps, since he was responsible for defending the Great River that divided the Southlands from the rest of the Middle Kingdom, but it also meant casualties were highest in this force, which didn't sit well with Guiren.

"Everyone at attention!" Move! Move!" shouted the sergeant urgently, his face flushed, a shade that indicated he was in earnest and not to be questioned. The young soldiers at leapt to their feet and raced to the side of the rode, standing at attention in their squads, spears held rigid. The sergeant went around and made sure everyone looked as disciplined as possible before assuming his place at the head of the squads and waiting silently.

A few minutes later, a regiment came trooping up the road, resplendent in the crimson and gold tunics of the regular Wu army. Company by company their marched, led by an honour guard squad whose great banner proclaimed their commander to be Han Dang. The commander rode at the head of his regiment on a grey stallion, nodding to the recruits as he went past. Guiren gazed in wonder at the soldiers, who seemed like gods to him. They were tough and disciplined, many with the scars of battle worn like honours.

"_General Han Dang," _Guiren thought to himself, trying to let his awe not show. _"One of Lord Huang Gai's most trusted commanders. It is said he saved Huang Gai at the battle of Chi Bi in the middle of Cao Cao's armada as it burned. His bravery is legendary. Truly this is an army of heroes."_

The recruits waited at attention until Han Dang's regiment was far ahead on the road. The sergeant was about to tell his men to ready to march when they all heard the music of drums, cymbals and flutes. They paused in confusion until a messenger on a horse rode up and beckoned the sergeant over. He spoke quietly, nodded and rode off. When the sergeant returned, he seemed somewhat pale but his words were scathing.

"Down, you dogs!" he snarled. "I want each one of you worthless bastards bowing so low that the gods themselves would be impressed! Down on your knees and don't fucking move!"

He shoved them all fiercely to their knees and made sure they had kow-towed properly. He then joined them and they once again waited in silence. The music grew louder, as did the rumble of hoofs. A cavalry regiment was doubtless going by, but who on earth did it belong to if its presence invoked such a severe reaction in their sergeant?

Praying no one would see him do so, Guiren dared to tilt his head slightly to one side and open one eye, a risky move since he and Keung were in the front rank of their squad.

He was not at all prepared for what he saw.

The scarlet and gold banners were ornate and illustrious and spoke of the royal house. The companies attached to the regiment were sewn into the banner with gold thread, in order of seniority. Names such as the Valiant Cavaliers, the Iron Fists and the Warhounds, Firesteeds, Shining Spears and the Wildfire Riders were proudly displayed.

Above them all was inscribed the name of the regimental commander… Lady Da Qiao, Princess of the Southlands.

He couldn't help himself as he gazed upon her, riding at the front of her regiment atop a horse whose hair was a lustrous crème colour and magnificently appointed. She seemed small in the saddle but also carried herself with great dignity and a presence that Guiren could not understand. He was awestruck by the sight of her, the consort of the great Lord of Wu and the most important woman in the realm.

"We will fight for you, Lady of the Southlands!" he heard Keung call out as he sprang to his feet. "For you! For your mighty husband our lord and for Wu!"

Guiren could feel himself shaking in horror in what his friend had dared to do. The audacity, a mere recruit addressing the one and only Lady Da Qiao in so cavalier a manner! She who was adored throughout the land and commanded the fanatical loyalty of hundreds of thousands of soldiers… what was Keung thinking?

Out of the corner of his eye he could see their sergeant trembling, though he dared not move from his bow, and he did not want to think about the kind of flogging Keung would endure for his nerve. It was an obscene breach of protocol and manners.

As terrible as what his friend had done was, Guiren could not let him suffer alone. His body felt like lead and he was sure his skin was pale as uncoloured silk as he slowly rose to his feet and joined Keung in gazing on the Lady of Wu.

His heart thundered in his chest as he saw the lady gaze their way and held up her hand. The regiment came to a stop and waited silently. Some of them were still looking at the recruits pointedly, not at all amused by the pluck these upstarts had chosen to display.

Lady Da Qiao leapt down lightly off her horse, indicating with a gentle wave that her warriors were to remain at ease. She walked toward the company and stood silently, assessing them. She was wearing a scarlet robe trimmed in gold beneath her magnificently-crafted armour. Around her waist was a sash made of tiger pelt and her she wore a short, curved sword on her hip. Her long, raven hair flowed freely and on her neck was a simple cord that held a large fang.

"Arise, all of you." Da Qiao commanded in a firm but pleasant voice he had not expected from one so dainty-looking.

Slowly, the recruits and their corporals rose to their feet, most of them pale with terror. Everyone was expecting to be lashed or beaten severely for this horrendous display. The sergeant was shaking so badly one might have thought he was about to have a seizure, though whether this was from fury or fear Guiren could not deduce.

The Lady of Wu stepped closer and stood in front of Keung, the one who had so outrageously called to her. He seemed rooted to the spot, unable to move. Next to him, Guiren felt like he was going to faint- his mouth was drier than a desert and his throat was constricting involuntarily.

Da Qiao finally smiled and poked Keung on the chest with the handle of her riding crop. "A bold gamble, young hero. I pray thee, though, please show more discipline on the battlefield before engaging in such daring-do. Prime Minister Cao Cao is less forgiving than I."

"Great Lady!" the sergeant cried out, throwing himself to his hands and knees as her feet, his voice trembling. "Forgive this worthless servant for the lack of respect his recruits have shown you! Please see fit to punish me instead of them! It is my fault!"

"Nonsense, sergeant," Lady Da Qiao said cheerfully. "No harm was done and it is refreshing to see such enthusiasm. Besides, a lady need only spend a few minutes in the presence of a Sun family male before she feels like she is being treated in a cavalier or condescending manner."

Several of her warriors chuckled, apparently agreeing with the statement.

She now beckoned for the sergeant to rise and smiled warmly as she seemed to recognize him. She then gestured gracefully to them all.

"Brave warriors and future heroes of Wu! The Sun family thanks you and owes you a debt of honour for your sacrifice and your devotion. In my peerless husband's name I bid thee to accompany my men and I for part of this journey until we must turn off and head in another direction than yours. You shall camp and dine with us and tell me of your homes! Make ready now!"

Da Qiao was about to turn away to mount her horse when she paused and looked at Guiren. She assessed he and Keung for a moment longer and then smiled at the sergeant.

"You certainly have your hands full with these two, sergeant. But do not punish them too severely for their audacity. After all, even the Sun family had to start out _somewhere_…"

She then returned to her horse and waited while the sergeant got his men into ranks and ordered them to wait while Da Qiao's regiment resumed its march. As their company brought up the rear, Guiren and Keung stayed to the very back. Guiren elbowed his friend in the ribs.

"You are without question the _stupidest_ person to ever live," he hissed. "Were it not for the Lady's magnanimity, you would have been flensed by now, and rightfully so!"

"I… I know…" Keung stammered, his normally blithe manner gone. He couldn't seem to believe what he had done. "It just happened, I had no intent of doing so. I just… saw who it was and had to say something!"

Guiren sighed heavily. "Lady Da Qiao may have preached clemency to the sergeant for your idiocy, but that doesn't mean we're not in for a world of hurt. You had best pray that whatever punishment the sergeant cooks up for us kills you because I most certainly will if it does not…"

* * *

That night seemed like a weird dream for Guiren. They had marched with Lady Da Qiao's regiment, sometimes having to run to keep pace. They covered the fifteen _li_ their sergeant had desired and another ten beyond that before the cavalry regiment decided to make camp for the night. The recruits were exhausted and Da Qiao, knowing how weary the poor boys must be, gave instructions for her baggage train handlers to assist them in pitching their camp next to hers.

As excited as he should have been, Guiren, like his fellow recruits, was too tired from the forced march to do more than sit and stare blankly for nearly an hour before the sergeant roused them to activity. If the sergeant was irritated or angry, he dared not show it with the Lady around.

Da Qiao finally visited their little camp and calmly put them at ease, insisting on a certain level of informality, since Private Keung had already established their familiarity. Several recruits laughed nervously, whereas Keung just smiled weakly.

As the sun was setting, the recruits were invited to join the Valiant Cavaliers in dining. The company commander of the Cavaliers, a stern and imposing man, sat around a large fire with some of his sergeants and their new acquaintances. Having eaten his bowl of rice and pickles, the Valiant Cavaliers commander now gazed upon the recruits, assessing first the sergeant.

"I see by the ritual scar on the side of your head that you once belonged to Lord Huang Gai's corps…" he observed.

The sergeant nodded. "It is as you say, commander. I once was a member of the _Huolong_."

"But the scar is that of a Stone Demon." the commander declared before laughing heartily. "Beware, you sorry lot!" he called out to his Cavaliers. "There stands among us an actual hero and warrior, one of the Stone Demons! Show respect!"

The Cavaliers all cheered, raising their cups in a toast.

"It… it is not as impressive as it may seem," the sergeant said hastily while his recruits gazed upon his with newfound wonder. "I had been newly inducted to the regiment and in my first engagement was nearly killed. Though I recovered from the wound, I was not fit for active combat duty."

"And instead you were entrusted with training the future warriors of Wu," the Cavaliers commander pointed out. "That you were admitted to Lord Huang Gai's personal regiment indicates that you were a formidable warrior and for that consideration alone you have my admiration."

The sergeant bowed his head.

"Please convey my sincere gratitude to the great Lady for her kindness and hospitality," he said. "She is most generous to forgive the audacity of my idiot recruits."

The commander laughed. "She is indeed generous and she commands a deep and unwavering loyalty from all who know her. Only her mighty husband is held in greater reverence."

"It must have been an honour to be assigned to her, yes?" one recruit asked, unable to contain his curiosity.

The Cavaliers commander drew a deep breath. "It was a difficult transition for everyone, both the lady and ourselves," he admitted. "She was new to commanding at all and several of us dishonoured ourselves by disrespecting her and even insulting her."

The recruits whispered in astonishment, unable to believe what they were being told.

"One of our men insulted her to the point where she killed him in a duel. The rest of us were to be flogged for our part in shaming her and she was going to endure the lash with us as a show of solidarity. From that moment on, our loyalty to her knew no bounds."

"So then, you are her senior company?" asked Guiren.

"We have been assigned to her the longest, although some companies have much longer histories than our own, such as the Shining Spears and the Warhounds. We are all considered companies of the royal house of Sun because of our assignment to her. It is a position of great prestige, surpassed only by belonging to the Night Tigers, Lord Sun Quan's Wolf Guard and perhaps the Swordwind regiment that is commanded by Lord Zhou Yu."

More whispering amongst the recruits at the mention of the Night Tigers, the personal regiment of Lord Sun Ce and the deadliest warriors in the Southlands; they were near mythic amongst the recruits. Those who had come from Baifu spoke of these magnificent guardians, resplendent in their black and silver armour and livery, skilled in all manner of warfare, combatants without equal. Taishi Ci, their commander and Lord Sun Ce's personal bodyguard, was held to be the most formidable warrior in Wu, after the warlord himself.

"You whelps need to learn respect," the company commander of the Valiant Cavaliers said. "Not only to hold your tongues, but to know a hero when you see one; your sergeant may not be a Stone Demon anymore, but I know that they only pull from the toughest regiments in Lord Huang Gai's corps and the tests are often deadly. You want to be heroes? Recognize them when you see them! You've had one in your midst all along."

With that, he stood and bowed, walking away to attend to something. There was silence as the recruits considered his words. One young man finally bowed.

"Sergeant?" he said timidly. "Would you… would you consent to tell us of your time as a Stone Demon at some point? I would be honoured to hear of it."

The other recruits now bowed and the man blushed and then scowled. "Do not think fair words will save you maggots from my wrath for your insolence? You had better outrun the horses of the Lady's regiment tomorrow or I will make damn-damn sure I tan your hides so badly you won't run for a month!"

Guiren smiled. For the first time ever, he actually liked his commanding officer.

* * *

The discipline involved with accompanying the Great Lady's regiment took a toll on the recruits, for they often marched at great speed or ran for extended distances to keep up with her. For all that, though, they found the trek oddly gratifying. When they rested they were well looked after, with the quartermasters making sure they had water and good food. If they stayed in one place long enough, they found that the soldiers of Lady Da Qiao's regiment were not averse to talking with them, even if they found all the gawking a little annoying.

Guiren and Keung did not see the Lady as often as they would have liked, especially since the sergeant now made them march at the back of the column every time they were on the move. He seemed convinced that the two of them would somehow cause more trouble and manage to get her angry and he was taking no chances.

For her part, Da Qiao smiled pleasantly and bowed her head whenever she saw the recruits before continuing on. During one rest stop she had pulled the sergeant aside and spoke quietly with him beneath a gnarled old tree. He had bowed repeatedly but then she pinned some sort of decoration to his tunic and bowed low. She left him standing beneath the tree and it was some time before he moved, apparently lost in thought at her words.

They were marching across a wide green plain when a horn sounded, indicating an alarm. Drums rolled and they recruits froze as they wondered what was going on. Without hesitation, Lady Qiao's regiment sprang into action, several companies dismounting and taking up defensive positions around her while those that remained upon their steeds fanned out and made ready to counterattack the as-yet unseen foe.

"What do we do, sergeant?" asked Guiren as they scrambled to assume something that vaguely looked like a combat formation. "Do we join the line to defend the Lady?"

"Of course not!" the sergeant hissed. "When the enemy appears, we charge them and fight like devils until we die in her name! Her regiment will keep her safe! Prepare yourselves like warriors!"

His blood ran cold at his commander's words but Guiren knew he would obey. He had seen the glorious Lady Da Qiao and sacrificing himself to save her was a small price to pay. His hand gripped the haft of his spear.

Everyone waited silently, the only sound that of the wind in the grass. Before long, though, a rhythmic thumping could be heard. It echoed across the plain and out of the hills nearby, a terrible sound like weapons being bashed on shields. It was soon accompanied by a strange, guttural and alien chanting, the likes of which he had never heard.

Keung stifled a gasp as several groups of astonishing warriors came into view- they were tall and pale-skinned, with massive, muscular frames. Their hair was the colour of straw and their eyes were blue as an icy sea. They carried fierce axes and swords, bashing them on their iron-bound shields. They wore animal pelts over their armour and their expressions were fell and grim.

"Th- the _Bailangren_…" he heard another recruit stammer. "They're... they're supposed to be loyal to Lord Sun Ce… why are they attacking?"

Guiren's heart pounded in his chest. These were the fabled warriors of the White Wolf tribe? He had always assumed they were just a rumour. Had he stepped out of reality and into a land of legends?

The huge barbarian warriors approached in their mobs, not at all dismayed by the regiment's superior numbers. The dull thud of their heavy boots could be felt through the ground now and several of the recruits were trembling in fear, though they stood off to one side, seemingly ignored by the foe.

"Where is the _comitatus_?" he heard Lady Qiao call out as she waited atop her horse. "I don't see them!"

Whatever a 'comitatus' was, it was clearly a concern to her and several of her mounted warriors scanned the area warily, trying to find the object she mentioned. The recruits were gazing around uneasily, not sure what they were looking for but certain it wasn't good.

Keung bit his lip as he could feel the company's nerve fraying. Only the sergeant seemed not to be on the verge of panic, although he was clearly tense and even keen for battle. Keung tried to control his breathing and looked at Guiren for assurance. The sour-faced boy nodded and kept looking back and forth.

Twigs snapped and there was a rustle of movement off on their right in the trees. Keung and Guiren both whirled to face the sound, their spears levelled while the sergeant did the same. No sooner had they done so than a titanic barbarian warrior, easily a head and shoulders and most of a chest taller than either of them, burst through the thicket, roaring in a terrifying voice, a huge axe held over his head. He was followed by at least a dozen more, all of them shouting their alien war cries.

Many of the recruits screamed in terror and broke, while some literally fainted. Just over half remained in place, Guiren and Keung among them, along with the sergeant, though whether this was because they were too frightened to move they could not say.

Guiren and Keung both let out a shout and made ready to fight when a horn sounded clearly, calling for everyone to stand down. The recruits milled about in confusion while the Lady's regiment stood at ease and the barbarians all began howling with laughter. Muttering, the sergeant sheathed his sword.

"Lord Elryk, you are incorrigible!" Lady Qiao called out, trying to sound like she was scolding someone. "To make matters worse, you and your men are actually becoming proficient at ambushes. We were only barely ready in time for you!"

A huge warrior with a wild mane of long yellow hair, apparently the Lord of the White Wolves, laughed in a roaring voice and bowed as she rode up to him, grinning ferociously. "As you say, my lady, but we of the Wolf must adapt, for sooner or later the armies of the Middle Kingdom will not be so easily intimidated by our appearance and savagery."

"Not to mention you scared my poor recruits half to death," she chided, thumping him on the arm with her tiny fist and indicating the remnants of the green company. "You need to be nicer to people, Elryk. Remember how long it took for the people of Erli-tou to get used to you?"

Lord Elryk chuckled as he looked at the recruits. "Aye, my lady, but this lot did much better than the last ones. Only half of this company ran away or fainted."

Lady Qiao sighed as one of Elryk's men brought up two hollowed-out animal horns, filled with some frothy brown liquid. They toasted one another and then drank, with the barbarian draining his horn easily while the Lady took several stiff slurps and then resorted to sipping daintily.

"You're getting better," the Wolf Lord remarked, clearly pleased. "Before long you will be drinking like one of our women and even some of my men."

"High praise indeed, my lord," she said cheerfully. Elryk looked at the recruits again and spied the sergeant. He squinted his eyes for a moment, scrutinizing him and then grinned.

"A Stone Demon! The scar says so! Drink with us, hero!"

The sergeant bravely strode forward and tried the foreign concoction (something called 'beel') and the barbarians all laughed as he sputtered and choked. Lady Qiao patted the sergeant's shoulder consolingly.

"Feel no shame, sergeant, for it is a cruel trick these barbarians play on everyone they meet," she said in a soothing tone. "Even my lord-husband has a terrible time drinking this mud and nobody of the Middle Kingdom is better at it than he is, much to General Gan Ning's perturbation."

As it became clear that they were in no danger, the recruits began to make camp, since they were obviously stopping for the night. They steered clear of the massive German warriors, most of whom simply grinned wickedly in passing them.

Night fell and a feast was held outside Erli-tou, celebrating the Lady Qiao's arrival. Though they could not attend the festivities, the recruits were camped nearby, close enough to observe the proceedings, an indulgence the sergeant allowed.

Keung and Guiren both ate distractedly, watching in fascination- this was the land of the legendary _Bailangren_, whom they had in previous times agreed did not actually exist. There had been vague rumours of their presence in Wu and the recruits from the Baifu region often claimed to have seen them before but no one gave their ludicrous stories any credence.

"Six months…" Guiren muttered. "Six long months of abuse, hardship and toil, where everything we had been led to believe seemed like a lie. Then, in one simple march, things no rational person would believe have come to life. What poisoned blossom did I eat, Keung? This must all be a hallucination, _shi_?"

"Let us hope not," his friend commented, masticating absently on a picked pear while he watched the proceedings around the distant bonfire. He could hear Lady Qiao playing a _konghou_ harp and singing in her enchanting voice while many of the barbarians cheered and dance drunkenly. "It may not be how we expected our fortunes to come about, but surely this is a beginning."

Guiren sighed, not fazed by his friend's eternal optimism. Seeing the great general Han Dang… being allowed to accompany Lady Da Qiao… finding out their cranky sergeant was a Stone Demon… nearly being eaten alive by the White Wolves… it was indeed wondrous, so why was he so irritable?

He concluded that he was waiting for the other shoe to drop.

* * *

Some days later they parted ways with Lady Qiao's regiment, with the recruit company still heading north while she split off and went east, apparently to take part in a campaign meant to keep the Prime Minister's armies off-balance. They were sorry to see her go, but it was not exactly their choice to make, either.

They eventually arrived in Changsha, the capital of the prefecture and the city that Grand Marshall Lu Meng called home. It was well-known that he preferred to be in the field with his men, but the necessities of military administration meant he was often found here.

Guiren and Keung were both stunned by the splendour of the city as they entered- neither of them had ever been to such a large urban center before and their little village seemed unfathomably far away now. The strong stone walls that ringed the city, the numberless houses and manors, divided up into different quarters, the riotous marketplace and the dozens of temples to various gods and goddesses… it was almost too much for them. Was this what they were fighting for?

They were marching through the city square and tried not to ogle as a procession of courtesans passed them, carried on open palanquins. The delightful ladies called to the recruits, giggling and blowing kisses at them, promising to make men of them if they returned from war.

Eventually they approached a large and ornate pavilion, apparently where Lu Meng kept his headquarters. As the prefect of the region he would have been entitled to use the city's palace for his residence but he eschewed the notion, preferring to leave it available for visiting royalty, such as the Sun family members or peers of the four noble clans of Wu. As they approached the Pavilion of Temperance and Wisdom, they heard their sergeant growl at them to smarten up and march properly, for the Grand Marshall himself was waiting on the stairs of the pavilion, flanked by members of his elite infantry regiment, the Long Fangs.

The sergeant called for his men to halt and stand at attention while Lu Meng strode down the steps and approached them. The sergeant bowed low and the Grand Marshall returned the gesture before smiling and clapping him on the shoulder. Clearly they were acquainted, another thunderbolt of revelation to the recruits.

"Good to see you again, Chun," Lu Meng said cheerfully. "Lord Huang Gai sends his regards and still mourns that you choose to keep other company than his."

"The Grand Marshall and Lord Huang Gai are too generous to an old man," the sergeant said humbly. "I come bearing this meagre offering of halfwits and sadsacks, none worthy of marching beneath the glorious banner of Wu."

Lu Meng laughed and strolled past the recruits, inspecting them casually. Keung tried not to stare in awe. The Grand Marshall seemed so personable and normal in some ways. Yet he moved with a confidence born of years of trial and effort. Clearly this was not a man to be trifled with.

Once he had completed this assessment, he turned to the sergeant and his face was serious.

"I know this seems ludicrous, but I am going to have you and your men deployed, old friend."

The sergeant's eyes widened. "But... my lord… they are hardly…"

"This the company of recruits that faced off against the _comitatus_, correct?" Lu Meng asked.

The sergeant nodded. "And half of them broke or fainted instantly, my lord."

To everyone's surprise, Lu Meng laughed. "And that is more than one half better than any other green company has ever done in the same situation. I am told Glandyth once shouted so loud that a recruit actually died of heart failure right on the spot."

"Whereas mine only fainted, fled or shat themselves," the sergeant muttered. "Their endurance of barbarians aside, I am not convinced that they are at all ready to serve."

"It cannot be helped, Chun." Lu Meng said plainly. "If I could give you the time to train further, I would, but Cao Cao's recovery has been quicker than even Lord Zhou Yu anticipated. We are dispatching several combat teams across the Yangtze to try and disrupt their logistics and impede their progress. While I promise you that I am not sending you into the thick of the fighting, your little company's baptism of fire is coming sooner than expected. I need you, my friend. Get your men encamped and come to my pavilion for your orders."

The sergeant bowed, his fist clasped in his hand. Lu Meng nodded and went into the pavilion. When their officer turned to face them, they saw a grim and fell look in his eyes they were not readily familiar with.

"You all heard the Grand Marshall," he said in a stern voice. "You will have the singular honour of fighting for the Southlands well ahead of schedule. If you thought I was hard on you before, it is nothing compared to what you are in for now as I whip your sorry asses into shape. Gods save us all. Let us make camp and please shut the hell up."

Guiren could not help but wonder what exactly they were getting themselves into, but he was pretty sure the other shoe had officially begun to drop.

How the toe had ended up his ass he was never quite sure.

* * *

"Parry, parry, slap-strike and low thrust!" the sergeant shouted. "Come on, you lot! You can do better! You eat a bowl of rice for lunch and it makes you fat and lazy? Try again! Two parries of your foe's sword, looping your spear shaft to fling his weapon aside, slap down to supress the recovery and then thrust into the abdomen! You've done it before!"

Guiren and Keung were sweating as they drilled the maneuver endlessly. It was so simple to watch and they thought they were imitating it well, but apparently the sergeant didn't think so. The style they practice, called _Moi Fah Cheung_ (Plum Blossom Spear), was a standard in the Southlands along with _Tang Lung Cheung _(Dragon or Left-side Spear), as opposed to the _Ying Cheung_ (Shadow Spear) practiced in the north. Today, though, _Sagwa Cheung_ seemed to be what the recruits felt most comfortable practicing. After a while the sergeant called for a stop and pinched his eyes.

"I did not want to try this particular training technique on you, but we are pressed for time and I imagine this will bring you up to speed or rid me of you. Come…"

He led them now back into the city of Changsha and they arrived at a training hall. The recruits frowned as they saw a soldier being taken out of the building on a litter. He was groaning and holding his privates while his nose bled profusely.

The training hall was spacious; the floor dominated by wooden and metal statues of warriors holding various weapons. Keung and Guiren looked at one another uncertainly.

"What you see before you is actually a rather archaic training protocol, but it has been revived and updated with considerable vigour," the sergeant explained, gesturing to the intimidating effigies. "Each of these statues is able to strike with a weapon, some of them more than once, because of the mechanisms sitting beneath them in the floor. Your job will be to parry the strikes and counterattack, as we have been practicing. They will not kill you but they _will _hurt your pride considerably, possibly along with other body parts if you fail."

"Have… have you trained with one before, sergeant?" asked one recruit, raising his hand.

"Of course, you idiot," snorted the officer. "I wouldn't have become a member of the Huolong if I had not, never mind the Stone Demons. We trained with dummies such as these a few times a month."

"But our foes on the battlefield are unpredictable and these statues attack only a limited number of ways." Guiren pointed out.

"That is correct, o sage," the sergeant sneered. "It does not feel, it does not think, it does not make mistakes, it only does the one thing it is made to do. You need to do what you are trained to do better than it does what it was designed for. Still sound simple?"

The sergeant now gestured for a young man named Hua to come forward and stood him in front of a large wooden statue holding a wooden _jian. _The head was shaped to look like a fearsome warrior with a bristling beard and bulging eyes.

"This fellow here will strike three times. You will be able to parry and counter with the spear technique you have been working on. He is fast but the limbs and joints are loose enough to allow you to actually parry him. Miss and your girlfriend will weep. When I give the signal, be ready."

Hua nodded nervously and held his spear in a defensive position. Keung bit his lip as he saw his comrade preparing to back away from the statue's promised impending assault. The sergeant gave a subtle signal and a series of rumblings and clanks emanated from beneath the wooden floor, followed by what sounded like a rush of water.

The statue trembled for a moment and then lurched its body to one side, the arm holding the sword flailing across at torso height in a horizontal cut. Hua cried out in panic and attempted to dodge the strike rather than parry and was rewarded with a sickening blow to the groin as the statue switched directions and slashed with a backhanded stroke. The man fell, holding his privates and rolling back and forth.

"If you suckheads don't want to be deployed to the front, here's your way out," the sergeant growled, leaving Hua to keen in a kind of pain that every recruit felt. "If you train hard enough after this, maybe there will be a spot for you in Lady Shang Xiang's amazon regiment, since your balls would not be required."

Another recruit was summoned forward, this time a man named Yi. Learning from Hua's error, he successfully parried the first strike of the statue but the backslash caught him hard across the hip as he twisted to protect his manhood. He joined Hua off to the side.

Keung broke into a cold sweat as he was ordered up next. He tried to calm himself as he stood in front of the statue, his spear held loosely in his grip. He had been trained not to tense up his muscles since it not only was a waste of energy but also adversely affected his balance. Like a lithe willow, he would bend with force, never breaking.

He took deep breaths as he watched for the telltale sounds of the statue readying to move. He already knew what the moves would look like, he just had to keep calm and remember what to do. The sergeant had told them how the thing worked and moved, there was no reason to expect it to do otherwise.

He nodded to himself as he heard the mechanisms clanking and the statues juddered to life. The first blow came as expected and he parried it with the haft of his spear. To his amazement, the statue's movement followed his parry and the backhand swipe was a recovery! The statue was moving _exactly_ how a foe would if Keung controlled the fight! He parried again as it came back, knocking the sword to the outside. At this point, a foe would be wide open. He lunged in with his spear, driving it at the statue's chest.

He had forgotten the third strike in his eagerness and his spear point gouged the effigy's chest as the third blow landed home, striking him a glancing blow off the shoulder and then cracking across the side of his skull. He spun around and swayed drunkenly for a moment, looking at Guiren in confusion before collapsing to the floor.

Guiren waited grimly as the statue made short work of many of his fellow recruits, all of whom were unnerved by the contraption. Guiren was twenty-third in line and he made several silent prayers to the Heavens that he would not make a fool of or emasculate himself. He stood with the spear in hand, his wrists relaxed and his stance firm but flexible. He ignored the sweat beading on his temple as he waited patiently.

The statue struck and he parried, watching the blow go wide. It came back and he parried again in the tight circle, feeling the articulated shoulder of the statue respond to the flinging motion. It struck again rapidly as it changed direction and he cried out as he slapped down with the haft of his spear and then thrust, driving the spear into the abdomen of the wooden foe.

The statue stopped moving and all was silent. Guiren was breathing hard, still pressing the spear point forward, not daring to move. He was aware that only seconds had passed since the so-called bout had begun, no more than ten, but it somehow felt like hours.

The sergeant walked up beside him and sighed. "There, now was that really so hard?" he asked before turning and sauntering away.

Applause and cheers came from the recruits, those yet to try and those who had already attempted. Guiren was the first to have completed the maneuver. He sat down next to Keung and looked at his spear, as if for the first time. The revelation that had washed over him following the exercise was almost euphoric. He would never fail that exercise again! He understood what it was meant to do now, he could see it in his mind and how it worked.

"Well done, my friend," Keung said, smiling while he rubbed his head. "You were the first of us."

"It would have been you if you hadn't become overeager," Guiren pointed out. "You figured out how it worked and what it all meant, I could see it in your eyes."

"Yeah, before that wooden bastard knocked my eyes out of my head," he groused. "Is it crazy of me to say I am not averse to the notion of trying out the other statues?"

"Probably," Guiren mused, still rather pleased with himself. "One challenge at a time, right?"

They watched as the rest of their company faced off against the mechanical foe, many of them beating it, a few handily now that the example had been set. In spite of his sour words, the sergeant seemed pleased.

"Alright, you lot," he declared as a gong sounded inside the city, announcing the midday. "We will take our meal and then return to try again. Everyone, except maybe the girl formerly known as Hua…"

There was a chorus of laughter and jibes at Hua's expense continued throughout the day.

* * *

They had trained diligently for three more days and the recruits were feeling very accomplished. They had mastered the initial dummy, even with an increased speed and strength and they tried themselves against three more, performing admirably. When the time came for their deployment as part of a strike across the river, their morale was high, even if they were nervous.

"Don't worry, my friends," Keung said easily with his charismatic smile. "Remember what we've accomplished! We stood against the White Wolves without disaster, something no other green company has done. We prevailed in the training hall against four different types of foes and attacks, which was apparently good enough to be reported to the Grand Marshall as noteworthy. And most important of all, what other green company can say they are led by a Stone Demon?"

"Keung is right!" called out a man named Pan. "We have proven worthy to go on this expedition and we must make the sergeant proud! We're men of Wu and we will not be beaten by any foe!"

The company cheered raucously until the sergeant entered the camp, scowling at them. They all went silent and stood at attention while he chided them.

"Gods, you are an insufferable lot!" he growled. "You beat four statues in a fight and now you're the equal of the Night Tigers? I should apparently be training under _you_!"

The men laughed and Guiren bowed. "No disrespect to any other unit is intended, sergeant, but we all agree that we are only as good as we are because of your training."

"Then I'll surely be lashed and hung for treason," he muttered. "I warn you now, you represent an ancient tradition of martial valour but your opponents from the north will not care. They intend to take your lands and your women, make no mistake. They will be tough to beat."

The men were silent, considering his words.

"But if it makes you morons feel any better, the Grand Marshall is apparently duly impressed and has an important assignment for us during the engagement we will be taking part in."

The recruits all looked proud, grinning at one another.

"Now go eat, get your gear ready and say your prayers at whatever shrines are nearby, for we move out in eight hours!" the sergeant announced. "Dismissed!"

Keung and Guiren packed their combat gear and went to the shrine of Chu Jung, the god of fire, who was a patron of their village. Rumour had it that he was also the patron deity of the Sun family, which, if true, was something to take great pride in.

After their prayers they enjoyed a few cups of heated wine in the mess tent, since they were already prepared. Keung smiled and challenged his friend cheerfully.

"So how many heads will you take in the name of Wu and the Sun family?" he asked.

Guiren, actually in a good mood, made a show of thinking. "I shall wager ten in this, our first engagement."

"Fine words and a lofty goal," Keung mused. "With your declaration laid out, I shall pledge myself to twelve, including one officer of at least sergeant's rank or higher."

"Fine, then at least one of mine will be a cavalier," shot back Guiren. "And I shall take his plumed helmet to prove it."

There was a loud belch from the table next to them and a rather surly-looking man glared at them as he put his wine cup down.

"You fuck-ups think you'll manage to do anything other than get yourselves killed?" he sneered. "Fine training you have received indeed, if you think you can take on work that a Night Tiger would not consider lightly."

Guiren scowled but Keung put up a placating hand to his friend while addressing the man. "Not that our wagers or our training are any of your concern, but for the record we are indeed proud of our accomplishments and our training. Sergeant Chun was a Stone Demon at one point and it shows in what he imparts to us."

"Oh, indeed it does," laughed the man. "We all know what he imparts to you all once he has bent you over in his private tent."

Guiren roared and threw himself across the table and tackled the man off his bench and to the ground, punching him repeatedly. One of the man's friends tried to pull Guiren off but Keung intervened, slamming his fist across the soldier's jaw and sending him sprawling. Another man leapt in but Keung was ready and the brawl wound its way throughout the large tent, sending tables, benches, wine cups and jars everywhere.

Flush with their praise and their victories, Keung and Guiren fought much better than green recruits should have, especially considering that they were outnumbered. The fight began to turn against them, however, as more opponents rushed up, eager to teach the upstarts a lesson. It was only when Sergeant Chun rushed in that things started to even up.

Punching and cuffing and swearing at everyone in sight, the sergeant made his way toward the belligerent duo, yelling for order and an end to the fighting. It seemed to have no effect and in fact he was soon challenged by the company commander of the men fighting with Guiren and Keung.

"Your bastards started this, let them get what's coming to them!" the man snarled at Chun.

Without hesitating, the sergeant punched the man so hard that he flew backward over several tables and crashed in a heap, unconscious. He whirled around and glared angrily at the remaining combatants and they all began to back off, not willing to risk his wrath, even if he was only formerly a Stone Demon.

Keung and Guiren were panting and looked battered, but their eyes flashed defiantly. The man Guiren had initially attacked was still out cold from the pummeling he had received.

"Get your sorry asses out of here!" the sergeant roared. They bowed hastily and left, sprinting back to their own encampment zone, where they would have friends in case their foes decided the matter was not settled. They waited patiently for the sergeant to get back, telling everyone else to stay clear. Sergeant Chun's face was almost purple when he found them.

"We are mere _hours_ from moving out on campaign and you idiots decide to get in a fight with our own troops? Give me one good reason why I should not have you thrown in irons and leave you behind to rot!"

"They impugned our company, sergeant!" Guiren protested.

"And they made fun of your past as a Stone Demon!" Keung added. "The first man said the only thing you trained us to do was bend over inside your tent and let you have your way with us!"

"And what, pray tell, did you say that incensed the man so to begin with?" the sergeant growled, flexing his hands as if he was restraining himself from choking the life out of them.

Keing and Guiren looked at one another. "Initially we said nothing to him; we were talking to one another and placing a wager about how many heads we would bring back. I promised to bring back the head of one ranking officer and Guiren said he would take the helmet of a cavalier. Then he began insulting us, though we had said nothing to him."

"Well at least that explains it," Sergeant Chun muttered. "The men you fought with are part of a cavalry company. They are called the Bronze Cavaliers and they are known for their arrogance."

"Then hopefully we took them down a peg or two." Guiren said, sighing and rubbing at a bruise on his chin. "It is not becoming of warriors of the Southlands to behave in that manner."

Sergeant Chun looked at him in disbelief. "Have you morons _heard _yourselves over the past two days? One would think you were aiming to replace the Night Tigers on the battlefield."

"That's what the guy I punched out said." Guiren mused. "Are we really that arrogant?"

"Or that good?" Keung added.

Chun groaned. "Get yourselves ready, I will inform the commander of the Bronze Cavaliers that we will deal with the matter once the campaign is concluded. Try not to piss anyone else off."

They were bombarded with questions as they made ready, but discipline and eagerness prevailed and the company was ready to march within minutes. When the sergeant returned, he inspected them and nodded approvingly.

"Alright, you have proven you can be ready. Now drop your gear and your weapons."

The men all protested, thinking that maybe they were being removed from active duty, but the sergeant put up a hand, staying them. "Do as you're told, now."

Grudgingly, the recruits dropped their spears and stripped off their gear. As they were grumbling, two wagons approached their encampment and baggage train handlers began unloading bundles and equipment. The men all watched in shock as they revealed proper outfits of crimson trimmed in gold, along with light armour and keen spears, meant for combat.

"We have need of regular troops on the front lines and your current equipment is not equal to the task that is being asked of you." Sergeant Chun said sternly. "Your new armour is a stiff quilt tunic with leather scales and your current spears will be sent back to the training camps for future recruits. You are now full members of the armies of the glorious Sun family. I expect you to behave as such."

The men cheered as they re-equipped themselves, complimenting one another on their garb and weaponry. They were ready quickly and stood beneath their new banner, which proclaimed their company name…

_Lu-Mog'ui_, the Green Demons.

* * *

They had crossed the Yangtze into contested territory and were waiting in ambush. The Prime Minister's forces had withdrawn from the regions along the river, attempting to force the Southlanders to garrison the lands but Lord Sun Ce had not risen to take the bait, at least not yet. He had taken control of certain key strongpoints and landings, fortifying them but refusing to send garrison troops into the lands of the river. The first raids by the north were smashed by the Wu troops as they attempted to force them out of their strongholds.

"Lord Sun Ce has not liberated these lands, sergeant?" Keung asked as they waited in the darkness, peering out into the fields before them.

"Not yet," Sergeant Chun replied, his eyes scanning the night. "One day, maybe, but now is not the time."

"But, if these people are suffering, should not a benevolent ruler take them in hand?" the recruit pressed.

Chun sighed. "I am no politician, boy, but it would be extremely dangerous for us to garrison these lands right now. In doing so we would be leaving our strong fortifications on the south side of the Great River behind. That is what the enemy wants. If these people need protection, Lord Sun Ce has extended an invitation for them to cross the Yangtze and join us. There are worse things than abandoning one's home in the face of adversity and death."

It seemed cruel to ask people to flee their ancestral homes, but Keung could not argue the sergeant's point. Certainly he would feel no regrets in leaving their little village if it meant not dying. Pei wasn't all that wonderful anyway.

The sergeant hissed for silence and they all waited in anticipation. Distantly they could hear the tread of feet through the field. They could hear the commander calling to his men as they marched quickly. Through the night, Guiren's keen eyes could see them approach.

"There's maybe just more than a company, sergeant," he whispered. "They're marching in a long column, two abreast…" he strained to identify their banner in the moonlight as he and his fellow recruits hid in the tall brushes.

"Their banner declares them to be the Golden Archers. Your orders, sergeant?" he asked.

The sergeant's eyes narrowed as the enemy company came into view. They marched with discipline and clearly had experience, but they were lightly armoured and they carried only knives as side arms. Better still, their commander, in his arrogance, had not yet noticed them and was taking no precautions about being attacked, he was clearly only interested in getting somewhere in a hurry.

A fatal error.

"Now!" the sergeant hissed as he rose out of the reeds and charged, followed by his recruits, all shouting as they plowed into the stunned enemy. The Golden Archers were completely unprepared for the assault and several died with spears in their midriffs before they knew what was happening.

Guiren snarled and thrust his spear forward, driving it through the sternum of his target. The man gasped and gurgled before collapsing, his entire body shuddering as he died. At the base of his spine, Keung could feel a wash of realization and horror about taking a life building but he forced it down violently, resolving to deal with the issue after the battle. It was a little late now.

The enemy formation had been long and thin, meant for speedy travel and not at all for combat. They were burst apart by the Green Demons quickly and while the brawl was confused, the outcome was not really in doubt. Ambushed and spread out where they could not support one another, the northerners stood no chance.

This did not mean they were going down without a fight, however. Nearly half of them had been wounded or killed, but the remainder began to fight back, drawing their knives and using them deftly. The speed of the small blades made parrying with a spear difficult and several of the Green Demons were wounded in the savage exchange, at least one severely.

The sergeant had discarded his spear and taken two knives from the enemy, using them with a swiftness Guiren had not seen before, weaving and dodging amongst his targets, felling them with precise and lethal blows. Keung was stunned by the flawless mastery shown and wondered what level of control it took to become so puissant.

Pain flooded up his arm as a knife buried itself in his shoulder from behind. He cried out and kicked backwards, catching his unseen foe in the groin with his shoe. As the man doubled over, Guiren spun and drove his spear down through the man's back, pinning him to the ground. He stamped on the corpse to help pull his spear out and charged into another man, the white-hot pain in his shoulder driving him to a fury he did not know he possessed.

The man dodged his first strike but Guiren spun and slammed the butt of his spear across the man's head, sending him reeling. He lunged again and buried his spear blade in his foe's throat before dropping to one knee, reaching to clutch his shoulder. The pain was overwhelming and his head swam. He breathed deeply and tried to master himself, not daring to open his eyes. Everything sounded like it was slow and distorted, as if he was underwater.

When he finally did open his eyes, he found himself feeling detached, almost passively observing the wild melee that went on around him. He found himself watching Keung as his friend leapt in and attacked the enemy commanding officer. The commander carried a stout _jian_ as a weapon and it soon became obvious why Keung had chosen this man as his foe.

He parried the commander's first strike and then the second, knocking the blade wide. He slapped down hard with the haft of his spear and then drove the blade deep into the man's abdomen. The man cried out but gripped onto the spear haft, pinning Keung to him and raising his blade for a vengeful final strike…

Keung punched him into the face, knocking him over. He then grabbed the commander's sword and with a loud shout he struck his head from his prostrate body.

"Clear!" shouted the sergeant, holding up one of the knives he was using. Dozens of responses echoed rapidly around him and the sound of the fighting had died off. What followed was an almost deafening silence, punctuated only by the groans of the maimed and dying.

Guiren hissed as he rose, still holding his shoulder. He straightened himself and looked around wearily, the pain he was in giving everything a sickly yellowish colour, even in the dark of night. The Golden Archers had been slain to a man. He noticed a few of his own comrades lying on the ground but for the most part they seemed to be moving.

"Alright, you lot, get these bodies into the bushes and gather their bows!" the sergeant said sternly. I want this completed in ten minutes, before anyone else comes to investigate!"

The recruits moved quickly but many of them were still shaking from their first taste of real combat. One of them was sent to fetch the junior healer assigned to them, hiding a few hundred spans away, out of danger.

The sergeant now approached Keung, who was standing and breathing deeply, massaging his temples as he attempted to clear his mind. To the recruit's amazement, the sergeant clapped him on the shoulder and nodded.

"Well, done, boy," he said, nodding to the decapitated body of the enemy commander. "Looks like you've got a head start on Guiren with your bet. Retrieve that helmet and we'll get it cleaned up for you…"

Keung nodded and reached down to gingerly unstrap the helmet off the dead man's head, repulsed by how the eyes gawked at him accusingly. He bowed as he presented the gory trophy to the sergeant. The veteran warrior grinned and held it in the air for his men to see.

"Green Demons! Your first war trophy!"

"Keung! Keung!" the men shouted in response, clapping him on the shoulder as they raised their weapons in the air.

It didn't matter what exactly they had accomplished tactically with this minor action, the fact that they had triumphed handily over what was apparently an experienced unit was good enough. Flush with their victory, the newly-minted warriors set about the task assigned with a will before getting back into their ranks and waiting while their sergeant inspected.

"Battle has been given some _li_ to our east," he announced, standing in front of his men. "Though the engagement is much larger than the one we fought here, the Grand Marshall told me that he did not want the Golden Archers we just fought to complete their flanking action and harry our forces, as they were rumoured to be quite competent. This was a job well done and I will make sure he hears of how you discharged your duties on this night."

He waited while the healers tended to those who had been wounded and noted with grim satisfaction that not one of his recruits had died, though one or two might not be able to continue to serve in battle. They would see to this issue when they crossed back over the Yangtze. Until then, he still had to get this lot back alive and intact if their victory was to mean anything. He knew that sacrificing a unit to destroy an enemy unit, even a veteran one, was not a trade-off that Wu could readily afford.

Within minutes they were ready to begin their march but then they heard horns, many of them.

"Sergeant? Those horns… are they ours or theirs?" one of the men asked quietly, trying to keep the trepidation out of his voice.

The sergeant said nothing but closed his eyes and listened. When he opened them his expression was grim. "To my knowledge none of our troops engaged in this operation are as far west as we now find ourselves. Unless I miss my guess, those horns belong to a regiment-sized unit heading east at speed."

"What do we do?" asked another. "Do we continue back across the river as planned?"

Sergeant Chun was silent for several moments, biting his lip. He knew not to throw his men away, but to not come to the aid of his comrades when he knew he could… was this also not throwing lives away?

"Guiren, Cheung," he said finally, his eyes glinting with determination. "You two can see like gimlets in the dark, probably as a result of youth wasted spying on bathing girls in your home town. I want you to go and sight the enemy unit as quickly as you can, try to assess their strength and intent and report back to me. They cannot be much farther than three or four _li_ north of us. You are swift runners, so I expect you back within an hour. We will begin a march eastward, so find us as quickly as you can. Leave your spears behind and go!"

The two warriors bowed hastily and dashed off into the night, determined to make their sergeant proud.

"Is it wise to send only the two of them, sergeant?" wondered one of the remaining troopers. "Should we not assist?"

"Even a full company of you morons is no match for a regiment," he growled, watching them disappear from sight. "Their luck hasn't run out on them yet, let us see if it will hold until dawn. Gods willing, you fools will have another chance to make a name for yourselves before the sun rises."

* * *

Guiren breathed deep as he paced himself, running steadily alongside his friend. He was the faster of the two of them but if the course was long, Keung could run farther, so he did not push his body too hard. What counted now was making sure they got back to report at all.

"And you thought… the gods would not smile on us…" Keung panted as they headed north toward the foe.

"How is this smiling on us?" Guiren remarked, scowling. "I've been injured and we are trying to find an enemy regiment by ourselves. It smacks of suicide to me."

"I must ask, how exactly did you plan to be noticed in an army of heroes if you intended to commit no heroic acts?" Keung teased. "By sitting back on your haunches and complaining until someone promoted you?"

Guiren said nothing, looking directly ahead.

"Think of it this way, you have received your first battle scar, a valiant trophy to show your beloved Lei when you see her next. Imagine how proud she will be of you. Girls love battle scars."

Guiren could not refute that logic, since Lei had indeed told him before he left that she looked forward to counting each and every scar on his body during their wedding night. As anxious as battle seemed to make him, he could not deny that the gods were giving him plenty of chances to prove he had what it took to be a hero.

"Let's just keep focused for now," he said finally. "If the sergeant thinks it was a regiment up ahead, I'm pretty sure we don't want to display our valour by getting caught, _shi_? We should just get close enough to take a tally, try to identify them and then head back. No heroics just yet, okay?"

"You have my full agreement, my friend." Keung said readily. "We have one victory already tonight, let us not overshadow it with colossal recklessness."

Guiren nodded and they ran along in silence. They could still hear the horns up ahead and now could hear the rumble of many feet marching in unison. Their brows knit as the realization descended upon them that they were alone and now closer to the enemy than they were to any friends. If there had ever been a time in their lives to practice caution, this was officially it.

The stopped running and crept forward, altering their course slightly to the east so as to remain abreast of their quarry. They spotted some bushes and slipped into them, praying they would not be noticed. Guiren's hand reflexively went to the crystal around his neck and gripped it, running his thumb over the charm.

"_Lei… I do this for you. You give me the strength and the courage to face this foe."_

The clouds parted and they were now able to see their foe- indeed it looked to be a full infantry regiment not much more than a hundred spans away from them, marching toward that battle that raged on to their east. Keung felt his neck begin to sweat as he counted company after company tromping by, mostly swordsmen with shields and heavy armour. Their blue and gold banners fluttered in the night breeze, proclaiming them to be the Immortal Blades.

But what caught their attention most was the name of the commander, sewn in gold thread into the top of each of those proud banners…

Cao Pi.

"Shit…" Guiren breathed. "The fucking heir of the Prime Minister. Now what the hell do we do?"

"We tell the sergeant, I guess," replied Keung quietly. "Do you think that is him, riding at the head of the column?"

"The banners say so," Guiren mused. "We should report it is Cao Pi and if it isn't him, well, no one will fault us. I have been told he is an arrogant-looking son of a bitch, so the commander certainly has the air about him to be."

"I've been told most of the Prime Minister's family and commanders are arrogant sons of bitches," Keung commented, actually smiling. "Either way, I would be happy to have a part in wiping that smug look off his face."

"I think we've seen enough. Let's go." Guiren urged.

They slowly crept out of the bushes and slipped back toward the south, not daring to turn east yet. The enemy was not running, so assuming they kept their current pace in their heavy armour, the two of them would be able to get out of sight and then sprint to catch up with their company.

Guiren said a prayer of thanks as the clouds covered the moon again, casting the land into darkness. Casting caution to the wind, they broke into a full run, ready to exhaust themselves in order to get back and report their findings to Sergeant Chun. His shoulder burned and made him light-headed, but Guiren pushed it from his mind and kept focused on running.

He pictured his beloved Lei running alongside him…

The sergeant called for a halt as he spied the two soldiers stumbling up, red in the face and panting in exhaustion. He stood in front of them while they collapsed to their knees, trying to catch their breath. Two troopers brought over water for them and they drank greedily.

"Slow down, you idiots," the sergeant hissed. "You'll cramp up if you keep drinking like pigs and then I'll be forced to leave you behind. Pace yourselves and when you can speak let me know what you have found out."

They both nodded dutifully and took slow, deep breaths, trying to compose themselves. Keung recovered first and clasped his fist in his hand.

"Sergeant," he began breathlessly. "We saw an infantry regiment to the north heading east toward the battle. Their banners proclaimed them to be the Immortal Blades, commanded by Cao Pi. At least ten full companies."

The sergeant said nothing as he listened to their report but his expression was grim. "How quickly are they moving?"

"They are marching steadily, but seem to not be running since they are heavily armoured." Guiren answered, finally able to speak. "Sergeant, are they… could that really be Cao Pi's personal regiment?"

It took the sergeant a moment to respond, obviously still lost in thought. "I have heard it said that his personal regiment is called the Immortal Blades. They are an elite unit, some of the most proficient swordsmen in the northern plains."

"What do we do?" asked one of the other troopers. "Even if they were not elite, they still outnumber us ten to one, sergeant. If we have completed our assignment, should we not cross the river as ordered? Surely the Grand Marshall has anticipated this sort of thing."

The sergeant still said nothing for several seconds until Keung bowed.

"Sergeant, with all due respect… is it not possible that Lady Da Qiao is fighting in the east? I would consider myself remiss in my duty if I do not do everything I possibly could to keep these Immortal Blades away from our princess."

Several of the Green Demons whispered amongst themselves at the mention of Da Qiao, the realization of her possible peril washing over them. If they seemed anxious to retreat seconds ago, the notion of their princess being in danger overrode this completely sensible urge.

Sergeant Chun nodded gravely. "I know for a fact that the Lady's regiment is engaged in the east, it was all part of the plan. And while I certainly would not suggest that the princess' safety hinges on the actions of you blithering idiots, I know that it is the duty of every soldier in Wu to fight and die to protect her."

He now turned and fixed his troops with a challenging gaze. "Are you sorry lot ready to throw away your lives to save the princess, even if she never knows of your sacrifice?"

Several of them men cried out loudly that they were and virtually all nodded their affirmation. Sergeant Chun nodded and cracked his knuckles. "Then we'll send the medics back over the river with our wounded and we will head east with all speed. And if you sorry asses thought you ran fast to keep up with the princess on the way north, it will be nothing compared to how fast I make you run east to save her. Fall in!"

The men all formed marching ranks and waited silently while the wounded were escorted south. Chun knelt in front of Guiren, who was still kneeling and trying to catch his breath.

"Can you do this?" the sergeant asked. "That shoulder wound is nothing to sniff at, it would be perfectly acceptable for you to head south so that you may fight another day, son."

"I will be fine, sergeant," Guiren replied. "I will die before I let this wound keep me from discharging my duty to Lord Sun Ce and his consort. No force on earth will stop me."

"I'm holding you to that," the sergeant said, nodding. "Because you and your pea-brained friend here are going to be running at the front of the column, setting the pace for everyone else to match. Go."

Keung helped his friend up and they assumed their positions next to the sergeant at the head of the column. Guiren was pale but his eyes glinted with grim determination.

"Look at it this way," Keung suggested, grinning at his friend. "At least we're not at the back of the column where Liang can keep farting on us."

In spite of himself and the searing pain in his shoulder, Guiren laughed.

* * *

The Green Demons ran hard, stopping only once to drink some water while they sprinted east towards the battle. Amazed at his own fortitude, Guiren was still managing to set the pace by which the company ran. Even Sergeant Chun seemed somewhat winded as they sprinted through the night.

"Sergeant, a question," Keung said as they drank, resting their legs for a moment. "What will we do once we arrive at the battle? We are unlooked for in all likelihood and the Immortal Blades are likely to be our closest foe and they still outnumber us. How then will we keep them from entering the battle?"

"That is not possible," Chun answered simply. "Barring intervention by the gods, the Immortal Blades will engage our comrades. Under our own power we cannot stop that. My plan is to let them get engaged and then to hit them from behind once they are committed."

"But they will still outnumber us, I imagine," mused Keung. "Will we be enough?"

"Maybe, maybe not," the sergeant said in a plain voice. "We may be going to our deaths, overwhelmed by a more skilled foe. But that is our duty and we have agreed we shall execute it to the best of our meagre abilities. There is no turning back now."

He paused to examine Guiren's shoulder, scowling as he did so. "The blood has stopped flowing and now your shoulder and arm will be cramping so badly that you will not be able to move them. If you plan to be anything other than a hindrance to us, you will need this…"

He pulled a small pouch off of his belt and from a jar he fingered out a noxious-smelling green goop that he smeared all over the wound. Guiren grunted and gnashed his teeth in dreadful pain for several seconds until the throbbing went away, replaced by an almost euphoric bliss that tingled throughout his body.

"That should get you through the next hour or so," the veteran muttered as he put the tiny jar away. "As long as it didn't rob you of all common sense, that is. It was a salve given to me by the healer Ren Neng while I was a Stone Demon. Because Lord Huang Gai's men bore the brunt of the heavy fighting, each of us was supplied with a small amount that would allow us to keep fighting and sell our lives as dearly as possible."

"Sounds like you should smear some on all of us, sergeant!" quipped one trooper, eliciting chuckles from several others.

"Forget it," Chun muttered. "Guiren is normally a moron and this ointment will just make him even stupider. I am not the least bit interested in putting up with all of you being that retarded for a whole battle."

They resumed their run, the sergeant clearly trying to make calculations in his head about how they would best be used in the upcoming melee. The battle was already underway and one company would not tilt the odds in Wu's favour if they simply showed up, so he weighed his options carefully. Ninety green spearmen, plunging headlong into a maelstrom of violence…

He held up his hand, ordering a stop. His men waited breathlessly while he scrawled some characters on the ground, mumbling to himself. A few minutes later, he turned to face them.

"We know that no enemy can be south of us, meaning that our closest foes are the Immortal Blades. If they are this close to the river, the mean to veer south and skirt the water to attack our flank during the engagement; that being said, we will let them get ahead of us and once they are committed to battle we will drive into their rear, hopefully causing confusion and distracting them. If you fight hard enough, they might think a larger force has ambushed them, but you would all have to fight like you mean it. Do you morons hear me?"

His men all nodded solemnly, their bravado noticeably absent now that the reality of what they were going to do had sunk in. It was unlikely many of them would survive.

"Don't let your nerves get the better of you, other warriors have been in worse scrapes than this. Have you all heard of Lady Shang Xiang's stand at Moon Water Bridge against Zhang Liao and a thousand troops?"

Several of the men nodded but still others looked unsure.

"Well for you doubters out there, it really happened," he said almost proudly. "I was part of that campaign against Lu Bu and while I did not see the battle for myself, I have spoken with the women of her amazon regiment and they have confirmed it. She and her captain Fu Chin Ran held a bridge against a thousand rebels and the warrior Zhang Liao. If the Bow-Hipped Princess can survive five hundred to one odds, you sad sacks should be able to handle a sneak attack at ten to one, yes?"

This strengthened their resolve noticeably and he nodded in satisfaction. "What we have to do now is be patient and position ourselves carefully if we are to ambush the foe. I'll need two volunteers to scout out the enemy's movements and when they are approaching the battle. Guiren and Keung cannot volunteer. They'll need their strength for the fighting to come."

Two men raised their hands and were sent forward to scout the enemy. The rest of the company resumed their march under the stars, conserving their energy for the conflict. Most were feeling the earlier exhilaration of coming to blows with the enemy and seemed to be keenly anticipating another round.

"How does that salve make you feel?" Keung asked of his friend, both concerned and curious. Guiren made a face and then answered. "It is mostly numb now, there is still some pain and stiffness but nothing like I imagine it should be. If the salve holds out long enough, I should be able to use my arm for the fighting."

"Then let us hope our comrades return with new of imminent danger quickly." Keung replied, grinning. "And don't forget, we still have our wager to finish. We shall consider this an extension of our first engagement, yes?"

"Sounds fair," Guiren grunted. "More chances to kick your ass and take as many trophies as the northerners will give me."

"Then let us hope they are feeling generous this night…" Keung said as they marched quickly toward the tempest.

* * *

They stood at the very edge of what had become a battlefield, a large plain on which two armies contested a prominent hill crowned with a small fortress. Most of the whirling melee was hidden form them by the dark of night but countless cymbals, horns and drums indicated that this was no small skirmish but a pitched battle. The clash of steel and the discordant blaring of instruments mingled with the rumble of countless feet and the wails of the maimed and dying.

"There they are," exclaimed the scout who had been sent ahead to tail the Immortal Blades. He pointed to their north and east, indicating the regiment that marched toward the combat, their weapons now drawn as they prepared to enter the fray. "They will enter the battle within the next two minutes, sergeant. What do we do?"

Sergeant Chun strained his eyes as they concealed themselves behind their vantage point, a small farm with a rickety old fence that provided just enough cover under darkness to keep them from being spotted. He tried to identify any banners or clarion calls he could make out at that this distance. If only the damned clouds would clear…

Guiren peered through the night, trying to help. "Sergeant, our closest allies are… the Young Tigers."

"Damn," Sergeant Chun muttered. "The Young Tigers are a company from Baifu, composed of boys who have lost their families to the war. They're exclusively orphans. They are trained from a young age to fight for Wu, but they are still green, like you imbeciles."

"So it's fair to say that Lord Sun Ce would not be pleased if they perished to a man at the hands of these Immortal Blades." Keung posited. The sergeant scowled at him and he stopped talking.

"Do the Young Tigers see the Blades?" asked another trooper. "Can we warn them?"

"Not without giving our position away," Chun answered grimly. "Even if they turn to meet the treat, they are but one company against an elite regiment. They will be ground into dust. They are on the edge of the battle so that they can help to turn the enemy's flank when the moment to counter-attack comes. But if the Immortal Blades hit them first…"

"Then not only do the young Dragons get annihilated but our forces get flanked." Guiren muttered. "Sergeant, we can't let them be destroyed. What can we do to aid them?"

"We will charge into the rear of our foe at just the right moment, as they are about to engage the Tigers," Chun said, his mind made up. "By the gods, you sorry lot listen to me and listen good. We will only have the element of surprise for mere moments before the enemy is able to respond in a coordinated manner. Between ourselves and the Young Tigers, we cannot kill enough of them to prevent a response. All we can do is attack and pray for a miracle. Steel your hearts and clench your sphincters, because we move out now. Keep pace with me."

He led them at a brisk jog north to get directly behind the Blades, who were fanning out in a formation called 'Fish Scales' that allowed them to attack on a small front and still support one another. Their horns and cymbals rang out, announcing their arrival on the battlefield. Keung could feel a cold sweat building on his neck, the tumultuous and inhuman sounds of battle ringing in his ears. He thought of his darling Min and how proud she would be of him for his part in this great battle.

Even though he was likely to not survive it.

"_No, you're not a hero yet,"_ he reminded himself. _"Only great heroes are allowed to die in battle, a list of glorious accomplishments already to their name. It is my job to make the other man die for his country and let his girl mourn the loss. Min, I will make you proud of me and dammit, I'll be demanding proof of it when I see you next…"_

The Young Tigers had been alerted to their peril by the enemy's instruments and turned to face their foe. But one company of young and brash spearmen against over a thousand seasoned warriors… they were doomed to death and defeat.

Guiren had not even noticed that the sergeant had picked up the pace and they were now running quickly, weapons ready, as they tried to catch up with the Blades, who still had not seemed to notice them, intent as they were on their prey. He worked himself into a fury, thinking of the Bronze Cavaliers he had fought before the march and how he had sworn to make every foe pay for threatening his home. He thought of his desire to protect Lady Da Qiao, whatever the cost.

And he sure as hell had no intention of letting Keung win their wager.

"Look at their armour," the sergeant said, drawing his blade as he ran. "It is thinnest in the small of the back and behind the knee. If you cannot kill your foe, take him down so he cannot move! Once they turn to fight, remember they are swordsmen and how to fight them! They will try to get in on you, past your longer weapon!"

Every man running with the sergeant nodded, a murderous and desperate desire to destroy the foe taking over. There was no retreat now, no reprieve. If they did not kill every man in front of them, they would die once the momentum turned against them. It was all in the hands of the gods now.

"For Wu!" the sergeant yelled loudly as the led his men in a frenzied charge into the rear of the Blades. His men took up the battle cry and they drove into the designated reserve unit that hung back slightly from the others. Keung and Guiren both shouted as loudly as they could, slamming into their chosen foes, the crash of bodies a cold shock to everyone involved. Many of the northern troops were born to the ground by the sheer momentum of the unexpected attack, while others died with spear points bursting through their armour or staggered and fell when their knees were pierced. The Green Demons shouted and yelled like their namesakes, desperate to kill as many men as possible quickly.

Shouts of confusion echoed through the Blades, who had not quite engaged the Young Tigers. At the call of their sergeant, the orphan warriors shouted and drove into the ranks of the enemy directly in front of them, determined to make their way as deep into the Blades' formation as possible and sell their lives dearly. Keung was heartened by their ferocity, a spirit he could identify with now. Both companies knew they were going to die unless they fought beyond their abilities and kept the favour of the Heavens.

Guiren did not think about what was happening, he simply thrust and slashed with his spear, determined to take down every northerner within reach. Beside him, Keung fought with a keen intensity, his normally cheerful eyes blazing with a white-hot wrath his friend rarely saw. They both shouted and drove their spear points through the chest of a swordsman who had turned to face them. Guiren kicked the man off their blades and then slammed his shoulder into another, knocking the man to the ground. He ignored the look of shock and fright in his foe's eyes as he drove him spear down and pinned him to the earth.

Another man slashed at Keung desperately but the Green Demon batted the sword aside with his spear haft and drove the steel-capped butt of his weapon into the northerner's throat, stunning him. He kicked the man's shield out of the way and struck, his keen spear point lancing into the foe's groin, dropping him. He felt unstoppable, his prey unable to match his speed or fierceness. Were these Immortal Blades perhaps overestimated?

Then he saw their leader, the man they assumed to be Cao Pi, turn his head and glare at them indignantly, clearly inconvenienced by their unannounced arrival on the scene. He leapt nimbly from his horse since his momentum had been blunted and strode back toward them, a gleaming blade in his hand. One of the Green Demons nearby leapt at him but the trooper was struck down swiftly and with seemingly little effort. Cao Pi parried another strike easily and grabbed the man's spear, tossing him aside contemptuously.

His speed was remarkable and watching him shook Keung out of his battle haze. He now found himself oppressed by the noise and press of bodies, his ears unable to process all the sounds they were subjected to. It was suddenly hard to breath and he felt hot, his limbs heavy. The sergeant had been serious when he warned them about losing the momentum of their surprise charge.

He took half a second to look around and try to make sense of what had happened thus far. They seemed to be deep inside the Immortal Blades formation, meaning they had done their job of disrupting their planned attack, but they were now surrounded by companies of swordsmen who were not engaged in the front and were turning in to destroy them.

Guiren snarled and parried a slash by a foe and then counter-attacked, but the thrust glanced off the man's stout shield. He panicked as he realized he was open and dodged to one side, barely avoiding the sword tip aimed at his throat. Unsure of what to do, he stamped down on the man's boot, which staggered him a little and gave Guiren a split second to twist away and get his spear back between the two of them. He thrust repeatedly at the man's face, forcing him to hold up his shield while he tried to think of a way to get inside his defences.

"Behind you, Guiren!" he heard Keung shout.

He dodged wildly and felt a sword tear across his light armour's flank, a ragged gap now rent in it but his tender flash mercifully unharmed. He fell to the ground and rolled on his side, seeing Keung's spear burst through the back of the foe who had tried to get behind him. But he also knew that as long as he was on the ground he was easy prey for anyone who could reach him since his spear was now little more than a stick he could parry with.

He rolled away from a determined thrust and kicked out with his foot, catching his enemy in the stomach, but the bright steel scales held and he merely shuffled backwards, glaring hatefully from beneath his burnished helmet. Someone stumbled over him and fell, landing on top and he thrashed desperately to escape, unsure if the person now over him was friend or foe. The earth beneath him quaked and thundered and carried the maddening, coppery scent of blood. He screamed in frustration and terror, unable to do anything.

He was suddenly hauled to his feet and Sergeant Chun was there, yelling at him. He couldn't make out what the man was saying but he kept pointing toward Guiren's left, signifying what he should do. The trooper staggered off in the indicated direction, now spying a group of his comrades fighting with some Blades. He steeled his nerve and charged in, sweeping a sword aside and burying his spear deep in the man's shoulder, dropping him. He sensed a lull as the Blades tried to form a shield wall in order to deal with the brash young warriors, who all levelled their spears and glared, daring their enemy to try and break them apart.

Training took over and they all thrust their weapons in unison, not allowing the Blades to get inside the reach of their spears. They shoved the swordsmen back, thrusting at angles to get inside the protection of the shields. The sergeant had taught them that the spear was the king of the battlefield, but against these well-armoured opponents, Guiren felt unsure of that assessment. He knew that if any gap appeared in their bristling hedge of spear points, the swordsmen would exploit it and burst their tenuous line apart easily and slay them all.

Through all the cacophony he could hear Keung taunting a foe, mocking his mother's virtue and goading him to attack. He flushed angrily, wondering how his friend had managed to keep the presence of mind to use his irritating wit as a weapon in these crazed quarters.

"That all you got?" he heard Keung saying. "That's not a thrust, _this_ is a thrust! Don't believe me? Your mother agrees it is, it's the best one she ever felt and she can't wait for more!"

Whoever he was fighting fell for the jibe and paid for it seconds later, clearly allowing Keung to get the better of him and end his miserable life. He kept thrusting his spear in coordination with his comrades, desperately warding off the enemy time and again, but he knew that numbers would soon tell. They were only buying time for themselves.

A swift sword sheared the point of his spear right off and he gaped in astonishment as Cao Pi glared at him. He watched helplessly as the sword came up for a final strike but then Sergeant Chun leapt in and attacked the Prime Minister's son furiously, their blades flashing and ringing in a flurry of deadly steel.

"Dammit, boy!" the sergeant yelled as he kept the enemy commander occupied. "Pick up a fucking weapon and use it already! What are you going to do, piss on them in fright?"

He blinked and hunched down to grab the sword of a man he had just slain, praying he remembered enough of his training to use it effectively. His comrades were still thrusting with their spears but his weapon was now too short to assist them effectively. He waited a split second until they all lunged in again, keeping the swordsmen at bay and then he threw himself forward, slashing at the knees of the enemy, below their shields. One man cried out and collapsed but another struck at him almost instantly, a blow he only barely caught on his new blade and turned aside. Closing his eyes, he thrust, hard, and felt the sword tip penetrate steel and leather, sliding deep into his foe's vitals.

He opened his eyes but the blood that was plastered to his face meant he couldn't see. He swiped and slashed wildly, praying that he wouldn't feel the blow that was now bound to kill him…

* * *

Keung was panting as he twisted away from a determined thrust and tripped over a body, falling on his back. He jammed his weapon up frantically, trying to keep his foe at a distance while he recovered. The whirling melee had swallowed his company and every man was fighting desperately to merely survive. Only one small knot of them had any coordination and they were beginning to fall prey to the superior tactics of their foe.

He kicked his foot into his opponent's shin, forcing the man to hobble back and sprang up, hoping to put some distance between them. He carefully stepped backwards, avoiding tripping over the carpet of bodies and keeping his spear between himself at the foe. He tried to think of a taunt to anger his man and get him to make a mistake but nothing came to mind. He also doubt it was a tactic that was likely to continue working, since not everyone from north of the Yangtze could be _that _stupid.

He did the only thing that came to mind- he turned and ran, navigating his way over the corpses as quickly as he could. He heard the foe shout and give chase and he hoped his advantage in speed due to his light armour would serve him well. He smashed his spear across the helmet of a foe as he ran by, knocking the steel shell askew and blinding him. The man cursed and swung wildly, nearly killing the man chasing Keung. Unable to capitalize on the mistake, Keung just kept running.

To his dismay, however, he realized he was running deeper into the fray. He saw Sergeant Chun trading deadly blows with the enemy commander and it seemed as if the sergeant, despite his Stone Demon training, would not be able to match his foe's skill for much longer. Cao Pi was too skilled, too fast and too intent on his foe's death.

He grimaced as he saw Cao Pi's blade crease Sergeant Chun's thigh, causing the older man to stagger and drop to one knee. Desperate to do something, he called out to Guiren, who was standing nearby, a sword in his hand. His friend espied him and saw what he meant to do. The two warriors howled and leapt at Cao Pi, striking desperately, trying to kill him or at least drive him back away from the sergeant.

For all their intent, though, Cao Pi would not be moved. He parried their wild attacks calmly, each move flowing seamlessly into the next, parrying and counter-thrusting until he had split the two of them up. In a whirl of white cape, he turned on Keung and thrust, forcing the young trooper back hastily. Guiren darted in, now to Cao Pi's rear, but the enemy commander spun and struck out with the back of his mailed fist, catching Guiren across the jaw and knocking him to the ground. Without missing a beat he was facing Keung again and his blade moved faster than the eye could follow. Keung didn't even know where to _begin_ parrying, let alone how.

Guiren staggered to his feet and lunged in again, slamming his sword down in a lethal arc, but Cao Pi caught the strike calmly on the flat of his own blade and shoved him away. The two warriors glared at their foe, unable to best him.

"I grow tired of this child's play," Cao Pi said in his mellow voice, the words burning in their ears despite the cacophony of battle raging around them. "You and your little friends have had your fun, but I have no time to consort with such lowborn fools as yourselves. Now… prepare to die."

"Gottny time for someone a little more your speed, pal?" rang a clear and almost jubilant voice across the tumult. Cao Pi looked up and scowled as someone descended toward him out of the night air. He leapt backwards nimbly, avoiding the ground-splintering strike as the new foe's tonfas smashed into the earth where he landed. Knocked off their feet by the concussive force of the blow, the two Demons scrambled to their feet, unsure of what had just happened.

Standing in the midst of the enemy formation, the brawny newcomer whirled about with a speed and grace neither of them had ever thought possible. The Blades converged on him, clearly alarmed by his presence but they were no match for him- every time he struck a man fell. Every attack was parried and then turned into a lethal counter-attack. The battle aura around the man blazed like a living fire and Keung could have sworn it resembled a tiger.

Seconds later, the path between the newcomer and Cao Pi was cleared, the Immortal Blades foolish enough to oppose the warrior all dead. He stood tall and twirled his tonfas in his hands, a clear challenge to his counterpart.

"Whaddya say?" he asked, his eyes flashing. "Ready to try yourself against me, pretty boy?"

Cao Pi's mood grew cold. He sniffed indignantly and turned away, gesturing with his blade and scores of his troops charged in, covering his retreat. The warrior smiled, nodding his head.

"You guys might wanna try an' regroup," he said to the two of them. "Whatever you do, you're gonna wanna be away from here. Go!"

Knowing better than to disobey, they dashed over to the sergeant, who was still on one knee, panting and trying to rise. They helped him to his feet and he nodded to them before gently easing away, indicating he could walk or at least stand on his own.

"Come," he said wearily. "Your fellow Demons have need of you."

The nodded and charged back into the fray, yelling loudly, amazed by the carnage they saw around them. Unnumbered bodies were heaped everywhere, wearing the blue of the northerners but also the valiant scarlet and gold of the Wu army. Guiren knew that some of those bodies were his comrades but he shut the realization away, determined to not think on it until after the battle.

This battle was far from over.

* * *

The Green Demons were sitting in a small and silent group, no one ready to speak. Of the ninety-five of them who had come to this battle, only forty were still standing. Thirty were maimed beyond recovery to active duty and twenty-five had died in the melee.

Dawn had come and the battlefield was a scene of death and horror. Countless thousands on both sides lay strewn across the wide plain, but the forces of Wu had prevailed, driving the enemy back north. The recruits looked dully out over the scene, too exhausted and stunned to celebrate their victory. It was still unclear to them all what had happened and if they had executed their duties correctly. Mostly they were being ignored, at least for now.

Guiren grimaced as he tried to move his shoulder, but he found that the salve had finally worn off and the burning and stiffness had returned. His head was spinning from the pain and he felt sick. He attempted to focus past the ache and move but he swooned and fell over, saved from bouncing his head off the ground by Keung, who caught him and sat him upright again.

"Can you see yet?" Keung asked.

"Only when I open my eyes," Guiren replied. "And frankly, that just doesn't appeal to me at the moment."

"Just as well, there's not too much worth looking at, to be honest," Keung admitted. "Lots of bodies and our troops sifting through the carnage, trying to find survivors."

Guiren sighed and kept his head down, trying to keep from retching.

"I guess we'll need to find you a new spear," Keung remarked. "That jerk Cao Pi saw to yours. And then there's your armour. You're just a mess, my friend."

Guiren grunted. "At least I did not have to result to insults to find a foe. That tongue of yours will one day get us killed, I know it."

"Another day, perhaps," Keung said, his normal demeanor seeming to return. He stood up and looked at his comrades. "And we've all been told not to worry, the sergeant is being looked at by the best healers and they say he will be just fine."

"And I'm glad for that, Keung, but what about our friends?" asked one trooper sullenly. "Nearly half of us are dead now and lots of us will never fight again. What of that?"

"That is war, I am afraid." Keung replied. "We all volunteered to fight in this great army, none of us were pressed into service, like in the north. I'll miss them too, but I am glad that I will be around to do so."

Deep horns blared and the troopers scrambled to their feet as quickly as they could, though several seemed ready to fall over. They waited as a regiment of warriors marched by, all big and burly men carrying clubs, mattocks and hammers. The Green Demons all bowed low as they saw the mighty General Huang Gai walking at the rear of the column, accompanying their sergeant, who seemed to be in good spirits now that he had been healed.

"The Stone Demons…" Keung whispered in awe as the veterans trooped by. "They were here… we fought with the Stone Demons."

Huang Gai motioned his troops to keep marching but he stopped and approached the recruits along with their sergeant. They were all so awed that they forgot to bow. He assessed them for several seconds and then grunted.

"Fine boys you have here, Chun," he mused. "So these are the lads that took it to Cao Pi and saved the Young Tigers from destruction, hm?"

"In spite of their idiocy, I am forced to confirm that sad fact," Sergeant Chun said wearily. "Each one must have an immortal watching over their shoulder, for nothing else can explain how they haven't already killed themselves by tripping over their own weapons."

Several of the men chuckled, knowing that the sergeant was just complaining for show. Huang Gai nodded, still looking them over.

"A remarkable feat, for such green troops of so little experience to prove that valuable on the battlefield. You may not know it, but not only did you save the Young Tigers, but you also helped to keep our flank from being turned, pups. It was a near thing, this battle, but you played your part and more, arriving unlooked for but it was a godsend. Believe me when I say that you fought beyond your abilities and everyone alive today is thankful for it."

"We were lucky, general, that is all." Keung said, bowing humbly. "Everything we accomplished is because of the sergeant and his training. But there also was the one warrior who jumped into our midst, drove off Cao Pi and pretty much destroyed the Immortal Blades all by himself. Pray, general, who was he? We owe him our lives."

Huang Gai raised an eyebrow, apparently somewhat perplexed by the question. "You do not know?"

"No, sir, we were never introduced, I am afraid." Keung answered.

Huang Gai looked down at Sergeant Chun, sighed and shook his head before walking off. The sergeant scowled at them all.

"Who was that? Did you really just ask that stupid a question? Why are you all not dead yet?"

And with that he wandered off, muttering about how the gods had cursed him.

* * *

"Well, at least we know that the warrior was not a figment of our imagination," Guiren said wearily. "I hope one day to see him again, I want to thank him for saving my life. What regiment do you suppose he serves with? Maybe we can find his commanding officer and ask…"

The Green Demons and the Young Tigers were now assigned the task of acting as garrison for the fort while the other troops secured the surrounding region. Both units had fought far beyond expectations and were rewarded with light duties until the campaign ended. Sharing the common bond of near-death at the hands of a greatly superior force and having lived, the new warriors had much to share and discuss.

It irked Guiren and Keung somewhat, but any Young Tigers they talked to about the mysterious warrior who had saved them looked at them in disbelief and then laughed, wandering off in amusement. Were they doomed to never find out who had their saviour had been?

"What do you supposed was so important about this fort?" Guiren wondered as they moved supplies from the store room to the courtyard for distribution.

"I was told by one of the Young Tigers that the Prime Minister's forces had planted some valuable relic of the Southlands in the fort in an attempt to ambush and defeat whatever force we sent. Fortunately, we walked into the trap and proved stronger, though our numbers were less. Also, this battle was used as a diversion while we fought for territory to the west."

"I've heard there are tens of thousands dead on both sides," Guiren said quietly, grimacing. "Whatever it was, I hope it was worth it."

"That it not our place to judge, my friend." Keung replied. "We fight for the right reasons, you and I, to defend our homes and live like free men, not be told how to live and what to do."

"But we fight in their armies and they tell us when to fight and die," Guiren pointed out. "Is that right?"

"Are you reconsidering your oath to fight and die for Lady Da Qiao?" Keung asked. "Were she to command you to fight a hopeless battle, would you not?"

"That… that's different." Guiren said weakly.

"I see," mused his comrade, smirking. "It would seem that our mysterious rescuer thinks nothing of fighting the enemy, regardless of the odds. If all of us fought and tried as hard as he did, mayhap we would not need to worry about such casualties."

"I would never have thought that fighting like he did was possible." Guiren admitted. "I am heartened to know that we have warriors like that on our side. Even Cao Pi dared not face him. I cannot help but wonder constantly who he was. Maybe…maybe it was Taishi Ci?"

Keung snorted. "The warrior of the Night Tigers? Surely not, for the Night Tigers wear black trimmed in silver, I am told. That man wore standard scarlet and gold with a tiger pelt around his waist."

Guiren sighed. "If I am ever one thousandth of the warrior that man is, I will consider myself accomplished."

"Then let's try to stay alive until the next engagement, shall we?" Kueng laughed.

* * *

"I don't understand," Guiren muttered as they marched south, accompanied by the Young Tigers and various other units. "We fought to take the fort and now we're leaving and going back across the river?"

Keung shrugged. "Remember when the sergeant told us that Wu was not strong enough to keep forces across the river and hold them? Not only did we fight to recover whatever it was out of the fortress, but apparently we also are taking refugees who agreed to relocate south of the Yangtze across, where we can protect them. The number I heard was close to forty thousands."

"That's a good cause, I suppose," grunted Guiren. "And to be honest I am looking forward to resting for a while. Our unit needs to be rebuilt, for we are rather understrength."

"Agreed, and we should head immediately to the temple of Chu Jung when we get back to camp to pray for our fallen friends. They died valiantly and they deserve peace in the Heavens, or at the very least distinguished positions in the Celestial Army."

Guiren sighed wearily and rubbed his shoulder. It still ached mightily, in spite of the fact that the healers had told him he was completely healed. He was promised, though, that he would have an impressive scar, guaranteed to make a girl's underthings magically disappear when she was exposed to it. He couldn't wait to try it out on Lei.

He still did not have a spear since Cao Pi had broken his, but he was allowed to carry the sword he had picked up and fought so impressively with as a symbol of his valour. He would have felt prouder of this distinction if he were not so tired. He and Keung were both lauded by everyone else in their company for their part in the battle and the sergeant commanding the Young Dragons has personally thanked them both, impressed by their bravery.

And though he kept grousing and threatening his troopers, they could tell Sergeant Chun was proud too.

"To the side of the road!" yelled Sergeant Chun and the commander of the Young Dragons at their charges. "To the side of the road and wait at attention!"

In spite of how weary they may have felt, the two companies scrambled to form up in lines on either side of the road, waiting silently. It wouldn't be the first time that a veteran unit had come through and forced them to wait, they were actually getting used to it.

"Can't wait until _we're _the ones who get moved aside for…" Keung muttered under his breath.

The waited patiently until distantly banners could be seen coming from the north. Guiren's mouth went dry when he recognised it as a royal banner. His suspicions were confirmed moments later when cavalry appeared, led by none other than Lady Da Qiao.

As a herald rode ahead of the royal unit, the companies lining the road all kow-towed immediately and with great dereference. Trembling with relief at the sight of the great lady, Guiren, Keung and the other Green Demons began to do the same.

"Green Demons and Young Tigers remain standing!" the herald called in a loud voice full of authority. The troopers all froze and then remained upright, obviously confused. For lack of any other instructions, they simply stood at attention.

Da Qiao and her regiment finally arrived and she smiled at the Green Demons before dismounting. Almost reflexively they began to kow-tow but she bade them rise. Whatever she discerned in their expressions caused her to giggle.

"Gentlemen, such concern and devotion to my well-being…"

The troopers all blushed furiously. Were they _that_ obvious? Was their oath to die for her written on their foreheads?

She bowed to Sergeant Chun and addressed him warmly. "Sergeant, your devotion to your recruits is admirable. Is it true you turned down an offer to rejoin the Stone Demons and a promotion just so you could stay with them?"

The troopers all looked at their sergeant in astonishment. He flushed uncomfortably and nodded. "It… it is so, my lady… these idiots should not be foisted off on anyone else, they are my problem and my responsibility. I would not have it said that I left someone else with my mess."

"They fought well, sergeant, you have every reason to be proud." Da Qiao said gently. "Had it not been for them and the Young Tigers, the battle might have been much closer than it was. It is young heroes like these who will help shape the future of Wu."

She walked up and down the ranks, inspecting the troopers. They could see in her eyes that she was pained by their significantly reduced numbers, but such was the way of war. They could see dozens of horses in her regiment that had no riders.

She stopped in front of Guiren and Keung and smiled at them. "I am glad to see you two have survived this long, given your penchant for reckless daring. But worry not, it reminds me of another warrior I know well."

Just then a horse rode up, a magnificent stallion atop which sat their unknown hero. He beamed when he saw Lady Da Qiao and leapt lightly to the ground and swaggered over. He had an infectious grin and he nodded to her.

"Glad I finally caught up with ya," he said cheerfully. "Would've got here sooner, but Huang Gai got that damn anchor he fights with stuck in a tree an' I had to help him pry it out."

He then turned and looked at the remaining troops of the Green Demons and nodded. "You guys, you fought well, all of ya. You should be proud, you were a big help in that battle. Takes real bravery to do what you did, takin' on Cao Pi like that. He ain't someone to take lightly."

Keung bowed. "And you, sir, you have the gratitude of my friend and I, for you saved us from that very same man when he had finally outmatched us."

The magnificent warrior assessed the two of them for a moment and then recognition lit his eyes. He grinned broadly and laughed. "Hey, it _is_ you two! You guys're somethin' else, let me tell you! Don't thank me, you have my thanks, trust me!"

He then nudged Lady Qiao and tilted his head at Guiren and Keung. "Hey, Da, it's the two I was tellin' you about."

She smiled and shook her head. "That does not surprise me one bit."

Keung coughed, clearly taken aback by the warrior's cavalier tone while speaking to the Great Lady of Wu. "You must be a great warrior and retainer, sir, to take such liberty in the way you address the Princess of the Southlands. Though I do not begrudge you your fame, I would politely ask that you treat her with more respect, lest I be forced to take you to task on the issue."

Everyone just stared at him in astonishment, at least anyone who wasn't a Green Demon did. Sergeant Chun was gaping at Keung incredulously. A couple of the Lady Qiao's warriors seemed to be suppressing laughter. Unsure of what was going on but desperate to keep Keung from getting himself heroically killed by challenging the unnamed warrior, he bowed.

"Good sir, forgive my friend's high spirits, our regiment was blessed by the Lady Qiao's presence on the way north and it shaped our outlook not only on her but also our purpose. Though we are not her guardians, we consider it an obligation to defend her honour."

"Well, you're gonna get no argument outta me!" the warrior laughed.

"And yet you saved my friend and I, sir," Guiren continued. "We would like to know who to thank. Are you a member of her retainers or her personal bodyguard and manservant?"

This question was greeted with gales of laughter from Lady Qiao's regiment, along with the Young Tigers nearby. Sergeant Chun just pressed his fingers against his eyes in despair. Lady Qiao was trying to suppress her mirth, to the place where tears were forming in her eyes. The brawny warrior threw back his head and laughed.

"Yeah, you could say that," he replied easily. "I'm her most fanatical servant, for sure. No matter what she needs, I'm there to get it for her. Whatever her desires, no matter how carnal they may be, I-"

Da Qiao blushed and thumped him on the shoulder. "Ce, stop that! Be nice, you ox!"

The silence was deafening as the realization of whom they addressed sunk in slowly.  
It didn't matter that they had been ordered to remain standing, the Green Demons all prostrated themselves before the mighty Warlord of the Southlands, Sun Ce, the Young Conqueror.

"Forgive our temerity, great lord," Guiren said in the humblest voice he had ever used. "We are your devoted servants unto death."

Sergeant Chun sighed, relieved that his bone-headed recruits had somehow managed to finally figure it out. He had been wondering if they ever would.

"Ah, get up already," Sun Ce said cheerfully. "I already told you two that I'm in your debt."

The Green Demons rose and waited silently. Ce grinned and clapped Keung and Guiren on the shoulder, nodding. "Gotta say, you two really impressed a lot of people in that battle. Keep yourselves from getting killed an' you can expect to see promotions headin' your way."

Keung and Guiren could not believe what they were hearing- were they really receiving accolade from the Lord of Wu himself? Was this possible? Keung reached over and pinched Guiren's bicep, causing his friend to yelp and jerk his arm away, scowling at is comrade.

"No, you're not dreaming, so this has to be real," he concluded, causing more gales of laughter. "I might not have believed it otherwise."

Ce finished laughing and looked down at Guiren's sword on his hip. "Hey, lemme see that for a moment…"

The trooper nodded hastily and drew the blade forth, presenting the hilt to Ce. The warlord examined it thoughtfully and then nodded. "Yeah, that's what I thought. It belongs to Cao Shin, a cousin of Cao Pi an' one of the commanders in the Immortal Blades regiment. We found his body an' we're returnin' it to Cao Cao but his weapon was missing. Did you take him down?"

Guiren swallowed and nodded, aware that hundreds if not thousands of eyes were on him.

"Good job," Ce said. "Keep that as your trophy then, you sure earned it." Guiren bowed, still stunned by what he was hearing.

The lord of Wu now looked at Keung. "Got somethin' for you too." He made a casual gesture to a nearby cavalier, who dismounted and brought over some object wrapped in a protective layer of linen. Ce presented it to Keung, nodding to indicate he should unwrap it. The young warrior gaped in astonishment as the crème cloak he held up flowed in the breeze.

"Yeah, Cao Pi left that behind in his hurry to exit the battlefield," Ce commented. "I tried to catch up with him to give it back, but he was runnin' too quick."

The jest was met with yet more peals of laughter and Guiren decided that his friend would fit right in, because the army of Wu certainly seemed a merry bunch.

Sun Ce now looked somewhat serious. "You keep that as your reward and a token of the Sun family's esteem. We don't ask people to fight an' die for our name or just because we're your rulers. You met your debt an' now I'm meetin' mine."

He addressed the Green Demons company now, his voice carrying to all of them. "That goes for every one of you! The Sun family will fight for everything you hold dear and we will reward the man who fights for his friend, his neighbour or for the guy he's never going to meet!"

He now spoke to the sergeant, who bowed humbly. "A _tael _of gold will be sent from my personal treasury to each of your surviving men, sergeant, for what you have accomplished here. Cash and tax exemptions will be granted to the families of those who were slain. See to it when you get back to your base."

Ce nodded to the troopers once more and then went to address the Young Tigers. Da Qiao remained and spoke to them briefly.

"Our lord is right, my brave young heroes, it is our sacred duty to fight for you and to make sure your lives are yours to live. Fight with us for those you love and never lose faith in our cause. Fight well and with conviction, so that no death or loss is ever in vain. I look forward to marching with you again one day…"

The troopers all kow-towed reverently and remained in that position until the regiment was gone. The sergeant finally ordered them to rise and they resumed their march, with Keung and Guiren receiving quiet praise form their companions along the way. In spite of the ache in his shoulder, Guiren smiled to himself. This was what he was meant to do and where he was meant to be. Aside from his love for Lei, he had never been so sure of anything in his life.

* * *

Guiren and Keung now stood at attention inside the sergeant's tent, waiting while the officer examined some scrolls. He sighed and finally looked up at them.

"The commander of the Bronze Cavaliers has been quite eager to have a word with you two, no doubt as relates to the matter of the brawl inside the mess tent before we left for battle."

Guiren nodded his head. "I would be happy to continue trying to find a solution to that matter with his men, if they think they have the acorns, sergeant."

"That goes for me as well, sir, I don't think my knuckles have been sufficiently calloused on some horseman's arrogant chin yet." Keung added.

"Well forget it," Sergeant Chun said flatly. The Cavalier's commander dropped the issue like a hot bean cake once he found out how you gentlemen performed in the field and who you received personal commendations from. He seemed too embarrassed to press the matter."

"Damn…" muttered the two troopers.

"There are plenty of northerners to fight with, you dimwits, it's not like you single-handedly wiped them from the face of the earth." Sergeant Chun growled. "But that's not why you're here. The company is to be rebuilt and I have an opening for a squad commander now that Shing cannot return to active duty. As much as it pains me to do so, I am more or less obligated to offer it to you morons first. Are either of you interested?"

Neither man said anything several seconds until Keung cleared his throat. "Sir, does this mean you are not returning to be a trainer but going to stay as our commander?"

"To my great distress, yes, that's exactly what it means," the sergeant replied. "The Lady was most insistent and one does not simply say no to the consort of the Lord of Wu. So I am stuck with you. But answer me already. Do either of you want this post?"

Guiren was the first to answer. "Sergeant, please offer it to Keung. Between the two of us, he is the one with a head for tactics and leadership. I know this about myself now, I might be able to command a squad or even a company one day, but he can actually direct and lead troops, he is by far the most inspirational and sensible man in our ranks. I am just here to fight and serve the Sun family. I'll take the next one that comes along."

The sergeant looked at Keung. "Well?"

The trooper was silent for several more moments before finally bowing and clasping his fist in his hand. "I would be honoured, sergeant. I will make you proud."

"Never thought I'd hear myself say this, but I'm sure you will." Sergeant Chun muttered. "Obviously Guiren will go to a different squad, but I think this actually bodes well for the future of the Green Demons. I'll have the papers drawn up and you'll receive your assignments."

Both men bowed and turned to leave but the sergeant held up his hand, staying them. "There is one more thing, gentlemen…"

They both turned and waited while he rose and came around the desk.

"The recruits have arrived to replenish our ranks and I will be seeing to their training. That being said, I don't want you two morons around, giving them foolish notions of how to act or think. In reward for your services to the Sun family, you are both being given six months of leave until their training period is finished. I have talked to a garrison commander near your home town of Pei and he has agreed to keep up your training regimen so you do not get soft. You will report to him once a week, but otherwise, this is paid time off."

Both warriors grinned broadly, unable to believe their good fortune.

Sergeant Chun nodded. "There is a supply caravan heading south two hours from now, I expect you to accompany it. You will reach Pei in two weeks and I will have six months of sanity. Off with you. Dismissed!"

Keung and Guiren bowed hastily and dashed form the tent. Sergeant Chun smiled and shook his head. It was good to be back and to know that the future of Wu was assured.

* * *

"You two can ride, yes?" asked the captain in charge of the caravan.

"Well enough, though we are no cavaliers," Keung admitted. "As long as we're not galloping, I am sure we can keep from falling off."

"We can always stick you in the carts, I suppose," the man muttered. "Try the horses for now and let me know when it is starting to hurt. We leave in five minutes."

Keung and Guiren had said their goodbyes to their comrades, noting that several of them had also been given leave for their part in the victory, though not for the same length of time as the two of them. They had gathered up their personal effects and their trophies and waited patiently. While they sat atop their mounts, squads of recruits shuffled by, not yet having a lick of military discipline and the innocence in their eyes was almost painful to see.

"Wow…" Keung said quietly as he watched the motley procession. "They sure are recruiting them young these days. Can you believe we used to look like that once?"

"I sure hope we didn't." Guiren muttered, for the first time realising exactly what the sergeant had been up against.

* * *

Keung rolled onto his back, covered in sweat and breathing heavily. He turned his head and smiled at Min, who simply stared up at the ceiling of the hut, her eyes glazed over with contentment.

"Glad I'm back?" he asked, grinning.

"Most definitely," she whispered, reaching down to squeeze his hand. "But even if you are a hero now, if my father catches us it will be a sore business, so please try to be subtle, Keung."

He chuckled and turned onto his side, pulling her close and kissing her nose. "I will be the very soul of discretion, my heart."

She nodded in satisfaction and then looked down at the wonderfully soft crème cape they had been laying on to keep the hay that covered the floor off their bodies. She took some between her fingers and rubbed it gently.

"I have never felt anything so soft and luxurious in my entire life," she whispered. "It is indeed a great gift, my love. Who did you say gave it to you?"

"Just a friend." Keung said in a non-committal tone. "Guiren and I _were_ pretty impressive when we engaged the enemy."

"I know the truth of it, for you two are the talk of the region, not just the town." Min said, throwing her arms around him and snuggling her soft breasts against his taut chest. "My very own hero and officer! How did I get so lucky? I will hold onto you fiercely now, and if any other woman even _smiles_ at you, she will have me to contend with, no matter who she is."

Keung beamed at the ceiling, wondering what Lady Da Qiao would think of that declaration.

* * *

Lei panted and moaned as she squirmed, writhing up and down, looking at her lover through heavily-lidded eyes. Beneath her, Guiren hummed and gently arched his hips, caressing her soft body as he did so.

"I told you… my father… would understand…" she said breathlessly, tracing a finger up and down her soft neck as she reveled in the sensations blossoming through her.

"You did, yes…" Guiren agreed, scarcely more articulated than his girl as they made love. "He… was most… accommodating…"

"You are a hero, my love," she moaned. "He is most eager to- ahhhhhhh, yes… to have his daughter cleave to a hero of the Southlands. He suggested that I prove myself… and I do… gladly…"

Guiren was been shocked by the welcome they received upon their return to Pei. They were hailed as the champions of the region and people flocked to greet them when the caravan arrived. He and Keung had agreed to display some humility and did not play up their war trophies when people asked, simply saying they had earned them.

Better than that, though, was Lei's father greeting him enthusiastically and more or less throwing his daughter at Guiren, declaring it a match and telling her to make sure he never looked elsewhere.

If this was what he had to look forward with Lei, he was certain he never would.

She moaned loudly and strained, pushing down with her hips as her back arched and then both climaxed. She collapsed on top of him, trembling and kissing him almost feverishly, whispering about how much she had missed him.

He held her tight, wondering what would happen when he had to head north again, to fight in those great and terrible wars. Would they have a family? Was he sure they could be provided for? How did one balance those two duties?

But that was months away. His only duty now was to live the life he was born to fight for. The Green Demons would wait, the enemy could wait. He reflected on all he had learned and how he had come to where he was.

By the Heavens, insane bravado had been the answer. He hated it when Keung was right…

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Admittedly this was originally conceived as a one-off chapter to help break up the fic and perhaps cast some new perspective on the key players. One has to wonder what it is like for your average run-of-the-mill troopers to encounter the mighty generals and warlords who command their fates. Inventing these two characters gave me a chance to explore that line of thought.

True, there is little actual chance that they would meet as many of the great personages of the realm as they did in this chapter, but if they were strictly dealing with prosaic concerns such as most troopers encounter over their terms of service, the reading results might be rather bland. I decided to liven it up a little with cameos by my fic's major players, at least for this first chapter involving Keung and Guiren.

First chapter, you ask? Yes, the first chapter. I have decided to try a Young Conqueror spin-off fic featuring these two boneheads and their trials and tribulations within the ranks of the Wu army. As Guiren had so grumpily noted earlier in the chapter, the army of the Southlands is chock-full of heroes, so getting noticed (in their case, more than once) is something of a challenge. Ce and Da will not be regulars in these chapters, there is such a wide realm to explore. I may actually send them south to Shang Xiang in Fujian, because I cannot imagine how she would endure them.

Anyhoo, look for this episode again as the opening chapter of a new fic called 'Youth, Enthusiasm And Other Neuroses', probably going up within a days of this chapter's publication. I am looking forward to giving the war and the TYC universe a different perspective and I hope you enjoy it. As always, let me know what you think.

Keep your stick on the ice!

Management

* * *

**Epilogue:** Cao Pi stalked into his personal chambers, a look of displeasure marring his patrician features. Within the room, his wife Zhen Ji was sitting and polishing one of her flutes. She looked up as he entered and noticed he didn't have his favourite crème cloak on, the one with the purple underside.

"Oh, Pi, another one?" she asked, clearly not impressed. "What is it with you and losing that particular type and colour of cloak? I thought you liked that one."

"I do, woman." Cao Pi replied tersely, clearly not in the mood for her jibes. "Can I help it if the gods do not?"

He went over to a large chest and opened it- within the ornate container sat dozens of the exact same cloak he had been deprived of by that wild man Sun Ce and those two insect soldiers who had dared to attack him.

He threw the cloak over his shoulder, fixed the clasps firmly and glowered into a polished surface mirror, his eyes narrowing.

"_Mark my words… those two will pay for what they've done…"_

**End chapter**


	66. Chapter 66

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any other media associated with Koei or its affiliates. The vast majority of the characterizations have been expanded upon by me for the sake of literary format. Individual or minor characters created by me for the purposes of interaction and story depth are my own property. If you wish to know which ones they are please ask.

This is a simple work of fanfiction meant for the entertainment of Dynasty Warriors players and fans, along with those who are familiar with the Chinese epic Sanguo, or 'Three Kingdoms'. Centred on Sun Ce and his family and retainers, it helps to be a Wu-phile if you want to read this story. As always, your reviews are welcome and appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

Sun Ce sat on his throne, waiting while the messenger strode rapidly down the hall toward the dais. On the right side of his throne stood Zhou Yu, along with Ce's beloved wife, Da Qiao, the princess of the Southlands. To his left loomed Taishi Ci, his mighty bodyguard and commander of the Night Tigers, his personal regiment and the most feared warriors in his realm.

The messenger, wearing a scarlet tunic, knelt and bowed his head. "Lord, our scouts have sent a message back for you; they said it should be presented to only you or the Grand Strategist. They found something north of the Great River."

"Is that right? Let's see what it is, eh?" Ce said, sitting up straight and receiving the tube in which was a paper scroll. He unfurled the scroll and read it intently, musing to himself before handing it to Zhou Yu, whose handsome face remained expressionless.

"It's a trap," Ce's sworn brother said simply once he had read the missive entirely. "Surely Cao Cao does not expect us to fall for this."

"Yeah, my thoughts exactly," replied the mighty warlord of Wu, taking the scroll back and going over the contents again. "Still, this is way too good an opportunity to pass up, wouldn't you agree?"

"I agree completely, but the question remains how to respond and also add insult to injury when we take the bait," Zhou Yu concurred. "I have heard rumours about an ancient little fortress that might house the item in question."

Ce nodded. "Yeah, we need to take it back. But I'm thinkin' that ol' Cao Cao has too much territory right now. What say we hurt his pride a little by usin' his trap as a diversion? If I go to Wang Jou, what could you take from him that would really hurt and piss him off?"

Zhou Yu closed his eyes and pictured the contested territories across the mighty Yangtze. Many were abandoned by all factions currently but Cao Cao still held most of the northern shores in strength. He simply had to deduce where they could hurt him and easily hold what they gained.

"Nanjun," he said finally. "If you take a diversionary army to Wang Jou, I will hit him in Nanjun. It is a strategic place along the river, a choking point for whoever controls it and easily defended."

"But my lord, if it is easily defended, would that not be dangerous for us to attack?" Da Qiao asked, trying to see the logic of it.

Zhou Yu smiled. "My lady, it is easily defended if one knows how to use a navy effectively. Cao Cao does not and I doubt he has learned anything since Chi Bi in any event. His forces there can be managed; I simply infer that once we have Nanjun, it shall be a bastion of great strength to us."

"Alright, let's get this done!" Ce said, rising and slapping his hands on his thighs. "I'll take ten thousand men to Wang Jou, you take your corps of forty thousand to Nanjun. If the position is as strong as we think, a hundred ships and fifteen thousand men should be able to hold it no matter what that old bastard throws at us."

"My lord, am I coming with you to Wang Jou?" Da asked. "I am feeling a mite… out of practice, to be honest."

Ce laughed. "If you don't mind walkin' into a trap, I'd be happy to have you with me, Da. You gimme the courage I need to face down anything that comes my way."

The consort blushed, although she knew the truth of his words. It would be good to fight by her husband's side again.

* * *

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 65- Plans Within Plans**

"_Only the smallest mind strives to comprehend its limits." – Zhou Yu_

Zhou Yu rode at the head of his corps, his keen grey eyes distant as he pictured the campaign unfolding before him. Nanjun was held by an estimated sixty thousand warriors under Cao Ren, considered to be one of Cao Cao's most trusted vassals and very capable in a defensive campaign. He had never met the man in direct battle, but he did not doubt that Cao Ren would be a tough foe if he got to dig in.

In addition to his own personal regiment, the renowned Swordwind, many other illustrious units made up Zhou Yu's corps, including the Star Adders and the Lunar Spears. One unit in particular was also kept under his auspices, that being the Spirit Walkers, a group of men and women touch by the Tao in mystical ways and able to channel this knowledge into fearsome effects on the battlefield.

Their abilities were not unknown to Zhou Yu, since both he and Sun Ce seemed to have an affinity for the element of fire. He had more than once channeled his battle aura in a gout of flame that washed over the enemy and sent them reeling back in terror. He had seen Sun Ce rend mighty tears in the earth from which fire engulfed whole companies of men and the Lord of Wu's battle aura swirled around him like an unstoppable flaming tiger.

But the Spirit Walkers, when used in groups for a specific end, were a terrifying weapon on the battlefield. They had summoned fire, ice or even lightning to strike their foes. These _Wu-jen_, as such men were known, could feel the pulse of earth dragons beneath them and their ability to manipulate these telluric energies was uncanny. No one member of the Spirit Walkers might have been as powerful or as deeply knowledgeable as the enigmatic Zuo Ci or the dreadful sorcerer Yu Ji, but together they could turn the tide of a battle if employed at just the right moment.

And Zhou Yu was the undisputed master of perfectly-timed attacks.

The dynamic between he and Ce had always been one to be reckoned with. Ce was an unstoppable force and Zhou Yu's subtle intellect made sure that his friend was always exactly where he could wreak the most havoc with the enemy. Ce's grasp of tactics might have been as good as his own, but the Lord of Wu was happiest in the thick of the fighting, proving his unmatched skill and therefore Zhou Yu was the Grand Strategist of the Southlands, always thinking ahead one hundred steps and planning for every possible outcome and difficulty.

Wu had many capable commanders whom he had great confidence in- the stalwart Lu Meng, a man of action who could break an enemy battle line with sheer force of will and solid tactics. He was the Grand Marshall of Wu's armies, answering only to Zhou Yu and Sun Ce. He was a no-nonsense commander and fighter who inspired his men with his actions on the battlefield.

Young Lu Xun, though still a junior commander, would one day prove himself a worthy successor to Lu Meng and possibly even Zhou Yu himself. He was subtle and possessed a keen mind, able not only to see the immediate impact of a battle but also the effects of said conflict down the road, both militarily and politically. He resembled Zhou Yu in his ability to see all sides of a situation and determine what outcome was best overall.

Huang Gai, the venerable and mighty warrior, beloved by all of Wu. In spite of his years, he was rugged and powerful, able to contest even Taishi Ci in strength. He was the bulwark of the Southlands' defensive effort, a tower of indomitable iron that the people found safety in. He and his Stone Demons were some of the members of the Wu army most often portrayed in artwork around the realm. Zhou Yu smiled as he thought of the number of times he had seen small-town hucksters trying to sell clubs and weapons they claimed had once belong to a Stone Demon.

The district of Wu Ling fell under the auspices of Ling Tong, son of the famed general Ling Cao. The father had been one of the Patriarch Sun Jian's most capable and trusted commanders but he had fallen at Xia Kou. His son was perhaps even more skilled in command and deadly on the battlefield, but he was still brash and easy to provoke. His corps featured many light troops, who played to his personal style of swift warfare.

A more recent addition to the Wu commandery was the former pirate Gan Ning. It was he who had felled Ling Cao at Xia Kou but he had been, seemingly against his will, drawn to the nobility of Wu and the call to glory that Sun Ce represented. Cunning and fearless, there was nothing he loved more than hitting the enemy where it hurt most, often appearing seemingly out of nowhere. His mastery of the Middle Kingdom's waterways gave him unparalleled mobility and ability to strike where least expected.

Though he may not have recognized it, the barbarian warlord Elryk of the White Wolves was also looked upon by the Wu army and the people of the Southlands with awe. It was not uncommon for troops who fought alongside or near the White Wolves to comment that they actually felt safer and more confident in victory if the massive German berserkers were nearby. Certainly they provided Ce's army with a devastating psychological edge and none of their foes had yet figured out how to counter their ferocity in battle.

Of these myriad commanders, three now marched in support of Zhou Yu, those being Ling Tong, Gan Ning and Elryk. Ling Tong brought ten thousand light troops from Wu Ling, Gan Ning was patrolling the rivers, ready to support the strike across the Yangtze and Elryk's fearsome warriors now marched in the van of Zhou Yu's corps with him.

"I hear you gave Lady Da Qiao's regiment quite a scare before joining us." Zhou Yu commented as he rode. Elryk, Lord of the White Wolves, strode alongside the Grand Strategist, since he was too large for any horse. Then again, none of the _Bailangren_ rode horses. With Elryk had come his _comitatus_ bodyguard and one hundred of his warriors, about a quarter of the strength he could field.

Elryk laughed. "The Lady was kind enough to remark that we are getting better at ambushing when we encountered her. In truth, Lord Zhou, this is a good thing, since our foes will sooner or later adapt to our appearance and method of battle."

Zhou Yu smiled, admitting to himself that he would never get used to Elryk's atrocious accent. He should be thanking the immortals that the huge barbarian could speak Chinese at all. Some of his people showed some skill with language, notably his bodyguard Theudis and the warrior known as Valamir, as well as many of the children. Elryk's other bodyguard, the titan berserker Glandyth, spoke Chinese as if he had suffered a stroke. He sounded like Liu Bei's general Wei Yan. Thankfully, the Germans kept the services of two brilliant Uyghur scribes, Lap and Khun, who translated for them and acted as intermediaries when the language barrier became too much.

"I am glad to hear it, for these wars will require us all to fight hard and resort to measures we never dreamed of." Zhou Yu commented. "Our victory at Chi Bi proved that we _can_ beat Cao Cao, but in all honesty it did nothing to change the balance of power. We could not exploit the success and he recovered remarkably quickly. He could simply grind us down to nothing if he had the patience to do so."

"Then I am glad you and our lord plan on fighting war on your own terms and not his." Elryk replied. "I have faced the legions of Roma and thought their numbers great, but those of Cao Cao seem endless. If we cannot defeat his armies, we must simply strike at him, destroy him and the people around him and pacify the rest of the realm."

"And here people keep telling me you have no sense of strategy!" Zhou Yu laughed. "At the very least you see to the heart of the matter, Lord Elryk, even if you lack the schooling we tote so very highly."

"Yes, we barbarians are full of surprises," the Lord of the White Wolves said, grinning fearsomely. "Now if you will excuse me, my lord, I am going to take my men on a run, to keep them in line and make sure they are not getting fat."

"I will see you at the Yangtze, Lord Elryk."

"Move you dogs!" Elryk bellowed in German, causing more than a few of Zhou Yu's troops to jump in surprise, startled by the colossal magnitude of the barbarian's voice. "Ever god-rotting one of you! Get your sorry asses to that river or I'll kick it there! You'd better outrun all these damned horses or they'll be feeding off the grass you're pushing up!"

Zhou Yu watched as the Germans loped off toward the north, their straw-coloured hair flowing and whipping behind them. Elryk's men could cover great distances over terrain that no other troops could easily manage, giving them another distinct advantage on the field. Ground most armies would consider impassable was often not a hindrance to the _Bailangren_.

"What will become of those men when the wars are over, my lord?" asked Lu Su, commander of the Lunar Spears, as he watched the barbarians disappear into the dusk. "Once their usefulness has ended, will they be banished or merely destroyed?"

Zhou Yu shot the commander of a withering look, his irritation plain to see. "Commander, while I understand that the military academy you attended in Chang Sha is a rather formal and traditional one, the mindset you are choosing to display will not serve us well in the years ahead. Lord Sun Ce, a man far greater than you and I, has welcomed these people into his home and considers them close to family. They are savage and unsophisticated, yes, but they are noble and honourable, willing to endure hardships that most of us would crack under. See to your thoughts and remember they have claimed victories on our behalf that will be sung of for generations."

Lu Su made a wry face. "But my lord, they-"

"Enough!" Zhou Yu snapped, his voice as hard as iron. "Lu Su, you are smarter than this! I don't allow fools to act as my commanders and I have expectations that they will see the greater wisdom that lies beyond expediency! If you think they are to be used and then tossed aside or destroyed, then maybe your talents would be best used by the forces laying north of the Yangtze, for certainly Cao Cao would agree with you."

Lu Su flushed in embarrassment, bowing his head. "That is a sharp rebuke, my lord, and not undeserved. Though I have yet to see more in the straw-heads that their appearance, if men such as you and our lord believe in their value, I shall reexamine my beliefs. Forgive me."

"It has nothing to do with their value to us, Lu Su," Zhou Yu replied, turning his eyes back to the road and speaking softly again. "All beings have value, though we may not see it, for surely the Heavens create nothing that is of no worth. Whether you like it or not, there is a world beyond the Great Mountains and we must be prepared to acknowledge it, for if we do not, we deserve to be destroyed by it for our complacency."

Lu Su sighed. "You and our lord are dangerous men, I confess. Not only because of your skills in war, but your willingness to accept new ideas and peoples we have traditionally rejected. It makes me wonder what Lord Sun Jian would have done, had he been the one to see these barbarians enter his lands."

"He would have done much as his son has done, I assume." Zhou Yu commented. "Do you think that the Sun children developed their unique perspectives about the world by happenstance?"

"I still maintain it is an oddity." Lu Su said.

"Mayhap, but it is the future, so ruminate carefully on how you plan to receive it. Now, commander, take your Lunar Spears and ride out east of the _Bailangren¸_ I do not want us to get flanked in case the enemy has sent any forces across the river without our knowledge. Keep the straw-heads safe."

Lu Su laughed and bowed. "As you say, my lord, they shall be protected as if they were my children!"

Lu Su rode off and left Zhou Yu to his thoughts.

"_So many variables. So many outcomes and possibilities. Even now I find we must still overcome resistance to new ways and ideas within our own ranks. We cannot have dissension at a time like this. If we take Nanjun, we must hold it, but the enemy will always be ready for an attack from there and will keep a strong force arrayed against it."_

"_Cao Cao is still so strong. Chi Bi gave us hope, but the odds have not tipped at all in our favour. Stealing bits of land from Cao Cao, whittling away at his territory is not going to be enough. We must either find a way to destroy his dynasty in one strike or we must turn the tables of this dreadful war in a meaningful and lasting way."_

He closed his eyes, leaning over subtly and gripping his forearm tight. The throbbing pain occasionally returned, a grim reminder of his near-death during the fight against the demon lord Ou Xing. His fair skin was marred by the teeth marks of the qliphotic creature that had bitten him, sending a searing poison through his blood.

Xiao Qiao, his beloved wife, had been kind enough to tell him more than a few times that scars were sexy on a warrior, but he never reciprocated by telling her when the pain had come back. He had no reason to believe she didn't know when he was hurting, but she did him the dignity of not mentioning it. He could never express to her his appreciation for everything she did or how much she meant to him.

He thought back to when he had first met her, how enchanted he had been by her cheerful and lively demeanor. The younger Qiao sister, in contrast to the elder one who had married his friend Ce, was happiest outdoors, climbing trees and frolicking with animals. Certainly there was nothing wrong with Da Qiao, who was lovely, intelligent and thoughtful, but Xiao was the perfect complement to Zhou Yu, a beam of shining light that illuminated the deep ocean that was her husband's mind.

Everyone assumed it had required all of his considerable willpower to not take her before they were married. And, to be honest, they had not waited; nor had Ce and Da, though this was a closely kept secret. He and his sworn brother had not told anyone and if the girls had, it would only have been Sun Shang Xiang or Lian Shi, both of whom could be trusted to keep a secret such as this. Neither Ce nor Zhou Yu had been virgins when they met the girls, since they had both been trained by some of the finest courtesans in Jiang Dong when they were younger. It was not seemly for men to not know their way around the bedchamber.

He and Ce had stolen into the Qiao compound one might a few weeks before their marriage, with the intent of finding out exactly how well-trained their exquisite courtesan wives-to-be actually were. According to Ce, Da Qiao had not resisted per se, but engaged him in a rather lengthy debate about compromising her dignity. Xiao, on the other hand, once she realized that Zhou Yu was a decoy to give Ce alone time with her sister, had readily acquiesced to his carnal intentions, inside a remote tool shed within her father's walled compound.

She had been everything he had hoped for and more. His dedication to her could not be described with mere words, no matter how florid the poetry. There was nothing he would not do for her, with the possible exception of turning his hand against Ce, but he knew it would never come to that on Xiao's behalf, because she was as devoted to the Lord of the Southlands as he was.

He thought about these terrible wars and how they did not seem to touch on her true nature. Yes, the fighting and death upset her, but she willingly joined the cause and put forth her very best effort to ensure a bright and peaceful future for their children and indeed all the people of the Middle Kingdom. Xiao was always hopeful and enthusiastic, determined to make sure he was proud of her. He had to admit, she often got in over her head, but such seemed to be the way of Qiao girls. She and Da could get into scrapes the likes of which would daunt even he and Ce, but still they managed to emerge triumphant.

He thought back to when the girls had believed that he and Ce was being led into a trap by Ou Xing and doomed to death. They had struck out on their own to save their husbands, facing the mighty demon lord in his own realm. Despite the supernatural horror he represented, they had never surrendered to his will. True, without the intervention of their husbands they would have surely perished, but there was no denying their bravery.

And now Xiao was an officer in the Wu army, commanding her squad of girls, the feared Salamanders, and the mighty flying dragon machines known as the _Feilong. _Also under her command were squads of animal handlers who brought tigers into battle, to be unleashed against enemies who were not used to such troops on the battlefield.

Such unusual troops were still new to the Wu arsenal and they were being trained in their use by the Shanyue auxiliaries that Sun Shang Xiang now employed from her city of Fujian, capital of the southern reaches of their realm. The Shanyue, in return for trade and her protection, were providing Shang Xiang with war elephants and tigers. Xiao would be the first of the Wu commanders to use tigers in combat, a process she had recently been sent south to learn.

While Xiao was in Fujian, her sister had gone with Ce to Wang Jou. This left their good friend Diao Chan in charge of managing the courtesan academies of the Southlands. Diao Chan, while exceedingly beautiful and talented, like even unto Da and Xiao, was too traditional in her mindset for Zhou Yu. Though she embraced Sun Ce's eventual hegemony, she still had a Ha Dynasty mindset that seemed difficult to throw off. He had no doubt that the remarkable young woman would succeed one day, but he was keeping a watch over her until then, in case something or someone ever came along that made her question her loyalties.

The Han…

How many dynasties had ruled over the Middle Kingdom? How many tyrants and suzerains had claimed divine authority or even descent in order to legitimize their rule? If the Tao ever truly came to earth, there would be no need for such men, for the heavens were full of generals and kings and queens, emperors and empresses.

When he and Ce had pacified the realm and when Ce sat on the Dragon Throne, their dynasty would not be predicated on simple providence (though the blessings of the Heavens were sure to help) but on merit and deserving to rule because they would care for the realm and its people, allowing them to find their happiness and keeping them safe from harm.

The Han was just another bloated monstrosity preying on the people for its own greed and enjoyment. The Han emperors, if they ever been of divine origin, were certainly not carrying forth the Mandate of Heaven. Emperor Xian was just another cold and indifferent man who did not care to be in touch with the realm he ruled, nor cared if the people suffered and died. What was that to him?

Sun Ce and Cao Cao were alike in that they were determined to have a government that would run on merit, but the similarities ended there. Cao Cao's vision of the world was functional, where people who would not accept their role or place in society or proved less than competent, were cast aside. Sun Ce believed in allowing people to live their lives as they saw fit, provided it was not at the expense of others. If a person had the ambition to be a scholar or an administrator, he was welcome to try and pass the exams, but this did not mean he was of more worth than a farmer, a tanner or a sandal weaver.

He thought of the story of Liu Bei, the vaunted Imperial Uncle known as 'Scion of the Han'. Though of imperial descent, he had been born poor and raised as a sandal and mat weaver. The story went that he had always been touched by the star of virtue and even studied alongside such eminent nobles as Kong Rong and Gongsun Zan. Compelled to help quell the chaos of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he had pledged brotherhood with his mighty generals, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei and had dedicated himself to restoring the glory of the Han Dynasty. Many people of talent were drawn to his vision of a virtuous world, willing to fight and die for his dream.

Liu Bei was dangerous, as Zhang Jiao, leader and priest of the Yellow Turbans had been dangerous. Few things could incite a population to violence like principals they could not truly understand. It was a form of extremism that Zhou Yu found very unsettling, a counterpoint to the cold and calculating logic represented by Cao Cao.

But Liu Bei was not only dangerous because of his ideals, he was also to be feared because of the people who followed him, mighty warriors such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, not to mention the cunning and insidious Zhuge Liang.

He could feel his face flush as he thought of the strategist known as Kongming. Zhou Yu, well aware of his own intellect, highly distrusted Liu Bei's principal advisor, even though they were allies. There was talk of peace of comradeship, but between these two men there was an understanding- that one day war would come between their peoples and one of them would reign supreme, the other man a failed has-been.

And he was never sure if he could beat Kongming. Something about the man got under his skin and caused his blood to run cold. Zhuge Liang either had the annoying skill of making it look like everything that happened was part of some larger plan of his _or_, more worryingly, he actually could see things on a scope even Zhou Yu could not hope to perceive. If this was true, then Zhou Yu prayed that Sun Ce's unrivalled might on the battlefield proved too much for Kongming's strategies, because no tactics or plans would stop him.

"My lord, is something bothering you?" asked one of his Swordwind company commanders. "Rarely have I seen you look so distant, nor glare at nothing."

Zhou Yu blinked, dismissing his worries. He had a battle to fight. "It is nothing, I was reminding myself of why we must destroy Cao Cao and everything we shall save by doing so. It never hurts to remind oneself of your ordained purpose."

The commander chuckled. "I assure you, my lord, your warriors have a litany of detestation they chant almost daily concerning the Prime Minister and his ilk. They believe in their purpose and will follow you to hell if it means stopping Cao Cao and defending their homes and loved ones."

"I am glad to hear that, commander," Zhou Yu replied coolly. "For they must fight hard in this campaign. The battle in the east should have Cao Cao's attention, but Sun Ce will not consider our gambit a success unless we succeed in _our _mission."

"Is he likely to get wind of our arrival or intentions?" the commander asked.

"I hope not," was the strategist's answer. "I have sent hundreds of spies and informants into the regions we will travel through, spreading obfuscation and misinformation that his spies will hopefully hear. If all goes according to plan, they'll not know what to tell him."

"And what of the enemy commander, Cao Ren?"

"He will be very tough to defeat if he gets wind of our approach. He is a master of the defensive fight, so I do not intend to let him dig in. Gan Ning will be getting us across the Yangtze swiftly and then the Swordwind and the _Bailangren_ will be hitting the primary objective while the other regiments sweep through and cause chaos, making the enemy believe that we are striking at Hua Rong."

"And what are their numbers?" asked the commander, clearly trying to formulate his own tactics for when things got crazy.

"If our spies are correct, possibly twice to thrice our own," Zhou Yu said without emotion. "Liu Bei has a large concentration of troops nearby, so Cao Cao keeps the area well-garrisoned."

The commander grunted. "It'll be nice to put one over on Liu Bei too. They may be our allies, but I don't trust them, my lord. Please forgive me for saying so, but I will feel better if we snatch some territory from out under his nose as well."

"A common enough sentiment within our ranks, I am sure. You are dismissed, commander."

The man nodded and rode back to his troops, leaving Zhou Yu to his ruminations. His spies had mostly been working to keep Liu Bei's people from finding out what he had intended, not Cao Cao. The principal strategist of the Prime Minister, a man named Jia Xu, was renowned as cunning and utterly ruthless. He had apparently slaughtered thousands of peasants in Mian Yang in order to demonstrate Liu Bei's inability to protect them. Worse still for the Scion of the Han, two of his generals, Wei Yan and the mighty Guan Yu had failed to prevent the massacre, calling their dedication to the safety of the common people into question.

Zhou Yu grimaced, reviling such tactics. What manner of people sought to claim the right to rule while killing the people they sought to rule over? How could such policy be tolerated? It was completely immoral. He could picture their foes, discussing the necessity of such action. They would claim that no one was innocent, that the simple peasants had chosen to take Liu Bei as their master, it had not been forced on them and therefore they were the enemy, to be expunged so that true citizens of the Middle Kingdom could be ruled efficiently.

In a world without the mercy of the Heavens, Cao Cao's position was reasonable, logical and justifiable. But that didn't make it right. The Buddha taught mercy. The new monotheistic religion sweeping the Uttermost West taught mercy. Could people really be so disparate in their creation that some were born with the capacity to care and others were not?

One's desires should fit around a set of morals and principals, not the other way around. Morality used to justify one's desires was flawed. It was malleable and inconstant, subject to change based on one's needs. Such convenience was not the way of true great men. And the Middle Kingdom was full of little people with little and petty desires. They needed to be protected from one another by the sage and then maybe one day all men would see the way of Harmony and know true peace.

If men such as Sun Ce and the Great Patriarch Sun Jian believed this, then who was he to argue?

* * *

Progress north slowed as Zhou Yu began to take precautions that would help mask their approach. His army began avoiding the use of roads, moving over natural terrain where possible and quickest at night. He had issued great cloaks of hemp to conceal movement and made sure the men had wrapped any exposed metal so the sun would not reflect off it and potentially warn the enemy of their movements.

Gan Ning's swift vessels were patrolling the waters of the Great River, making sure that any spies of Cao Cao or Southerners of dubious loyalty did not make their way across the Yangtze to warn Cao Ren of the impending danger. Zhou Yu had no reason to believe that the former pirate's stranglehold of the waterways would be anything less than total. In fact, he was counting on it, with only his own agents able to cross in order spread confusion and disorder.

All displays of the brilliant Sun family colours were forbidden during the march and no company or regimental banners flew. This took considerable coordination since almost forty-thousand troops were involved, but Zhou Yu was an undisputed master of logistics and military dynamics. If anyone could obscure the movement of an entire army, it was the Grand Strategist of the Southlands.

He considered the ruse they were implementing, a trap within a trap. Over in Wang Jou, they were dangling bait that Cao Cao would take in jaws of steel. But therein was the Prime Minister's peril, for the Southlands would bite back, hard. His army would be facing off against Sun Ce, who would prove relentless on the battlefield and not stop until he had taken the proffered prize from Cao Cao.

And what a prize it was. The pride of the Sun clan, one of the most ancient and noble families in China, demanded that they meet this challenge. There was never any doubt and there was certainly no room for failure. Zhou Yu's part was to make Cao Cao suffer for his audacity and Zhou Yu looked forward to playing this part. He would never forgive the Prime Minister for sending the evil sorcerer Yu Ji to the Southlands in his bid to kill Sun Ce and torment the people of Wu.

Zhou Yu and Sun Ce had agreed that he would wait to strike until the battle in the east had begun and Cao Cao's forces there were committed and all attention was turned there. Given Wu's recent defensive stance and predilection for disruptive raids, there was no reason for the Prime Minister to think that they would try to take lands north of the Yangtze, something they had not yet tried to do. Certainly Wu could not readily hold most of the lands that sat between their realms, only an easily-defended spot like Nanjun was a realistic goal as yet.

He slipped his hand around the grip of his ancient ancestral blade and took comfort in its familiar touch. He knew that the attack in Wang Jou was a mere diversion for his own assault, but for reasons he had not discussed even with Sun Ce, he knew he was willing to sacrifice everything here in order for their forces in the east to succeed. He could not conceive of Ce failing, even if this attack on Nanjun had not been planned, but Zhou Yu intended to hurt Cao Cao badly, to humiliate him, as his strategist Jia Xu had done to Guan Yu and Wei Yan.

"Lord, we are approaching within a distance where we should expect them to detect us," reported a messenger who rode up and bowed his head. "Additionally, battle has been given in the east at Wang Jou under Lord Sun Ce. Your orders?"

Zhou Yu's keen grey eyes hardened. "Have the designated squads of Spirit Walkers dispatched across the river to our west and begin their assignment. We will stop and await their signal."

The man nodded and rode off and Zhou Yu summoned his regimental and brigade commanders. They gathered about him and clasped their fists in their hands, heads bowed dutifully.

"In spite of the element of surprise, I doubt this will be an easy battle," he began. "Cao Ren will have careful defenses laid and once he sees what our true plan is, he will attempt to dig in and defend Nanjun. We must press hard, hit him at critical points and make sure that he cannot respond in force to any one attack we throw his way. The shock troops will break holes in his lines and the battle formations will flood through. We will overrun Nanjun and hopefully destroy his entire force."

"Discard now your doubts and your fears, for they will only make you fail. Accept the possibility of death, fear it not and fear only the shame of failure and the deaths of comrades you might have saved. The enemy is strong, but so are we and we also bear the banner of righteousness, which means the Heavens are on our side. Remember the miracles of Chi Bi, for they were miracles performed by valiant men who did not falter. They were the deeds of men who fought for their lands, for their loved ones and for a bright future free of tyranny, such as only the mighty Sun family can lead us to. Know fury in your hearts, deliver death to our wayward foes and let them fear the might of the Southlands!"

The commanders all cheered their assent and returned to their regiments. Riding at the head of the Swordwind regiment, Zhou Yu pondered the next three days and what they would be like. He would never say anything to his troops, but something sat ill with him. He did not know what it was, not a sense of dread, but something he was missing or could not see.

He shoved it from his mind and focused himself on the task at hand. He was attacking a strong defensive position and the enemy had superior numbers. He could probably say his troops had superior morale, along with a diversity of functions, such as the Spirit Walkers and the _Bailangren_, not to mention his command of the waterways.

His own personal regiment, the Swordwind, was composed of shock troops who moved fast, renowned for their lightning attacks that hit the enemy like a thunderbolt and burst their formations apart. Once he led them into the fray, he would have to relinquish overall command and hope that his plans were thorough enough to carry them through.

He had read several manuscripts now about the legendary conqueror, Iskander, who led his troops into battle, always making sure he fought where he was needed most. Leading by example, his plans and tactics went as far as his own involvement in combat and after that it was left up to his thorough instructions to each of his commanders to carry out their part.

This remarkable man had, apparently, never suffered defeat and in the span of ten years conquered an empire larger than all of China, stretching from the Uttermost West to the riverlands of Ind. It was a staggering achievement and it was accomplished with not more than fifty thousand troops in his standing army at any one time.

Zhou Yu currently commanded between forty and fifty thousand troops for this action he was engaging in. He considered what it would take to conquer all of China with nothing more than this. Suddenly, this campaign against Nanjun did not seem at all daunting, no matter how dug in Cao Ren got.

Victory would be theirs.

* * *

Wen strode solemnly through the night toward his target, his mind pushing aside the ephemeral matters of this transient world, reaching inside himself and beyond the veil of reality. He had always felt the touch of the empyrean, since he was a child and consequently he had been shunned and spurned by those around him, even his own parents. Running away when he was thirteen, he had found himself mysteriously led to an ancient grove far from his home. He had fallen into a deep and weary sleep and when he woke he found a beautiful and ethereal maiden holding him and caressing his face.

She was a spirit who guarded the ancient and holy grove, residing in the tallest and oldest tree of the forest. She became his lover and for the first time in his life, he had found acceptance and contentment. He built himself a hut not far from the old grove and visited her daily, lost in the delirium of love his immortal offered. With her guidance, he began to explore and understand the mysteries of the Tao and the movement of the earth and heavens.

But one morning he had awoke to a terrible foreboding at the stench of burning green wood. Dashing out from his hut, he froze in horror as he espied the ancient grove, some _li_ away, being engulfed in flames. His heart pounding, he ran as fast as he could, crying out in desperation, praying for a response from his beloved.

But it was for naught- every tree was destroyed and there was no sign of his immortal. Only a pained and haunting sigh caressed his ears while senseless death seared his mind. He swooned and fell to the ground, praying for the uncaring flames to take him. Savage dreams tormented him, granting him no release from his agony. He received visions of those who had destroyed his wonderful grove and taken his love from him, a great and merciless army, dressed in blue and arrogant gold, led by a haughty man with a mind and heart of iron.

When he finally woke, it was to the sound of nearby marching feet. A company of men, clad in the hateful blue and gold, were passing by, chanting as they tromped across the edge of the charred forest. Fury consumed Wen and he shouted in incoherent fury, charging at the amazed men. Lightning flashed from his eyes while roiling flames came in gouts from his hands to envelop his prey.

His suffering and rage were his weapons, inflicting ruin and excruciating death on the enemy. Men died,cooked inside their armour or their bodies bursting apart as their organs boiled and ruptured. His teeth clenched and gritted as he willed their destruction, no longer even trying to avenge his beloved, but expressing his hatred for the humanity that had rejected him and taken form him everything he held dear.

Obliterating those men had not assuaged his anger or his grief. If anything, he display of destructive force had merely reinforced in him how alone he was. He lay in the charred ruins of the forest for days on end, mourning his loss. But his tears did not bring his beloved back, his sorrow was not answered by the Heavens.

Then one day, more men came through the region. He sensed them before he heard or saw them and fury once again welled up in his heart. He hid behind the remains of an ancient tree and watched as the horsemen filed past through a field. Then their leader held up a hand and they stopped. Wen felt a cold shock run down his spine as the pale man with the keen gray eyes turned his head and stared directly at him.

Almost against his will, Wen stepped out from his hiding place and gazed at the warriors, unsure of what to do. He watched as the raven-haired leader dismounted and walked toward him, showing no fear but regarding him passively. He came within mere steps of Wen and held out his hand.

"Come," he said in a soft but compelling tenor. "Let us fight together to build a world free of pain."

That had been many years ago and he had dedicated himself to the vision that Lords Sun Ce and Zhou Yu now strove for, a land where he could live without fear of others because of his gift. He was shown how to develop and hone his ability, both for peace and for war. He was taken across the Wu realm, shown what they were fighting for, the peace and contentment everyone should be allowed to achieve.

Shrouding himself in mists and confusion, he strode boldly toward the outpost, taking note of the two guards at the gate. They squinted in confusion as they looked in his direction, as if trying to decide that he was actually there or what he was. Their fingers worked nervously on the haft of their weapons while they struggled to discern if there was a threat.

He could have killed them, but decided against it. Perhaps their confusion, compounded with the fear he would unleash, would work more to his advantage. The gate was open and he swept in, leaving the two men alive but almost rooted to the spot, their minds thoroughly addled.

But now there were many more men around him, possibly fifty, and he could not keep them all at bay with misdirection. One sergeant pointed at him and then shuddered in horror as Wen made a clenching motion and sucked all the air from his body. The man's form shuddered and collapsed, pale and turning blue as his organs shut down. He stretched out his hand and arcs of lightning crackled forth and enveloped another man, who died screeching.

Mayhem burst out within the outpost as Wen wreaked havoc amongst the northerners. Rather than fighting him, the troops were trying to escape his elemental fury. A supply hut burst apart in a ball of fire, engulfing and consuming several men. Wen watched impassively as they died.

When he had originally submitted to Lord Zhou Yu and begun his training, he had been eager to bring death to Cao Cao's armies, since it was they who had destroyed the sacred forest and had slain his love. But Zhou Yu explained that if he fought out of hatred, he would never know peace, even when the Prime Minister was defeated. No, if he was going to fight, he would have to do so in the name of others, not for himself or vengeance.

These men he now slew, they had families, lovers, hopes and dreams, all of which were being taken away from them. Their kin would grieve and he would have to live with that knowledge. But he could not conceive of peace in the world if Sun Ce did not take control. He had seen the smiling and joyous faces of children and lovers and he now knew he would do whatever it took to achieve this, even if it cost him his life.

And if it cost him his life, would he not be reunited with his love?

He walked up to a man he had frozen into a statue of ice and struck him, shattering him into thousands of shards before heading toward the main building.

* * *

Bian's eyes flickered with an ethereal light as she drew her robe about her slender body, gazing coldly down at the withered corpse of the watch captain who's life she had just ended. His face was a bewildering mask of both delight and shocked horror. She had appeared to him out of the dark, seeming to him a wanton spirit looking for a willing mortal. She had pushed him onto his back and coupled with him, allowing the soldier to feel an intense ecstasy as she drained the life out of him.

Her command of the elements was rudimentary compared to many of her fellow Spirit Walkers, but her allure and ability to suck the very essence from her victims had served her well on many occasions. With the demise of the watch captain, this camp would be thrown into confusion when the attacks finally came. She smiled slyly down at her victim and left the guardhouse, melting into the shadows.

She thought back to the first time this dreadful power had manifested itself, when she had been a young woman, not quite fully matured. In her quiet village of Cheng, far to the south, she had been hiding in the thicket with her first love, Gui. She had promised herself to him that night and they had made awkward love. Lost in the throes of this new passion, she had kissed him fiercely at the moment of her climax and felt an unreal heat spreading through her body. But this pleasure was mixed with an astonishment and terror as she felt Gui's very spirit leaving his body, pulled into and consumed by her own.

Horrified, she had fled far from her home, knowing she could never return, even though nothing had been intentional. She wandered through widely-abandoned regions, sobbing in misery until she was waylaid and taken prisoner by bandits. They made no attempt to conceal their intent to use her in terrible ways until she died. Desperate, she used her secret power to slay the first bandit leader as he pillowed her and then fled in the confusion, finally arriving at the doors of a courtesan house.

The mistress noticed something unusual about her and kept her safe while sending word to Baifu of the discovery of a girl who might have been touched by the Heavens. An escort soon arrived to take her to the capital, where she was offered a new life and a chance at redemption and happiness. To become a Spirit Walker and make a difference.

She walked up behind another guard and tapped him on the shoulder. As he turned around in confusion she pressed her lips to his and watched as his eyes rolled into his head and he slipped to the ground, unconscious.

Maybe, just maybe, one day she would have the honour of administering this justice to Cao Cao...

* * *

Zhou Yu stood at the prow of the swift vessel as it pressed through the darkness and the water, heading for the northern shores of the Yangtze. His keen grey eyes pierced the night and the sounds of horns and drums reached his ears from many _li _ in each direction. His hands flexed subtly on the pommel of his ancient blade and the faintest hint of a smile crossed his lips.

"Sounds like your freaks're makin' quite a racket over there." Gan Ning said as he strode up and stood beside Zhou Yu, nodding as he approached.

"General, do you not find it somewhat ironic that a grown man, covered in tattoos and wearing bells on his hips would refer to my spirit Walkers as freaks?" Zhou Yu asked, still gazing into the night.

"Hey, it takes one to know one, right?" the former pirate responded easily. "Ain't like I care what they do, as long as they're helpin' us win. Nothin' wrong with bein' a freak, especially in our little outfit. Kinda seems like a necessity."

"Your observations are as refreshing as they are astute, Lord Gan," said the strategist quietly. "They'll take some getting used to."

"_Lord_ Gan, eh?" Gan Ning mused, rubbing his chin pensively. "Kinda has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"

"I wouldn't have said it if I didn't think so, nor have recommended it," Zhou Yu pointed out. "Given your past, your dedication to our cause is both unexpected and admirable."

"Well, after that yellow-haired mountain knocked me out by thumping me on top of the head, it kinda gave me a new perspective on things," muttered the pirate. "I kinda like fightin' against tough odds, y'know?"

"In that you are very much like our Lord Sun Ce, but I can account for why he fights. He wants peace and happiness for the people of the Middle Kingdom. If he happens to get a challenge along the way, then I am sure he considers himself well-rewarded for his efforts."

"Takin' on Cao Cao's definitely a challenge," Gan Ning remarked, tapping his fingers against the pommel of his _dadao_ which sat on his hip. "A lot of people think we're already winnin' this war."

"The peasants and common people _must_ be encouraged or they will lose heart." Zhou Yu replied, the wind stirring his raven hair in the darkness. "The enormity of our task cannot be underestimated. We must win, for not only will we die if we do not, but we will have dragged millions of innocents to their death for our caprice. Then the Heavens would surely judge us harshly. If Cao Cao wins, the realm will have order, but it will be an uncaring land with no use for those who cannot find their place or will not accept what they are told about their place."

"Who am I to object to self-determination?" Gan Ning chuckled. "If ol' Mengde wins, he'll either hunt me down and eventually kill me or he'll offer me some position, but I wouldn't like it or be happy. At least with you lot I can be myself."

"As long as you show mercy to the common folk, Gan Ning, then we are in agreement."

There was silence between them for some time before the pirate stuck his tongue out slightly and then licked his lips, tasting the air. "Wind's shifted and is picking up. We're gonna hit the north shores five minutes ahead of schedule at this rate. That okay?"

"That's absolutely fine, General. Please let me know when we are ten minutes away from shore so we can prepare to disembark quickly."

Gan Ning nodded and sauntered off, calling gruffly to his marines to start preparing for landing. The sails of all the ships were black and no lights were permitted, to give them as much time as possible to approach undetected. Zhou Yu said a silent prayer, thanking the gods for the cloud cover and lack of moonlight.

The battle would escalate rapidly once they came ashore, since the defenses closest to the waters would be alerted to their presence, unless the Spirit Walkers had somehow managed to silence them all. This, however, was a prospect the strategist found unlikely. Even if they had, a lack of or erratic communications would be noted by the defenses farther inland and he somehow doubted Cao Ren would be so lax as to not respond to such an event.

"_Ce, there is something about this battle that is not sitting well with me. I cannot identify it. It is not a premonition of defeat, it is just a foreboding. My death? The death of one of our commanders? I am no prescient, but I do not fear my death, either. Take care of my dearest Xiao and my children, my friend, if this is to be where I die..."_

* * *

"Brace yourselves..." Zhou Yu said as loudly as he dared, crouching low to the deck of the ship. He could feel the vessel shuddering as it approached the shore, coming into ever more shallow waters. His Swordwind troopers waited, hands on their keen blades.

The ship jerked and ground as it crashed up onto the sand. Zhou Yu had vaulted over the prow before the vessel had even stopped and was racing further up onto the shore, followed by his men. He knew that even if they had approached completely undetected, the sounds of the hundreds of ships landing would alert the enemy and resistance would be stiff. His ship had landed near a large encampment and he sprinted swiftly, his keen blade already in his hand.

The encampment's guards were remarkably unprepared for his arrival and seemed shocked when he appeared out of the darkness. Their eyes barely had time to register their shock before he had sped past them, slashing both across the throat with deadly accuracy. Into the camp he stormed, followed by his Swordwind troopers. Shouts of alarm went up but the havoc the southerners wreaked was making it nearly impossible for anyone to tell what was happening.

Spying the tent of commanding officer, Zhou Yu burst inside and struck the man down as he tried to put his belt on. Fire might have been useful in adding to the confusion, but he had told his men that speed and moving further inland was more important than destruction, so they slew fiercely and moved on. The troops coming up behind would be responsible for occupying the land they captured and seeing to any survivors.

The camp was overrun and had fallen in mere minutes and the Grand Strategist led the charge further inland, up the banks and into the network of defenses beyond. Another stronghold awaited him and these men were ready. A huge, burly warrior carrying a two-handed sword awaited him and their duel was merciless. Zhou Yu would forever carry a scar on his right shoulder where the man's weapon had scored his tender flesh before he had slain the brute. Finesse had triumphed over force, but it had not been pretty.

Yet another battle awaited.

* * *

Elryk's bellowing laughter rang across the battlefield as he threw a foe bodily into a knot of approaching northern soldiers. Before they could recover his men were on them like wolves, pitiless and intent on their kill. They had been promised plunder from their battles and they fought with a dreadful eagerness that no cultured warrior of the Han could match.

"Move, you dogs!" he roared, waving with his great sword and exhorting his men. "Lord Zhou's Spirit Walkers did all the hard work, do you think you can just sit on your lazy asses and hope for reward? The Star Adders are already meeting their third objectives and General Ling Tong has captured four! What excuses do you have?"

The massive German warriors shouted in response and threw themselves into the battle with even greater fury. Though lightly armoured by the standards of the Han, they carried massive, deadly blades, could move over impossible terrain with speed and hit like the thunder and lightning of the god Thurunaz. Bursting apart enemy formations with sheer savagery and terror was what they did better than anyone else.

Some of the enemy had organized themselves and Elryk's men now found themselves confronted by a solid shield wall and a hedge of spears. Behind these men, archers were beginning to rain arrows down onto the Germans. Hiding behind their stout wooden and iron shields but given pause, the barbarians cursed and howled at the enemy. Protecting himself from the steel rain with his own shield, Elryk grimaced. The enemy was beginning to adapt to how he and his men fought, something they had all known would happen one day.

But then a terrible warcry rang throughout the vale and Glandyth sprang forward, brandishing his huge double-bladed axe. His ice blue eyes were wild with bloodlust as he dashed forward toward the foe, heedless of the arrows and the waiting spears. Elryk grinned evilly as he saw the enemy formation begin to tremble, shocked by the sight of the lone titan berserker charging them, not at all deterred by their hundred-to-one advantage. These Han warriors were no different from the Romans he had fought, disciplined and efficient and deadly in their own way, but never able to endure the soul-wrenching battle cries and godlike fury of a lone warrior who had committed his life to the gods.

An arrow struck Glandyth in the shoulder, piercing his light mail but he did not flinch or falter in his charge. Elryk roared his approval, as did his men, all surging forward now that the enemy was focused on Glandyth. Out-pacing them all was Theudis, his other personal bodyguard, lithe and swift as the deadliest serpent, brandishing a short but keen blade in each hand. His cold grey eyes glinted with death and his raven hair streamed behind him in the night.

Some of the men in the enemy formation kept their wits as Glandyth fell upon them and thrust with their spears, perhaps wounding him, but it was too late- the massive berserker had burst apart the formation, whirling about in a bloody battle frenzy. Men scampered away in terror, clasping their hands over their ears in an attempt to block out the terrible sound of his howling warcry. Ribbons of blood flew from his great axe and he was covered in the gore and vitae of his victims, looking like some terrible god or demon from the pits of Hell itself.

"To Glandyth goes my ring!" Elryk shouted, knowing that his men would hear him, even though battle was once again engaged. "Is there any among you who would attempt to take it away from him with a grander feat?"

The howls were deafening as his challenge was accepted. The White Wolves would catch up with the Star Adders.

* * *

Not content to wait near the shore, Gan Ning had taken several companies up onto the beachheads and fanned them out along the flanks, blocking any attempts by the northerners to move around and counterattack Zhou Yu's invasion forces. To his disappointment, the enemy seemed disorganized and unable to launch any sort of meaningful counterstrike, but it never hurt to be careful. He would still be able to carry out his assigned mission.

A small battle was engaged in the east and he drove headlong into the enemy before they could organize. His heavy weapon flashed in the night beneath the pale moon, his powerful wrists flicking it about as it if was made of paper. He knocked a foe's weapon aside, turned and thrust his boot into the man's stomach, knocking him flying backwards. Without missing a beat he spun and swept the legs out from beneath another enemy with his _dadao_. He ignored the now legless man's screams of shock and agony as he sprinted up the beach.

"_Huh, who'da thought that fightin' for a noble cause'd suit me so well?"_ he mused to himself as his men chased down some archers they had spied trying to flank them. While the initiative still lay with the Wu forces, he could feel the norther armies trying to rally and respond, though the effort was not yet solid. It would not be long before battle was given in earnest. They had to make as much headway as possible before Cao Ren was able to retaliate or solidify his defenses. The more ground the southerners took now, the less defensible options the enemy would have and be forced to retreat lest they be overrun entirely and lost.

Mindful still of his primary assignment, Gan Ning raced east, tracking down any outlying foes. He fought a brutal duel with a daring enemy commander who refused to run upon hearing the bells on the pirate's hips, unlike his men, all of whom had fled at the dreaded noise. An underhanded sweep up with his blade and Gan Ning had open his foe's torso from navel to throat. He spun swiftly and struck, the defeated captain's head tumbling into the night.

He held up his blade and the men with him stopped. He closed his eyes and listened carefully, heeding and analyzing every sound. The ring of steel and the clash of battle to his west, but then he detected horns to his east. Many horns, and not of the Southlands.

Cao Ren was going to attempt to defend in the center and pincer the Wu forces from the sides. It was as expected, but it was happening much sooner than hoped. Gan Ning glared at the ground while his mind raced, trying to decide how best to proceed.

"Alright, you lot," he announced in his gravelly voice. "Those horns're at least three or four _li_ to our east. "We're movin' east another _li_ an' settin' up an ambush. We don't need to kill 'em all, just delay 'em, got it? Yeah, kill 'em if you can, but we've gotta keep them from getting' closer to a beachheads, so don't get ahead of yourselves."

The four companies of Sea Dragon marines dashed forward through the night, coming upon narrow ground where the beach became a thin strip of sand barely wide enough for five men to walk abreast and the ground further up the shore was rocky and perilous.

"Get in position," he growled, concealing himself behind some trees. "We're gonna show those straw-heads of Elryk's that they're not the only ones who can use bad ground to their advantage..."

The marines waited silently and before long spied several companies of archers and spearmen racing along the beach, attempting to get behind Zhou Yu's forces inland. They did not notice the danger they were in until it was too late.

From the shallow waters along the beach, squads of Gan Ning's men sprang out and drove into the flanks of the unprepared northerners, who were filtered into a long, unorganized and unprotected column as they tried to move through the narrow channel of sandy beach. From the rocky and terraced ground to the north, Gan Ning and more squads of his marines fell on Cao Ren's men, routing them back toward the east. Hundreds of terrified men streamed back the way they came, convinced that the enemy was holding the shores nearby in strength.

Gan Ning watched as they fled, nodding in satisfaction. In his hand he held the severed head of the enemy detachment's commander, his eyes rolled up into his skull and his mouth wide in shock.

"They're gonna be a while tryin' to decide what to do now," he said to his men while casually tossing his gory prize into the dark waters of the Yangtze. "We'll leave a squad here with lotsa horns to keep 'em overestimatin' our strength. If they attack in force, beat it back to the base camp and we'll handle 'em there."

Not long after, he was back on his command ship, ordering small, swift vessels to keep a close but invisible eye on happenings in the easy while he oversaw the deployment of more troops across the river and onto the shore. Many boats were emptied and then pulled back into the water, waiting patiently for new orders. Wooden walls were constructed along the shores east and west and manned with archers, to slow any enemy troops who might appear.

So far so good, everything was proceeding as planned.

Now they just needed the enemy to mess everything up and proceed from there.

* * *

Ling Tong leapt lightly over his foe's wide sword swipe and used the man's knee to vault over his shoulder. Before the confused enemy could react, the lithe general had landed behind him and reached back to wrap the chain of his flails around the northerner's neck. He surged forward and down, yanking the foe backwards over his shoulder and snapping his neck. The man was dead before his body hit the earth.

He sprang forward and struck another man across the mouth with unerring accuracy, in spite of the stout iron helmet he wore for protection. The man burbled in pain before a snap kick caught him under the chin and he spun to the ground. Ling Tong dodged a spear thrust and used the chain once again to tie up his foe's wrist and spun the man like a top, wrenching the entrapped arm out of its socket before a lightning palm strike dropped him.

Resistance was growing force here in the west, but they were still making progress. Scouts told him that the Star Adders were being held up at their latest objective and the White Wolves were engaged in a bloody battle to the east. That meant he was still holding the lead, except for possibly the Swordwind, but there was no accurate intelligence about their movements yet. Ling Tong knew better than to worry about Lord Zhou Yu, who was one of the most dangerous warriors he had ever known and more than capable of handling himself in a pitched battle or even dire circumstances. He seemed to have a plan for every contingency imaginable.

Ling Tong's troops were swift, mostly armed with spears and protected by light armour. His preferred style of combat was to savage the enemy flanks, turning them inward and then getting behind the enemy army. If he was not assigned to a flank, he would often feign retreat, drawing the enemy in while his outermost forces or those of other commanders moved in and trapped the foe in a ring of iron from which none would escape.

He sped now around the defenses of Nanjun, hoping to cut off Cao Ren's retreat once Zhou Yu had forced the center. From what he could tell, Cao Ren, ever the capable if predictable commander, had chosen a defense-in-depth strategy for the protection of the region. While his outermost defenses might seem light, they got progressively strong as one moved inland and toward the strongest point in the region. Since this stronghold needed to be taken if Nanjun was to be wrested away from the defender, anyone attacking faced the grueling prospect of grinding down their forces against the fortifications that awaited them and soon would not have the men necessary to make that final assault.

Zhou Yu's strategy, therefore, had been to not slog out the fight in front of the Nanjun defenses, but to burst them apart rapidly and with complete surprise, causing confusion inside fortifications that should not have been attacked yet. Only the mystical skills of the Spirit Walkers and the uncanny capabilities of troops such as the White Wolves made such a strategy possible.

Ling Tong was skirting all but the outermost defenses and trying to get behind Nanjun, where hopefully the fortifications would not be so strong or in-depth since it was to the rear. The timing of these assaults had to be precise, because he would find himself in a very dire position if the center did not fall and reinforcements were to come from the north and pin him down.

The night helped cover their movement as they sped through light forest, gradually turning east. His troops halted as he held up a hand and peered out of the woods and into the lands beyond. The fires of many enemy camps and forts burned brightly but there was no sign yet of the chaos that he needed to make his next big move.

Could he perhaps make some feints and lure some of the defending troops away, leaving the center even more vulnerable to attack?

South and east, fires burned as forts were contested and taken. He watched intently, noticing how he could almost draw out a pattern in the conflagrations, indicating where the most progress had been made. Back toward the shores, Lord Zhou Yu had ordered no lights or fires, to keep the enemy guessing at their numbers.

"General, a messenger from the west!" one of his men said hastily as a man rode up on a small but fast pony. The soldier knelt and clasped his hand in his fist bowing his head before reporting.

"General, we have troops moving in from the west," he said, his tone conveying his concern. "They have not been identified but they're using the drum and horns signals of the Prime Minister."

"How many?" Ling Tong asked tersely.

"We were not sure, but maybe as many as forty thousand," the messenger replied. "They are maybe thirty _li_ east of us and moving fast. They could reach us in as little as five hours if they keep their pace."

Ling Tong closed his eyes and considered his options. In five hours he could be away from this position and behind Nanjun, but with no one to stop these enemy reinforcements from arriving, he would be trapped and doomed to annihilation unless the center fell in that length of time. Given what he could see of the advancing Wu troops, that was unlikely.

Should he turn and face this new threat? He could not outfight it, given the four-to-one odds they seemingly possessed, but he might be able to slow it down, make sure it was not a decisive factor in the battle for Nanjun. If Lord Zhou Yu could take the center and force Cao Ren's retreat, Ling Tong might not be there to catch him and help destroy his forces as planned, but these foes from the west would be compelled to retreat as well, once they new that Nanjun had fallen.

He was about to give his orders when horns sounded from the center. To his amazement, they were Wu horns and they were sounding a general retreat. Seconds later, horns began blaring from the enemy camps, indicating an advance.

"A call to retreat," he muttered. "Everyone, turn around and head back to the ships immediately."

"But general," protested one commander standing next to him. "If we might-"

Ling Tong's flail slammed across the man's forehead, knocking him out cold. The general whirled and glared at the remaining commanders.

"Get this fool off the ground and get the hell back to the ships!" he snarled. "Everyone! Now!"

No one else objected and Ling Tong's entire division before a headlong retreat back to the beacheads, streaming south from their hard-earned ground. He prayed that the enemy force approaching from the west had not been aware of them and was making to intercept or cut them off. With any luck they would continue east and simply reinforce the center. He bit his lip as he listened to the clarion calls, burning in his ears. It was not long before a messenger arrived from the center, a look of panic on his pale face.

The news he carried stunned Ling Tong. He urged his men to move faster.

* * *

The last line of defense before the fort of Nanjun itself had fallen, shattered from within by the sorcery of the Spirit Walkers and torn apart from without when the combined forces of the Swordwind and White Wolves had descended upon it. Zhou Yu stood atop the wall of this last bastion, waving his ancient blade overhead and urging his men on, heading north. Not more than five _li_ away waited the center of the Nanjun defensive formation and Cao Ren himself.

"Think nothing of your deeds and your valour so far displayed," he called out loudly, pointing to the fortress north of their current position. "Our victory cannot be claimed until Cao Ren has departed Nanjun in defeat! Anything less is no victory at all and all your deeds for naught! Great will be the reward of the man who brings me the head of the Prime Minister's cousin!"

Countless shouts greeted his exhortation and his keen grey eyes watched at the Southerners stormed northward.

"_There are no tricks for this final battle, no ploys or gambits to be played and steal a victory from the enemy,"_ he thought grimly. _"My troops must now prove more able at assault than Cao Ren's at defense. We have come far through stealth, surprise and trickery, preserving much of our troop strength, but now it is simply a question of who is strongest. If we cannot take those walls, then this plan is doomed."_

His gaze cast northward, the strategist did not see the danger lurking in the shadows nearby...

* * *

Qin Fan's hands were shaking as he attempted to grip his bow. It felt slippery in his palm and he knew it was from all the blood he was losing. One eye was stuck shut and his breathing was ragged. It felt like something was grinding deep inside his chest and the taste of iron polluted his mouth.

There he was. Qin Fan could see him, standing arrogantly atop the parapet, waving his troops on to their supposed victory. Resplendent in his vermilion and gold battle robes, Zhou Yu, Grand Strategist of the Southlands, was a target worth living a couple of more moments for.

If only he could make his dying body obey just a little bit longer...

His free hand unsteadily knocked an arrow and he took several deep breaths, still partially concealed by shadows and the tent he had been struck down at. His limbs throbbed and his heart clenched ferociously in his shattered chest. He did not have much time left for his name to live on in glory forever.

Summoning all his strength, Qin Fan raised the bow and drew back the string, ignoring the burning, screaming agony in his arms and chest. He willed his legs not to shake as he took aim with his one good eye.

He moved a little to his left so he could get a clear shot at his target. He was aware that he was now fully exposed and the enemy could see him. He heard people distantly crying out in shock and alarm, some of them calling to Zhou Yu, trying to warn him. It was now or never.

Everything moved slowly as the arrow sped away from his worthy bow. He watched as Zhou Yu turned about to see what all the commotion was and his eye widened as he realized his danger. Qin Fan could see his missile would fly straight and true, he knew it would strike its target.

Strange, though, to watch as the world tumbled about him, seeing his own body crumple to the ground while his head sailed through the air, separated from his shoulders by the axe of some monstrous, yellow-haired barbarian.

Should he have been able to see that if he was dead?

* * *

The arrow plunged into his right breast, ignoring the mail he wore beneath his robes. He could feel the head spinning about and getting twisted in his silk undershirt but still driving deep inside his chest. Everything burst into white light and there was silence. It was as if the entire world had stopped to see what it was that he would do next.

Zhou Yu's grey eyes stared down at the feathers protruding from his chest. There was no pain yet, just a sense of disconnect and how unreal the circumstance seemed.

"_Your body is in shock. But your mind still has clarity. Use these moments before they are gone, they may be all you have."_

Though he had not anticipated this, his decision was made. As the sickening world came crashing back around him in a torrent of cacophony, Zhou Yu allowed his body to twist and fall, plummeting from the parapet and into the square below...

He was dimly aware of the huge, brawny arms of Elryk catching him and keeping him from shattering his body on the ground. So far so good.

"Elryk," he said weakly while the barbarian warlord stared down at him in shock. "Have the retreated sounded, a full retreat. Spread the word that I have died here. Then have your men carry me back to the ship as quickly as possible, with no delay."

"Will you make it if my men do this?" Elryk asked.

"Let us hope so, for it is my only chance and our only remaining hope for victory." Zhou Yu replied. "Hurry, and do not let my Swordwind commanders oppose you."

Elryk nodded and handed Zhou Yu's now limp form to members of his _comitatus_. "Sound the retreat!" he thundered, hoping everyone would understand what he was saying. He knew Valamir and Theudis, who spoke Chinese better than he did, would be shouting the order as well. Now he simply had to expect everyone to heed him.

"Lord Zhou Yu is dead!" he yelled. "Sound the retreat or we are all lost!"

They were words he had never imagined himself saying, but would trust this man implicitly, if for no other reason than Lord Sun Ce did. Zhou Yu had never been wrong before and he was not going to start doubting him now, even if he was seemingly dead.

Horns and drums sounded the retreat and the Southlanders immediately came about and began racing back towards their ships, left so many _li_ behind. Whatever shock or confusion they might have been feeling, their innate martial discipline held true and they obeyed willingly, even if the orders had come from the Lord of the White Wolves.

People were yelling that Zhou Yu was dead and a retreat had been called. It was not long before clarions and drums could be heard in Nanjun and from the surrounding forts that had not yet been taken. These instruments were sounding an advance. Cao Ren may have been a master of defense, but he was not about to waste an opportunity to destroy nearly fifty thousand warriors of Wu.

Elryk's _comitatus_ sped out of the fort, carrying Zhou Yu with them. The commander of the Swordwind raced up and spoke harshly to Elryk, his keen blade drawn.

"I care not if you are our allies, you dishonour the Swordwind by absconding with Lord Zhou Yu's body!" he raged. "Give it to me or I will kill you here and now!"

"For my part I would gladly do so, had it not been our lord's orders to have my _comitatus_ take his body back to the shore as quickly as possible," Elryk said, undeterred. "It would be proper for you to do so, yet this is not how he would have it. That being said, your troops and my remaining Wolves will cover the center's retreat as best we may."

The Swordwind commander considered for only a moment before nodding. "It shall be as you say. If you have spoken falsely then I may still take up the issue with you once we reach the boats."

The retreat was swift, the thousands of Wu troops heading back to the beachheads with great urgency. Everyone assumed that with Lord Zhou Yu killed, they would simply retreat across the Great River, hoping not to get caught before they could embark. Everyone seemed to be in a state of shock. Only Elryk kept his grim composure, though he knew not what lay ahead.

What would become of them all this night?

* * *

Men were mustering onto the boats as quickly as possible, herded and directed by Gan Ning's marines. He had heard the horns and then came the rumours of Zhou Yu's death. He had not believed it until he had seen the _comitatus_ come charging down form the north, bearing the Grand Strategist's body. They bore him swiftly up onto the command vessel and took him below the single deck. Gan Ning left the evacuation in the hands of his captains and went below.

Two of the _comitatus_ stood guard outside the lone cabin of the ship and the glared at him ferociously as he tried to get inside. A harsh word from within the cabin stayed them though and Gan Ning entered. He was not entirely prepared for what he saw but adapted quickly.

Zhou Yu lay on the cot that was the sole furniture of the tiny enclosed space, accompanied by a healer and with Valamir kneeling next to him. The Grand Strategist seemed paler than ever, if that was possible, but at least he seemed to be alive. Valamir held a finger to his lips, indicating that Gan Ning needed to be quiet.

"Sonovabitch," Gan Ning muttered as he approached and squatted nearby. "Still alive, eh?"

"In spite of my rather rough transport, yes, seemingly so." Zhou Yu replied quietly. "The healer said that the arrow would is clean and he can take it out easily enough. The missile missed my lung and the damage is ephemeral. That being said, there is still much to do if we are to take Nanjun."

Gan Ning's eyes widened in disbelief. "You shittin' me? This ain't part of your plan!"

"Admittedly not," Zhou Yu confirmed. "But that does not mean we will not discharge our duty, general. Here is what I want you and Valamir to do..."

* * *

Ling Tong boarded his vessel, still in shock. How could this have happened? There were many things he could have seen possibly going awry with their plan, but the death of Zhou Yu have never even crossed his mind. It was nearly as impossible a thought as Lord Sun Ce dying in battle.

Then he was told that he and his troops would be pushing off from shore but not heading across the river, merely staying out away from the beachheads they had fought so hard to gain. What madness was this? Whose stupidity was responsible for these foolish orders?

Gan Ning. It had to be that damnable pirate's doing.

He sent a messenger to procure a small vessel so he could go to the command ship and confront the scoundrel about these orders but then got told by a captain of the Sea Wasps that this request was declined. Furious beyond words, Ling Tong threw himself over the side of his ship and began swimming toward the command vessel. No one dared stay him and when he reached his objective, most were too surprised by his presence to object.

"Someone let me at him!" he roared, striding angrily along the deck, looking around for Gan Ning. "Where is that coward hiding himself?"

Gan Ning emerged from below the deck half a moment later and rolled his eyes upon seeing Ling Tong. "Aw, I might've known it was you causing all the racket," he groused. "Well, y'wanna come an' pay your respects now that you're here?"

"What I want is to know why you're endangering our entire fleet with these stupid orders!" Ling Tong yelled, leaping at Gan Ning, his flail in hand and ready to knock the former pirate's head from his shoulders. He was only restrained by the powerful arms of a member of the _comitatus, _who took hold of the raging general and held tight.

"Whoah, hang on, it's not what you think fireball!" Gan Ning said defensively, holding up his hands in a gesture of innocence. "I ain't the one givin' the orders around here."

"Who then?" Ling tong demanded. "With Lord Zhou Yu dead, who is senior commander?"

"Lord Elryk would be the highest-ranking noble upon the Grand Strategist's death," Valamir said, emerging from below decks to stand next to Gan Ning. "Would you care to discuss this with him?"

Ling Tong's mind spun. The Lord of the White Wolves? Was he serious? Why was Elryk having the fleet just sit here? What the hell did he know about naval tactics?

"Look, just cool your britches an' come below deck already," Gan Ning suggested. "You're here an' you're not in charge, so do something useful an' come pay your respects already."

As befuddling as the situation was, Ling Tong took a deep breath and followed his hated ally below. He was admitted into the hold was Zhou Yu's body was apparently being kept and gaped in astonishment.

"General, you look like you have seen a ghost." Zhou Yu commented, standing still while his royal battle robes were fitted onto him. He seemed paler, but aside from that, completely intact.

"But.. I thought... they said..."

"Yes indeed, and I almost was," Zhou Yu said, smiling. "But now the enemy thinks me dead and our forces routed. They are coming to try and destroy us before we can make it back across the Great River."

"You... you mean to trap them here on the shores and obliterate them." Ling Tong murmured. "But my lord, there is a problem. Just before I heard the call to retreat, my scouts reported possibly as many as forty thousand enemy troops heading toward Nanjun from the west."

Zhou Yu nodded. "I have also heard this rumour, my friend. We must destroy Cao Ren's army quickly and retake the strongholds again before this new force arrives. Once they hear that Cao Ren has been utterly crushed, they will move more cautiously, if they do not simply retreat at the news."

"This is a dangerous game we play, my lord," Ling tong said warily. "Another plan reliant on perfect timing."

"Even if this western army comes to Nanjun, we will still defeat Cao Ren and deprive the Prime Minister of one of his most capable and trusted vassals," Zhou Yu replied. "That in and of itself would be a useful victory. I would prefer to also take Nanjun, but that, as you said, is a matter of exquisite timing."

"The troops all think you're dead," Ling Tong breathed. "We should tell-"

"No, general, I would have the charade last a while longer yet," Zhou Yu interjected. "It may seem cruel, but this has all been thought out. As always, I require you to trust me on this."

Ling Tong bowed his head and clasped his fist. "Of course, Lord Zhou. I shall return to my ship with any orders you give me."

Zhou Yu nodded. "Please then do the following..."

* * *

Cao Ren ran hard down the difficult terrain, wishing it were more suitable to horses. The more lightly-armoured Southlands troops had outdistanced his defensive forces quickly, leaving him to catch up and hope that they were not able to totally evacuate themselves yet. If he could pin the bulk of their army against the shores...

It had been a close fight. Zhou Yu's attack had been disturbingly swift and unstoppable. His troops and feints had wreaked havoc on the Nanjun defences and only the final battle at the great fortress would have decided the outcome. It wounded his pride deeply that his defense-in-depth strategy had counted for so little.

His eyes narrowed and he clench the chain of his meteor hammer tightly, aching for a chance to avenge himself against the impetuous Southlanders. Though he dreaded having to explain to Cao Cao about how futile his vaunted defenses had been, he could at least mitigate this problem with the death of Zhou Yu and the destruction of a Wu army.

He could now see the fires of the enemy's beachhead camps and vaguely make out the countless dark shapes of the navy that had brought them and was now so desperately trying to ferry them home. His heart soared when he saw saw many still close to shore, doubtless waiting their turn to take on passengers.

There would be blood tonight. Blood and revenge. The death of Zhou Yu was not enough.

Fury burned in his chest as he and his men burst out of the treelines and hills and thundered onto the beaches, ready to slay every last straggler who...

The beaches, though, were empty. Left behind were buring fires and piled sack made to emulated men in the darkness. Off the shore, the boats waited silently, as if watching him.

And then from the great ship at the center a light blazed up. He gaped in astonishment as none other than Zhou Yu stood on the prow, gazing at him coldly.

"Cao Ren!" the Grand Strategist called out. "You were a fool to leave your fortress! Prepare to meet your end!"

Cao Ren then became aware of the sound of weapons beating on shields behind him, accompanied by the dreadful alien chanting every warrior in the north had come to fear. Alongside it came a song proclaiming the valour of the Swordwind, Zhou Yu's personal regiment.

And from the hundreds of ship lining the shore, thousands of fire arrows now sailed, illuminating the night sky. Cao Ren's gave snapped left and right, seeing now his troops herded onto the beaches in great mobs and he realized his folly.

"Retreat!" he bellowed as the beach erupted in confusion and panic. He knew that the Wu troops, expert mariners and swimmers, would now be storming ashore again, while the White Wolves and Swordwind surged down from the northern hills. He could hear warcries to his east and west, indicating ambush troops engaging his outermost units.

The storm of chaos raged across the beach and the sands were empurpled with northern blood. Gan Ning and Ling Tong led the charge ashore while Elryk pounced on Cao Ren's troops from the rear, cutting great swathes into them. Panic reigned as the northerners tried to escape, men trampling one another in their desperation to avoid certain death. The screams of the dying echoed out over the dark waters of the Yangtze.

From the prow of his command ship, Zhou Yu watched impassively, forbidden by the healer to take part in what was to follow. It mattered not, this would be a great victory. He searched now for Cao Ren, having promised great reward to the man who felled the general.

But Cao Ren was nowhere to be seen. He could not hear any calls of triumph, indicating the enemy commander's death. Had he escaped? Was he, like his cousin the Prime Minister, so slippry as to elude their grasp, no matter now tight the net was cast?

Zhou Yu clenched his fist and breathed, supressing his frustration. He knew Ce would simply be elated that he was still alive and that Cao Cao's forces were once again defeated, but that was not enough for Zhou Yu. These wars would never be won with these kinds of victories. They had to somehow push Cao Cao north, take his lands from him, demoralize his troops and render his troops impotent and unable to move. There was no room for narrow escapes.

He could tell now that Cao Ren's more disciplined troops were fighting back, even though they were unorganized and doomed to death. Zhou Yu silently urged his men to slay these valiants and head north, to take Nanjun, as had been the plan all along. The reinforcing army from the east had to be close.

Over the din of battle he could hear the roaring howls and warcries of the White Wolves, especially Elryk and Glandyth, who were individually louder than entire companies of Han soldiers. Panicked and confused horns called for the northern troops to follow conflicting orders, whereas his own warriors had the simple order to kill anything not wearing crimson and gold. Plainly these instructions were proving quite effective.

Unable to stand any longer, Zhou Yu knelt and bowed his head, breathing deeply, trying to compose himself. Though he would survive, he could not ignore the fact that his body had sustained a grievous wound that he would need to recover from. It would be up to Elryk, Ling Tong and Gan Ning to prosecute the rest of this battle and carry the day. With that said, he retired to the room below deck and lay quietly, listening to the noise of battle recede from the shores.

* * *

It was nearly dawn when there was a curt knock on the door to the room and one of Zhou Yu's Swordwind commanders entered, bowing his head.

"My lord, the generals have returned and wish to make their report."

Zhou Yu nodded and sat up wearily, aided by his healer. When Elryk, Ling Tong and Gan Ning had entered, he dismissed the man so they could speak privately. Ling Tong was sporting a few bruises, Gan Ning was sporting a long but superficial gash across his left pectoral and Elryk was bleeding from many wounds all over his body but did not seem perturbed by them, so Zhou Yu allowed them to make their report without any remark.

"Cao Ren has been driven by Nanjun in ignonimous defeat," Ling Tong began. "I am sorry to say we could not catch him. He is every bit as elusive as Cao Cao."

"Maybe, but an enemy general returning home in defeat is nearly as useful as a dead enemy general." Zhou Yu pointed out. "Cao Cao will doubtless have many questions about how he lost Nanjun to the Southlands in one swift battle."

At his statement, none of the generals said anything but looked at one another silently.

"What am I to understand from this lack of response to my reasoning?" Zhou Yu asked.

Drawing a deep breath, Ling Tong continued. "Do you remember the enemy reinforcements we spotted to the west, my lord?"

"Of course," replied the strategist. "Am I to understand that even though Cao Ren has been forced from the area, the enemy still holds Nanjun in its grasp?"

"Er, no..." Ling Tong said uneasily, now coming forward and present a scroll to Zhou Yu. He then knelt and bowed his head, waiting silently while his commander opened the scroll to peruse the contents.

"_To our valiant comrades of Wu. _

_Greetings and blessings of the immortals upon you all. Your martial valour and your strategic ingenuity are beyond reproach. To have very nearly robbed Cao Ren of Nanjun in a single night is something that would have left even the Great Martial Sage wordless. _

_Let it not be said that we will not honour this alliance as best we may. We know how difficult it would be for you to maintain these lands against the vast forces of the Prime Minister and in the spirit of Chi Bi and future cooperation, know that in the name of Lord Liu Bei, Scion of the Han, we have completed your fine work and occupied Nanjun. I promise you that the strength of our forces here under General Guan will deter any attacks our enemies might otherwise concieve. _

_As both our realms grow stronger by weaning these lands away from Cao Cao, let him tremble in fear and frustration at our united resolve to see him undone, his callous disregard for life and virtue a remnant of a best-forgotten past. Let the green and yellow penants flutter tirelessly next to your valiant crimson and gold for as long as our realms might endure._

_To Lord Zhou Yu, this victory would not have been possible without your magnificent intellect or grasp of the subtle ways of war. Much like Chi Bi, we are in your debt for all that has been accomplished. _

_With the greatest respect and cordial regards,_

_Zhuge Liang, on behalf of Lord Liu."_

Without a word, Zhou Yu rolled the scroll back up and seemed to gaze off into nothingness for several moments. He then rose and moved past his generals and returned to the deck. He ignored the pain in his chest as he climbed the rope ladder of the ship's mast, getting as high above the deck as he could. With the sun rising, his keen eyes peered north...

He could just make out the green and yellow banners fluttering above the battlements of Nanjun's fortress.

Ling Tong, Gan Ning and Elryk waited patiently at the bottom of the mast until he had climbed down. Finally it was too much for the barbarian warlord and his drew his great sword and plunged the tip into the deck, kneeling with his head bowed and his hand on the pommel.

"Lord Zhou Yu," he said in as earnest a voice as he had ever used. "Say the word and my Wolves and I shall drive these scoundrels from Nanjun, a land we fought and bled for. I care not if their vaunted General Guan now commands the fort, I shall wrest it from-"

"No, that will not be necessary," Zhou Yu said quietly, raising a hand indicating Elryk should keep his peace. "Though it has not worked out as we planned, the strategic strongpoint of Nanjun has been wrested from Cao Cao and is held in strength against him. Our losses were minimal and great was Cao Ren's humiliation. Let us return to Wu and celebrate a hard-fought victory."

The three men bowed their heads, knowing better than to protest their lord's decision. After Zhou Yu had returned below deck to rest, Ling Tong sighed.

"Perhaps this is what the Heavens had planned," he mused. "Maybe it would have been too great a strain on our forces to keep a strong presence in a place like Nanjun."

"Maybe if someone on our western flank had paid a bit more attention to the colours the so-called enemy reinforcements were wearing we might've seen through Kongming's plan and fucked him over for a change." Gan Ning sneered.

"Now just a minute, you scum-sucking water rat!" Ling Tong snarled, whirling around on Gan Ning and initiating a brawl. Elryk rolled his eyes and walked away, shaking his head.

He would never understand these crazy foreigners.

* * *

Sun Ce had waited several hours for Xiao to finish fussing over her husband's wound before he was finally permitted to see his strategist. He had arrived at the Moon-Scooping Pavilion soon after Zhou Yu's arrival and sat patiently in an antechamber outside his friend's bedchamber, where he was resting.

Xiao finally skipped out of the room, smiled at Ce and left, probably to find dumplings. He entered the room and smiled warmly as Zhou Yu, though seated upright in bed, still managed a dignified bow.

"Before we begin, Ce, please do not attempt to placate me by saying something banal like a a victory is still a victory, alright?" Zhou Yu said wearily.

"Never occured to me, pal," Ce replied cheefully, pulling up a chair and sitting reversed on it, leaning his arms on the ornate back. "Zhuge Liang really got the better of us that time, didn't he?"

"I guess there was a contingency I hadn't planned for." Zhou Yu muttered. "How did he know of our plans?"

"Don't worry about it, he won't have his way all the time," Ce said dismissively. "Yeah, it sucks and I'm pissed, but it's best we not let anyone else know. We oughta do everything we can to minimize the public persepctive about Kongming's involvement, make it seem like this was the plan all along."

"They needed Nanjun but could not take it without our help," Zhou Yu said glumly, nodding. "I hope he and Cao Cao choke on the endless bodies that they build up there fighting for that little patch of rock."

"There'll be another day, an' we'll get the best of both those bastards, you watch." Ce declared. "I ain't comin' out second best to those guys."

"_But what if I do?"_ Zhou Yu thought.

"You gonna ask me about the fight in Wang Jou or not?" Ce asked, smirking. "It ain't always about you, y'know."

Zhou Yu chuckled. "I have read all the reports, Ce. You drove Cao Pi from Wang Jou, took the ancient fortress and recovered not only priceless wooden scrolls written by your ancestor Sun Tzu but also the Great Martial Sage's body, long rumoured to be buried in the region. Cao Cao's trap turned against him because of your matchless skill on the battlefield."

"Yeah," Ce said, sighing wistfully. "Gonna have to build a big shrine or a small temple to house his remains, I just gotta figure out where. As for the scrolls, I've got scholars workin' on 'em already, lookin' to fill in any gaps we have in our current accounts of his writing."

"That at least is a positive outcome, the people will celebrate the victory enthusiastically." Zhou Yu mused. "We will build up this tide of good news for the people, especially since we are about to enter a new year. Let us leave the past where it belongs and look forward to our inevitable victory."

"That's the spirit." Ce said, now raising and patting Zhou Yu on his unwounded shoulder. "Heal up an' let's get back out there. It ain't the same without ya."

And then the great warlord was gone. Zhou Yu sighed heavily as he lay back on his pillows and looked at the ceiling.

"_Heavens and gods above... if you were to create Zhuge Liang, why then did you also create Zhou Yu?"_

Would he ever be better than Kongming?

They would never know until one of them was dead.

So be it.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **Alright, so first up we have the obligatory and habitual apology for the months-long delay. Couple of reasons for this have reared their ugly head, not least of which was me switching operating systems to Ubuntu, which is a mutant version of Linux. It uses a program called LibreOffice and for whatever reason, LO had a terrible time saving my writing. Worse still, there are times it completely erased all my files. Fortunately for me, I've gotten in the habit of keeping backups.

In other news, I've been ridiculously busy looking for full-time work and the temp jobs I've been stuck doing are completely unsatisfying and also not meeting the bills.

Earlier this year I lost someone very dear to me and they will always be in my heart and thoughts. Appreciate those around you and your loved ones, it's been a painful lesson for me.

As for the chapter itself, you might have noticed that it coincides with my spin-off fic Youth, Enthusiasms And Other Neuroses. It is my intent to try and keep the two fics running parallel as much as possible, hopefully to the reader's enjoyment since the focus of each story will be so different, even if the same events are happening.

The feud (if you can call it such) between Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang is beginning in earnest, by sticking a few thorns in our infallable Grand Strategist's side. This corresponds well with the events of the book and occasionally the video game. Hopefully this will add some depth and humanity to his character, something I've been wanting to expand upon.

The Chinese New Year will soon be upon us and that is coincidentally the next fic that is coming up. Getting that one out on time shouldn't be an issue. In the spirit of New Year it will be fun and enjoyable, some fluff and character development in the middle of these wars.

Hope everyone had a Merry Ho-Ho and here's hoping you have a Happy New Year. Both of them, in fact.

Keep your stick on the ice!

- Management


	67. Chapter 67

** The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any other media associated with Koei or its affiliates. The vast majority of the characterizations have been expanded upon by me for the sake of literary format. Individual or minor characters created by me for the purposes of interaction and story depth or my own property. If you wish to know which ones they are please ask.

This is a simple work of fanfiction meant for the entertainment of Dynasty Warriors players and fans, along with those who are familiar with the Chinese epic Sanguo, or 'Three Kingdoms'. Centred around Sun Ce and his family and retainers, it helps to be a Wu-phile if you want to read this story. As always, your reviews are welcome and appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

Sun Ce sat quietly in the throne room of the palace, listening as the sounds of the city filtered in through the open doors and windows. The New Year was upon them and the people of Baifu were in a celebratory mood. Music and chants and cheering filled the streets, along with the aromas of the snacks and savory dainties that merchants were passing out to the people.

He reflected on what had been accomplished over the past year and how proud he was of everything they had achieved. While the wars were not over, his people were strong and just maybe had the ability to contest Cao Cao for control of the Middle Kingdom, or at the very least defend themselves. He would certainly assert that they could hold off the seemingly endless forces of the north for some time. With warriors such as himself, his sister Shang Xiang and others such as Taishi Ci, Lu Meng and Elryk of the White Wolves under the strategic direction of his friend Zhou Yu, he had confidence that they would one day stand triumphant.

He grinned as his wife Da Qiao, the most beautiful woman in the empire and most revered in the lands south of the Great River, strode gracefully into the throne room and bowed before rising and smiling at him.

"So Xiao and I have decided that we're going to disguise ourselves and go over to the theatre in Qinglong Square to see _Sange Chou Pijiang; _would you like to come along?" she asked cheerfully.

"Sange Chou Pijiang?" Ce remarked, his eyebrow raised. "You and your sister are going to see the Three Smelly Tanners? Aren't they some kinda comedy troupe of three guys that specializes in low-brow slapstick humour, like arguing, poking one another in the eyes and hitting each other with ridiculous objects?"

"As you say, husband-mine." Da confirmed.

"Not to question my lovely wife's taste, but isn't that rather uncultured and unsophisticated fare for the realm's most celebrated courtesan?"

"That's the beauty of it," Da replied, spreading her hands in a gesture of grace that almost defied mortal kind. "The uncultured masses may go to see it for it buffoonery and only appreciate it on that level, but my sister and I can enjoy the artistry of their antics and the countless hours of practice put into smashing a bottle made of thin tree resin over someone's head."

"What are their names again?" Ce queried. "Mo, Juanqu and Laolunsi?"

"And occasionally Shempu, who sometimes replaces Juanqu in the lineup." Da confirmed, nodding. "But tonight I am told it will indeed be Juanqu."

Ce laughed. "It amuses me that you are excited about this. You didn't get this worked up when Lady Gan Gan came to town."

Da shrugged. "I'm better than her; I could never approach the Three Smelly Tanners in what they do."

"Maybe not, but I am sure your sister could." Ce mused.

"And we all remember how crazy she went when Lady Gan Gan came to Baifu," Da pointed out. "I can't believe she cried and threw her underwear on the stage."

"It got her a chance to meet her backstage, as I recall," Ce said. "Do you think that they… y'know…"

"I prefer not to think about it, I've heard rumours that Lady Gan Gan either is or had at one point been a man." Da replied. "But you have yet to answer me, Ce. Do you wish to join us?"

"I dunno," Ce said thoughtfully. "You actually make it sound kinda fun, but you're gonna go in disguise an' let's face it, I'd have a hard time doin' that."

"True," the princess of the Southlands admitted. "If your sister were here, we could maybe dress you up as one of her more muscular guards, but-"

"Yeah, thanks but no thanks." Ce said dryly. "Just try to keep your underwear on, okay?"

"Oh, I make no guarantees, husband," Da intoned, smiling coyly. "Let's face it, they're veteran tanners, they must really know how to handle their meat…"

"There's an image I didn't need." Ce mentioned. "Enjoy your smelly comedians."

"It won't be the same without you, Ce." Da said as she bowed.

"You make it sound like a bad thing, Da. Have a good time."

He watched her exit and went back to listening to the sounds of the city as they filtered into the hall; laughter, merriment, frivolous indulgence and people just glad to be alive and celebrating.

The endless wars almost seemed worthwhile at that moment.

* * *

** The Young Conqueror, Chapter 61- Xien Nien Kuai Le!**

"I don't think I will ever be used to crowds." Da muttered as she and her younger sister made their way through the throngs of people crowding the market of Qinglong Square.

"For someone who loves attention as much as you do, that's a rather odd statement to make, _shi_?" Xiao replied in a carefree tone, her brown cloak pulled up over her head to conceal her identity. Despite the warmth, it was the only way to remain incognito. She ate sweet treats out of a small wooden bowl as she navigated the churning marketplace, her diminutive size working splendidly to her advantage.

"It is one thing to be admired onstage or in a one-on-one audience with a lover but entirely another to be jostled about in anonymity by the faceless masses," the older girl grumped, trying to keep pace with her sibling. "I hope we manage to get a good vantage point for the show."

"You could always just whip off your cloak and reveal yourself as the Lady of the Southlands," Xiao observed. "That would guarantee us a good spot, _and_ getting backstage."

"Forget it," Da hissed. "You are terribly behaved backstage. I had to lie about you and Lady Gan Gan to poor Ce."

"Oh you did not," Xiao sniffed. "You just did because you didn't want Ce getting any lecherous ideas about you and some famous travelling minstrel-girl."

"Oh, and I suppose Zhou Yu didn't object?"

"Why would he?" Xiao replied, shrugging. "Despite all the rumours, I can attest to her femaleness."

"Just don't get any ideas about the Tanners." Da reinforced.

"Ew. No…" Xiao said in a sour voice. "Gross, sis."

"Well, be that as it may, I- Xiao, where did you get all that candy from?"

Da gaped at her sister, who was somehow balancing several small wooden bowls full of various sweets and eating out of them sequentially. Xiao looked at Da for a moment and shrugged.

"Did you really just ask me how I acquired sweets? How long have we known one another? C'mon, sis, it's sticky candy. Birds have to fly…"

"And Xiaos have to eat, I know," Da said despairingly, finishing her sister's favourite adage about herself. She shook her head as Xiao chased down the sticky candy with a small stick of savoury pork cuts that she seemingly pulled out of her sleeve, followed by a steamed bun filled with sweetened bean paste.

She had to admit, it was a useful talent, even if she never understood it. Xiao was unlikely to ever go hungry.

Gods help the poor girl if her metabolism ever slowed down, though…

"Your appetite matches Diao Chan's sex drive, I swear." Da muttered.

"Hey, you're not looking all innocent this time around, sis." Xiao shot back. "You're at least as big a perv as Diao Chan, you just attempt to hide it. Luckily for you, only she and I know better. I somehow doubt you'll be sailing any paper boats with resolutions down the river tonight, at least none concerning sex."

Da blushed and stopped talking. They weaved through the crowd until they arrived at the large stage that the Tanners were set to be performing on. The square was packed with people and Xiao fretted as she tried to think of a way to get closer. She couldn't see a thing from here.

"Ohhhh…" she whined. "Sis, we've gotta think of something."

"Feel free, genius, you're the one all fired up on sweets." Da replied, shrugging.

Xiao looked around and finally spotted a guard standing near a cordon. Da watched as her younger sister hustled up to the man and began conversing with him. He didn't seem all that impressed and she kept pointing back at Da. Eventually Xiao beckoned her over. Had the convinced the man to let them up close?

Da approached, her hood still up to conceal her identity. The man was observing her intently, as if trying to ascertain her who she was. Uncomfortable with the scrutiny but wishing to get near the stage, Da came to her sister's side. Without saying anything, Xiao undid the front of Da's cloak and pulled down her sister's top, exposing her breasts. Da gasped in shock and swatted her sister's hands away, glaring at her while covering herself. The man grunted in amusement.

"That was a really nice pair, I admit," he said, beginning to leer. "But it's going to take more than a two-second glimpse of breasts for me to… for me to… I…"

He faltered as Da pulled down her hood just long enough for her identity to become obvious to him, fixing the man with a stony stare. He welt pale in shock and then coloured in embarrassment.

"Good sir, you have now seen the most treasured breasts in the realm, so as far as the gods are concerned, your New Year's wishes have been met for the next twelve generations of your family," she growled. "Now do you intend to take us to the front of the stage or will you be negotiating further glimpses of my cleavage with my husband, Lord Sun Ce?"

The man swallowed and bowed hastily. "Y-yes, my lady."

"Keep it down, dummy," Xiao hissed, making fervent silencing gestures at the guard. "We don't want to be noticed!"

"I… of course…" he stammered. "Please, follow me."

The girls fell into line behind the man and walked as he made his way through the crowd, escorting them to the front of the stage.

"You are _so_ dead later, you little runt." Da whispered venomously to her sister. "I can't believe you negotiated our seating by showing my breasts!"

"Hey, be thankful that's all it was," Xiao replied unconcernedly. "Originally he wanted the two of us to get naked in the guard's station and make out before he'd let us closer."

"I'd have bitten your tongue out, you harlot." Da rumbled. "Next time use your own assets."

"I tried, he wasn't interested," Xiao said in a forlorn tone. "Pretty sure he thought I was a boy at first. I wonder if I am ever going to get real boobs."

"Burn a paper ship tonight and find out." Da growled.

The nervous guard finally got them to the front and center of the audience and gestured to them. A sharp look from Da reminded him not to bow and he merely nodded and hurried off. She sighed and observed the stage- wide and open but well lit with braziers, the wooden frame painted a riot of colours and accented with silks and other textiles. The Tanner's famous accompanying musical quartet waited in a small box off to the side.

Da looked around and lightened up- everyone seemed to be in a festive mood and if they had worries about the wars that would soon rage on, they were not showing it tonight. Removed from the everyday life of the citizens of the Southlands, she wondered if she was doing everything she could to identify with them and make sure she was a capable ruler.

At least she knew what resolution would sail with her paper ship tonight.

* * *

Wuchang was ablaze with torches and music and people bowed low as Sun Quan walked through the city's main square, accompanied by Lian Shi, her ever-present crossbow at her hip. It was a time of celebration and he had chosen to leave his Wolf Blade back in the palace, to assure his citizens that all was well.

"You should smile more, it is a becoming expression on you, my lord." Lian Shi observed as she walked alongside him, a noticeable swish to her hips. She wore the spare armour and outfit of his sister's amazon guard, of which Lian Shi was a captain. She had, however, obtained permission from the Bow-Hipped Princess to travel to Wuchang for the New Year and to spend time with Sun Quan.

Quan did not really smile but he did nod. "Thank you," he said simply. "Smiling does not come easily to me, as it does to Ce and Shang Xiang."

"Nonsense, you're just worried that you won't be taken seriously if you smile." Lian Shi chided, placing a gentle hand on his arm. Zhou Tai is our great stoneface, I had seen statues with more expressions than that man. Since you could never prove as dour and taciturn as he, why not try some Sun cheer?"

"You make me smile," Quan admitted. "You have for as long as I have known you."

Lian Shi blushed. "My lord, such talk."

"It is true," he said, turning his head to look at her while they walked. "If my sister had no claim over you as your commander, I most certainly would petition my brother to… to…"

"To what, my lord?" she asked, staring up into his green eyes.

"I… to attach you to my personal staff as a commander," Quan said hastily.

"Ah," she replied, sighing inwardly. Why was she in love with the awkward Sun child? True, Ce and Shang Xiang both had her love and undying devotion, but her heart belonged to Quan in a way her affection for even Shang Xiang couldn't match. "Is… is that what you wish of me, my lord, to have me as yet another commander?"

Quan took a deep breath as he stopped and looked down at her. She had always been enchanted by those haunting green eyes. Damn his gaze that made her weak in the knees.

"If it were proper, I would have more of you, Lady Bu." Quan said finally. "Perhaps, with this New Year, I will find the strength to ask it of my sister and brother."

"Ask what, my lord?" she pressed, determined to make him say _something_.

Quan stood for several seconds, saying nothing, wrestling with his words and his feelings. "I would ask my brother and sister to let me take you as my bride."

Lian Shi smiled serenely, but her heart thundered in her chest so hard she felt faint. He had finally done it, bless him! "To wife, my lord? You have two others already."

"Mayhap, but they are marriages of convenience and alliance," Quan said, his voice making the truth of the statement plain. "And yes, I have a great affection for both Lady Dian and Lady Yuan, but nothing like I have for you. Were I to ask, Lian Shi, would you become my bride, to bear my children and to fight alongside me while we win the realm?"

Lian Shi nodded, knowing that no smile was big enough to convey her joy. She already knew Shang Xiang and Ce would approve the match because they had said they would to her on countless occasions. They had only ever been waiting on Quan.

"I have but one request, my lord…" she cooed softly, her grey eyes warm with love.

"You need but name it, Lian Shi." Quan answered, relieved that he had finally said t he had what he had been aching to for so long.

"Don't you _dare_ make me wait until our wedding night..." Lian Shi said softly, watching Quan go pale as she pressed the muzzle of her crossbow into his groin. She smiled up at him lightly. "Have we arrived at a mutual understanding?"

The Duke of Wuchang nodded, clearly afraid to move.

"Good," she said, nodding and letting the weapon drop to its place on her sturdy belt. "There will of course be the matter of my dowry, which will need to be negotiated with my father, but then you also said you would have me fight at your side."

Quan nodded, still somewhat uncertain if it was okay to move. "I would never condemn such a splendid warrior to mere wifery. The Southlands needs you, Lian Shi."

"In anticipation of this day, I have been giving the matter some thought…" she purred, reaching into her ample bosom and pulling a tiny scroll of paper out of her cleavage. She handed it to Sun Quan, who undid it with trembling fingers. She watched his jade-coloured eyes peruse the contents of the missive and he finally nodded.

"Yes, indeed." Quan said. "Consider it done."

Lian Shi smiled and nodded in return. One less paper boat to send down the river tonight…

* * *

Sun Shang Xiang smiled as she stood on the balcony of her private chambers and looked out over the city. The work on the city had progressed very quickly due to her older brother's labour colonies. The concept was a simple one, entailing the employment of men who were not tied down to a family. They were hired to travel and work all over Wu, given free room and board in labourer's camps and a good wage. Once they were satisfied with what they had earned, they were free to purchase whatever plot of land they could afford or to become farmers, artisans or merchants.

These labour colonies were quite migratory, often using the Grand Canal for swift transport from project to project. At least five labourer colonies had come to Fujian over the past year, nearly twenty-five thousand men working tirelessly to make the city one of the great jewels of the realm. Her palace was not as large as those of her brothers', but was exquisite in its detailing and sat on a hill overlooking the city and the countryside, buttressed against the sea.

The city itself was built in concentric semicircles, with a defensive wall separating each district. Though the nobility was separated from the commoners, they were still required to look out for their assigned peasant family groups, as were the administrators and scholars attached to them. The system, a modification of the traditional Han-Confucian model, had been designed and implemented by Zhou Yu across the entire Southlands. The concept of the nobility's direct responsibility to the common people had been borrowed from some city-state in the Uttermost West called 'Athens'. Athens was divided into 'tribes' and the nobles at the top saw to the well-being of their tribe, even if they were not related by blood as the name implied. They were even responsible for holding festivals for their people and Shang Xiang had to admit she was quite enjoying that aspect of the system.

Beautiful gardens and parks punctuated the avenues and the roofs of different city districts were painted in bright uniform colours that gave the place a lively feel. Jewel-toned birds of these far southern lands soared lazily overhead, along with gulls, herons and graceful cranes. Beyond the walls, the green plains were dotted with orderly farms, growing enough food to feed the city and the surrounding settlements and still have plenty for trade.

"Not bad at all for having only been here one year," she said to her companion who sat nearby on a bench, eating a peach and letting the warm southern sun kiss her tan skin. "I dare say our city is a match for the splendour of Baifu and the cultured feel of Wuchang. What say you?"

Fu Chin Ran, captain of Shang Xiang's amazon guard and her beloved aide-de-camp, nodded lazily. "It is a splendid city, my love, certainly worthy of a Sun. For all the jaded and decadent effete snobbery of the ancient cities of the north, I believe that none of them can rival what you and your brothers have accomplished here in so short a time. Wuchang speaks of Quan's quiet wisdom, Baifu resounds with Ce's unparalleled might and Fujian sings of your martial valour. Not even Luo Yang or Chang An can capture the imagination or heart as vividly as these three sister cities."

Shang Xiang nodded, agreeing with her normally reserved captain's assessment- Fu could indeed be very poetic when she chose to be. More than that, though, she was correct. These cities were splendid by any standards across the Middle Kingdom. Their populations were large and they were strong in both economy and culture. Frankly, if they had a larger population base across the Wu territories, she was pretty damned sure that their armies would handily beat Cao Cao's.

"I know that look," Fu said, smiling. "No Sun child ever assesses anything, even in times of peace, without looking for tactical or strategic advantage. Your eyes say you are pleased, but your teeth pressing against your lower lip says that you wish there we more people in Wu. Am I right?"

"Distressingly so," the Bow-Hipped Princess admitted. "You have an uncanny knack for reading me. If you are a spy for the Prime Minister, I am indeed doomed."

Fu laughed as she rose, undoing the belt of her light silk robe and letting the garment fall away. Her strong, tan body pressed to her lover's as she stood behind Shang Xiang and removed the princess' garb as well, leaving them both exposed to the warm breeze.

"And if there are people watching from below?" Shang Xiang asked, more amused by her captain's antics than anything.

"Then they will be relieved to know that the children of Sun Jian are not simple engines of war and destruction but have human needs and desires as well. They will doubtless take heart in the sight."

"Well in that case, don't stop." Shang Xiang replied as she gazed out over her realm, the setting the sun casting everything into a pink and red glow. Fu Chin Ran kissed and fondled her lover while Shang Xiang considered what would come with the New Year. So much had been accomplished and yet there was so much more to come.

And she could not put her finger on it, but she was certain that some radical change was coming her way.

* * *

Sun Ce sat lazily on his throne, watching as fire jugglers finished their act. He clapped cheerfully, as did the others standing around the hall. One of the female jugglers twirled, holding the torches low and making it look like the folds of her skirt were trailing flames. It was a masterful illusion and the onlookers cheered enthusiastically.

The jugglers finished their act, bowed gracefully and exited. Ce was now joined by Zhou Yu, who had recently recovered from the wound he received in Nanjun. The Grand Strategist nodded as he entered and observed as acrobats now began their routine.

"_Gong ci fa cai." _he said amiably in his mellow tenor.

"_Xien nien kuai le_ to you too, pal," Ce replied. "How ya feelin'?"

"My wound is long behind me and the healers have taken good care of it. I am as fit for duty as ever."

"Well, we ain't headin' back out just yet, so just enjoy the lull." Ce remarked.

"As you say. I don't suppose you would have any idea where my high-spirited wife has gotten off to, would you?" Zhou Yu asked, watching the proceedings.

"Yeah, she and her sister have gone to see the Three Smelly Tanners." Ce replied absently, watching one of the girls contort herself into an unreal yet somehow stimulating position.

Zhou Yu made a wry face. "They what?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought too, but the way Da explained it to me, they're actually pretty brilliant actors and comedians."

"I fail to see the relevance, but I could never understand how a Qiao mind works," Zhou Yu muttered. "Then again, we all remember the Lady Gan Gan incident."

"I'm gonna have that one burned into my mind's eye forever," Ce agreed. "But they promised to be back in time for tonight's feast, so at least they're occupied for now."

Zhou Yu felt around on his belt, apparently searching for something. "Hm, 'twould appear she has liberated by coin purse as well. Several food vendors are going to be very happy tonight."

"Why is she pilfering your money?" Ce asked, laughing. "Don't I pay her enough?"

"Ce, I'm not sure the Chang An treasury could support her appetite." Zhou Yu lamented. "Be that as it may, you are right, they are occupied for now. Should we get our own agenda out of the way?"

"Now's as good a time as any." Ce agreed, rising from his throne. The throne room attendants and guards bowed as he exited, followed by Zhou Yu. The made their way out of the palace and to the stables where they retrieved their personal steeds.

"Gals'l be a couple of hours yet, I imagine, so let's ride out to the shrine an' then get back." Ce called as his horse loped out of the shelter and through the private equestrian gate of Baifu. The warlord and his strategist galloped across the wide plains like a wind through the grass. Eventually they approached a remote shrine surrounded by a red wall. Two ceremonial guards stood at the gate and clasped their fists as Ce and Zhou Yu dismounted at the entrance.

The pagoda was a small one, merely three stories, dedicated to the ancestor of the Sun clan, the Great Martial Sage Tzu. Two seasons earlier, Sun Ce had fought a fierce battle to reclaim the remains of his forebear from Cao Cao, who had dangled the body in front of him like bait. To the Prime Minister's distress, Sun Ce's might on the battlefield carried the day and the trap he had laid became a rout. Ce took possession of Sun Tzu's body along with uncounted original writings and notations and other artifacts.

Rather than lay the sage with his descendants in the Sun family tomb, Ce had chosen to construct a sacred shrine for the Martial Sage, interring him beneath the pagoda and the artifacts they had found. Graven images of Sun Tzu were dispersed around the grounds, along with effigies of tigers and symbols of the element of fire. The gates were dedicated to Chu'Jun, god of fire and patron of the Sun family.

They entered after praying at the gate, heading down into the basement of the pagoda, where a small but ornate tomb awaited them. Within was a wooden sarchophagus, gilded and decorated with jade fittings. Within the ossuary lay the bones of Sun Tzu, along with the remains of his court robes and his personal armour and weapons. Spaced around the crypt were large jars containing the bones of his wives and concubines.

The two young warriors knelt, pressing their fists into their hands and made reverent obesience, saying several prayers.

"Great ancestor, we find ourselves in a time of great trial," Ce said, humbly bowing to the sarcophagus. "The spirit of the Sun family blazes brightly, but martial wisdom must rule our valour, as the cunning of the tiger must tame its ferocity. Untold numbers of people die and I cannot stop it, not quickly enough. Give me wisdom and patience, but also audacity and a clear mind. No one battle can win this war. Lord Sun Jian was worthy, and on his vision we now rest all our hopes. We have opened our eyes and our minds, looking for wisdom from beyond these small borders, and yet we must never forget to turn our gaze inward and see the essential truths that those before us have passed on. Bless your progeny and help us guide the people into a world brighter than we have ever imagined."

The braziers seemed to flare, the heat of the chamber almost sweltering. They remained prostrated but they felt someone else with them. Two presences, in fact.

"Ce, my son," said a familiar voice with an unusually ethereal timbre. "Though the Middle Kingdom's year springs anew, the Heavens know no season in their vigil. With the new year will come great and dreadful challenges that no person should face alone. Unite the people and show them strength, for you must have their will and resolve if you intend to prevail and lead the Middle Kingdom to peace."

"We pledge to you, oh patriarch, that your son will ever have our faith and support," Zhou Yu intoned, his head bowed in humilty and respect. "We follow him as we followed you, for the vision of a land united in peace, wise leadership and freedom for all men to live as they may."

Both warriors kept their heads bowed in deference but they could feel presences about them, observing them, some passively and other with others with great interest. The force exerted upon them was palpable and only supreme control kept them from fleeing before this empyrean scrutiny.

The growl of a tiger echoed and rumbled through the chamber. In that dread sound they heard the eternity and unstoppable will of the Heavens, the simplicity of design and the unyielding power of survival. Ce flexed his fingers against the floor, as much movement as he dared. He could feel the sweat trickling on his brow, a maddening challenge to ignore.

"No man should ever declare himself worthy or wise," said a gentle voice full of wisdom. "Only the gods know such things about a man and woe to he who disputes their judgement. Beyond the Veil lies the true home of all beings, this transitory life you struggle through is simply a test of wisdom and virtue."

"Why, then, do you engage in this tumultuous struggle?" the being asked.

Sun Ce took a deep breath. "So that the land may know peace and people know freedom. It... was not always so. There was a time when I fought to prove myself greatest and above any foe."

"And such is not the case now, you posit?"

"Yes." Ce said firmly, now daring to rise and looking around the room. He could see the strange forms of men dancing on the edge of his vision, like waves of heat through the fires that burned around the room. They seemed so real to him and he felt like he was somehow in their realm, rather than the physical structure he had built for the Martial Sage.

"I understand now why I must be strongest," he declared, his voice unwavering. "Not for myself and not to prove to the world that I am, but because only the strongest man and ruler can being forth the Mandate of Heaven and give peace to the people. Not just peace, but compassion, virtue, good will and true freedom. Is that not what the Heavens want of us?"

There was something akin to murmuring and then a rush of cool air, followed by silence. The chamber seemed dim and empty now. They were alone.

Sun Ce sat down wearily and rubbed his face while Zhou Yu slowly rolled onto his back and staredat the ceiling.

"That was much more intense than I expected," the strategist said quietly. "Your clan is really quite intrusive."

"Tell me somethin' I don't know," Ce muttered. "An' if you think the guys were bad, just be thankful we weren't dealin' with the matrons."

He hoped the girls were having a more relaxing day than he was.

* * *

Da tittered behind her hand daintily while Xiao cackled at the antics of the three men on stage. Mo had been arguing with Laolunsi about their current scheme while Juanqu accidentally got his tongue caught in an armourer's vise. Unable to agree upon how to pretend to be acupunturists, Mo poked Laolunsi in the eyes and then proceeded to castigate Juanqu's head with a small mallet, the latter still immobilized by his tongue.

Laolunsi joined Mo in beating their comrade until Mo suddenly began abusing him again, smashing a bottle over his wiry-haired head. A three-way chase around the stage began while their accompanying quartet played comical and frenetic music, exquisitely timed with their antics. The crowd was howling with laughter, especially when the three men all grabbed and began twisting one another's noses, rotating around in a yelping, petulant circle.

Da wiped a tear from her eye as she watched. The sheer artistry of the spectacle was unreal. She could not begin to imagine the countless hours of rehearsal involved to acquire such timing and finesse. If she ever managed to be a tenth as good as these men were at their art, she would consider herself accomplished.

The spectacle ended and the crowed applauded eagerly. Da made sure she was once again disguised while Xiao pulled yet more snacks out of another pocket.

"What shall we do now, love?" the older sister asked, looking around as the crowds milled about. There were many performances and shows they could yet see before needing to head back for the entertainment at the palace that night.

"Iono," Xiao replied, masticating on a mouthful of sticky candy. "Whuf about Fhingonf Fquare?"

"Shingon Square?" Da mused, trying to remember what was happening at that particular venue. "I believe they're showing a classic play, though I do not remember whether it was 'Orphan of the House of Chao' or 'The Dream In the Red Chamber'. Perhaps we-"

"Ooh, lookie!" Xiao exclaimed, her eyes widening before dashing off to another corner of the large market plaza. She dragged Da by the hand until they arrived at a small children's theatre that was giving a puppet show.

"Look! Look!" the younger sister squealed, pointing. "It's Old Duck Tang! And there's Old Mouse Mi!"

Sure enough, two puppets were cavorting about the tiny stage, much to the delight of the throng of children. The white duck puppet, wearing a ridiculous blue cap, was throwing a tantrum and railing on in some high-pitched squalling voice. The mouse, by far the more calm of the two, tried to placate his compatriot, speaking in a counter-tenor falsetto.

"No wonder poor old Tang's alway angry," Xiao observed, watching intently. "I'd be crabby if I had someone's fist up my backside all day too."

"You speaking from experience?" Da asked slyly. "If memory serves, did Bi Lin and you-"

"Just shut up about that." Xiao growled, ignoring her older sister and focusing on the puppets. Da shrugged and continued watching. When they had their fill of puppet theatre, the sisters moved on and found a tea house. It seemed busy and there was a line up. Da decided to abuse her social position and lowered her hood, allowing everyone nearby to see who she was. Everyone gasped and bowed, including the proprietor, who was standing at the entrance.

"Kind sir, would you happen to have a table for my sister and I?" Da asked.

"But of course, Great Lady," he said almost reverently. "Please, follow me."

The tea room was part of a long building and had two stories. The upper deck was completely filled, as was the lower floor. But in the very center of the room was an ornate and solitary table at which no one was sitting. The host led them there directly.

"If you please, my lady, this table is reserved for the Sun family and their honoured guests," he said. "Please sit and be comfortable."

Da raised and eyebrow. You have reserved seating for the royals?"

"But of course," the man said, bowing. "When I was given permission to open this tea room by your husband, our lord, he made me promise to reserve a table for he and his guests. Truly it has been no hardship to leave it empty, for we are always full of patrons."

"Is that so?" Xiao asked, looking around. Many people had stopped and stared and something inside her flared.

"Hey, you lot!" she shouted suddenly. "Either ignore us or show the Lady of the Southlands proper respect and bow! Do you wanna end up like Old Duck Tang?!"

They may not have understood the threat, but everyone knew better than to cross the girl named by Lord Sun Ce as the Mistress of Celebration. Everyone bowed respectfully before Xiao nodded and allowed them to resume their merriment. She nodded righteously and turned her attention back to the owner.

"So are my sister and I the first of the royals to patronize your establishment?" Da asked.

"Oh by no means," the man said hastily. "In fact, I believe that the arrival of the two of you completes my tally. Lord Sun Ce and Lord Zhou Yu are regular patrons here. Lady Shang Xiang came often before she moved south and Lord Quan visits whenever he comes to Baifu."

"Really..." Da replied, seemingly nonplussed.

"Why, even the great barbarian warlord has come once or twice to my humble establishment, though that is, admittedly, often an ordeal."

"Elryk's come into this place?" Xiao exclaimed, clearly bewildered. "Voluntarily? Does he even like tea?"

"He... is very forthcoming in his opinion of what our tea tastes and smells like," the owner admitted. "And his two bodyguards always seem mere moments away from conveying any displeasure their lord feels in physical terms, but thankfully it has not come to that. And it has helped me to steel my nerves in the face of lesser issues."

The girls now sat and tea and dainties were served. Not far away, some girl minstrels were playing instruments and singing, keeping the mood of the place lively and light. The host attended to them personally but was careful to give them their privacy.

"Did that Tanners performance give you any ideas about tonight?" Da asked, waiting for her white tea infused with jasmine blossoms to reach the proper temperature.

"Now that you mention it, yeah it did," Xiao replied after popping a small sweet dumpling into her mouth. "D'you think we can redo the entire show in a couple of hours and still have it look good?"

"If you are thinking the same way I am, it shouldn't be a problem." Da mused. Though it might be easiest to shut away the world and these awful wars for one night, maybe it would be most useful to shed a comedic light on them."

"Okay, so we intersperse some sombre or dramatic elements throughout the evening's festivities but we focus on keeping it light and funny and encouraging overall." Xiao concluded. "So you and Diao Chan will redesign the night and just tell me what to do with our acting troupes. You two won't need any help."

Da smiled warmly. "You have a deal."

* * *

The town of Erli-tou was celebrating, and this particular New Year celebration was special for it was the first time that the region's lord, Elryk and his people, the White Wolves, had agreed to join them in the festivities. Normally the strange and reclusive barbarian warriors had stayed to themselves, and celebrated their own mysteries, most of which involved excessive amounts of drinking and brawling, seemingly.

Elryk and his kin sat at a long table with the elders of Erli-tou, watching the dragon dance. Performers underneath the long red and golden beast writhed and capered about to the clash of cymbals and drums. The wild eyes blazed and the gaping mouth snapped and gnashed. People clapped and cheered as they watched, perched on the edge of their seats.

The Germanic warriors watched with fascination as other dancers spun and twirled with an elegance they could not fathom. Elryk had dared his people to try the heated wine that their Chinese hosts were drinking while the Erli-tou elders likewise challenged their people to try the White Wolves' concoction known as _beel_. People howled with laughter as the titan berserker Glandyth attempted to impress everyone buy drinking an entire jar of the heated wine in one gulp but sputtered in rage as he burned his throat.

Elryk looked at his wife, Gailavira, who sat beside him, dressed regally. The Wolves had adapted some styles and customs of the Han, such as using silk in their attire, though punctuated with their customary furs and reinforced with leather. The Lady of the White Wolves smiled back at her husband, a silver chain into which was fixed a diamond hung about her neck.

"Say what you will, husband, these people of Erli-tou certainly have proven hospitable," she observed, listening while musicans played. "Certainly we are a long ways removed from our fellow tribes, not just by distance but also the culture we have apdapted to. We have learned so much from them."

Elryk grunted somewhat absently. "Do you not think we have given them much in return?"

"Like what?" she asked, smirking. "Our beer? What adaptations have they felt the need to make based on their exposure to us?"

"They seem somewhat inflexible about such things," he replied. "Maybe if they had come to our lands and needed aid, but that is not what happened. As it is, I am their liege-lord and protector. That, I believe, is as much adaptation as I require from them."

"As it should be, great lord," Gailavira mused, watching as several dancers made a dragon writhe and move. "We are healthier and cleaner, our women more fertile."

Elryk grunted. He and his people had followed the command of the God of Night to this far away land and lived a life he had never expected. The had lands, plenty of food to eat and the prospect of peace, if this war did not swallow them whole. It was a war unlike anything he had imagined- the endless wars with the legions of Roma were about subjugation, but this titanic struggle could see entire nations wiped from the face of the earth. It's totality stunned him and he knew he and his men would need to fight harder than ever if they were to not fade from history.

Gailavira now led him over to a large fire, where people were laughing and throwing lengths of bamboo into the flames. The shoots would pop, crackle and make loud noises, often shooting out of the fire and causing people to cheer and laugh in excitement. She gave her husband a stick and coaxed him to toss it in. The bamboo exploded loudly, startling several people with the unexpectedly loud noise, but then they laughed and cheered again. Such a simple joy. Elryk knew that the Han people believed that such loud noises warded off evil spirits and that the New Year was a perfect time to indulge such a custom. In spite of himself, he smiled at the prospect.

Could they really survive here? Could they defend themselves and propogate and raise enough children to once again become propserous? He knew that was Lord Sun Ce's intent and that the ruler of the Southlands would do everything he could to ensure this, but it was ultimately up to Elryk and his people.

"How many more children do you want, my wife?" he asked. Gailavira looked at him for a few moments and then smiled.

"As many as we need, oh lord. Our people will become strong."

Elryk nodded. He would tell the men to get about the business of taking their wives to bed, especially before they went on campaign. He would discuss with the local herbalists about what foods they could introduce to their diet to keep the women bountiful. Young men would be encouraged to find and court the girls of the tribe.

With this new year would come a new dawn of their strength.

* * *

The palace was lively as the festivities continued through the evening, organized by Da Qiao, Xiao and Diao Chan. Everything moved forward with a waterclock perfection and timing that only a professional courtesan could have organized.

"It is times such as this that the control freak in your younger sister really shines," Diao Chan whispered to Da as they say together at the long banquet table. "For someone who is so free-spirited, she certainly can be a tyrant when she is running the show."

"Yes, but she is good at what she does, so we must overlook it." Da replied, smiling. "Before long, it will be time for us to excuse ourselves and get ready to play our parts."

She turned to Ce and caressed his hand. "Husband, we must go and get ready. Would you please excuse us?"

Ce nodded easily, engaged as he was in the performance of the dancers and musicians who performed for them. Wine was being served and many sweets and dainties made their way around the hall. He had invited many of his top advisors and generals and was pleased that so many were attending. Of his commanders, only Lu Meng and Elryk had not been able to oblige.

General huang Gai was not seated far away, blushing as several courtesans lavished attention on him, the bulwark of the Southlands and hero of Wu. They were feeding him cup after cup of warm wine and Ce did not know if the doughty man would make it through the night. Gan Ning was also nearby, sitting at another table as far from Ling Tong as possible. He was laughing and carousing with several girls, all of whom were making a big fuss about his tattoos.

At another table sat Lu Xun, along with the representatives of the Lu clan. The reserved young man showed great formality and politeness, managing to balance discussions with his clansmen alongside the attentions of the maidservants. Ce saw great things in the young man's future and considered matching his daughter Kai-Ying with Lu Xun when she came of age. Certainly he was intelligent and fearless in action, he might make a good consort for her. But now was not the time to consider it and he pushed the notion aside for later perusal.

Ling Tong and his two wives sat at another table, laughing and enjoying the entertainment. The young commander was always popular with the maidservants, his rather cavalier and seemingly lazy disposition making him a treat to serve. His wives, Lady Gui and Lady S'u, directed the maidservants in lavishing attention on their spouse. They were dutiful and worthy women, very devoted to the general, as he was to them.

The entertainment came to an end and the performers bowed low and scurried off. Servants dimmed the braziers and lamps around the hall with exquisite timing, as they had been instructed. Silence reigned for several moments before drums began to roll, cymbals clashed and flutes piped rapid, shrill notes. The brazier servants threw burning salts into their basins and the flames flared brightly, just as performers costumed as anthropomorphic tigers leapt onto the scene.

The beasts capered and jumped about, mesmerizing in their graceful and powerful movements. Before long, they were joined by silvery cranes, who weaved through and around the dance. The audience watched, spellbound.

The music's tempo increased, as did the speed of the whirling dance. When the cresendo had been reached, the performers seemed to pause for a moment that lasted an eternity. Then, with a final cymbal clash, the outfits were flung away, revealing the dancers beneath. Central to the troupe stood Da, Xiao and Diao Chan, all frozen in nearly impossible poses that could only be achieved with years of practice and dedication to one's art.

It never ceased to amaze Ce what his wife was capable of.

Da now strode forward, wearing a vermillion and gold tunic. She swaggered confidently, apeing a gait she had come to know very well.

"So whaddya all lookin' at?" she asked, speaking in a low register she _must _ have practiced constantly to achieve. "Don't ya remember we've got a war to fight? Whaddya sittin' around for?"

A couple of the audicence members chuckled, amused by her imitation. With a practiced sleight of hand, she was suddenly brandishing a pair of tonfas. She whirled about with them, making several strikes as imaginary opponents before 'accidentally' hitting herself on the held and falling over. Laughter broke out at the pratfall but she leapt to her feet and scowled.

"You're all here to watch me? You guys're makin' me blush!" she declared. She then rotated her shoulders and jumped back and forth lightly from foot to foot, seemingly not noticing a servant dressed in blue and gold and wearing a sinister-looking mask sneaking up behind her.

"The trick to runnin' an empire," she continued, heedless of her peril, "Is to make sure that ya-"

At this point she casually smacked her forearm and a tonfa backwards, hitting the intruder in the face and knocking them out.

"Have yourself a good staff, ya see?" she continued, not missing a beat in her speech. "Y'gotta have good generals, good soldiers and lotsa food an' women for 'em. Keep the boys happy an' they'll keep you happy, am I right?"

"Hey, Lord Sun Ce! She's imitatin' you!" called a rather drunk Gan Ning from across the room. Ce smiled and continued to watch his wife.

"An' good staff don't come any better than around here in Wu, ya know?" she drawled, while Xiao now closed in beside her. She was wearing a long, raven-dark wig of hair that hung down her back. Her face was pale and betrayed no expression whatsoever.

"If yer a man of action, like me, yer gonna want someone to do a lot of thinkin' for ya." Da continued while Xiao did nothing but stare off sullenly. "Make sure that they've got more'n just a brain, they've gotta have personality too."

The audience was beginning to roar with laughter, mostly because of Xiao's pantomime. Sometimes a little minimalism could capture the best laughs.

Before long, other other characters were introduced, mostly played by Da, Xiao or Diao Chan, supported by other courtesans. Ling Tong, Gan Ning, Huang Gai, Lu Meng, Sun Quan, Shang Xiang and even Elryk were all mimicked, much to the delight of the onlookers. Eventually, people such as Cao Cao and his generals made comical entrances and monologues, although the Prime Minister was finally driven from the stage screaming in terror by a tribe of hungry monkeys while Liu Bei's strategist Kongming, played by Da Qiao, looked on, waving his face slowly in front of his face.

"Just as planned..." intoned the advisor to the Scion of the Han.

Liu Bei then whined about wanting to be the paragon of virtue and not merely an adherent or no one would be impressed with him. Kongming's various suggestions just led to more whining and moping until Liu Bei gave up and announced he was going to become a sandal-weaver again. Kongming smiled slyly.

"Just as pla-"

"STOP SAYING THAT!" Liu Bei howled, leaping up and chasing his strategist around the room, beating him with his own fan. The performance paused for a while to allow the audience to stop laughing.

Finally, the room grew dark and only the braziers lit the scene. Da, Xiao and Diao Chan now sat back to back in the middle of the floor. Da played a _konghu_ harp, Diao Chan a northern lute and Xiao added hauntingly beautiful sounds on her flute. They sang an ancient song of the Southlands while they played, imploring the Heavens for peace, prosperity and the rule of true justice and mercy.

It was quite possibly the most poignant and emotional ballad the three courtesans had ever sung, celebrating a new year and a woman's desire for contentment and love. When the song ended, they stood, facing their guests and bowed deeply.

"Please, join us now at the Q'ian River for the sailing of the paper ships..." they chorused.

Those assembled slowly rose and followed them out silently. After a day of celebration, a little reverence was in order.

* * *

Da stood next to Sun Ce, holding his hand and smiling as she watched her little paper boat slowly move down the river. The Qi'an was a small, slow-moving tributary of the main river that anchored Baifu and it was here that the citizens would come every new year to send their prayers and wishes to the Heavens. Thousands of little boats burned on the water as they floated away.

"Do you think Lian Shi got her wish this year?" Da asked as she watched some children place their boats in the water.

"She can be pretty insistent," Ce mused, smiling. "She told me she was gonna make this the year that Quan got the stones to marry her."

"Well he certainly kept her waiting long enough," Da agreed. "Diao Chan and I almost wrote a humourous play on the subject."

Ce laughed. "That would have been funny, simply because you and Diao Chan couldn't keep sex out of a subject if you tried and that's the one thing Quan hadn't done with her."

"That's why Lian Shi has... other outlets," Da admitted. "But with any luck, your brother will soon be here to ask your blessing in adding her to the Sun family fold. In a world so full of wrongs, I cannot imagine the Heavens delaying something that is so right for much longer.

She looked up at the night sky and her eyes widened in delight as a shooting star passed overhead, darting east toward Wuchang, as if to confirm her hopes. Lian Shi had done it!

Another star, one with a decidedly reddish tint to it, shot south and she didn't know what to make of it. Dismissing the occurence, she returned her attention to her mighty husband, stroking a finger up his arm.

"So then, Ce, what did you pray for when you sent your boat downstream?" she asked.

"Nothin' I haven't already got, just a continuance," he said casually, putting his strong arm around his beloved wifeand holding her close. "A guy doesn't want to ask for too much, y'know?"

"You didn't pray for an end to the wars?" she asked, intrigued.

"It's my task to end the wars," he said with conviction. "It's why the Sun family was put here, to lead the way and protect people. Askin' for the wars to end could mean Cao Cao wins because I didn't fight hard enough. No, Da, I don't want them to continue, but I know not to pray for any end. Keepin' you by my side for strength is all I need an' that's what I wished for."

She hugged her husband tight. He could be so wise sometimes.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I wanted to have this up on February 10th, for obvious reasons, but getting a new job interfered massively at the last moment. It was some character development filler I had wanted to put in for amusement value and also to finally let Quan ask Lian Shi to marry him.

For the record, Old Duck Tang and Old Mouse Mi really are or at least _were_ the Chinese communist equivalent of a certain famous anthropomorphic duo we have grown up with. The same applies to the Three Smelly Tanners, they were an adaptation of the Stooges.

Got another Wu-development chapter to get published here shortly and then some rather brutal meat-grinder action headed your way. As March bears down upon us, I am waiting for release news about DW8. From what I have seen, Shang Xiang's outfit remains stupid, but at least Sun Ce has his ponytail back. Zhou Yu looks as emo as ever and the Qiao sisters, well... never mind, I don't want to think about it.

I'd better get writing, my new job has me going to work from 7 am to 3:30 Monday to Friday, so weekends are my window to get this going again. Hope you all had a great start to the year and enjoy the fic!

Keep your stick on the ice!

- Management


	68. Chapter 68

**The Young Conqueror**

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Dynasty Warriors or any other media associated with Koei or its affiliates. The vast majority of the characterizations have been expanded upon by me for the sake of literary format. Individual or minor characters created by me for the purposes of interaction and story depth or my own property. If you wish to know which ones they are please ask.

This is a simple work of fanfiction meant for the entertainment of Dynasty Warriors players and fans, along with those who are familiar with the Chinese epic Sanguo, or 'Three Kingdoms'. Centred around Sun Ce and his family and retainers, it helps to be a Wu-phile if you want to read this story. As always, your reviews are welcome and appreciated. Enjoy!

* * *

The time of celebration was upon Baifu and indeed the entire Southlands were in the grip of merriment. While everyone understood that the wars had not ended and that this was only a lull, they were determined to make the most of this time of peace to enjoy life and to express their joy. Throughout the prefectures that made up the territory of Wu, people were displaying gold and scarlet tapestries in tribute to the mighty family that ruled, keeping them safe and ensuring their continued prosperity.

Throngs of people were cheering in the great square before the royal palace inside the city, calling loudly and waving to the man hailed as 'The Young Conqueror' as he stood on a balcony overlooking the square along with his lovely wife, Lady Da Qiao.

Da waved back down to the people, smiling beautifully, enchanted by their devotion and ardour. Her eldest child, their daughter Kai-Ying, stood beside her mother, peering down at the crowds in curiosity. Kai-Ying was growing rapidly, her unreal silver hair shone in the moonlight and her silvery-grey eyes possessed of an intense intelligence. Her younger brother, Shan, stood behind in the care of a nurse, away from the noise.

Ce was smiling and nodding as he looked out but Da could tell something was amiss. She said nothing until she could hear the creaking of the scarlet-painted and gilded wood that made the balcony's banister, his hand gripping it ever tighter until it was almost shaking.

When it had finally passed, Ce sighed quietly and relaxed, his grip on the banister loosening. She gently laid a hand on top of his and spoke soothing words.

"The pain again, my love?" she asked.

"Yeah, it still happens once in a while," he replied, now smiling and waving to the people. "Nothin' I can't handle."

"Just remember, you will never endure it alone, husband." Da said, giving his hand a squeeze. "You have always been strong for me, you must simply let me be there for you in your times of need. And what Yu Ji did to you certainly qualifies. Even you, greatest of men, cannot face all of the universe's trials by yourself."

"Y'got that right. I'd be lost without you, Da…" he said, looking out over the countless faces. He was silent for some time before he spoke again.

"Da, d'you believe that we affect outcomes with how we think about situations?" he asked finally.

Da smiled, still waving. "If you are asking, husband, if I think you will worry yourself to death by exacerbating the injury Yu Ji inflicted upon you, then I would hope not. I know you have no fear of death itself, you are merely afraid to die and leave all the rest of us behind and your work unfinished."

"Maybe, an' I have no intention of dyin', Da. I remember my promise to you. But the Heavens don't always work how we want 'em to, y'know?"

Da turned her head to look at her beloved husband, who meant more to her than anything. The crowds and the noise and all else fell away. There was only the two of them.

"My lord," she said quietly, her voice tinged with a concern bordering on fear. "Are you… do you think you are to be taken from me?"

Ce smiled. "No, Da. But I think I have been neglecting contingency plans in case anything ever should happen to me, y'know?"

Da Qiao's countenance darkened. "This doesn't bode well."

"If anything does happen to me and Kai-Ying or our son is not old enough to rule…"

"Pardon me, oh great sage and progenitor," Da interrupted dryly. "But would rule not then pass to your brother Quan or your sister? Or even Kuang?"

"We've talked it over, my family and I," Ce replied, not deterred by his wife's sudden change of mood. "You're still going to be the Empress-Dowager, Da, and you've gotta accept that. If something _did_ happen to me, are you gonna stay in Baifu?"

Da faltered a little, not sure what her husband was asking. "I… have never given the matter any thought, to be honest. It seems logical, does it not?"

"Logical, maybe, but you would hate it here." Ce pointed out.

"Ce, I would hate to be anywhere without you," Da retorted. "Baifu, Wuchang, the Valley of the Ladies… there would be no joy in this world for me."

"An' if you were gone there wouldn't be for me either," Ce agreed. "But that doesn't mean my duty ends. I would stay here and continue on, driven by my longing for you."

"What then are you asking of me, husband?" Da asked, wanting to get to the point. For someone as straightforward as her husband tended to be, he certainly could be abstruse when he so chose.

"There is an old, abandoned town southwest of Baifu, not far from the Valley of the Ladies", Ce said, now waving again. "You will be going there and rebuilding it and making a royal town for yourself."

Da went pale. "You're… sending me away, Ce?"

Sun Ce now laughed cheerfully. "No, silly. I told you, I am planning for any eventualities. Besides, every empress or empress-dowager has always had a town they could go to in order to escape court life and this has been denied to you by how busy we've been and the damn wars. It's about time we rectified this."

"Husband, I have no need of a personal town." Da replied.

Ce turned to her and put his hands on her shoulders, smiling warmly. "The people of our realm seem to think otherwise, Da. When the scholars and administrators have been sent amongst them and asked questions, the one asked most often about you is why you have not yet been properly honoured with your own town. They have their expectations, seemingly."

"It is a frivolous waste of resources." Da insisted.

"Only if it's not put to good use," Ce pointed out. "Now you are gonna transform that abandoned down into a haven, so what I need to know is what would make you happy with a town like that? Somethin' for you and our daughter."

Knowing that this was happening whether she objected or not, Da sighed and considered. "For Kai-Ying and myself? Well that's easy, Ce. The town must be a repository of knowledge. It should be a scholastic and library town."

Ce nodded. "You got it, Da. You'll leave in a week. And I want you to return within a month, because we'll be back on the warpath soon after an' I'll need you."

"Is that all you'll need me for, your highness?" she asked pointedly.

Instead of responding with words, Ce swept her into his powerful arms and kissed her.

The crowd went wild.

* * *

**The Young Conqueror, Chapter 66 - Let A Hundred Flowers Bloom**

"_Baihua qifang, baijia zhengming_."

Kai-Ying thought about what her mother meant by the reference. 'Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend.'

"Are there really so many schools of learned thought, mother?" she asked.

"So I am told, my love." Da replied as they rode within the ornate carriage. "Your father intends to give people every chance to find their own path and then they will speak with many learned opinions and ideas for him to choose from, with what is ultimately best for all of them in mind. We go now to assume stewardship of the lands in his name and begin this great work."

"Will I be allowed to study at these academies, mother?" the girl queried. Kai-Ying had always possessed a keen intellect and a scholarly bent that Zhou Yu would have been proud of. Da Qiao certainly was. The girl's grasp of Latin surpassed her own easily, as did her command of the Teutonic language of the barbarian tribe, the White Wolves.

Da smiled. "While tradition dictates that only men may attend such academies, my daughter, I promise you that you will be visited and taught by the finest scholars from each and every school you pick, okay?"

Kai-Ying made a wry face. "How am I to prove myself intelligent if I have no other students to contend with?"

"Your intellect, my dear girl, is never in question and frankly it will be an expectation that you are exemplary in academics," Da pointed out. "No one would expect any less of you as a daughter of the Sun family."

Kai-Ying looked at her aunt. "Aunt Xiao, will you be frequenting any of the schools?"

Xiao snorted. "Yeah, only when I need a good nap, kid."

They were accompanied by Da's sister Xiao and their dear friend Diao Chan. The three of them were inseparable and Da had insisted that if she were to be relocated to a new town, she would at least have them move with her. Both Ce and Zhou Yu knew better than to make any demur to the idea. To try and part the Qiao sisters was like trying to take the waves from the wide ocean.

The phrase _Baihua qifang_ had been coined by Zhou Yu and referred to an idea he had implemented in order to pique the people's curiosity about the various educations offered within their realm now. While obviously the most famous and coveted educations would be classical Confucian, there were many other schools of thought that required students to keep their ideals alive and these were all to be respected as well, even if they were not officially state-sanctioned.

The original term for the so-called 'Hundred Schools of Thought' was not a new one but hailed back to the Spring And Autumn Period, held even by the elite of the Han Dynasty to be the pinnacle of philosophical sophistication within the Middle Kingdom, a time of great intellectual expansion and the embrace of knowledge. True, the era had been punctuated by bloody wars, but the scholarly contributions of the era were yet to be surpassed.

There was the Confucian school and Sun Ce had declared that the largest academy in the realm would be centered not in Baifu but just outside his wife's town. It was here that the best and brightest would be sent to finish their education to become administrators of the highest rank, counterbalanced with the greatest humility, the domain of the true sage and scholar.

Also there would be a school devoted to the philosophy of the now obscure Legalists, a rather austere belief system that glorified the state and martial prowess, believing that humanity's natural selfishness must be kept in check and its energies diverted to the well-being of the nation. In a nation of proudly independent as that of Wu, it was unlikely to find many followers, but there would be enough people intrigued by it as to make the school a worthwhile counterpoint to others. Legalism had, in fact, been blended rather admirably with Confucian thought to form the foundation of the Han and nearly four centuries had passed before the system had well and truly broken down. Ce thought it bore some resemblance to the government of a distant Hellenic city-state named Sparta, but had little to go on when it came to facts on the matter.

Followers of the Tao would be delighted by the construction of a large temple and school in the region, devoted to those who sought to bring enlightenment via the dictates of nature and the universe itself. Not just a religion, it was a relationship with the unknowable. Da harboured no doubt it too would be a popular school with those who sought not to become administrators but to still guide the people in some meaningful way.

Another school was that of Mohism, founded by the scholar Mozi nearly six hundred years earlier. Preaching a philosophy of universal love and compassion and equality in the eyes of heaven, it was bound to attract many. It regarded frugalness as an essential part of good living and viewed warfare with utmost distaste, especially offensive warfare. This would be a good school for the Sun family to debate with concerning their actions to unite the realm and she was impressed with Ce's insistence that the school be built and given a voice.

The _Yinyangjia_, or School of Naturalists sought to explain the universe as a series of equal and opposite actions, which, if true, made the universe a very rational and mathematically sound place, if only people would listen. While the schools had too many ephemeral strictures to contribute readily to ethical administration, its outlook on life was bound to strongly influence its students and adherents.

The _Mingjia_, the School of Names or Logicians, was closely related to the Mohist school and relied heavily on empirical definition and logic to reach its conclusions. In contrast to Mohism it revered fact and evidence more than perception and intuition. She was intrigued to discover that a similar school of thought had been popular in the uttermost west around the same time amongst the people called Greeks, seemingly the people of Iskander the Conqueror. These Greek scholars had been called 'sophists' or 'dialecticians'. The most notable scholar of the _Mingjia _had been Gongsun Longzi, an ancestor of the renowned Gongsun family, so recently crushed in the wars by the late Yuan Shao.

The _Zhonghengji_, or School of Diplomacy, had specialized in diplomatic politics, rather than centering on any particular moral compass with regards to administration. It stressed practical politics, debate and lobbying skills. A small school was already extant in the lands of the Zhang clan and Zhang Yi of the clan was the clear choice for headmaster of this newer and larger school.

The _Zajia_ Miscellaneous School tried to integrate the teachings of various schools while avoiding their perceived flaws. Bound to be a highly sought-after school amongst those who considered political office or even those who would be known as philosophers, she looked forward to its impact on Wu's outlook.

The _Nongjia_, or Agrarian School, was a philosophy that believed in peasant communalism and that great rulers tilled fields alongside their subjects. While she saw the school as having little impact on the administration of the realm, it was a lively cult of the farming god Shen Nong and their principals when dealing with agriculture would doubtless be valuable.

The final standard school was to be a military academy, the _Bingjia_; centered around the principals as laid out by her husband's ancestor, the Martial Sage Sun Tzu, but it would also be a school of learning as related to foreign military concepts of warfare. Here would be studied tactics and strategy from all over the earth, to one day prepare their realm for any imaginable threat. If she had her way, Lu Meng would be the honourary headmaster.

Another school, perhaps the most dangerous, was one dedicated to the philosophies and teachings of other nations, like those laid out by the Romans or the Greeks or the Persians and their many predecessors. Da Qiao had been fascinated to learn about how many peoples and cultures lay beyond the borders of the Middle Kingdom and it had been an uncomfortable admission to herself when she realized that many of these people were as sophisticated and civilized as her own, even if the definitions were not always exactly congruous.

This school, known as the _Yemonrenjia _or _Rongyimandijia _(Barbarians of the Four Corners), would be a library where dedicated scholars translated the works of other languages and nations into that of the Middle Kingdom and offered explanations of their cultures, histories and philosophies, looking for parallels with the culture of China and finding beneficial adaptations. It would take an open-minded and tolerant soul indeed to make a go of it with this academy, but Sun Ce had placed his faith in it and so would she.

Many other minor schools and philosophies would be represented throughout the royal county she was now to assume control of, but these were the most prominent. She had been surprised that Ce and Zhou Yu had not wished for these great centers of learning to be in Baifu, but she understood that the city was already too busy without the chaos of contending schools and their spirited students. This beautiful countryside would hopefully inspire calm reflection and foster an air of brotherhood between the academies.

"Is it safe to accumulate such a huge amount of our knowledge in one place, my love?" Diao Chan asked, fanning herself. "All that paper and wood."

"Not only will these be centres of learning, but also transliteration and scribing." Da replied. "Everything we store will have redundant copies made and sent to other locales for posterity and in case of a disaster. I have been told of a city in the uttermost west with a library that contains over half a million scrolls."

Diao Chan whistled. "Surely that is the sum of all their knowledge, is it not?"

"Doubtful, given how disparate their cultures and people are in comparison to ours," Da mused. "We will also be gathering all material we can find about our own courtesan arts and applying a standard against which all schools will be judged and on which all our teachings of the Willow World are founded. We can exclude that which we find hidebound and counterproductive or hurtful and incorporate such disparate elements as we believe suit our goals admirably."

Diao Chan tried to look horrified. "Give away the secrets of my beloved Amethyst Cloud School, to a southern trollop such as yourself? Perish the thought!"

The three women giggled while Kai-Ying settled into her mother's side for a nap. Several hours later, they reached the town that was to be the future site of her autonomous country- the town of Jian An. Da nodded as she thought about the settlement, once actually home to a scholastic academy but long decrepit since the Four clans of Wu had fled the lawlessness of the Southlands, moving to Jiang Dong with the Sun family.

They stopped on a hill and got out of the carriage to get their first look at the Jian An, nestled on the plains below; the place was indeed desolate and she felt vaguely sad when she considered the neglect the town had been through for so long. The buildings were all run down, the streets overrun with weeds and thick, tangling vines, the stones of the buildings and walkways crumbling and holes in just about every roof.

"Come…" she said quietly as she began her walk down the hill toward the town. Xiao and Diao Chan followed her, along with her customary guard of Night Tigers. She would probably not transfer her personal regiment to the location since she planned to not be here for more than a season every year and they belonged in the front lines, fighting alongside Wu's other valiant troops.

The town itself was laid out in a fairly standard east-west pattern, anchored in the east by an absolutely palatial mansion she was doubtless meant to take as her personal residence. The main road of the town led right up to the gates of the vast manor, lined on both sides by apartments and what were no doubt aesthetic shops. The market demarked the western boundaries of the town and the entire settlement was encompassed by a run-down, crumbling wall.

She turned to consult as a scribe that had been brought with them. A small contingent of scholars and people meant to assess the region and figure out what was necessary to carry out her wishes had been brought and she now set them about their task with a will.

"Assuming that the schools house no more than five hundred students and teachers at any one time, total, how large will this town's population have to be in order to support the endeavour?"

The scholars consulted and then bowed. "Including farmers to grow the foodstuff and livestock, my lady, no more than fifteen thousand, but this figure is not taking into account your personal staff."

Da nodded. She had hoped the number of people required would not be too large, since a quiet simplicity was what would be called for in the region. She would be the ruler of the region but she would have a Confucian scholar administrate on her behalf when she was not here. This was a novel idea, a town whose livelihood was supporting the academies that depended on its services. The schools would need paper and supplies and the students would need relaxation and diversions.

She smiled as she thought about and pitied the schools that preached abstinence once she opened up a courtesan manor in the region.

"Lord Sun Ce has given us one month to resurrect this town and make it and the countryside habitable. How many migrant workers will it take to affect this?" she asked.

The scholar considered, ignoring Diao Chan stroking her delicate hand up and down his arm. Eventually he cleared his throat and bowed. "Can Lord Sun provide fifty thousand men for the labour and three thousand farmers to prepare the fields?"

Da nodded. "Easily, good sir. There are many men without families who have agreed to become labourers throughout our realm, going where needed as long as they are paid and their transportation costs seen to."

There were indeed thousands upon thousands of such men in the Southlands, many of them people from north of the Great River, fleeing the tyranny of other lords, drawn to the rumours of Wu's strength and prosperity. They were paid in cash to go where labour was needed and then sent to a different locale or offered temporary lodgings until more work appeared, which was never long.

Da had gotten to know some of these men, curious about them since their lives were so much different from her own. One man, a labourer from Chen Cang named Ping Zi, said he had fled to the Southlands not long after Sun Ce had pacified the region and been working as a labourer ever since.

"But surely after all these years you can settle down, can you not?" she had asked.

Ping Zi had bowed reverently. "But my lady, prior to my relocation to your husband's lands, I had rarely if ever left Chen Cang. I was just another labourer, usually out of work because of the constant conflicts. But here, I travel frequently, I see things and meet people and then I am off on another adventure, to work on another grand project. Why, I have worked not only on the Grand Canal but also the Great Pagoda in Changsha and also the reconstruction of Fujian when Lady Shang Xiang became regent there. So pleased was she with my work and dedication that she personally rewarded me with a beautiful ruby. Me, a mere labourer. What is not to love about my life?"

Da Qiao then promised herself that she would always look for contentment wherever it could be found and see if others found it. Pang Zi's wisdom never left her.

According to the last and most accurate census taken in the Southlands, the population was around ten million people all told, from the banks of the Yangtze to the jungles of the farthest south, and from the eastern coasts to the Yuan River that formed the border on the west. She knew Ce had as many of three hundred thousand of these migrant workers in his employ, offering them decent pay and free lodging wherever they worked. When they were ready to retire from the labourer life, they could buy any plot of land they could afford and become farmers or artisans as they chose.

So many great works had been actualized by this system. Similar in many ways to the so-called '_Tuntian_' system instituted by Cao Cao in the north, she felt that her husband's system worked better since it relied on people's motivation to better themselves and their lot in life, rather than the subsistence Cao Cao offered the millions of displaced he sought to employ.

She gazed up now at the palace she would call home when she came here and saw the potential for how grand and fitting it could be. She may personally have preferred a more modest _siheyuan_, but as Ce had pointed out to her, if she was going to rule benevolently, she at least had to act the part and meet people's expectations of what a ruler did.

A long flight of broken and crumbled stone steps led up to the recessed gate, the walls protruding forward on either side as a defensive measure. A faded and broken sign hung over the archway, indicating what clan had lived there previously…

Yan.

She remembered the campaign into the Southlands and their battles against the bandit-lords of the Yan family, such as the arrogant and cruel Yan Baihu. It seemed almost distasteful to her to occupy a home once belonging to that brood, but she could not deny the utility of it. Certainly it would be a wondrous domicile once she had fixed it up.

On the right side of the street approaching the palace's steps was an old, decrepit temple, the patron deity no long readily definable. On the left side stood a building that clearly was administrative in nature, at least at one point. She had been here less than an hour and already had three of the most important buildings accounted for.

"So whom shall you rededicate this temple to?" Diao Chan asked, clasping her hands and bowing her head as she prayed silently for a moment before returning her attention to Da.

"Wenchangdi, I imagine," she replied, shrugging. "Seems like the logical thing to do in a city devoted to the upkeep of students and scholars, does it not?"

"Only because there's no god of dumplings." Xiao groused from nearby, examining an old pot that held a withered fern. Clearly the younger Qiao sibling was once again hungry and determined to let everyone know it. The fern was obviously not edible and she made a disgruntled sound and kicked the vase with her toe. The shoddy ceramic container broke at the assault and the withered plant and dusty earth spilled forth, revealing a mouldering purse full of gold coins and pearls. She picked up the unexpected treasure, grinned and looped it to her belt before skipping off to explore, clearly pleased with herself.

Da and Diao Chan walked down the desolate street arm in arm, ascertaining what kind of shops or residences had been in place, prior to the abandoning of the town. They identified a blacksmith's shop, a ceramics store and a bronzeware maker, along with what might have been a small inn. Through the dilapidated market square they finally came to the remains of the wharf on the fast-moving river. Small vessels were stuck on the shore or in shoals nearby, left to rot. Mouldering burlap sacks were everywhere.

As she turned back toward the town, Da espied something she did not expect to see- she saw an old man, bent with age and a gristle-grey beard, hobbling through the town. Intrigued, she called out to him and he slowly paused and turned to look at the visitors. His rheumy eyes widened in amazement as he noted the two girls approaching. Da and Diao Chan bowed to the elder.

"Kind sir, I am Lady Da Qiao, consort of Lord Sun Ce, Duke of the Southlands. I have come to this venerable town to assess it and prepare it for use as a center of learning renowned throughout the realm."

The man trembled, clearly at a loss as to how to respond. "My… my lady…"

"I prithee, elder, how many other people live hereabouts? We thought the town and surroundings well and truly abandoned." Da mentioned.

The old man drew a deep breath and finally replied. "There are maybe fifty people left, both in the town and in the countryside. Our families have lived here for generations untold and some of us could not bear to leave, in spite of our ruin."

"The Sun family is creating a center of learning on this very site, elder, under the auspices of myself as ruler," Da continued. "If there are people left in the region, I would speak with them, as they clearly must be taken into consideration before any plans are enacted. Can this be arranged?"

The old man thought for several moments and then nodded slowly. "But what interest has a great lady like yourself in our insignificant town?" he asked. "Surely there are other places more suitable."

"Other areas are already prosperous, elder, clearly this town could use a makeover," Diao Chan added, smiling. "Admit it, would it not be nice to see this place alive and bustling with activity again? Priests praying in their temples, vendors hawking their wares in the market, children playing in the streets and courtesans singing old and dear love songs from the balconies…"

He seemed almost overwhelmed at the prospect. "I cannot remember… I do not think our town has ever known such prosperity, great lady. What you propose seems unreal to me in so many ways."

"I imagine it does." Da replied, smiling warmly. It was moments like this that she understood why benevolent rulers loved what they did. "But this is going to happen and I would see the residents involved. What do you and the others do?"

The elder thought. "Not much… we farm a little, though our ground is sickly and our tools shoddy. Mostly we just wait quietly for time or illess to take us."

Tears welled up in Da's eyes, stricken to her core that people could give up on life and simply wait to die. She bowed again, her voice humble and sincere.

"Elder, please, I beg you. Bring the people of the region to me or direct me to them if they will not come. There is so much to do and now I am doing it for you as well. Please grant me this boon."

At that moment, a serene and somewhat melancholy, lonely tune played on a flute drifted through the streets of the city. Da recognized it as a song she had been informed was local to the region. She looked up and saw Xiao standing high atop a peaked roof not far away, facing north and playing the instrument. Da looked at the old man again.

"What do you do for a living, sir?" she asked.

The old man swallowed, clearly moved by the tune Xiao was playing. "I was the town's bronzesmith for untold years, my lady. Not only did I fashion such wares, I maintained them, too. But now…"

Da looked around and saw a large bronze lamp atop a stone pedestal, the metal tarnished with age and disuse. She nodded and pointed to the edifice. "I will pay you handsomely to polish that lamp and have it ready to burn tonight, elder. This town needs a symbol of renewed life and I want your assistance in this endeavour. Will you help me?"

The old man bowed again. "These old bones have no use for money, my lady, but if you promise me that I will live to see Jian An live again, then I will polish a thousand bronze urns and lamps for you, such as will outshine even the heavens."

Da bowed, grateful for his help. Kindness really was the way of the gods.

* * *

Da smiled as she read the missive from her husband, kindly granting her another month beyond those originally allotted once she had sent couriers back to Baifu requesting labourers, farmers and artisans. Seven labourer towns in the Baifu region were engaged to the task, each man promised excellent wages for this ambitious undertaking.

She met with the remaining families of the region over the two nights following her arrival and her proposals were received with both incredulity and approval. Many were stunned by this seemingly unbidden good fortune while those few youths and people in their prime were eager to see the area come to life. Only one resident had ever been to a large city before, Changsha, and could not say enough good things to his fellow locals about what he had seen.

Da smiled and raised her hand. "I've no plans to create a city as busy as Changsha, my friends; this is to be a beautiful town of academicians and people dedicated to supporting the settlement. Such amenities as you cannot provide locally shall be brought to you and traded for. That being said, I must make sure that you are all given priority in terms of your employment. I know of a bronzeware maker, what else do you do here?"

The final tally was a bronzeware maker, twenty nine mature farmers with sizeable plots, three hemp weavers, eight millers, five labourers, two fishermen, a hunter and a ceramicist. This did not include children and the elderly and infirm who were incapable of a solid day's work.

"You have the makings of a small, self-sustaining community already," Da pointed out, based on their skill sets. "All you seemed to be missing was a healer of some sort and the resources to begin. I prithee, what crops are grown here?"

"Mostly bean curd and some other legumes, my lady," answered one of the farmers. "We have attempted to grow rice, but the bandit lords and their wars made the necessary irrigation and terracing difficult. We therefore have little skill in it."

Da nodded. "We are going to realign your farming output to better meet your own needs, those of the town and also ensure prosperity. Bean curd shall remain important but I want at least ten of you to volunteer to learn to grow rice and one more to be taught how to grow and harvest tea."

One young man bowed immediately. "I would be honoured to learn how to grow tea. I am told it is almost a necessity for scholars."

Da laughed cheerfully. "There will be other tea growers coming to the region, good sir, but I promise you that I will allow you exclusive rights to grow a type of tea that our academics will crave and beg you for. You alone in these lands shall be authorized to grow it and taught its secrets by Lord Zhou Yu himself."

The farmer bowed low again, deeply honoured.

"The river has a strong current that will bring ships to engage in trade, along with new students and migrants. We will bring small boats and cormorants so that you may fish and we will build a hatchery so that you may sustain this economy. Are there any diviners or priests you know of in the region?"

"No, my lady," said the bronzeware maker sadly. "My wife was our only our only such seer for many years but she was put to death by Yan Baihu when she forecast a day of doom for him."

"And that day came in the form of my mighty husband and so is she avenged," Da said gently. "I will have diviners and a priest of the Tao move into the region and the first shrine shall be erected to your wife, my friend. She will forever watch over this land."

The people bowed low, at a loss of words for her magnanimity.

* * *

Da, Xiao and Diao Chan sat on top of a hill overlooking the town, eating peaches while Kai-Ying slept. They watched as scores of the migrant labourers Sun Ce had sent bustled about the town, bringing in supplies such as wood and stone, repairing or re-facing buildings under the diligent instruction of their foremen.

The docks along the river, so long in a state of ruin and disrepair, were completely removed and being replaced by newer and more extensive berths; the ancient ships which had sat in the moors or along the shoreline and left to decay were sunk into the water to help strategically slow the current and also provide a habitat for the fish and other marine life the people would rely on.

Shops were refurbished and houses renewed. Once the town was established and people began arriving, the labourers would begin the work of building the academies that would make the region famous across the Middle Kingdom.

"So you have decided to give the other wing of your palatial abode to the courtesans who will be brought in?" Diao Chan asked, biting her fingertip while watching a group of well-muscled labourers move paving stones into place on the road to Da Qiao's manor.

"It makes sense to do so," Da replied, looking down and stroking her sleeping daughter's silver hair. "Though the area is mine to rule, per se, I do not want people to forget who and what I am. I am not an administrator, nor some military official. I am the wife of Sun Ce, a courtesan and mistress of the Willow World. If the girls live with me, it will help to remind the populace of this fact."

"Translation: she ran out of ideas for all the rooms." Xiao interjected lazily, laying back and looking at the sky. She never ceased to be amazed at how often she saw boobs in the clouds. She wondered if there was something she needed to tell Zhou Yu.

Diao Chan giggled. "Could it be that our fairest Lady of Wu has run out of books or scrolls to fill her home with? I wouldn't have thought that possible, the way you read so voraciously. Sometimes I worry that you will not have time for me."

Da rolled her eyes. "Even if I give the other wing to the girls, I still have more than enough guest rooms to accommodate you, the entire Sun clan and several more dazzling socialites besides. Three large rooms are to be libraries for my personal reading materials, which is more than enough, I assure you."

"As long as another room is given over to more sensual pleasures, my love." Diao Chan purred, stroking a gentle hand up Da's arm.

"Amen to that." Xiao added, still fixated on the sky's cleavage.

Attempting to turn the conversation away from her companions' carnal prerequisites, Da pulled out a scroll and unfurled it, examining the schematics for how the academies would be laid out in the region. Diao Chan leaned in to take a look but Da noticed her friend's breasts firmly pressed against her arm. She sighed inwardly.

"The academies seem equidistant from the town," the northern girl observed. "No one can claim any sort of preferential treatment this way?"

"That is true, but also each academy will be placed in accordance with _feng shui_, nearest to the element or natural feature which rules its nature. The Confucian academy will stand near a grove of trees, whereas the School of Military Thought will be buttressed against an outcropping of large rocks to the south. The school teaching diplomacy will be set against the river. We even found a very large rock threaded with beautiful green jade to build the _Mingjia_ school of the Logicians around. This area seems to have been made for our endeavour."

"That's a lot of roads, sis," Xiao remarked, rolling onto her side to sneak a peek at the plans. "Won't all that stone paving sorta interrupt the aesthetic of the region?"

"Paved stone roads would be more effective, but I have decided that simple dirt roads or even just worn paths will fit the feel better. These academies will teach our aspiring minds humility and simplicity. Harmony with nature will prove more important that the efficiency of a high-traffic road."

"Fair enough," Xiao mused, nodding. "So the town'll have roads, since it's about industry, but the academies and so on will take a simpler approach. I like it."

"Thank you, o sage," Da said dryly. "But since I have taken you into account when planning my palace, what, I prithee, shall I do about ordering and decorating your quarters?"

"My money's on a dumplings theme." Diao Chan whispered in Da's ear.

Xiao considered for just a few moments before answering. "That's a cinch. Make sure I have easy access to the menagerie. And I want peach-coloured accents and silks to predominate my area."

"Poo." Diao Chan muttered.

"Don't worry, darling, I promise you that your suite of rooms will be dedicated to creature comforts and sensual pleasures, bordering on depravity." Da said, giggling and stroking Diao Chan's cheek.

"You wound me, my sister," replied Da's beloved friend, trying to look shocked and hurt. "Think you that I am such a libertine as to keep my quarters stocked with virile men and nubile girls, all waiting to be fed to my apparently limitless carnal desires?"

"Perish the thought, my love." Da replied coyly.

"Translation: If the phallus fits, stuff it." Xiao added nonchalantly.

Da sighed and turned to lie on her side and snuggle her daughter while Diao Chan hissed and leapt on Xiao, determined to teach her a lesson. Da ignored the high-pitched squabbling and the sound of tearing clothes as they battled. She already knew how this struggle would end and there was no need for Kai-Ying to be aware of such adult solutions at her tender age.

* * *

While the manor was being reconstructed, Da had taken to spending most of her time on the hill overlooking Jian An. If the foremen or planners needed to find her, they didn't have far to look. Her single squad of Night Tigers stood guard nearby, so there was no need for concern.

Xiao and Diao Chan were napping on a blanket beside her while Kai-Ying gathered flowers lower on the slope. Da watched the procession of labourers flood through the town, their various songs and their laughter reaching her. Men who were on break played music on crude instruments while others ate their rations just outside the town. The docks had been completed and supplies and men were now arriving by boat, cutting the travel time from Baifu in more than half.

She marvelled at how quickly the town and indeed the region were transforming. The great labour pits from which men dug up endless wheelbarrows of dirt provided not only strong foundations for new buildings but also the terracing materials for the rice fields the farmers needed. As trees were felled, new ones were planted to replace them, a policy Ce and Zhou Yu had strictly enforced throughout the Southlands.

She knew the interior of her palace was still being touched up, but the outside already looked good as new. The roof tiles were bright red, the old, crumbling stone accents and statues replaced with new effigies that were personal to her. She had decided to call her home-away-from-home the Palace of the Nine Luminaries, a reference to the nine celestial bodies that were holy to the way of the Buddha, as practiced by the Sun family. The names of these celestials were given to her by an old sage before she had married Sun Ce and she remembered them well. In the language of the Vedics, they were _Aditya_ (the Sun), _Soma_ (the Moon), _Angaraka_ (Mars, the planet of Fire), _Budha_ (Mercury, the planet of Water), _Brhaspati_ (Jupiter, the planet of Wood), _Sukra_ (Venus, the planet of Gold), _Sanaiscara_ (Saturn, the planet of Earth), _Rahu_ (a spirit that caused eclipses) and _Ketu_, a comet.

Very few people even in the Southlands practiced Buddhism as yet, but she still intended to have a small shrine built in the area where adherents could worship. Certainly it still seemed strange to her, but then so did Lord Elryk's religion, as did that of the barbarians north of the Great Wall or the Nanman tribes in the southern jungles.

It was not that Sun Ce believed in simple, indiscriminate open-mindedness, but as far as he was concerned, people would need to worship as they pleased if the ultimate truth of all things was ever to be discovered. Narrow-minded adherence to existing dogma without fresh challenges was dangerous, especially when run by the state, and he plainly intended to avoid it.

When the emperor had visited Baifu, Ce had been asked to explain his family's adherence to this foreign religion, that of the Buddha and if he intended for this creed to be state-sanctioned and run by his administration to achieve compliance. Sun Ce's answer had been eloquently iron-clad.

"_Your majesty, government cannot be religious and self-assertive at the same time. Religious belief and experience requires a spontaneity which laws inevitably suppress. And you cannot govern without laws. Your laws eventually replace morality, replace faith, replace even the religion by which you think to govern. Sacred ritual must spring from praise and holy yearnings which hammer out a significant morality. Government, on the other hand, is a cultural entity, particularly attractive to doubts, questions and contentions. There always comes a day, your highness, where ceremony takes the place of faith and mere symbolism replaces morality."_

This made it clear to her why these schools were necessary. Even with a strong government, every conceivable question could be asked now and an answer found. Unity of purpose would be Wu's strength, not the simpler conformity of thought. Many philosophies stressed 'proper thought', whatever their viewpoint on the matter was, but trained people to be blind to things going on around them that were not so easily answered. The existence of the White Wolves was proof of this. The vast majority of people in the Middle Kingdom would happily see these noble barbarians wiped out and forgotten, because they did not fit within their world view.

Maybe such wilful ignorance was a form of strength, but Da Qiao was repulsed by it. Her faith in the gods and their purposes were to be her inward struggle and mastery, not a viewpoint to be imposed on other for her own security and gratification. Too often she saw evidence of such behaviour and it would take a man the likes of her husband to challenge people to be brave enough to _not _destroy one another for such reasons.

Sun Ce obviously had very strong beliefs in what lay beyond the veil of what man could see and he clearly had faith in the intentions of the Heavens. But he did not seek to tell people what to think or enforce a mere code of behaviour, he _demonstrated_ it to them. He lived his code and it was magnificent. People who saw him or were affected by him could not deny it. They were almost forced to look inward and question themselves. The strong would respond and seek the self-improvement offered while those lacking in character and slaves to their egos would simply rail violently against what Ce had shown them all.

And those people could be dealt with.

"_Enough about Sun Ce and what he is going to do, silly girl. This is your royal town. What are you going to do? Be some distant figurehead? Or will you get involved?"_

Consort of the lord of the Southlands… a regimental commander in the Wu army… A member of the trifecta council governing the courtesan schools of the Willow World… Scholar-Queen of the royal region of Jian An… mother…

Exactly how much was he expecting her to do, anyway? There had better still be time for sex…

She stood and walked down the hill, gesturing for her daughter to stay near her aunt. She walked around the edge of the town and simply strolled around, gazing upon all the work being done. Those she passed stopped their labour and bowed low. She smiled and waved for them to continue on and not mind her.

The town would be laid out in a neat rectangle, with the market against the wharfs and the shops and artisans beyond those, leading to her palace. The residential areas were built to the north and south of the central mercantile region. Small ancestral shrines and a Taoist temple would punctuate the town . The old, decrepit packed-earth wall had been torn down and replaced by a handsome new one faced with stone and a great gate, proclaiming the city and its mistress. Her palace, already quite strongly fortified due to the paranoia of Yan Baihu, would anchor the eastern end of the city's wall.

Beyond the walls of the city, the farms were spread out in an orderly manner, each according to their soil needs and to help maximize productivity. Da climbed out a small wooden watchtower and marvelled at how many farms had been squeezed into the allotted area and it still seemed spacious. As the Middle Kingdom's population grew, so would the need for land, but one day there might be none left. Zhou Yu often referred to a concept he called 'urban planning' when dealing with the congestion of the ever-swelling cities, but clearly this concept also applied to rural and agrarian regions. There would still be space to grow when the time came.

She visited one of the labourer camps and stared at the wide pit from which the men dug the earth so many of these projects relied on. This particular pit was already deeper than three tall men standing on one another's shoulders. She found the foreman, a short and broad fellow with a wide face and a loud voice. He bowed humbly as she approached.

"Good sir, curiosity leads me to ask… what will be done with these pits once the projects they supply materials to have been completed? Surely they cannot just be left as is to mar our landscape."

"Oh, definitely not, my lady," he said in a thick accent. She realized that he was probably from the far north of the Middle Kingdom and clearly had some Xiongnu blood in him. People from all over were attracted to what they sought to accomplish here. "There are six pits and each shall be filled in again or turned to some use. This one will serve as the hatchery you have planned to help restock the fish of the river."

Da nodded, realizing that a tremendous amount of work went into efficient administration of a region, even a small one such as this. She found a new appreciation for bureaucrats and their skills. "The ones that are not diverted to another use, from whence shall the earth or materials to fill them in come?"

The man pointed north. "Beyond the farms, a great pit is also to be dug, where carcasses and vegetables not fit for consumption are to be cast. The earth of that pit will fill these in and what is thrown into it will decompose and provide the nutrients needed for the farmer's soil in abundance."

Da laughed. "I did not realize it was the job of a labour camp's foreman to understand such agrarian mysteries."

The man smiled. "One cannot work for your husband without learning many unexpected things, my lady. Thanks to these labour teams of his, I also speak some of the language of the Shanyue, since my last posting was in Fujian and many of the labourers were of those people."

That seemed unusual to Da until she remembered that she herself spoke Latin, some Gothic and a smattering of Greek and Persian, thanks to her interaction with so many foreigners. Who was she to question if a northerner spoke a jungle dialect of the southern reaches?

She took her leave of the man and headed down the main street through the market and toward her palace. The men working on the great doors bowed humbly as she passed through them. A great wide reception hall awaited her and the second story was ringed by a balcony. She knew that the quarters for servants and minor guests were arranged above this hall. Her audience room was at the far end of this hall and she had been most insistent on its aesthetics. She did not want some grandiose throne and ostentatious decor, she wanted the room to speak of learning and benevolent rule. The chair that would act as her throne, though ornate and well-appointed, would not be overstated.

She visited the rooms that were to be her libraries, three large chambers in which her scrolls, papers and other materials would be stored. Two rooms would be dedicated to scholarly endeavors and histories and the third to her more private works of a personal nature and pleasure. She nodded in satisfaction, content with the arrangements.

She next visited the quarters assigned to her sister and her servants. She had been diligent in making sure that all of Xiao's needs would be attended to, including a secondary pantry and kitchen, with their own stocks of food. Next to Xiao's suite of rooms she had placed Diao Chan's. These were sumptuous and elegant, decorated in greys and lavenders, hearkening to the beauty and subtle melancholy of their mistress. Small rooms devoted to male servants were situated on one side of her personal quarters, the rooms for her female servants on the other.

This left her with several more good-sized rooms, which she ultimately decided to give to her courtesans in order of seniority, the largest suites closest to her own chambers going to the senior girls. She had pondered what to do with visitors such as Zhou Yu or members of the Sun family, but Ce would obviously stay with her in her suite of rooms and Quan or Shang Xiang would probably be happiest in the isolated rooms near the back, away from the commotion that would undoubtedly be caused by Xiao and Diao Chan if they were around.

She thought about the need, as Ce had explained it, for her to have this town dedicated to her at all. The lord of Wu had already taken an ancient monestary on a lone island and turned it into a palace for she and Xiao some time ago. It was, however, meant to be the resting place of the sisters when they finally left mortality behind and moved beyond the veil.

She had initially protested this idea, expressing a desire to be buried with Ce, but he had pointed out that if she were to be interred in his burial mound, she was more than likely to have her bones stuffed in an urn and laid in a corner of the room, which hardly seemed all that romantic and touching. Besides, the proximity of their decaying bodies hardly dictated their bond together in the afterlife.

Still, it felt strange knowing that the Qiao sisters would be interred together on a remote island, far away from the men they had betrothed themselves to. The palace complex on the island was indeed quite lovely and she enjoyed visiting it with Xiao and her daughter, but it seemed lonely somehow, because it was a place of quiet reflection and contemplation. The biggest windows faced the west, as did the gardens, all given her a view of the distant mountains, where the gods lived and into whose fold she would one day come.

She walked slowly over to her own quarters and gazed around at her surroundings. She had attempted to blend the serene themes of the Willow World of courtesans with the martial glory of her married family, the mighty Sun clan and the results were impressive, to say the least. Blue and silver contrasted and yet somehow complemented the vermillion and gold of the Southlands. Cranes were depicted along with tigers in the decor. Dark wood furniture and fixings tied everything together and she was convinced that anyone visiting the place would admire the effort.

"Admiring your keen sense of aesthetic?" Diao Chan asked as she stood lazily in the door way of the room, leaning against the frame. Da blushed and gestured around to the space, as if somehow that was an answer. Her friend shook her head and strode in, clearly at home in the locale. "Would it please you, my love and my liege-lady, if I were to make my permanent residence here, so that at least one of us was present for our courtesan girls at all times?"

Da smiled. "That would make a certain amount of sense, admittedly. And it is not really any father from Baifu than your current abode."

"Not to mention the opulence of the surroundings," Diao Chan added. "I've no doubt my attendants could get quite used to this place."

"Then please, my dearest, move yourself here as soon as suits you." Da said softly, taking Diao Chan's hands in hers and giving them a gentle kiss. "You will be a magnificent addition to the decor."

Diao Chan giggled and kissed her back.

* * *

"Are we sure that we have seen one?" Da asked as she galloped alongside the leader of her guardian squad. She was wearing her customary reinforced battle breeches and a secured blouse, with the sleeves tied back against her arms. Over the blouse she wore a leather corset that glittered with steel scales that shone like a river in the sun. On her hip she carried her battle fans and a short sword. Across her back was slung her bow. Her long, dark hair flowed in the wind behind her.

"There is no doubt, my lady," replied the Night Tiger, his keen eyes set ahead and scanning the terrain as they rode over the hills, accompanied by the rest of her squad. "The beast has been sighted multiple times over the past day. It has been boxed into an area some ten _li_ and cannot leave without us knowing."

Da nodded and snapped the reins of her horse, urging it to move faster. She was not really all that interested in hunting, but she knew that this was an opportunity to improve her standing amongst the warriors of the Southlands, if only she could be the one to slay the creature.

A fantastic and near-mythical creature roamed these lands, a _guaihu_ beast that was used by parents to terrify children. It had many names but in the Southlands was known as _"Nian Shou"._ It had glaring yellow eyes, a wide mouth full of fangs and the body of a lithe tiger-like beast. The demon was said to devour children that strayed too far from their homes, preying on them in the woods and fields beyond their towns. It had a frightening screech that could be heard across the countryside at night and chilled the blood of those who lay in their beds, waiting for it to pass.

Not far ahead she could see a clutch of trees and shrubs, at the center of which stood some old ancestral shrines. It was the only foliage that could conceal the demon for nearly half a _li_, since everything beyond was wide fields of mallow and reeds. It had to be in there.

"I agree it is likely to be in there, my lady, but it would be unwise to venture in after it," said the Night Tiger commander warily, as if reading her thoughts.

"I agree with you, good sir," Da said, drawing her bow from her back. "Therefore, we shall simply have to draw it out..."

Da Qiao, the most educated and well-read woman in the Southlands and quite possibly amongst the three most educated in the whole realm, knew at least as much lore on such beasts as Zhou Yu. Into her bow she knocked an arrow with a wooden head. The wood had tiny holes and strakes cut into it and fixed along the inside of the hollow head were tiny pieces of rice paper that flittered and buzzed at the slightest change in the wind.

Without another word, she brought the bow up to her shoulder and drew back the string, aiming into the heart of the woods. She took a deep breath and released the arrow...

The missile sped into the foliage, the hollow wooden head shrieking loudly as air passed through it. She took another arrow of the same kind and fired it, the Night Tiger accompanying her scowling and covering his ears at the high-pitched noise it made.

Seconds later, the _Nian Shou _came bounding out of the woods, baying in a panic. Da Qiao had been right, the beasts hated loud, shrieking noises and it was fleeing as quickly at it might. It seemed to move a preturnatural speed as it fled south.

Da urged her horse forward in pursuit, followed by her Night Tiger squad, all of whom had their bows ready. The horses were at full gallop and yet the demon they were chasing seemed to be puling away. Without slowing down, Da fired another wooden arrow over its head, the screeching noise causing the beast to pivot and move in a different direction.

She shot an arrow at the demon but missed, muttering to herself about needing to take more time to practice her horseback archery. She may never be as good a shot as Shang Xiang or Ce, but she'd be damned if she was going to not be able to hit something as large as her own horse. .

Spurring her horse to move faster, she noticed two other Night Tigers moving in from the north, chasing after the beast. They had their bows in hand and were firing at it, coming close to taking it down. Certainly anyone had the right to make a name for themselves by being the person to slay the demon, as was only worthy of the Southlands warrior ethic. Da had to earn this kill just as much as any of them.

Xiao was with the second group. Her horse was slightly faster than Da's and she was as good a shot as her older sister. She cackled gleefully as she led the chase.

"_Oh no you don't, shorty..."_ Da thought, smiling in determination. Xiao's eagerness would not make up for her lack of studying. Da's knowledge of what they hunted would help her triumph.

The beast, knowing it was pursued and losing ground, turned about and screeched, glaring balefully at its pursuers. The creatures eyes were wild, yellow and slitted, like those of the demons she had seen and fought when they had opposed Ou Xing, but this was a lone spirit, capable of malevolence and terrible things, but in small measure compared to that mighty demon-lord and his horrific minions.

One of Xiao's guards got too close and the _Nian Shou _pounced, taking down his heart and tearing it apart. The Night Tiger scrambled away hurriedly but the beast turned and bounded off again as arrows meant for it buried themselves in the ground and the remains of the horse. It headed toward Da and her small band, determined to fight.

She leapt off her horse and flung her short cloak in front of herself- the demon paused, deterred by the fluttering red fabric. It glowered and snarled, its eyes wide with apprehension and even fear.

"_The legends are correct, they are afraid of the colour red..."_ she realized with no small satisfaction. She kept the cloak in front of herself, keeping it at bay. She found it somewhat odd that so mangificent and supernatural a creature could be given pause by the dyes made from a simple flower. She advanced warily, keeping an eye on the _Nian Shou's_ movements. Though it should have turned and run, it could not seem to take its eyes off the cape, almost hypnotized.

Almost.

She dodged gracefully as the demon lunged, spinning around its lithe form and keeping the cloak between them. It screeched as her straight sword creased its back, a ribbon of blood twisting away from it. Mad with terror and fury, it twisted about and brought its fearsome claws to bear, but she had already whipped off the mantle from her shoulders and now flung it in the demon's face. It thrashed madly, seemingly constricted by the garment, flailing about from side to side in its desperation to find her. She dodged a swipe of the wicked claws and drove her blade into its side.

With an inhuman screech that filled the lands around, the _Nian Shou_ writhed and twisted violently, wrenching the blade from Da's grip. She leapt back as it thrashed and bucked, its face still covered by the cloak. Her time was short, though, because those fangs would chew through the fabric before long.

Arrows glanced off the beast's skin as Xiao and the Night Tigers tried frantically to assist her. They would charge in if they had to, to protect the Pricness of the Southlands. Unwilling to let any of them come to possible harm (or steal her kill), Da swept out her fans and leapt high in the air. She focused herself and felt a deep calm come over her as she gazed down upon her prey.

She reminded herself that this was no simple beast, whatever its appearance. It was a demon, a predator that took children from villages and ate them, leaving families grieving in the name of its insatiable appetite for human flesh. Children of the Southlands, the future generations of their people.

With a calm coldness and prayers to the Celestials who resided in the Jade Mountains, she brough her twin fans down in a single, graceful and lethal stroke, severing the _Nian Shou's_ head from its body.

The disembodied head tumbled away, still swathed in her red cloak but screeching louder than ever. The jaws snapped and gnashed, the eyes still flashing as the tongue lolled out of the mouth. The body flopped and thrashed about for some time before laying stil, now only twitching occasionally.

All was silent as Da and those accompanying her approached the corpse. Slowly and deliberately, she took hold of the corner of her cape and pulled it away, freeing the severed head. It rolled away a few feet and stopped, the eyes staring lifelessly at the sky, seemingly to be almost made of glass. The head reminded her of that belonging to a great cat, perhaps crossed with a river drake or alligator. A long, shimmering silvery mane spilled away from the bottom of the head, giving it a lion-like appearance.

The body was long, covered in shimmering fur with a long, whipcord-like tail and legs and feet resembling those of a great eagle. It seemed almost a tragedy that the thing had to die, but demons could not be left to prey on their children, however fair their forms.

"Wow, sis," Xiao mumured as she came up, still staring at the _Nian Shou_ with her bow in hand, as if she expected it to come back to life with a sudden vengeance. "It's really dead then?"

Da sighed and wiped her brow, only now aware of the exertions she had gone through to kill the beast. "Yes, darling, it's dead. We have purged the land of a demon. The families of the region need not fear it anymore."

"Maybe, but we should still build a shrine to it, make sure it's appeased and doesn't wanna come back," Xiao said, giving the head a wary look. "What're we gonna do with the body?"

"The Lady Qiao has scored a magnificent victory today, a kill than all across our realm shall laud," said the Night Tiger commander who had accompanied her, bowing low. "I suggest she keep the head and the body. Skilled men shall preserve it and we shall put the beast on display in her hall here in Jian-An."

Da blushed and fidgeted. "Commander, I do not know that I am worthy of such accolades or that such a trophy belongs in my modest abode."

"Oh, c'mon, sis, quit the modesty crap," Xiao said, rolling her eyes. "Who wouldn't be impressed? Even Shang Xiang'll have to give you props for this one. Be a damn ruler already!"

Da sighed once again but relented, allowing the Night Tigers to gather up the remains of the demon and bring it back to her estate in the town.

She only hoped that Kai-Ying would understand.

* * *

The town was a riot of colour and sound as musicians played in the streets and performers entertained the crowds. Everyone bowed low as Lord Sun Ce walked down the main avenue, accompanied by the great Mistress of Jian-An, his wife Lady Da Qiao.

They had inspected the town and the myriad academies built by the labourers and engineers in the past few months, reviving the once desolate region and bringing it to life again. Gleaming bronze braziers and statues lined the streets, the stores had colourful canopies beneath which the eager merchants hawked their wares. The temple to the god Wenchangdi and his disciple Kui Xing was brimming with young students seeking his favour in their scholarly endeavours.

"So what academy pleased you most, husband-mine?" she asked casually as they strode along. They paused to watch a man swallow a thin torch and then belch forth flame, to the delight of the onlookers.

Ce considered for a moment and then shrugged cheerfully. "They're all great in their own ways, Da. You got each of them situated right where they should be, none of 'em suffering at the expense of another. The _feng shui_ was perfect. The gods're gonna love what you accomplished here. You've got a real flair for civil planning and management."

"Yeah, it's all that fancy book-learnin' of hers." Xiao said teasingly as she followed behind, masticating on a shrimp dumpling. "She keeps it up and she's gonna give my Zhou Yu darling a run for his money."

"I think our darling Da Qiao's knowledge surpasses even mine in the matter of spirit lore and the supernatural," Zhou Yu commented modestly, following alongside his wife.

True to the plan, thousands of willing commoners had been moved to the region to help it achieve the intended purpose- farmers, miners, artisans, river fishers and merchants... even the first students and sages of the academies had arrived and were settling in to begin learning. Da Qiao already had thirty-sex separate petitions in her manor's office, requesting sanctioned debates between the schools.

"_Let a hundred schools of thought contend..."_

They made their way to the town's revitalized central square, where throngs were cheering and eagerly watching a courtesan dance led by Diao Chan. Upon seeing Lord Sun Ce and his consort, though, she held up a hand, stopping the wild music and bowed in reverence. The crowd did likewise as Ce and Da ascended the platform the courtesans had been dancing on.

"Da Qiao is the Lady of Jian'An and she rules here with my full authority!" Ce declared loudly. "Let is be known throughout the prefecture that her word is law! This town, once humbled and dying, will now be a center of learning like no other in the Middle Kingdom! There might be older academies, but none will shine with the same brilliance and dedication as Jian'An! Remain humble before the gods and seek your heart's desire!"

Cheers echoed loudly through the square and into the fields beyond.

"I've been told that a very talented poet has been commissioned to write piece to the woman who inspired all of this and made it possible!" Ce called out. Da blushed and looked at the floor while Xiao giggled and clasped her sister's hand.

Ce gestured for a man dressed in simple clothes to come up on the stage with them. The man bowed low to Sun Ce and then Da before turning to address the rapt audience. Diao Chan and Xiao now sat at the back of the platform and began softly playing on a drum and flute respectively, adding a cadence to the poem the man began to recite from a parchment he unrolled.

"_A mind perfected in the four virtues_

_A gold body filled with wisdom,_

_Fringes of dangling pearls and jade, _

_Scented bracelets set with lustrous treasures,_

_Dark hair piled smoothly in a coiled dragon-bun,_

_And elegant sashes lightly fluttering like phoenix quills,_

_Her green jade buttons_

_And white silk robe_

_Bathed in a holy light;_

_Her velvet skirt_

_And golden cords_

_Wrapped by hallowed air._

_With brows of new moon shape_

_And eyes like two bright stars,_

_Her jade-white face beams natural joy_

_And her feminine lips seem a flash of red._

_Her immaculate hands overflow with nectar and gold,_

_Holding willow sprigs that never die after her touch._

_She disperses the Eight Woes;_

_She redeems the multitudes;_

_She has great compassion;_

_Thus she rules us from great Yangtze_

_To the sonorous South Seas._

_She embraces the poor, searching for their voices,_

_Ever heedful and solicitous,_

_Ever wise and efficacious._

_Her orchid heart delights in blossoms and children;_

_Her chaste nature loves lavender and wisteria._

_She is the merciful consort of our proud people._

_The elder Qiao, for whom Sun Ce conquers nations."_

Da listened in humble silence, always amazed by the adoration and reverence people felt for her. Oddly enough, she might not have, had she remained simply a dazzling courtesan, she would doubtless have expected it. But now, as Princess of the Southlands, consort of the mighty warlord of Wu, she was adulated not merely because of her training but because of who she had become- a figure of devotion, compassion and unwavering loyalty to her husband.

True, some of the poem's florid hyperbole seemed a little much to her, at least when applied to herself. Hands overflowing with nectar and gold? Holding willow sprigs that never die at her touch?

Okay, she loved children and yes, caring for the teeming masses and the poor had become one of her goals, but it still seemed a little much for her.

But maybe it didn't to them. The people who she now looked out upon and who looked back at her, they needed her to be what the poem spoke of. Sometimes she felt like she couldn't possibly attain such things, that they had mistaken her for someone she was not, but what did she have to lose in trying? Did her mighty husband not deserve the woman of the poem? Was she possibly the only woman in the realm who could fulfil this role?

Only time would tell.

* * *

Ce strolled casually into the main hall of Da's manor, looking around at the decor. He smiled as he came closer, impressed by the subtle tricks of engineering and architecture Zhou Yu's men had used- by subtle gradients, the hall became smaller as one approached Da Qiao's dais and throne, making the Mistress of Jian'An seem larger, as if the hall humbly refused to dwarf her. To the right side of her throne-chair was now positioned the treated and preserved form of the _Nian Shou_ she had slain, in a fearsome pose that would let all who entered be aware of her valour.

"Heckuva setup you've got her, Da," he said cheerfully as he approached. She began to rise and bow, offering her husband the seat but he waved it off casually. He had no intention of usurping his wife's authority, especially so early in her suzerainty over the region. "Got any immediate plans?"

Having resumed her seat, Da nodded. "I have to be present at the opening of three more schools and then the courtesan's quarters still warrant my attention. That being said, I should not be here longer than another two weeks. At that time, I shall return to Baifu to take my place at your side, wherever that might be."

"Good, I'm lookin' forward to it." Ce agreed. "Gods help Cao Cao if your talent for command an' battle ever match your administrative skills."

"Oh?" Da replied pointedly, raising an eyebrow. "And what does that say of my courtesan skills?"

Ce through his head back an laughed. "Da, if your military skills ever come close to those, I'm steppin' down an' becomin' _your_ consort!"

Night fell and Da was snuggled next to Ce in the privacy of her chambers. She sighed contentedly as she felt his strong arms around her, seeming to keep the world at bay. Tomorrow would bring another busy day, where the needs of the people would be met with a fair and compassionate hand, allowing them to seek their joys in this brief life while the realm was brought to heel by her mighty husband.

If only this night would last forever.

As she shut her eyes and drifted off to sleep, she thought of her tasks no longer as unwelcome challenges but blessings to make her the person that everyone else saw her to be. She dreamt of a field of endless blossoms, each one telling her a story or revealing some pearl of wisdom in its petals so that she soared like a crane or a graceful dragon, the sage winds carrying her to places she had never known.

It was her new beginning. Perhaps now she finally understood.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **I know you're all sick of the delays, but it's been a busy spring and summer. I'm getting married August 17th and my time is somewhat limited. Don't worry, I still have a compulsive need to write.

So Dynasty Warriors 8 is officially out and I cannot wait to give it a shot. I've been told some of the new modes and rules are actually pretty good and that the plot is a lot more open-ended. That should prove interesting. Naturally, because Koei is involved, some of the character designs are kinda strange and WTF'ish, but I think we all just have some resigned acceptance of this notion by this point in time.

Yes, this was another Da chapter, but using her as the central character seemed a lot more reasonable than using Ce to build a scholar town. He'd get no character development out of it, nor would Zhou Yu. And i'm still reconciling Da to her role as a leader of Wu rather than the Timid Chick/Wallflower trope she is always stuck with by Koei. I think my Sun Ce, based on his personality in DW5, would jive much better with my Da than the one constantly beshat upon us by Koei. While some Xenafication has been involved to contrast Koei's total nerfing and flanderization of Shang Xiang, I thing I have struck a decent balance between her inner strength and her genteel demeanour.

The concept of revitalizing the town came from 7's quirky little mode where your town starts off as a crumbling sack of crap and by virtue of your efforts becomes a veritable beacon of Middle Kingdom culture, with everyone revering you for it. That sad, melancholy flute and piano tune in-game is what I had Xiao playing while she was standing on the peaked roof soon after they arrived in the town. I shall utilize this setting intermittently for plot development, since it is actually a nifty place to be, away from the press of Baifu.

As for the bit with Da hunting the _Nian Shou_, well, I just wanted some action in the story for a change of pace, one that didn't involve the girls' forays into sapphic indulgence (and no, I am not at all apologetic for those).

Obviously the next chapter will be up after my wedding, so let's call for a September update. Hopefully this'll hold you until then.

Keep your stick on the ice!

- Management


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